APR IL 2018 | FREE
A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR
WORKING THE ROOM with Richard Bromell of Charterhouse Auctioneers
e Exclusoivffer r e read
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sherbornetimes.co.uk
WELCOME
S
herborne is a town of character and characters. With heavy seams of history underfoot, quirks and questions at every turn, it’s perhaps inevitable that this omnipresent sense of the past should pervade into even our contemporary make up. Sherborne is now something of a global (yes, global) destination for antique hunters, collectors, interior designers and home-makers. Be it a grubby 1804 first edition of Sporting Anecdotes or a c1900 Chinese snuff bottle, Sherborne is a veritable treasure trove. One man at the centre of this curious gravitational pull is Richard Bromell of Charterhouse Auctioneers. A conduit for the weird, wonderful and often incredibly valuable, Richard is perhaps the quintessential Sherborne character. A gleeful inhabitant of auction rooms since leaving school, he still has the fizz and wonder of a wide-eyed boy in a sweet shop. With each remarkable item bought and sold comes a story. Here, among many others, we tell his. Have a great month. Glen Cheyne, Editor glen@homegrown-media.co.uk @sherbornetimes
CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard @round_studio Sub editors Jay Armstrong @jayarmstrong_ Elaine Taylor Photography Katharine Davies @Katharine_KDP Feature writer Jo Denbury @jo_denbury Editorial assistant Helen Brown Illustrations Elizabeth Watson @DandybirdDesign Print Pureprint Distribution team David Elsmore Christine Knott Sarah Morgan Mary & Roger Napper Alfie Neville-Jones Claire Pilley Geoff Wood Contact 01935 315556 @sherbornetimes editor@sherbornetimes.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk
Homegrown Media Ltd 81 Cheap Street Sherborne Dorset DT9 3BA
Sherborne Times is printed on Edixion Offset, an FSC® and EU Ecolabel certified paper. It goes without saying that once thoroughly well read, this magazine is easily recycled and we actively encourage you to do so. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither Sherborne Times nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. Sherborne Times does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior permission from Sherborne Times.
Additional photography: contributor's own, Shutterstock and iStock 4 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Adam Anstey Sherborne Preparatory School @Sherborneprep sherborneprep.org
Paul Gammage & Anita Light EweMove Sherborne @ewemoveyeovil ewemove.com
Martin Armand & Zoe Charlton SPFit @spfit-sherborne.co.uk spfit-sherborne.co.uk
Nicholas Goodden @gr8thingstodo greatthingstodo.co.uk
Simon Barber Evolver Magazine @SimonEvolver evolver.org.uk Mia Barlow & Hannah Solloway Sherborne Area Refugee Support sherbornearearefugeesupport.org.uk Laurence Belbin laurencebelbin.com David Birley Elisabeth Bletsoe Sherborne Museum @SherborneMuseum sherbornemuseum.co.uk Richard Bromell ASFAV Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers @CharterhouseAV charterhouse-auction.com Mike Burks The Gardens Group @TheGardensGroup thegardeneronline.co.uk Malcolm Cockburn Sherborne Scribblers Michelle & Rob Comins Comins Tea House @cominsteahouse cominstea.com Gillian M Constable DWT Sherborne Group @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Jill Cook The London Road Clinic @56londonroad 56londonroad.co.uk
Peter Henshaw & Mike Riley Riley’s Cycles @rileyscycles rileyscycles.co.uk @DCNSherborne dcn.org.uk Sarah Hitch The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms @SanctuaryDorset thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk Colin Lambert colinlambert.co.uk Loretta Lupi-Lawrence The Sherborne Rooms thesherbornerooms.com Sasha Matkevich The Green Restaurant @greensherborne greenrestaurant.co.uk Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership @swanhousevet newtonclarkevet.com Kitty Oakshott Upstairs Downstairs Interiors @updowninteriors updowninteriors.co.uk Lindsay Punch Lindsay Punch Styling @stylistmum lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom Glencairn House Clinic glencairnhouse.co.uk doctortwrobinson.com
David Copp
Deacon Jonathan Simon Church of the Sacred Heart & St Aldhelm sherbornecatholicchurch.org.uk
Jenny Dickinson Dear to Me Studio, Fine Stationery @DearToMeStudio deartome.co.uk
Paul Stickland Black Shed Flowers @NaughtyDinosaur blackshedflowers.blogspot.co.uk
Jimmy Flynn Milborne Port Computers @MPortComputers computing-mp.co.uk
Jonathan Stones Sherborne Literary Society @SherborneLitSoc sherborneliterarysociety.com
Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.) CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS Fort Financial Planning ffp.org.uk
Val Stones @valstones bakerval.com
May Franklin-Davis Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
Simon Walker Mogers Drewett Solicitors @mogersdrewett md-solicitors.co.uk Wayne Winstone Winstone’s Books @winstonebooks winstonebooks.co.uk
66 8
What’s On
18 Shopping Guide 24 Community 26 Wild Dorset 30 Family 40 Art 42 History 44 Interiors 52 Antiques
APRIL 2018 56 Gardening
104 Property
66 CHARTERHOUSE AUCTIONEERS
112 Finance
73 Antiques & Vintage Directory 74 Food & Drink 85 Animal Care 88 Cycling 90 Body & Mind 91 Exclusive Reader Offer
115 Tech 116 Folk Tales 118 Directory 123 Short Story 124 Literature 125 Crossword 126 Pause for Thought
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5
Explore the Audi Q3 at Yeovil Audi.
LASS PRIVACY G
PERATED POWER O AILGATE T
ND CUT 19" DIAMO HEELS LOY W BLACK AL
Call 01935 574981 and quote ‘SherborneQ3’.
Yeovil Audi. Look No Further. Important information: Available to 18s and over. Subject to status. You will not own the vehicle and it must be returned in good condition to avoid further charges. 9.6p excess mileage charge per mile. Offer available for vehicles ordered by 31 March 2018 and delivered by 30 June 2018. Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. Finance subject to status.
Q3 2.0 TDI BLACK EDITION
£359
per month
£2,400 initial rental
Q3 1.4 TFSI BLACK EDITION S-TRONIC
£349
£2,300
per month
initial rental
On Personal Contract Hire, 4 year agreements, 10,000 miles per annum with a 9.6p per mile excess mileage fee.
UND ROUND SO BOSE SUR
KAGE YLING PAC BLACK ST
LIGHTS LED HEAD
TEM PLUS KING SYS AUDI PAR
Mead Ave
Yeovil Audi
Yeovil Audi Houndstone Business Park, Mead Avenue, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8RT
Preston Rd
Way Stourton
Av e M ea d
Lu ft on W ay
e Western Av
Houndstone Business Park
Houndstone Retail Park
01935 574981
Luft on W yeovilaudi.co.uk ay
ASDA Accurate at time of publication [March 2018]. Audi Finance, Freepost Audi Finance. Ocean Automotive Ltd (t/a Yeovil Audi) acts as a credit broker and not a lender. Official fuel consumption figures for the Audi Q3 range in mpg (l/100km) from: Urban 33.6 (8.4) – 55.4 (5.1), Extra Urban 44.8 (6.3) – 68.9 (4.1), Combined 40.4 (7.0) – 62.8 (4.5). CO2 emissions 161 – 117g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results.
@elizabethwatsonillustrations 8 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
APRIL 2018 Listings
Monday 2nd 8am
____________________________
Alweston Car Boot Sale
Mondays 2pm-3.30pm
Enquiries: 01963 23525
‘Feel Better with a Book’ group
Sherborne (New) Castle, New Road, DT9 5NR. bmwcarclubgb.uk
____________________________
____________________________
Monday 9th 9.30am-3.30pm
Sherborne Library, Hound St. Do you
Monday 2nd 2pm
West Country Embroiderers –
love classic stories & poems & would
The Coming of the Railway:
Embellished Landscapes with
enjoy listening or taking part in shared
Bank Holiday Guided Walk
Sandra Coleridge
reading aloud with a small & friendly group? Free 01935 812683
Meet at Sherborne TIC. A guided walk
Digby Hall, Hound Street. Group meets
____________________________
around Sherborne with Blue Badge
Guide Cindy, focusing on the impact of
with optional workshop, £15 payable in
the Railway. £6. sherbornewalks.co.uk
____________________________
on the 2nd Monday of each month
advance. Details: Ann 01963 34696
____________________________
Wednesday 4th 2pm & 8pm Arts Society talk Knights in Shining Armour: Art, Battle and Pageant Digby Hall, Hound Street. With Nigel Arch. Visitors (£5). 01935 474626 theartssocietysherborne.org.uk
____________________________
Wednesday 11th 7.30pm start
Wednesday 4th 7pm
ArtsLink Flicks - Murder
Tuesdays & Thursdays 10.30am
for 7.30pm start
on the Orient Express (12a)
Sherborne Town Walk
Mayor’s Charity Event:
From Sherborne TIC, Digby Rd.
Royal Protection Duty
Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road. £6
Guide Cindy. £5. 01935 815341
Rugby & Cricket Clubs. Tickets £8 inc.
from Sherborne TIC, £12 pre-film supper
1½-2 hrs gentle stroll with Blue Badge
With Allan Peters. Proceeds: Sherborne
01935 815341 sherborneartslink.org.uk
sherbornewalks.co.uk
cheese & wine or soft drink, from Mid
Thursday 12th 11am-2pm
____________________________
West Stationers
All in a Spin with local
____________________________
weaver Kathy Henderson
month 2pm-3.30pm
Wednesday 4th - Saturday 7th
“My Time” Carers’ Support Group
Milborne Port Opera –
Sherborne Museum. Free family event,
The Shielings, The Avenue, DT9 3AJ.
‘Trial by Jury’ & ‘The Murder
____________________________ First Thursday of each
donations welcome
____________________________
Good company, advice, information,
at Shakerley House’
Thursday 12th 7.30pm
relaxed atmosphere & coffee & cake.
Sherborne District Gardeners’
Info: Sarah 01935 601499 or Richard
Milborne Port Village Hall.
Assoc. Spring Show
01935 816321
A hilarious musical double-bill. Booking: littleboxoffice.com/mpo
____________________________
Digby Hall, Hound St, Sherborne,
First Thursday of
Saturday 7th 10am-4pm
DT9 3AA. 01935 389375
____________________________
each month 7.30pm
Antiques Valuation Day
Sunday 15th 11.30am-4pm
General Knowledge Quiz Night
Jubilee Hall Yetminster. With experts
Sherborne Steam &
£5 – refreshments all day
Oborne Road, Sherborne, DT9 3RX.
Sunday 8th 10am-4.30pm
____________________________
____________________________
Vineyards, 2 Tilton Court, Digby Road. Teams of 4 & entry is £5 per person. Cash prize for the winning team! Booking essential. 01935 815544
____________________________
Marc Allum & Lee Young. Entry from
Waterwheel Centre Open Day
____________________________
Entry by donation. 01935 816324 sswc.co.uk
BMW Concours Event
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 9
WHAT'S ON Auction of Chinese and other
Thursday 26th 7.30pm
Asian Silver, Ceramics and
Martock Parish Church hosts The
Works of Art
Lyra Singers from St Petersburg
The Long Street Salerooms, DT9 3BS.
£10 on door, £9 from 01935 822706.
01935 812277 charterhouse-auction.com
____________________________
Catalogue & further details online.
Accompanied children under 16 free.
____________________________
Thursday 26th 7.30pm
Monday 16th 7.30pm start
Saturday 21st 7.30pm
Sherborne Floral Group -
(doors & bar 7pm)
The Beggar’s Opera
Going to Town
MOVIOLA: Film Stars
St Cuthbert’s, Oborne. Lynsey Docherty,
Catholic Church Hall, DT9 3EL.
contact Nigel 01935 817194
plus raffle, 01935 812722
Don’t Die in Liverpool Leigh Village Hall, DT9 6HL. £6 on the door. Interval ice creams. leighvillage.org. uk/events/moviola or 01935 873269
____________________________
Pauls Putnins, Fiona McIntosh - £35,
Demonstration by Amy Shakeshaft ____________________________
Sunday 22nd 2.30pm
Friday 27th - 18th May Tuesday
Handel’s Acis and Galatea -
to Saturday 9.30am-5pm
platform performance
Small Paintings Group Exhibition
Lynsey Docherty, Fiona McIntosh,
Jerram Gallery, Half Moon St. 01935
D’Or. Internationally acclaimed
____________________________
Pauls Putnins - £25. 7.30pm. Yaniv
815261 jerramgallery.com
countertenor, recital of baroque music, £25. Contact Nigel 01935 817194
____________________________ Monday 23rd – Saturday Wednesday 18th 7pm
14th April 9.30am-5pm
DWT Sherborne Group
(open Tuesdays to Saturdays)
presents The Farne Islands
Exhibition of New Work by Carry
Memorial Church Hall, Digby Road,
Akroyd - Found in the Fields
£2.50 - refreshments on arrival
815261, viewable on jerramgallery.com
Saturday 28th 6.30pm
Sherborne. With Neil Gartshore. Tickets
Jerram Gallery, Half Moon St. 01935
____________________________
____________________________
From Syria to Sherborne
Wednesday 25th
Conference Centre, Gryphon School,
Probus - The Incumbrance Slessor Club, Long Street. With Rev Canon Eric Woods DL. Info: 01935
Sunday 29th 10am-4pm Angels of Sound Voice Playshop
Wednesday 25th 7.30pm
10am-12.30pm. Oborne Village Hall,
Custard and Chocolate;
Cinematheque at
Maths Gets Messy
Yeovil College - Frantz
Raleigh Hall, Digby Road. Professor
____________________________ Thursday 19th - Friday 20th
10 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
____________________________
____________________________
Wednesday 18th 7.30pm
cinematheque.org.uk
Free but donations welcomed.
851641 or david@covert-house.net
Science Café: Toothpaste,
Non members £5, 01935 421905
Bristol Rd. Syrian food during interval.
Helen Wilson, Professor of Applied
Oborne, DT9 4LA. Followed by Divine Union Soundbath
2pm-4pm. centreforpuresound.org
____________________________
Mathematics, UCL London sherborne.
Planning ahead…
____________________________
Wednesday 2nd May 2pm & 8pm
scafe@gmail.com
____________________________
APRIL 2018
Children
____________________________ Saturdays 10.30am-12pm & Sundays 12.15pm-2pm
Please share your recommendations and contacts via facebook.com/ Sherborne-Parents or mail@ sherborneparents.com
Oxley Sports Centre -
Sundays 11am-1pm
1st Saturday of the month
Art Club@Thornford
10.30am-12pm
No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford provided. £15 for 1 hour or £30 for 2 hours.
for playgroup & primary school age
Classes for 3-5 & 6-11 year olds. Play,
01963 251747
mindful craft. holliebarber@live.com
____________________________
Float Session Fun family time. Call to check times
before going 01935 818 270 or 818 277
____________________________
Sticky Church
Wednesday 4th & Thursday 5th
DT9 6QE. 8 years+. All materials
Cheap Street Church Hall. Free group
Relax Kids - with Hollie
Call 07742 888302, email alicockrean@
children - making, stories, songs.
dance, yoga, positive affirmations,
gmail.com or visit alicockrean.co.uk
____________________________
Art Society talk - The Art of the Sherborne Missal Digby Hall, Hound Street. With
Michelle Brown. Visitors £5, 01935 474626 theartssocietysherborne.org.uk
____________________________
Workshops and classes ____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Parkinson’s, finished with a cup of tea
No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford
welcome. ArtsLink 01935 815899
Suitable for all abilities. £50. 07742
& social time. Free with donations sherborneartslink.org.uk
____________________________
DT9 6QE. With artist Ali Cockrean.
888302 or email alicockrean@gmail.com
____________________________
Thursday evenings 7.30pm9.30pm Art Club@Thornford for Adults No 1 Wheelwright Studios, Thornford DT9 6QE. Tutored art with Ali
Cockrean. Suitable for all abilities. £10
per session or £15 (materials included).
07742 888302, email alicockrean@gmail. com or visit alicockrean.co.uk
____________________________
Sunday 22nd 1.30pm-4.30pm
Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-12pm
Sherborne Folk Band Workshop
Knit & Natter at The Slipped Stitch
Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road DT9
The Julian, Cheap St. To book call 01935 Thursdays 2.30pm-4pm ArtsLink Parkinson’s Dance
508249, email info@theslippedstitch. co.uk or online theslippedstitch.co.uk
____________________________
Tinney’s Lane Youth Centre,
Wednesday 21st 10am-4pm
those experiencing the symptoms of
Loosen Up Your Painting Style
Sherborne. Specifically designed for
Wednesday Workshop Series -
3NL. Learn to play folk tunes by ear,
experiment with chords & arrangements. All levels & all instruments. £10 in
advance or £12 on the door. Julia 01935 817905 laurelswift.co.uk
____________________________ Thursday 26th 9.30am-9.30pm
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 11
WHAT'S ON Wonder Women Masterclasses
Pannier Market
Vida Comida, Swan Yard. Panel of
The Parade
for the ‘Wonder Women’ Masterclasses,
Thursday mornings 9.00am-11.15am
experts in health, wellbeing and beauty
____________________________
Memorial Hall, Digby Road. 1000s of
collectables, antiques and crafts. Free entry. 01749 677049 westcountrycraftfairs.co.uk
____________________________
eventbrite.co.uk (See page 90 for more
Country Market
Saturday 28th 9am-3.30pm
information and details of our Exclusive
Vintage Market
Reader Offer)
Church Hall, Digby Road
____________________________
____________________________
Every third Friday in
of quality vintage. 07809 387594
Fairs and markets ____________________________
each month 9am-1pm Farmers’ Market
____________________________
Cheap Street
Sport
____________________________
____________________________
Sunday 1st - Monday
Every Sunday 9am
2nd 10am-4pm
Digby Etape Cycling Club Ride
Easter Festival Of Arts & Crafts
From Riley’s Cycles. 20 - 30 miles,
Memorial Hall, Digby Road. 1000s of collectables, antiques & crafts. Free.
01749 677049 westcountrycraftfairs.co.uk
____________________________ Saturday 21st 10am-4pm Thursdays and Saturdays
Memorial Hall, Digby Rd. 30+ sellers
Fleamarket
average 12 to 15 mph. Drop bar road
bike recommended. Facebook: Digby
Etape Sherborne Cycling Club or text Mike 07443 490442
____________________________ Every Tuesday and Thursday
DAYS OUT & HOLIDAYS with TAYLORS COACH TRAVEL Day Trips ____________________________
____________________________
Cardiff Shopper
Compton Acres & Poole
Saturday 14th April
Sunday 27th May
Adult £21.00, Club £19.00
Adult £23.50, Club £21.50
____________________________ Tiverton Horse
____________________________
Drawn Barge
Short Breaks
____________________________
Saturday 28th April
____________________________
Austria - Imperial Vienna
Adult £32.00, Club £30.00
Diana: Her Fashion Story,
11th - 18th October
____________________________
Kensington & Afternoon
Crab Fest, Salcombe
Tea at Harrods
8 Days - £965.00
Sunday 6th May
11th - 12th May
Adult £22.00, Club £20.00
2 Days - £195.00
Lynton & Lynmouth
Harry Potter Weekend
Sunday 13th May
14th - 15th July
Adult £21.00, Club £19.00
2 Days - £155.00
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
2018 Day Excursions & Holiday brochures available. To join our mailing list please call the office on
01935 423177 www.taylorscoachtravel.co.uk
12 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
APRIL 2018 7.30pm–8.30pm
____________________________
Sherborne (A)
Mixed Touch Rugby
Wednesday 18th (7.30pm)
Sherborne School Floodlit Astroturf,
Sherborne v Calne (H)
welcome. £2 per session, first four
Sherborne v
Ottery Lane. DT9 6EE. Novices very sessions free. Visit sherbornetouch.org or
Saturday 21st Bishop Sutton (H)
call Jimmy on 07887 800803
Sherborne Town FC
Saturday 28th Calne v Sherborne (A)
Sherborne RFC
1st XI. Toolstation Western League
Premier Division. Raleigh Grove, The
____________________________
Toolstation Western League Premier
To include your event in our
____________________________ 1st XV. Southern Counties South Division. Gainsborough Park, The Terrace Playing Fields. pitchero.com/clubs/sherbornerfc
Terrace Playing Fields. sherbornetownfc.com Division 3pm start
FREE listings please email
Friday 6th
Monday 2nd (1pm)
description/price/contact (in
Sherborne v North Dorset (H)
Sherborne v
approx 20 words) – by the 5th
Saturday 14th
Malmesbury Victoria (H)
of each preceding month to
Swindon College Old Boys v
Saturday 7th
gemma@homegrown-media.co.uk
Sherborne (A)
Sherborne v
Saturday 21st
Chippenham Park (H)
Due to the volume of events
Swanage & Wareham v
Saturday 14th
received we are regrettably unable
Sherborne (A)
Westbury United v
to acknowledge or include them all.
details – date/time/title/venue/
Elvis Tribute Night Saturday May 12th
Come and join us for a fantastic night out £35 per person. Price includes Dinner & Disco The fun starts at 7.30pm for 8.00pm. Pre-booking essential Why not stay the night? B&B £80.00 per room. Contact our onsite spa The Crystal Courtyard to book with them too.
01935 483435 or go online www.gahotel.co.uk and click on spa
George Albert Hotel Wardon Hill, Evershot, Nr. Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PW Tel: 01935 483430 www.gahotel.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 13
PREVIEW In association with
Pennie Elfick ‘Cube 4’
Thinking Line - Making Space 24th March – 15th April The Slade Centre, The Square, Gillingham, SP8 4AY
Thursday - Sunday, 10am - 5pm, 07775 431652 sladecentre.com In an age when we’re repeatedly told how busy our lives are,
Pennie’s inspiration for her pared back, hard-edged
a new exhibition at Gillingham’s Slade Centre revels in the
abstractions comes from the world about her - the Somerset
the work of two Somerset artists, Pennie Elfick and Tony
environment. The work invites contemplation. It takes a
matchless joy of simply taking a minute. The show combines Martin, both of whom draw inspiration from the environment but respond to it in quite different ways.
Tony’s highly distinctive work is based on the geometry of
landscape. He trained as a fine artist and made work about
landscape but outgrew conventional representations. Going
back, quite literally, to the drawing board he rediscovered his
passion for lines. The work also has roots in music and poetry - the space between sounds in music and the space in words that poetry creates.
14 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Levels which her studio overlooks, and also the urban
moment to become attuned to the use of colour and to
understand what is being shown. Much of it is made on
tulipwood in acrylic and Pennie is not afraid to take the sander to it and begin again, painstakingly building up fine layers of
paint then masking out sections and applying the next colour and so on. Only at the end does she remove all the tape and see the complete work. evolver.uk.org
CHURCH STUDIO HAYDON DORSET
DORSET ART WEEKS EXHIBITION OPENING ‘In conversation plus Q&A with artists Paul Newman, Russell Denman & Eleanor Goulding’
SATURDAY 26TH MAY 6PM - 8PM
Tastings and bakes from COMINS TEA Handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and cocktails from FORAGER SPIRIT
HUMAN FLOW - AI WEI WEI Film Screening (in collaboration with Sherborne Area Refugee Support)
SATURDAY 9TH JUNE
7.30PM
Ticketed event - £7 in advance from www.other-side.eventbrite.co.uk Tastings and bakes from COMINS TEA Handcrafted spirits, liqueurs and cocktails from FORAGER SPIRIT www.denmangould.com/other-side
A series of free talks, lectures, live performances and screenings in support of
Suggested donation £7
What's On
SHERBORNE ABBEY FESTIVAL
W
4th - 8th May
ith a nineteenth season in 2018, and many new accolades under its belt, the acclaimed Sherborne Abbey Festival, on the first weekend in May once again, means wonderful music of all kinds. Awarded Gold and Event of the Year 2017 at the Dorset Tourism Awards, the festival has gone on to be a finalist and Silver award winner at the South West Tourism Awards too. The event promotes all that is great in music locally and further afield, with renowned performers joining schools and amateur choirs in a programme that has something for everyone. The 2018 programme, taking place from 4th to 8th May, is full of exciting and adventurous concerts. Around seventy percent of all performances are free entry too, making it one of Dorset’s most welcoming and accessible musical events. From Intimate Sinatra with Matt Ford, popular Swing, Big Bands and Close Harmony to a Concerto Feast with Adrian Brendel, Rachmaninov to Taverner with the Tallis Scholars and Gospel from the London Adventist Chorale, the festival promises an unforgettable season. 16 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
As always, local young musicians and singers have a major role with concerts by jazz, madrigal, choral and chamber ensembles from Sherborne School, Sherborne Girls School and Leweston School. A much-anticipated highlight is the performance by Sherborne Festival Chorus, a non-auditioning community-based choir of 140 people, this year appearing with Sherborne Classical Players presenting Mozart’s Requiem. Described as ‘A lovely gem of a festival’ by long-time supporter Dr Carol Colburn Grigor CBE (The Dunard Fund), Sherborne Abbey Festival is organised entirely by volunteers and is centred in and around the 8th Century Abbey Church in Sherborne. The combination of classical music, internationally-renowned performers and the opportunity to explore all that Sherborne and Dorset has to offer is irresistible to visitors. For details on the full programme or to buy tickets for the 2018 Festival visit our website. sherborneabbeyfestival.org
DON’T MISS SHERBORNE’S AWARD-WINNING FIVE DAY
Music Festival
4-8 MAY 2018
up to
70% of concerts are FREE ENTRY!
Featuring
TALLIS SCHOLARS KIERAN WHITE & ELIZABETH KENNY LONDON ADVENTIST CHORALE WESSEX BIG BAND ROSSIGNOL HELEN HABERSHON & FRIENDS ADRIAN BRENDEL & RUTH ROGERS IUVENTUS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA BECKET’S CONSORT MATT FORD & THE TIPPETT QUARTET MATT SKELTON QUINTET ORGANIST ANDREW EARIS SHERBORNE FESTIVAL CHORUS SHERBORNE CLASSICAL PLAYERS SCHOOL AND CHURCH CHOIRS, YOUNG MUSICIANS, WORKSHOPS AND MORE...
See the full programme and buy tickets online at
www.sherborneabbeyfestival.org Book in person at Sherborne TIC | Digby Road DT9 3NL
Tel: 01935 815341
Shopping Guide
Group of family portrait miniatures £400-600 19th & 20th April auction, Charterhouse Antiques
Grain Sacks Embroidered with Family Colours £45 Upstairs Downstairs
Nursery Rhyme Clock £15 Busy Lizzie’s
HIDDEN TREASURES Jenny Dickinson, Dear To Me Studio
It is easy to lose oneself in the romance of our local antique and vintage emporiums. Each visit reveals a unique treasure you didn’t know you needed but can’t do without and with each new find comes a captivating story to unravel. (See page 73 for Sherborne's Antique & Vintage Directory) deartomestudio.com 18 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
French Copper Pot £14 Old Shambles
Chapatti Rolling Pin £12 Old Shambles
Indian Holy Cow £58 Upstairs Downstairs
French Coffee Grinder £35 Old Shambles
Wooden Rule £12 Shepton Flea Market sherbornetimes.co.uk | 19
Antonia Griffin, Gift
SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT
M
any of you will have spotted Pixie stickers popping up in the windows of businesses in Sherborne. But what is Pixie? In a nutshell, it’s a smartphone app for a growing family of independent businesses. People can discover, pay for, and be rewarded for making choices that also contribute to the local community. So what does ‘community’ mean to us here in Sherborne? Is it a sense of shared ownership, common attitudes or interests, or is it about opportunities for people to enjoy a connection - or indeed all of these things? Let’s face it, out-of-town shopping might be ideal for some and online shopping undoubtedly convenient for others, but both can be a soulless experience and often frustrating when something goes wrong. There are times when the human touch is simply preferable. For the past six months in Bath and Frome, the Pixie platform has been making a very real difference with regard to the visibility of those independent businesses that serve to define a place. Sherborne’s own wealth of cafés, pubs, niche retailers, boutique hotels and exciting 20 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
mix of artisan services also struggle with the same basic issue: the resources necessary to promote whatever mix of qualities it is that sets them apart from their online and big brand competition. Passionately believing that it is this fabric of independent businesses which define the personality and the appeal of Sherborne, Pixie has created an app that helps you to explore them and to build the connections that can directly contribute to a vital and thriving community. Download it. Explore the businesses in Sherborne it profiles. Take steps to use it and Pixie will give you £5.00 to spend in any of the businesses already on the platform. These include Ginger and Pickle Children’s Boutique, Artist Laurence Belbin, Gift Sherborne, Pure Hair, Oliver’s Coffee House, The Slipped Stitch, Vineyards, Riley’s Cycles, Chapter House Books with The Sanctuary Coffee Shop, The Pear Tree and Bean Shot Coffee. Together with Pixie, we’re working to make the world a more local place... one community at a time. pixieapp.co
Photography Derryn Vranch
Hannah Wilkins, Vineyards
Stephen Taylor, The Pear Tree sherbornetimes.co.uk | 21
OPEN 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM 33 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE, DT9 3PU PHONE 01935 816551 22 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
At the
Corn Exchange
Bach Before Leipzig Sun 29 April
Violinist Elicia Silverstein and British Harpsichordist Christopher Bucknall, present a recital of some of Bach’s most varied nuanced and facinating instrumental music.
Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre
The Kingcombe Centre
The Villa, Brownsea Island
Fine Foundation Wild Seas Centre
F I N D U S AT E L E M E N T U M J O U R N A L . C O M
Wild Art
This year, for the first time, four Dorset Wildlife Trust Visitor Centres are inviting you to enjoy art exhibitions, and out wild places as part of Dorset Art Weeks 26th May - 1oth June Visit: www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST Photos Š Vicky Ashby, Emma Godden & Pam Hunt.
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 23
Community
FROM SYRIA TO SHERBORNE
M
Mia Barlow & Hannah Solloway, SHARES
any of us have experienced homesickness at some point in our lives. That complete and utter longing for the familiar: friends, family, smells, food. It is almost impossible, however, for us to imagine a perpetual homesickness, the kind that cannot end because we simply cannot return home. This is the story for many Syrians and a topic explored by Nada Menzalji, an internationally acclaimed Syrian poet and author who has been forced to live in exile in London since 1998. This spring, Nada will come to Sherborne to speak and take part in a diverse evening of events put on by Sherborne Area Refugee Support (SHARES). ‘From Syria to Sherborne’ aims to highlight the plight of those fleeing their homes, and also to inform and enthuse local people about how they can come together as a community to make a difference. From donating blankets and clothing for those stranded in refugee camps to befriending Syrians being resettled in Sherborne, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. Joining her on the evening of the 28th April will be Frankie Dickens who, just over two years ago, was training for the Olympics when she got involved in campaigning for refugee rights with others from Sherborne. As a talented Great British sailor she had always dreamed of winning a gold medal but volunteering at ‘The Jungle’ refugee camp in Calais changed everything. Today she is studying European law at the University of Maastricht and has given a ‘TEDx’ talk on how the refugees she has met have inspired her. Also on the programme is the extraordinary Ghias Al-Jundi, a journalist in Syria until he was threatened by the regime because of his writing and involvement in human rights activism. Tortured for five years as a political prisoner, Ghias fled to the UK in 1998 and now works as a human rights advocate in London, however he has himself been out to Greece to rescue refugees who’ve made the dangerous sea crossing from Turkey. The evening will also feature the critically acclaimed film, Aamir, which was recently nominated for best International Short Film at the BAFTAs. The film tells the tale of a 13-year-old boy separated from his family and stranded alone in one of Europe’s unofficial refugee camps. The main activity of SHARES is to work with the local authority to support the resettlement of refugees from the Syrian conflict under the UK government’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. The coordinator of the Dorset scheme will be joining us at the event and promoting the need for privately owned homes suitable to let to families settling in the area. Volunteers will be on hand to share their experiences of befriending refugee families and offering support with learning English. Furthermore, there will be the chance to find out about other volunteer opportunities which include helping to sort clothing and other aid, and delivering it to our partner charity in Taunton from where it is distributed to refugees overseas and in the UK. From Syria to Sherborne takes place at 6.30pm on 28th April at the Gryphon School’s conference centre. Syrian food will be on offer during the interval. The event is free but donations will be welcomed. Find out more about SHARES at sherbornearearefugeesupport.org.uk, email sherborne.shares@gmail.com or visit their Facebook page at Sherbornearearefugeesupport.
24 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Ghias Al-Jundi
Frankie Dickens and teammate Tilly James
Aamir (2017) sherbornetimes.co.uk | 25
Wild Dorset
26 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
A PAD IN YOUR POND
C
May Franklin-Davis, Dorset Wildlife Trust
ool eyes peering from the pond surface, soft croaking in the gloaming and the quiet ‘plops’ - our gardens would be sorely lacking without the frog. Though there are over four thousand frog species worldwide, only the Common Frog and the reintroduced Pool Frog are considered UK natives. As Pool Frogs are only found in a handful of sites, mostly in eastern England, and the introduced non-native Marsh Frog is even more localised, it is the Common Frog that we invariably encounter. They can still be quite abundant in the right habitats and that includes gardens, where their appetite for slugs and snails must make them amongst our most welcome wildlife. These ribbitting amphibians can be seen almost year-round when it’s warm enough, but they need to hibernate during the coldest winter spells among rotting leaves, logs or hidden in pond mud. When it’s hot, they need to take refuge somewhere damp. The Common Frog, measuring 8cm-10cm, can be found in shallow ponds and in some lakes and canals, if the water is slow-moving or stagnant. A fascinating thing about these small creatures is how they respire through both lungs and their skin which must always be moist, hence they are never far from water or damp. More amazing is how they transform from frogspawn to tadpole and then to adult frog through metamorphosis. Unfortunately, the frog has not escaped the impact of human changes to the environment; in some areas numbers have dwindled through habitat loss. Their aquatic habitat and their diet also leaves them vulnerable to pesticides, for example types that are used against slugs and snails. If you would like to make your pond more frog-friendly there are simple ways to do so; making sure there are both shaded areas and places in direct sunlight is vital. Pond plants are also important as they provide cover - good varieties are water lilies, broad-leaved pond-weed and water parsley. Flat stones or slates should be placed around the edge of ponds to provide areas for frogs to bask in the sun during summer months.
FACT FILE: • Females can lay up to 4,000 eggs. • Only 1 in 50 eggs tend to survive into adulthood. • It takes roughly 16 weeks for tadpoles to become fully grown frogs. • A frog's diet only becomes carnivorous after the frogspawn stage.
dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 27
Wild Dorset
Image: Neil Gartshore
SHERBORNE DWT
T
Gillian M Constable, DWT, Sherborne Group Committee
he Farne Islands are a group of more than 15 islands off the coast of Northumberland. They form a National Nature Reserve internationally important for its wildlife, in particular puffins, terns and seals. David Attenborough said that the Farne Islands are his favourite place in the UK. Discover more about this special location at the April meeting of the Sherborne DWT Group. We meet in Digby Memorial Hall at 7.00pm for 7.30pm on the 18th April. Our speaker is Neil Gartshore who has been a life-long birdwatcher. Neil has spent several periods on the Farne Islands working on both bird (his tern picture above) and seal projects for RSPB before coming to Dorset to work at Arne and becoming RSPB’s Dorset Reserve Manager. In 2006 he left RSPB to undertake freelance birding work and to run Calluna books, which specialises in out-ofprint natural history books. He wrote Best Birdwatching Sites in Dorset in 2011. Two of DWT’s reserves starred in a recent episode of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s BBC2 programme ‘Wild West’, in which he discovers the wildlife of south-west England. One was Bracketts Coppice, south of Yeovil. This 28 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
area of ancient woodland, meadows and hedgerows is home to the very rare Beckstein’s bat, which is associated with old-growth, broadleaved woodland. Hugh accompanied a group of bat experts to investigate the bat boxes at the reserve, seeking the Beckstein’s bats. They were successful in their mission and we saw a number of these mediumsized, relatively long-eared creatures. This summer one of the Sherborne DWT group’s field-meetings is to Bracketts Coppice. This event will be led by Stephen Oliver, a DWT reserve manager, who spoke to the group in November about the secret life of a dormouse. Hugh also visited Lorton Meadows, a DWT reserve on the northern edge of Weymouth. Here he discovered the differences between crickets and grasshoppers, the most obvious difference between the sexes (the ovipositor), and watched the great green bush-cricket and other species. At the reserve there is a visitor centre providing hot drinks etc. (check website for opening times) and a number of marked walking trails of various lengths including a Children’s Wild-Nature Trail. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
ARE YOUR RETIREMENT PLANS ON COURSE? Contact us for a pension review.
PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s PlaceWealth Management
40 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8JG Tel: 01747 855554 9 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PU Tel: 01935 315315
www.peterhardingwm.co.uk
Partner Practice represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James’s Place representatives. Peter Harding Wealth Management is a trading name of Peter Harding Practice Ltd.
@elizabethwatsonillustrations 30 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Bringing out the best in every pupil
For more information or to arrange a visit please contact the Registrar Charlotte Carty 01935 810911/registrar@sherborneprep.org/www.sherborneprep.org
Open Morning Saturday 5th May 2018 9.30am - 11.30am A co-educational day and boarding school from 2-13
‘‘It is possible to go and do anything after coming here.’’
Minibus routes available
TATLER SCHOOLS GUIDE 2018
t. 01747 857914 | www.portregis.com | e. admissions@portregis.com
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 31
UNEARTHED CHARLIE SMITH, AGED 18 Sherborne School
S
herborne School has produced some fantastic musicians over the years and 18-yearold Charlie Smith is set to be among the best of them. Sixth Former Charlie took his ATCL (Associate of Trinity College of London) on the flute when he was 16 and achieved a Distinction. More recently he became a Licentiate and is therefore the first pupil at Sherborne School to hold an LTCL, adding a Distinction with 93% to this already impressive accolade. This is an extraordinary achievement by any standards, and quite remarkable for someone who also leads a very full musical life beyond playing the flute in the School’s many Friday lunchtime concerts, orchestras and chamber music groups. Charlie is also the Swing Band’s guitarist, in which capacity he has twice toured the Caribbean and will next appear at the Sherborne Abbey Festival in May. Unusually for a flute-player of this calibre, he is also a singer-songwriter in his own right, with an intended career in the pop music world starting with a place at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute in Liverpool after A levels in July. The Director of Music at Sherborne School, James Henderson, first auditioned Charlie on Skype when he was living in France aged 14 - he immediately recognised a highly talented young musician, and offered him a Music Scholarship. Like all Music Scholars at the School, Charlie sings in the School’s Choir which has the great privilege of singing in the Abbey twice a week during term-time – though his voice is primarily suited to the Ed Sheeranstyle songs that he writes. We feel certain that his voice will become even better known in the future as he has recently recorded many songs, alternating between catchy singing and virtuosic flute playing. sherborne.org
KATHARINE DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY Portrait, lifestyle, PR and editorial commissions 07808 400083 info@katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk www.katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk
32 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Focus without distraction Endless opportunities
Separate yet together
01935 810403 admissions@sherborne.org sherborne.org
01935 818224 registrar@sherborne.com sherborne.com
Family
AN EXPLORATION OF TWITTER Adam Anstey, Director of IT, Sherborne Prep
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he first ever Tweet was sent on 21st March 2006. It certainly was not anything to write home about. This concept was the beginning of a communications revolution and an adventure into the Twittersphere, subsequently beaming a spotlight on worldwide public opinion. In 2011, during a fortunate summit window, explorer Kenton Cool successfully sent the first Tweet from the summit of Mount Everest. This was his ninth successful summit. Anyone who has read Heinrich Harrer’s White Spider or Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air will have an understanding of the perils associated with mountaineering, something perhaps a 140-character Tweet can never wholly communicate. Despite having 34 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
the ability to Tweet at an altitude of 29,029 feet, it is not suggested that this form of communication is beneficial for climber safety. On the contrary, the distraction of having social media access and the requirement of climbers to remove their gloves in -36 degrees will undoubtedly make the descending journey all the more treacherous. However, although most of us prefer to send our Tweets with two feet firmly on the ground, precautions should still be taken. We are all fortunate enough to have the license to create content and share this with others. What we choose to say can be read by millions or by no one at all. Freedom of speech is an important part of the Human Rights Act, however this does not automatically give us
the right to say what we want without censorship. It is a right to be earned and used respectfully. As users of social media we are all connected by sophisticated networks. This, and the readily available mobile broadband in even some of the most inhospitable places on earth, allows us to influence the views of others, be instrumental in shaping how we are perceived by those who follow us and be influenced in return. Indeed, the small act of sending a Tweet can have positive impacts as well as devastating consequences for the sender and their audience. A moment of emotive lack of foresight can sometimes result in messages sent in frustration, hurt feelings, and an
inefficacious outcome leading to an unwanted black mark on your digital footprint. This was recently demonstrated by Kylie Jenner whose Tweet about Snapchat led to a 1.3-billion-dollar loss on the market value of the company. It is for these reasons that we have to reflect upon the message we are portraying before we press send. Even though James Cameron was certainly feeling the pressure when he was seven miles deep on the sea bed at the Mariana Trench in 2012, he will have undoubtedly given the record breaking Tweet careful consideration before formulating it. Similar to the pioneering astronauts whose footprints are firmly and perhaps forever embedded on the surface of the moon, our own digital footprints are timeless, allowing friends, family, employers and the public to make judgements - accurately or not. To this day, theorists still question the validity of the first moon landing and are sceptical of the video footage. Therefore, as the moon is set to get 4G coverage in 2019 and with Neil Armstrong’s famous first words only making up fifty characters, it begs the question whether the same theorists would put more faith in a Tweet or simply brand it as more fake news. At Sherborne Preparatory School pupils are taught to respect the power that social media brings and to protect their own digital footprint by carefully selecting the content they decide to share. Even though pupils in the younger years should not have their own accounts, Tweets and posts appear on a whole range of platforms that they may regularly use. It is, therefore, imperative that parents and teachers provide a safe environment that enables pupils to develop the confidence to decide what content they place their trust in. When combined with the skills to spot fake news, pupils can then develop the understanding that their own beliefs should be influenced by real-life adventures as opposed to purely digital ones. Overall, the impact of social media has an impression on our outlook. In this modern era, we are becoming acutely aware that we are never truly alone when online. In 1912, whilst on an expedition in Antarctica, Apsley Cherry-Garrard described polar exploration as the most isolated way of having a bad time. Perhaps if Twitter had been accessible to Cherry-Garrard, he may have found his hopes lifted after discovering that those in the digital world were seemingly having a far worst time of it. Maybe having access to the Twittersphere does have its benefits! sherborneprep.org sherbornetimes.co.uk | 35
Children’s Book Review
Family
Wayne Winstone, Winstone’s Books, Independent Bookshop of the Year 2016
A Year in the Wild by Helen Ahpornsiri with words by Ruth Symons, £12.99 (Big Picture Press) Exclusive Sherborne Times reader offer of £11.99 from Winstone’s Books
T
ake a journey through the seasons in this beautiful book, with artwork created entirely from hand-pressed plants. Artist Helen Ahpornsiri digitally transforms petals, leaves and seeds into bounding hares, swooping swallows and fluttering butterflies. Turn the page to watch flowers unfold, see birds take flight or peek inside animal homes. Marvel at
Books for the whole family
the magic of each moment and rediscover the wonders of a year in the wild. This book is one of those labours of love, with incredible attention to detail and lovingly put together; a book for children to be inspired by and one to be treasured. winstonebooks.co.uk
'Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016’ 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128
COLOURING PAGE
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 37
Family
TAKING YOUR CHILD ABROAD WHEN SEPARATED Simon Walker, Associate, Mogers Drewett
S
ummer is coming and you see a fantastic deal for a holiday. This would be the ideal time to go abroad and kick back, enjoying time with those you love. However, for all of us, there is the issue of obtaining permission from the school if the trip will be outside the school holidays. There have been some high profile cases where parents have taken their children away during term-time without the school’s permission, and it is something that many schools are policing more tightly. But what if you are separated and you want to take your children with you? Do you need the permission of your former partner? The short answer is that, if both of you have parental responsibility, you do. To take the children out of the country – what is called ‘temporary removal’ – you must have the written permission of the parents or anyone else with parental responsibility. It is in fact a criminal offence to take your children abroad without such permission. The exception to this is if you have a Child Arrangement Order under which the children live in your care and the stay abroad will be for less than 28 days. If you have separated and you need to take your child out of the country then often obtaining an agreement can be problematic. While the court will expect parents to work together, the notion of sharing parental responsibility and respecting the rights of the other parent for the benefit of the child can be lost among the 38 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
other issues that may exist between you. That is why it makes sense to try to agree a set procedure with your former partner in advance. This is also an issue that could be addressed during the process of a divorce, separation or the annulment of a civil partnership. If you cannot agree on the holiday, then whichever partner wants to take the children abroad would need to apply for court permission. It is rare for a court to refuse permission if the holiday is a genuine one. The main issues that could prevent the court from granting permission would be if the destination was unreasonable (for example, a dangerous territory) or if there were grounds to believe that the parent/children may be planning not to return. It is also very important to remember that the law regarding this issue may be different in your country of destination. It is highly advisable to check on the legal situation in that country to see whether you need to take written evidence of parental permission with you. Bring your child’s birth certificate with you to show your relationship to them and any Court Order if there is one. No parent wants the prospect of a relaxing holiday with their children to turn into a difficult dispute. At Mogers Drewett, we have a highly experienced team who can advise you on your rights. mogersdrewett.com
mogersdrewett.com Sherborne | Bath | Wells
FOR A LAW FIRM ON THE SAME PAGE Forward-thinking legal expertise on your doorstep Find out more at mogersdrewett.com or call our Sherborne office on 01935 813691 Spring House, East Mill Lane, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3DP
Art
Back in February I took a trip to London to see the Modigliani exhibition at the Tate. While travelling on the tube I was struck, not for the first time, by how little people take notice of each other. At one time you did at least, on occasion, make eye contact but now with mobile devices even that seems to have stopped! I could not, therefore, resist the opportunity to do this little pen and ink. It’s a bit shaky due to the motion of the train. I tried to get the attitude and posture of the commuters as they sat squeezed in the seats, some spreading themselves and claiming the arm rests for the entire journey and totally engrossed in their phones. I was aware of the possibility of being spotted drawing but really I need not have concerned myself as no-one looked up. I think I’ve managed to catch the general atmosphere and my experience of that day travelling by tube in this very quick study. I would have liked to do a drawing or two along the river but the weather was not conducive to standing still - it was a week before the onslaught of ‘Storm Emma’. When I settled down to write this we had been in the grip of a very cold snowy spell. As you all know there was a bitterly cold wind, which made drawing outside considerably less attractive than it usually is. I decided, while looking out of an upstairs window at home, to do a pencil sketch. At this point the snow wasn’t too bad and I was considering how best to give the feeling of a dusting of snow rather than a heavy fall. It wasn’t very long before that problem was no longer an issue. It just got heavier and heavier. One has to think carefully where to leave the white paper and how best to create contrast. With watercolour washes I have made the buildings stand out against the snow and road. A few blue lines to indicate the passing of cars and that set the scene. A couple of people were walking down the road and I felt that they ought to go in. The sky was threatening and there was more harsh weather to follow. I find sketching and watercolour on the pad a useful way of getting ideas down when you see them and before you forget the impression they’ve made on you. If they turn into paintings all well and good but, if not, it will have been a good exercise in observation and a moment or two being creative and doing something. It’s never wasted. All this snow was forecast but here in Dorset I never really expect it to be very deep and certainly not to last overnight but this time it did. If possible I shall be out painting and perhaps capture it while it lasts. laurencebelbin.com 40 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 41
History
OBJECT OF THE MONTH
THE UNFINISHED QUILT Elisabeth Bletsoe, Curator, Sherborne Museum
O
ne of the most poignant artefacts currently to be seen in the upper gallery as part of our Text and Textile exhibition is the Unfinished Quilt. This was created by two sisters, Louisa and Alberta Gartell, born 1853 and 1867 respectively, who lived in the building which was formerly the Abbey Gatehouse, now home to the Museum. At that time in the late 1800s it was a china and glass shop owned by their father Joseph, originally from Stourton Caundle, who inherited it from his Uncle Thomas Tulk, the property having been in the family for several generations. The quilt was probably started here but was taken with the sisters when they later moved to a cottage in Newland. They were perceived as a reserved and slightly eccentric pair, well-known for their handicraft skills. Unfortunately, their house, next to the Infants’ School, took a direct hit during the bombing raid on the afternoon of 30th September 1940; folk-memory has it that pound notes the sisters had sewn into their cushions for safekeeping were seen floating down the street. Alberta was killed outright. It has been said that, initially, Louisa had a miraculous escape as she had that very day been admitted to the Yeatman Hospital for tests; research reveals, however, that she had been for several years in the care of the Dorchester Public Assistance Institution for the chronically sick and elderly. The story is no less moving, for on being told of the death of her sister a few days after the raid, Louisa died, possibly from shock. The quilt was therefore never finished; it was pulled from the rubble and, much later, donated to the museum in 1968, its inaugural year. It is more accurately described as English Patchwork, or “piecing over paper”,
42 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
a different needlework technique to quilting, with its own history. The pattern is first drawn onto paper and carefully cut. Small pieces of material are folded round each of the paper shapes and tacked into place; this is known as “basting”, and you can see in our example the long temporary stitches that have yet to be removed. The shapes would have been joined together from the back using small whipstitches. Since the templates are not removed until the quilt top is completed, an unfinished piece, as well as being rather stiff, can contain a great deal of social history, tantalisingly revealed in small snippets on the underside. The earliest fragment dates from 1881. The patchwork also displays textiles fashionable at the time - Indian chintzes, Victorian silks, offcuts from mills and pieces cut from old but well-loved clothes; from this we gain an insight into the fabrics with which people surrounded themselves. English patchwork was most popular during Victorian times, and was promoted by Elizabeth Fry to give female prisoners employment and time for reflection. The technique, associated more with domestic economy than luxury, broadly declined during the 20th century although lately it has been used by contemporary artists to explore notions of women’s art. Winter opening: Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 10.30am – 12.30pm Summer season begins Tuesday 26th March. The Museum will then be open from Tuesday-Saturday, 10.30am-4.30pm sherbornemuseum.co.uk
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 43
@elizabethwatsonillustrations 44 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
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www.stevebanefabrics.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 45
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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP Greenhill, Sherborne, DT9 4EW Tel: 01935 813451
46 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Established in 1968 as a radio and black and white TV shop in Newland, we moved our business to our current premises on Greenhill in 1972. We have continued to deliver the high standard of service that our business was built on.
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DESIGNERS AND MAKERS OF BEAUTIFUL FINE BESPOKE JOINERY SINCE 1897
Interiors
Thibaut ‘Pagoda Garden’
Thibaut ‘Daintree’
AN ORIENTAL TWIST Kitty Oakshott, Upstairs Downstairs Interiors
B
ring a taste of the Orient into your home this spring. Let your home come alive with colour and patterns, add sumptuous fabrics and vibrant wallpapers, as much or as little as you like. If subtle is more your style, introduce a feature wallpaper or some scatter cushions in an Eastern design. This trellis-effect fabric from Thibaut looks like a simple geometric pattern but reveals its true bamboo detail when focused on. This kind of design would be great as a feature wallpaper or would work equally well as curtains or a roman blind. Pair a statement wallpaper with plain fabrics trimmed with an intricate braid, to bring in the oriental twist. Add velvets and silk textures to the room through a collection of cushions or re-upholster a favourite piece of furniture in a striking velvet. Bring in statement fabrics with oriental scenes. There are so many beautiful fabrics on the market which gather oriental inspiration, from blossom trees and gardens with 48 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
pagodas to collections of pots and vases. This Oriental Poppy design from Colefax & Fowler is definitely a much-loved classic. More traditional designs include chinoiserie or toile patterns but for a modern take how about this Oriental, handbag-inspired wallpaper from Manuel Canovas? Embroidery is a perfect way to invite an oriental twist into your home. Although they are usually more expensive than printed fabrics, they really can be worth the extra money and bring glamour and style to any room. Embroidered fabrics often have coordinating prints, which can be great to mix and match. Upholster a statement chair in the print version and really bring it to life with the complementary embroidery used for cushions. Oriental inspiration can strike anywhere; give your home a taste of the exotic. updowninteriors.co.uk
SMALL PAINTINGS GROUP 16 ARTISTS – AFFORDABLE PRICES 28th April – 16th May
Thibaut ‘Cyrus Cane’
Pamela Kay
Primroses, Oil
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Two Trees, Oil
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www.jerramgallery.com THE JERRAM GALLERY Half Moon Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3LN 01935 815261 info@jerramgallery.com Manuel Canovas ‘Pagoda’
Tuesday – Saturday sherbornetimes.co.uk | 49
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sherbornetimes.co.uk 20/02/2018 | 51 17:10
Antiques
BEING ORIGINAL Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers
A
s an auctioneer and valuer I place a lot of emphasis on the originality of the items I see and sell. When we load our auction catalogue online we usually receive requests for condition reports within a couple of minutes. It is almost as if buyers are waiting at home or in the office for it to appear! One piece of information frequently requested in a condition report is, “How original is it?” Sometimes originality can be a good thing. If an oil painting is 300 years old and in an original state it can be quite exciting, and the exception rather than the rule. Yes, in all probability it will need some work, but no-one before has restored it so it is pretty much unspoiled – a rare feat. Being realistic though, if I was 300 years old I would expect to have had a few parts replaced! However, to some people, a painting can still be in 'an original state', even it has been cleaned, re-lined, the stretchers replaced, and it has been put in a new frame! This seems also to be true in classic cars and motorcycles. You often read about a vehicle which is offered for sale as 100% original but having undergone a lengthy nut and bolt restoration. So, while being original means different things to different people, it is just one word we use to conjure up what state the item is in. Another word we use a lot is “style” - not referring to whether it is a stylish item, but more in terms of it looking as though it is, rather than actually being, a period item. Personally, I think it sounds much better than “reproduction”. Reproduction seems to have connotations of mass production and not necessarily being of good quality. In the Edwardian era furniture made in the George III style was very popular and sometimes better crafted than the originals! Pastiche or fake are not words we generally incorporate into our auction catalogues as they sound 52 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
quite derogatory. At a recent meeting of Charterhouse cataloguers, a lot coming up in our 11th April classic car auction - a VW Beetle - took up more discussion time than was usual. The “classic” VW Beetle, as opposed to the current model you can buy at a dealership, is not a rare car. During its production run from 1938 to 2003 over 21.5 million were made. Many survive today, in various shapes, forms and condition. The Beetle we have going under the hammer is nothing out of the ordinary. Made in 1971, it was
1971 VW Herbie-style Beetle going under the Charterhouse hammer on Wednesday 11th April
restored to its original specification by the owner, but with a couple of minor changes. The first change was to repaint the car in pearl white. Contrary to this name, the colour has no pearl effect and is an off-white colour. Next up the owner added red, white and blue racing stripes. To top all this off, he added the number 53, which, to most if not all reading this, makes this VW look like Herbie, the Beetle made famous in the frolicking Disney films. Yes, the real Herbie in the films was based around a 1963 Beetle with
a sunroof but, as the owner of the Beetle we are selling only had a 1971 model, he made do with that one! Now surplus to the owner’s needs, this charming VW Beetle, with its Herbie paint colour, racing stripes and the number 53, is not an original film car but is an original Beetle, now restored, and is estimated to sell for £4,000-5,000 when it goes under the hammer on Wednesday 11th April. charterhouse-auction.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 53
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@elizabethwatsonillustrations 56 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
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Gardening
SPRING LAWN CARE Mike Burks, Managing Director of The Gardens Group
F
ollowing a long winter and the heavy snow in March, many traditional grass lawns are looking in poor shape. Whilst our grass struggles in these cold and wet conditions, moss thrives and so has started to takeover. The question is, where do you start in sorting your lawn out? On a dry day, set the mower at a fairly high level and give the lawn a light mowing to tidy it up. Collect the trimmings and put them on the compost heap or leave out for the council to collect. A few days later, again when the grass is dry, apply a moss killer such as Lawn Sand which will kill off the moss and give the lawn a mild feed. A week or so later you will have a lawn that looks a whole lot worse, with the moss having turned black! Vigorously rake out the dead moss with a spring-tinerake or use a mechanical scarifier, which will reveal the bare patches that will need filling in. In order to improve the localised drainage in the top few centimetres of the lawn, you will need to spike the lawn with a fork or better still, a hollow-tined aerator (it looks like a giant fork with tubes instead of tines). This is best done all over the lawn but particularly where the grass is thin or where there are bare patches. Once you have aerated the lawn you can apply a mixture of soil, sand and peat (or peat alternative), which is available already made up as Lawn and Turf dressing. I would recommend scattering it by hand then brushing or raking it to distribute evenly and to ensure it falls into the holes you have made. This can be done with a Besom Broom (witches broom), a spring rake or the back of a rake. When it comes to re-populating the completely bare patches, over-sow with grass seed at a rate of 2oz per square yard or 50g per square metre. Where the grass is patchy but hasn’t completely disappeared, use about half that rate. Choose a grass seed mix to suit your lawn - if 58 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
it’s a fine lawn you are after then use a grass seed mix without ryegrass; should you have shady patches then select a seed mix suited to those conditions. If in doubt come in and ask us; we stock four different types to suit most lawns. Over the next few weeks lightly mow the lawn at a raised setting on the mower until the new grass has germinated and established. Once this has occurred lower the mower cutting height gradually each time you mow to reduce the length of the grass. Three or four weeks later, apply a spring fertiliser such as Evergreen Four in One or Aftercut All in One,
which contain a feed and also a weed and moss killer. As the grass begins to green-up and grow quickly, increase the frequency of cutting and reduce the height of the mower. I always like to vary the direction in which I mow the lawn. This not only helps control some weeds over time but also reduces the boredom levels with such a repeated exercise. Should weeds still be an issue then apply a lawn weed killer such as Weedol Lawn Weedkiller, which will nobble broad-leaved plants but doesn’t affect the grass. In September allow the grass to grow slightly longer and repeat the treatment as above but use an autumn
treatment. This contains a moss killer and fertilisers that get the grass toughened up for the winter. Such autumn treatments are so important to get the lawn in shape before the winter, thereby reducing the efforts needed in the spring. If you aren’t so interested in a grass-only lawn and just want it to be green and you’re quite happy to see a few wildflowers, then carry out the same treatments for the moss control but leave out the weed killers and also use less fertiliser or none at all. thegardeneronline.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 59
Gardening
RESTORING BALANCE Nicholas Goodden
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arch’s snowmageddon and the rainy British winter put our plans to work on the Shepherd’s Hut restoration on hold. It’s not necessarily a bad thing as, with Spring approaching fast, we needed to get our priorities right and convert a big part of our lawn into a vegetable garden. We’ve got big plans to grow as much as we can here instead of relying on supermarket produce and the plastic that comes with it. So here I am lifting-up turf, digging up the soil, adding manure and compost, building raised beds for our veggies whilst at the same time destroying my back and discovering arm muscles I never thought even existed. But we arrived in October last year after 60 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
deciding to leave London and a lifestyle we didn’t fit in with anymore and I wasn’t going to wait until late April to care for plants! No. Instead I’ve been growing tomatoes, chillies and spinach indoors under magical, life-giving LED lights. Gardening is about patience but this doesn’t mean we should deny ourselves this pleasure and joy for half the year. I was inspired by many farms around the world who already use low-energy-consuming LEDs and grow salads all year round, defying the British weather. LEDs can be designed to emit the perfect spectrum of light required by plants for optimal growth, mostly blue and red. They emit very little heat too which in turn results
Image: Nicolas Goodden
in dramatically reduced evaporation, therefore up to 90% less water is required for them to grow. It never ceases to amaze me how little I water them. Plants are less stressed by the heat and can focus on their thing... growth. And so in December, just before Christmas, I planted many seeds and waited patiently for them to sprout, giving them love and special attention. A month later we ate our first radishes - these things grow so fast - followed two months later by our first cherry tomato. The plants are now covered in tomatoes and flowers which I’m hand-pollinating due to the absence of bees and other insects. Yes, that’s right, a tomato harvested a week after the UK descended into chaos because of the snow, followed by radishes, chillies and spinach. Isn’t that great? I love our indoor vegetable patch. It allows me to polish my gardening skills when it’s just not possible outside. I’m experimenting with cuttings too, propagating my plants to create little carbon copies. I “gave birth” to a couple more tomato plants simply from removing suckers on one, rooting them and repotting them. People normally discard suckers, I root them, it’s extremely easy! I’m also interested in grafting various chilli varieties onto a main plant in order to create one mother-of-all chilli plant carrying a few varieties on one single “tree”. Yes, that’s possible too. When I was a child back in France where I was raised, mum taught me well. From an early age I cared for plants and I think the world would be a far better place if every child was given the responsibility to look after a stamp-sized vegetable garden. We’re losing our connection with the natural world. What the indoor garden also allows me to do is to get a head start. I’ll have plenty of near-mature plants ready to be transferred in May to the outdoor vegetable garden when other gardeners are transferring seedlings. It’ll make for much bigger and stronger plants by the summer, as long as I give them time to acclimatise gradually so to avoid a shock. The sun is more powerful than my light so I have to keep this in mind or risk killing my babies. I recommend you all try your hand at an indoor garden; it’s even more fun if you have kids, I assure you they will love it. There’s a real satisfaction seeing this magic happen and it’s a fabulous conversation starter. Visit Nico’s newly launched website where he’ll be going into a lot more detail about his projects and new life in the country. greatthingstodo.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 61
Gardening
COMMUNITY
Paul Stickland, Black Shed Flowers
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e’ve aimed to make Black Shed Flowers a community flower farm, at the centre of the floral needs of Sherborne and the surrounding towns and villages of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. That our first year saw us supplying flowers for weddings in London, Cornwall and Yorkshire was a surprise, albeit a pleasant one. We have a great community in this part of the West Country and it’s been wonderful and often very touching to be able to provide flowers for the important occasions in the lives of our friends and neighbours. Almost everyone that visits us has discussed the concept of ‘local’ and ‘sustainable’. We were preparing to have to ‘sell’ the idea of fresh, local flowers but, thanks to the pioneers of locally sourced food and drink, everyone just gets it. Another pleasant surprise! There is also the growing awareness of air miles and the catastrophic effect of ‘factory-farmed’ flowers on the communities and ecology of countries such as Kenya. We may grumble about it but we have a fantastic climate for growing flowers; it makes good sense to source our cut flowers locally and avoid those air miles. Come and see what we’re up to - we’re on the farm most daylight hours for the next few months. Those dewy summer mornings and glowing evenings are so special and far too good not to share! There’s always something new coming into flower, every day is different. It’s rare to see cut flowers actually growing in the field en masse and it’s quite a sight. The gasps of wonder and delight from those wandering around the garden become very addictive too! The enthusiasm and support of our visitors really motivated us in our first year and they had some great ideas as well. We hosted a fantastic floral crown party for a friend’s 7-year-old daughter’s birthday. The children had a picnic in the gardens and made beautiful fresh dahlia crowns, before parading around the garden in all their finery. They absolutely loved it and so did their Mums and Dads. We’re always happy to host something enchanting and unusual, especially if it encourages a love of plants, flowers and wildlife. 62 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
We were delighted to see how much children and their families enjoyed visiting us here at Blackmarsh Farm. With all the attractions of The Toy Barn and it’s Amazing Maize Maze, we saw a lot last year! Families came for whole days. We have Mums who bring their babies and toddlers just for a potter about among the flowers. Such a joy to see children, amazed by the colours and shapes of the dahlias, rushing round the garden to gather a collection of vibrant mini-poms or a dazzling dinner-plate dahlia as large as their heads. There have been a lot of ideas for floral workshops at Black Shed. These include inviting top local florists to give demonstrations of their skills using our flowers; holding fun workshops on how to cut, condition and use flowers to decorate the home; styling events and occasions; and ideas for DIY weddings. We have two talented textile artists who use our flowers to hand-dye
Image: Hollie Barber
silk and wool and we’d love to share the special alchemy that they employ to extract nature’s tints and hues in a workshop. Many artist friends have asked if they can either paint or photograph our flowers; others will be invited to create art installations using our blooms. Art and horticultural clubs are most welcome. Last year some of the most delightful memories were sharing the gardens with children with special needs. With my author and illustrator’s hat on and in the work that I do in schools, I meet a lot of children with challenges of one kind or another, so I’m well aware that our garden could be a valuable resource and sanctuary for those who find the world overwhelming and chaotic. Gardens have a nurturing and calming atmosphere which appeals to those with special needs, and to be able to provide a safe and stimulating place for them to enjoy was a real treat. One darling little girl with Down’s Syndrome
was beside herself with joy as she carefully gathered armfuls of sweet peas for her mother. Pure magic. If you know anyone who would appreciate a quiet and gentle time in our garden, perhaps helping with a little dead-heading, gathering a posy of flowers or simply sitting in a field full of flowers amidst a happy thrum of wildlife, please do pop in or get in touch. Perhaps you know someone who would like to explore their love of flowers and floristry; we’d love to help. If you have an idea for a floral event, party or workshop that you’d like to hold at Black Shed just let us know. We really want to share our gardens, their lovely setting and their stunning produce with our rather special community. blackshedflowers.blogspot.co.uk paulstickland_ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 63
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CHARTERHOUSE AUCTIONEERS Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies
I
meet Richard Bromell in his office at the Charterhouse Auction rooms, a cosy space and one currently stacked high with boxes of model cars. ‘I’m looking after them for a friend,’ he remarks, sweeping his arm towards the perilous pile as it sways just short of the ceiling and threatens to bury us both at any moment. Dressed in a sharp blue suit, smart shoes and sporting a quiff of brown curls, Richard darts and dives around the saleroom, making suggestions to staff as he goes, before finally settling at his desk. He reminds me of a kingfisher. >
66 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 67
68 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
‘We started Charterhouse last century, in 1999,' says Richard. The business began with just him and his wife Abi and grew steadily until a special find in 2013 put them on the map.‘When this chipped Italian plate came in, my immediate gut feeling was that we were on to something exciting. I rang Professor Tim Wilson at the Ashmolean Museum and he came back to me immediately.’ The plate was a rare 16th century Italian piece and of special interest. ‘We had three months lead time and it was quite stressful as we had to ensure that everyone in that niche market knew it was coming to market,’ he adds. ‘We ran the auction to allow for time differences in the US and set up a bank of phones for bids. In the end the plate sold for over half a million pounds.’ Decorative and unusual items are currently hooking the buyers. ‘We might have 20 or 30 chests of drawers but it’s the one made from an unusual colour of wood or with original labels that will catch the eye,’ explains Richard. ‘It’s the exception rather than the rule that I’m always on the look out for.’ It’s also the ‘crossover’ pieces that reach the higher prices and are causing a stir in today’s sale. One such lot is an American tea dispenser from the turn of the 20th century which might be bought as alternative
storage unit in a large kitchen or as a decorative piece in a shop. ‘It is these versatile pieces which are very popular,’ adds Richard. ‘It’s not a 9-5 job here and we’ve now grown to 18 members of staff.’ It takes many hours to fill three auction rooms and Charterhouse usually has up to 20 van loads of goods arriving for each auction. They remain a family business and are keen to provide a high level of service to their clients. Richard grew up in Sherborne and attended the local prep school. His father had served in the Army then worked as the bank manager at Barclays in Sherborne. ‘When I finished school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do but I knew I didn’t want to work in a bank,’ says Richard. ‘My father told me to get started on something so I took a temporary job with the auctioneers, Phillips, and found that I loved it.’ He has always enjoyed history and believes that is largely because he grew up with everything in his home being modern. ‘Nothing my parents owned was old or needed to be repaired,’ he explains. ‘But to look at a portrait or piece of furniture and discover the back story, the hidden messages – that’s what I find so interesting.’ Over the years Richard worked his way around the country’s auction houses – from Torquay to Yorkshire > sherbornetimes.co.uk | 69
70 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 71
– and soon became an auctioneer. ‘I had always liked drama at school!’ he adds. Abigail and Richard returned to Dorset in 1999 with their son and daughter and set up Charterhouse. ‘When we were in Yorkshire Abi used to reminisce about going to The Three Wishes and we still love coming into Sherborne on a Saturday for coffee and a stodger. Our family and friends are all local, and we are local people who moved back,’ explains Richard. ‘One day I hope our children will do the same but of course teenagers can find Sherborne boring. I found it boring when I was a teenager, but we all come back eventually.’ The auction starts and Richard comes into his own on the rostrum. With a quick eye and steady poise, the kingfisher watches and waits; surveying the room for the flick of a hand or the nod of a head. ‘He’s a fast one,’ I hear a client whisper to a friend over a bacon sandwich served from the hatch at the back. Richard confesses that he likes to get through three lots in a minute – that’s one every 20 seconds. The atmosphere in the saleroom is lively and buyers clearly need to keep their wits about them, but it is not in the least intimidating. Richard keeps things light and throws in the odd joke. ‘My tip is speak to the staff before the auction, hold your number so it can be seen, and make eye contact with the auctioneer. I can always spot someone who is about to 72 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
bid because they always seem to stand in a certain way.’ A self-confessed petrol head, Richard’s venture into classic car sales in 2000 was perhaps inevitable. ‘Well, I get to sit in them,’ he says by way of explanation, and I wonder if that also means a test drive. ‘Rarely. I won’t see many of the cars again and I don’t necessarily want to own them, but I can scratch the itch,’ he adds. ‘I have a very loyal customer base and sell anything from cars, boats, and lorries to combine harvesters.’ Thanks to the internet, London no longer dominates the auction industry. This April for instance, Charterhouse will be holding an auction of Asian Art which will receive bids from around the world. It not only puts Sherborne on the map, but, as Richard says ‘it also keeps the business here in Sherborne’, a place very close to his heart. ‘People often collect or buy for nostalgic reasons and Abi and I feel that same sense of nostalgia for Sherborne. We grew up, went to school, raised a family and started a business here.’ You might say then, that not unlike the highly valued, characterful pieces that pass through their Long Street saleroom, the Bromells and Charterhouse are a much loved part of the furniture. charterhouse-auction.com
ANTIQUES & VINTAGE DIRECTORY
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Acreman Street
Green Door Trading
Renaissance
Antiques & Interiors
Riverside Works, Gas House Hill,
3, South Street, Sherborne,
07548 212815
01935 815487
121 Acreman Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PH 01935 508764
acremanstreetantiques.co.uk
____________________________
South Street, Sherborne, DT9 3NH greendoortradingemporium.com
____________________________
DT9 3NG
robinwheatley-antiques.co.uk
____________________________
Artichoke
Macintosh Antiques Ltd
Upstairs Downstairs Interiors
245 Westbury, Sherborne, DT9 3EJ
The Courtyard, Newland,
The Old School Rooms,
IG/Artichoke_Sherborne
01935 815827
DT9 3BS
01935 814213
____________________________ Busy Lizzies
Sherborne, DT9 3JG
macintoshantiques.co.uk
____________________________
Long Street, Sherborne, 01935 813831
updowninteriors.co.uk
The Old Bakery, Horsecastles,
Oakland Collectibles
07526 055024
Stalbridge, DT10 2SG
Markets
oakland-collectibles.com
Shepton Mallet Flea Market
Trendle Street, Sherborne, DT9 3NT
Old Shambles Vintage
Shepton Mallet, BA4 6QN
chapterhouse-Books.co.uk
Sherborne DT9 3LU
____________________________
Sherborne, DT9 3HD
Spire Hill, Cooks Lane,
busylizziesherborne.co.uk
07968 941196
____________________________
____________________________
Royal Bath & West Showground,
____________________________ Chapter House Books 01935 816262
The Old Shambles, South Street,
____________________________
01935 507240
Charterhouse
01278 784912
sheptonflea.com
____________________________
____________________________
Sherborne Vintage Market
Auctioneers and Valuers
Pastimes of Sherborne
The Long Street Salesrooms,
3 Westbury, Sherborne,
Digby Memorial Church Hall,
01935 812277
01935 816072
Long Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BS charterhouse-Auction.com
DT9 3EH
Digby Road, Sherborne, DT9 3NL 4th Saturday of every month
____________________________
pastimes-toys.co.uk
West Country Craft Fairs
Edward Oliver
Piers Pisani Antiques
The Old Stables, Trendle Street,
31 Cheap Street, Sherborne,
Digby Road, Sherborne, DT9 3NL
07947 468674
01935 815209
____________________________
Sherborne, DT9 3NT edward-oliver.co.uk
____________________________
____________________________
DT9 3PU
Digby Memorial Church Hall, westcountrycraftfairs.co.uk
____________________________
pierspisani.com
____________________________ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 73
@elizabethwatsonillustrations 74 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
IN PRAISE OF CHARDONNAY David Copp
Meursault, CĂ´te-d'Or
C
hardonnay, by far the best known of the world’s white wine grape varieties, was originally mainly produced in northern Europe and sold under the name of the vineyard rather than its varietal name. However, after the so-called Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976, when several Californian chardonnays were judged to be as good as their Burgundian equivalents, New World wine producers, particularly those in the southern hemisphere, began to plant the variety extensively.
Its exuberant range of charms made it popular with both winemakers and wine drinkers. Winemakers liked it because it settled easily in calcareous soils, is an early ripening variety and is a good and reliable cropper. They also like it because it lends itself to many different styles of winemaking: reductive or oxidative; on the skins or off them; oaked or unoaked. Chardonnay reflects the nature of the soil or the place in which it is produced and can also take on the character of the winemaker who made it. > sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75
Introduced into Burgundy by the Romans, its pedigree was advanced by the Cistercian monks at Pontigny Abbey near the river Serein in Chablis. Planted in Kimmeridgean clay - named after the Dorset village from where calcium carbonated, lime-rich soils mixed with fossilised oyster shells originated – the wines have a remarkably subtle, dry, gunflint flavour which the French translate as gout de pierre à fusil. Incidentally, the decision to plant chardonnay in Burgundy was taken by the Abbot, Stephen Harding, who spent his early years as a monk at Sherborne Abbey. Chardonnay and Kimmeridgean clay was a marriage made in heaven. Chablis was the first marriage home and chardonnay is still the only grape variety permitted for the Chablis appellation. It was also widely planted in the Cote d’Or, where the clones were refined and developed to cope with slightly different soil conditions. Chardonnay is now produced in an amazing array of styles from dry, delicate and refined to fuller-bodied, big, generously flavoured wines, the most classy and sophisticated examples of which, such as Le Montrachet, will set you back several hundred pounds a bottle. For mere mortals, however, there are many excellent examples from northern Europe, Australia, California, Chile, and South Africa that show either apple-crisp flavours with rapier-like acidity or tropical fruit flavours with more generous colour and body. The vital thing with chardonnay (and other classic white wine varieties) is to get the freshly picked grapes with optimum acidity into the winery as quickly as possible because their natural acidity starts falling rapidly. Acidity is vital to the taste and longevity of good wine. That is why so much attention is given to harvesting at the optimum moment, day or night. Most wineries now have means of keeping the grapes cool while they macerate on their skins, getting colour and flavour, before being pressed gently. The juice is fed straight into temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, or into new or used wood if they are to be barrelfermented. Grapes in warmer climates are probably best vinified in stainless steel vats with modern temperaturecontrolled equipment. The temperature at fermentation decides the style of the wine to be made. Reductively made wines, vinified in stainless steel tanks from which all oxygen is excluded, preserve the fresh fruit flavours for those wines sold and consumed within a year or two. More classy and complex wines are often barrel-fermented, allowing small quantities of oxygen to help develop flavour. In 76 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
many cases secondary or malolactic fermentation will take place naturally, converting the firmer malic acids into softer lactic acids, increasing the intensity of flavour. Chardonnay from Chablis, Champagne and Burgundy tends to age well in bottle, developing a beautiful golden colour. The great terroirs in Puligny and Chassagne Montrachet, Meursault and Corton produce golden, buttery rich, creamy, generoushearted chardonnays. Further south where the soils are more alluvial with greater clay content, excellent wines are produced but they are less rich and complex. On the other hand, they have the benefit of being more affordable and you will find very expressive wines in the £10-15 range. Ardeche in the Rhone-Alpes region and Limoux south of Carcassone produce surprisingly good chardonnay in stainless steel. In the 1980s and 1990s Australia produced vast quantities of golden-coloured, fruit-forward chardonnay from the fertile Riverland area of South Australia at popular prices. The French called them Dolly Parton wines - ‘big and blousy’ - but they sold well because they represented good value, particularly to new, younger wine drinkers and chardonnay became a generic term for white wine. It all became a bit too much for some wine enthusiasts; they formed the ABC club - Anything But Chardonnay. However, since then Australia has started to produce superb chardonnays which are worthy of your close attention. Four Australian regions stand out. The Adelaide Hills, Tasmania, Victoria (Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley and Beechworth) and Margaret River. These regions produce some of the world’s best chardonnay. New Zealand, best known for its Sauvignon Blanc, also produces lovely pure, fruit-flavoured chardonnay on the east coast around Gisborne and Hawks Bay. The best Californian chardonnays come from the hillsides in Carneros, Russian River Valley and Monterey. Their distinction owes a great deal to an unusual ally. Californian coastal fogs slow down the ripening of the grapes, extending the growing season so that the grapes have longer ‘hang time.’ The fogs also keep yields in check, resulting in fine, fruity wines with good body and soul. Oregon, a little further north, also makes outstanding chardonnay from Dijon clones introduced by Robert Drouhin whose daughter Veronica has developed them so very successfully. Excellent chardonnay is made in Virginia (Williamsburg Winery and Linden Vineyard are
The Russian River Valley, California
growers worth following), in the Finger Lakes of Upper New York State (Ravines and Dr Frank) and around Lake Ontario in Canada where I tasted a world-class chardonnay from Clos Jordanne which was rich, buttery and compelling. Chardonnay got off to bad start in South Africa but has become extremely successful thanks to British ad-man Tim Hamilton Russell, who decided to ‘have a go’ at producing chardonnay on land he had acquired at Hermanus, above Walker Bay. He hired a brilliant young winemaker named Peter Finlayson to make his wines. Finlayson not only proved that excellent wine could be made but also started his own vineyard next door, with advice on the most suitable clones from the Burgundian shipper Paul Bouchard. Many other growers have since come to this cool climate area to make fine chardonnay and pinot noir. Stellenbosch, Robertson and Paarl also have excellent conditions for chardonnay.
Chile produces an astonishing variety of chardonnay wines, the best coming from the cooler coastal areas such as Leyda and Limari and showing wonderfully delicate, citrusy fruit flavours. Both Chile and Argentina are blessed with marvellous conditions for growing grapes and will produce increasingly sophisticated wines. I am often asked to explain the difference between chardonnay at £6 and £26. The less expensive wine will be easy drinking, probably unoaked and with little ageing: a simple, one-dimensional, uncomplicated, and refreshing wine. For £26 you will get a terroir wine that has proved itself as a natural home for the variety, a wine made from lower yields (40 hl/ha rather than 80hl/ha) with greater intensity of flavour, more finesse and elegance, and greater complexity; a wine that has been barrel-fermented, or matured in oak to harmonise flavours and give them extra depth, making them better rounded and more mellow. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 77
Food & Drink
THE CAKE WHISPERER Val Stones
COCONUT TARTS
78 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
C
oconut tarts are one of my family’s favourites; they are the one thing I will bake whenever family comes to visit. I first watched these being made by my mum when I was about five years old, and by the time I was twelve I was making them each week. From then on there was no stopping me. If you are short of time you can buy readymade sweet shortcrust pastry, however if you can set aside an hour at the weekend you can make 4 batches of pastry and freeze it for when you need it. If you get the pastry out of the freezer the night before it will be defrosted by morning. I usually double the recipe and make 24 tarts, 12 to keep out and 12 to freeze. What you will need
One 12-hole jam (patty) tart tin or, even better, a mince pie tin as the circles are wider and slightly deeper. Grease the patty tins with a little butter. 8cm fluted round pastry cutter Ingredients Makes 12 tarts
For the sweet shortcrust pastry 250g plain flour plus a little extra for rolling out 50g icing sugar Pinch of salt 150g unsalted butter 2 egg yolks (18g) 30ml ice cold water For the filling Raspberry jam 50g Stork tub margarine 50g caster sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon coconut extract, optional 50g desiccated coconut 10g self-raising flour (if you wish you can leave the flour out of the recipe and it will give you a softer filling)
Method
To make the pastry 1 Set the oven for 190C, 180C fan, 375F, gas mark 5 2 Rub the fat into the flour, icing sugar and salt until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 3 Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the egg yolk and a little of the water, sufficient to bind the pastry into a firm dough. Flours vary and you may need all of the water. 4 Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead lightly (I find about 20-30 turns of the pastry will get it nice and smooth). 5 Roll the pastry into a flattish round, the size of a tea plate, wrap in cling film and chill for an hour if you have time, although 15 minutes would also work. 6 While the pastry is chilling make the filling. 7 Cream the fat and the sugar until pale and fluffy. 8 Add the beaten egg a little at a time (if the mixture curdles or separates don’t worry - when you add the other ingredients it will be fine). 9 Fold in the coconut, coconut extract and flour using a metal spoon. The mixture should be a good dropping consistency; if it is not, add a dessertspoon of water. To assemble 10 Remove the pastry from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for about 5 minutes. 11 Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pastry to the thickness of a pound coin. 12 Using an 8cm fluted cutter cut out 12 rounds and gently press them into the patty tin. 13 Into each tart put half a teaspoon of jam. 14 Half fill a mug with hot water and dip a dessertspoon into the hot water. Use this spoon to place a spoonful of the coconut mixture into each tart. Dip the spoon into the water in between each spoonful and this will give you a nicely rounded top for each tart. 15 Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and firm to touch. 16 Lift out and cool on a wire rack. When cold they can be stored for up to 2 weeks or frozen for 6 weeks. bakerval.com
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 79
Food & Drink
OGLESHIELD MOUSSE
WITH TARRAGON BREADCRUMBS AND SEA BUCKTHORN VINAIGRETTE Sasha Matkevich, Head Chef and Owner, The Green with Jack Smith, Apprentice Chef
O
gleshield is a wonderful local cheese, one of our absolute favourites, produced by the Montgomery family only a few miles away in North Cadbury. Ingredients Serves 6
For the mousse: 230g of Ogleshield, cut into 2cm x 2cm cubes 250g of whipping cream 1 large egg 1 sprig of thyme (leaves picked) 1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley (leaves picked) ½ teaspoon Cornish sea salt pinch of Cayenne pepper 200g of mizuna salad leaves For the breadcrumbs: 100g of sourdough bread (diced) 5 sprigs of tarragon (leaves picked) 10ml olive oil
80 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
For the sea buckthorn vinaigrette: 30 sea buckthorn berries 1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar 15ml of cold-pressed rapeseed oil Method
1 In a pre-heated oven, at 160°C, roast diced sourdough drizzled with olive oil for 20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and blitz in a food processor together with fresh tarragon leaves for two minutes. Pour onto baking tray and set to one side to cool down. 2 Put the whipping cream, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper into medium-to-large saucepan and bring to simmering point. Transfer into a food processor, start gently liquidising on the lowest speed possible and add the egg. 3 A few at a time, add the Ogleshield cubes, gradually increasing the speed of the food processor. Be careful and don’t rush this process; the Ogleshield must melt
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and combine and have a smooth and silky texture. 4 Once you are happy with the result, using a spatula, transfer it into a suitable container and set aside to cool for 15 minutes. 5 Meanwhile make a sea buckthorn vinaigrette. 6 In a small mixing bowl crush the sea buckthorn berries and the wholegrain mustard together with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper to taste, add cider vinegar and then gradually whisk in the olive oil to complete the vinaigrette. To serve 7 Using a hot tablespoon make six perfect quenelles of Ogleshield mousse and arrange on the middle of the plates. 8 Decorate with mizuna salad and breadcrumbs. 9 Dress with the sea buckthorn vinaigrette and serve immediately. greenrestaurant.co.uk montgomerycheese.co.uk
COFFEE BREAK Kafe Fontana 82 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ @kafefontana kafefontana 01935 812180 kafefontana.co.uk Old School Gallery Boyle’s Old School, High Street, Yetminster, DT9 6LF 01935 872761 yetminstergallery.co.uk Oliver’s Coffee House 19 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PU @OliversSherbs Olivers-Coffee-House 01935 815005 oliverscoffeehouse.co.uk The Three Wishes 78 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ 01935 817777 thethreewishes.co.uk
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 81
Food & Drink
82 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
INTRODUCING: THE STEEP SESSIONS Michelle and Rob Comins, Comins Tea
O
ver the years our Tea Houses have become spaces for discussion, connection and the exchange of ideas. Total strangers, prompted by the taking of tea, discuss and share experiences on diverse topics. Often leaving with more questions than answers, our tea friends share how they find these unexpected interruptions to their day stimulating, optimistic and energising. These encounters are set against the backdrop of modern British life: busier than ever yet feeling less productive; more digitally connected but feeling more isolated. It would seem that finding time and space for discussion, connection and exchange is more important than ever. Michelle and her great friend Lizzie Shupak [co-founder of Wok n Wine] spent many hours discussing how to make this happen and so, to cut a long story short, the Steep Sessions were born. Tea is central to these monthly gatherings. Offered at the start as a way to prepare the mind and body, it is present throughout the session as a simple, tangible way to ground people and offer a platform for the exchange of ideas. Each session focuses on a theme and starts by exploring its relationship with tea and our life in tea before opening to new perspectives from invited guests which expand the discussion. At the end, guests are offered a simple hot meal of dumplings and Asian salad and a cup of nourishing tea - mirroring the hospitality we have experienced around the world as we have set up and grown our company. On 27th February we held our first Steep Session at our Bath Tea House, exploring the theme of Tea and Health - a magical evening with tea, discussion, meditation and a shared table of dumplings. Tea and health is a common topic of conversation at our Tea Houses and for many people the questions they ask are aimed at the ‘properties’ of the plant itself. What is often not taken into consideration is how valuable the ‘process’ of drinking tea is to health. By this we mean
mental health. The ceremony and ritual of taking tea, whether as simple as preparing loose tea in your tea pot or as complex as a full Gongfu ceremony, is a pause from life. A tangible way to take time out. If you would like to know more about the discussion, then head over to the blog at cominstea.com. In the meantime, why not make a cup of loose leaf Comins tea and take part in the simple meditation which we were taken through by Camille from Dorset-based ‘How to Live Well’ at the last Steep Session (howtolivewell.co.uk) Enjoy. A Simple Tea Meditation
1 Once your tea is poured, take a moment to simply sit with your tea. Appreciate the beauty of the bowl and the colour of the tea. 2 Give thanks for the cup of tea in front of you. Acknowledge everything that had to happen around the world for you to experience this amazing cup of tea. 3 Hold the tea bowl in both hands and notice the temperature. Focus your attention on the texture of the ceramic. 4 Notice the steam wafting up. Notice the aromas arising out of your cup. Lift the bowl to your nose and breathe the aromas in. 5 Sip slowly. Take your time and really notice the taste. Is it earthy or grassy or floral? How does the taste change with each pouring? 6 Give yourself completely to the process of drinking your tea. If your attention wanders away from the act of tea drinking, gently return it to the activity. 7 Once you have finished drinking your tea, spend a moment observing how you feel. Give thanks again, as you did at the beginning. 8 This marks the end of the meditation. cominstea.com
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 83
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Pet, Equine & Farm Animals
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Contact Sue 07920 044 930 sue@countrystyledoggrooming.co.uk www.countrystyledoggrooming.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 85
Animal Care
PACING IT
Mark Newton-Clarke, MA VetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons
I
write this on the first day of Spring, 1st March, with the snow falling heavily and more forecast. Hopefully we will be enjoying better weather by the time this goes to print and, if we are, no doubt the walking season will have begun for another year. Walking our dogs is ingrained in our modern culture, probably because many of us are lucky enough to have time and energy to spare and our pets are no longer asked to work the long hours of yesteryear, doing whatever the breed was designed for. All this pressure to exercise, get fit with the dog and stay slim is today’s mantra. No bad thing but bear in mind your dog’s age and breed and plan your walks accordingly. If you have 86 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
limited time, try to find a friend nearby with a dog that befriends yours and go together - a great way to pack in lots of running in a short time. Portia, our young black Labrador, met Tatty (her mother’s double) on our first walk in the village and the two often exercise twice daily, racing around after a kong-on-a-string while the terriers cut the corners and fight among themselves. Everyone is tired after 40 minutes, job done. Owners of canine slimmers take heart; if you are not a marathon runner yourself and cannot spend hours a day burning the calories along with your dog, don’t worry. Dogs are the most efficient endurance animals on the planet so they use very little energy even when exercising.
This means that what goes into the chops determines the body fat. So, less food is so much easier than more exercise and is much more likely to shed the kilos. This is of even greater importance in older dogs who may well be suffering from lameness due to chronic arthritis and who are therefore unable to exercise vigorously or for prolonged periods. Supplements and painkillers are essential for these older patients, as is weight control, to maximise quality of life and mobility. How about our energetic puppies? I constantly get asked how much exercise a young, growing dog should have without running the risk of joint damage. The answer is, it largely depends on the breed, as does so
much in the world of canine medicine. Large, fastgrowing breeds such as Labradors, German Shepherds, Rottweilers and Newfoundlands all have faulty genetics to varying degrees. Selective breeding within limited populations, made worse by a few stud dogs with show or field-trial success being used excessively, has concentrated these bad genes in certain breeding lines. For some reason, the bad genes cluster in the codes for elbow and hip conformation, making these larger breeds prone to elbow and hip dysplasia (dys=incorrect and plasia=growth). In actual fact, many smaller breeds have problems in these areas too but environmental factors delay the onset or severity of symptoms so that either other problems show up first or old age takes over. So what are these environmental factors? Numerous studies have looked at the effects of exercise and diet on the development of hip dysplasia and they have linked them to varying degrees. However, the truth of the matter is that a dog will not suffer from developmental joint disease (i.e. hip and elbow dysplasia) UNLESS it has the bad genes in the first place. Certainly, over-feeding and over-exercising young growing dogs of susceptible breeds will increase the chances of significantly poor joint conformation, leading to dysplasia and then arthritis. The biggest risk factor, though, is simply the breed and the genetic health of the ancestors in the breeding line. So do your research if you are looking for a puppy in the at-risk group of breeds and make sure hip and elbow scores are as good as they can be. Don’t hesitate to call us at the surgery if you want to chat about this or any aspect of your present or future puppy’s health. Now, what was the question? Oh yes, how much can I exercise my young Labrador? There really is no evidence-base to answer this question accurately but given Labs are definitely in the at-risk category for joint dysplasia, I would recommend 10 minutes two to three times daily up to 4 months. Then increase each exercise session by 5 minutes per month, to a maximum of 45 minutes per session until the puppy is over a year old (18 months if a giant breed). The occasional long walk or rough and tumble is usually fine but allow time for recovery. Hip and elbow scores can be done any time after 12 months for those dogs with a possible breeding future, along with an eye test for inherited eye diseases. My take-home message this month is that exercise is good for you and your dog but, like food, not too much! newtonclarkevet.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 87
Cycling
THE WAY HOME Peter Henshaw, Dorset Cyclists Network & Mike Riley, Rileys Cycles
A
ccording to ukdistance.com, a straight line between Sherborne and Bristol measures 35.19 miles, which is a quite useless piece of information unless you happen to be a crow with excellent navigation skills. Slightly more useful is the driving distance of just over 42 miles, using the obvious A37. But that too is useless information if you want to cycle home from the southwest’s big city – as anyone who has driven the A37 will know, it’s a horrendous route for bikes, being busy, fast, twisty and narrow in places. Not a lot of fun. For reasons too complicated to explain, my electric bike was in Bristol, and I had to ride it home. Half the battle of a successful ride is finding the right route, and as the A37 clearly wasn’t an option, what were the choices? Given a long summer’s day, I’d have headed east on the Bristol-Bath railway path, then south on the Two Tunnels, another ex-railway for walkers and cyclists, the highlight of Coombe Down tunnel, over a mile long. Or southwest to Cheddar then back across the Somerset Levels. Either route is great given a long day with benign weather. But this was mid-February – I didn’t have a long day, couldn’t trust the weather and lost even more precious daylight by missing the early train. Being on an e-bike made the choice for me - I could take the most direct route possible (A37 apart) straight over the Mendips, down to Wells, past Glastonbury, over to Podimore and home. On a conventional bike that would be quite a challenge (to me, anyway) with three major climbs, plus the last little sting in the tail north of town. My e-bike would hopefully make it a tad easier. Bike collected in Bristol city centre, I felt very urbansophisticated, sipping a latte outside one of the cafes by the old docks. You don’t get that feeling outside any of Sherborne’s coffee houses, but I think that’s why I like living here. I do enjoy the buzz of cities, but the best thing of all is leaving them behind. That’s what I set out to do now, threading my way through the outskirts on the old A38, which doesn’t 88 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
have any of the cycle lanes for which other bits of Bristol are well known. City became suburbs as we forked left and began a long, long climb out of town – 165 metres in a couple of miles isn’t exactly Tour de France territory, but it’s steep enough, especially when it culminates in a couple of tortuous hairpins – e-bike in bottom gear and maximum power. Nice views at the top though. After only half a mile or so at the top, we shot down the other side, a 30mph descent to Chew Stoke and then past Chew Valley Lake, which was created in the early 1950s as a reservoir for thirsty Bristol. Suddenly, there were cars with hazards on, a queue, and in a nearby pub car park, a horse was being
comforted. There had been An Incident, but everyone looked OK, so I filtered past the queue and headed for the biggest climb of the day, over 200 metres up to the evocatively named Gibbets Brow on top of the Mendips. These Somerset hills, with their far horizons and drystone walls, are a world away from the cosier parts of Dorset, but they’re dramatic nonetheless. They ended abruptly with a vertiginous and twisty downhill into Wells, where I relaxed on the Green in front of the Cathedral with takeaway tea and cake. Out of Wells on another old railway path, then the long way round on the Levels to Glastonbury, out the other side and up onto the ridge that would eventually take us down to Podimore roundabout – crossing this
isn’t nice on a bicycle (even an e-bike) but we were nearly home. We cruised the flat lands past Yeovilton’s perimeter fence, but my legs were starting to remind me this was the longest ride I’d done for a long time. Electric bikes do help, but they don’t do all the work, and you still need to put some effort in. So White Post Hill, despite help from my trusty electric motor, still wasn’t a pushover, and nor was the gentle 30-metre climb, from the top of which, I could finally see Sherborne, 45 miles, 5 hours and a lot of effort from Bristol. dcn.org.uk rileyscycles.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 89
@elizabethwatsonillustrations 90 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
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Body & Mind
PILLOW TALK Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms
W
e all know the signs of sleep deprivation: foggy mind, tired eyes, yearning for a bottomless cup of coffee. In today’s increasingly interconnected, always-on world we view sleep as a period of idleness or lost productivity, and we try to get by on as little as possible. However, our bodies need rest to restore and recharge, and our skin is no different. As a living breathing organ, our skin exhibits fluctuations in physiology around the clock. These shifts in biological activity mean our skin has different needs from day to night. During the day skin is exposed to UV rays, environmental pollution, smoke, poor diet, caffeine, make-up and temperature changes. It’s hard at work and more stressed because it’s working against all these elements, which make sunscreen and anti-oxidant vitamins critical to your daytime skincare products. Anti-oxidant vitamins support skin by fighting freeradical damage created when it is under stress. Goji berries, blueberries, pecans and (happily) dark chocolate are all good sources of these vitamins. However, because the skin is often last to get its share of anti-oxidants, a great diet is not always enough. Topically applied skincare products have been shown to help prevent the biological events occurring in our skin which can lead to accelerated ageing. Adding in serums, facial oils and receiving powerful professional facial treatments will enable your skin to look its best. There’s a reason we are encouraged to get our ‘beauty sleep’ and it’s linked to the physiological changes in our 92 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
bodies during the night. In anticipation of sleep, the body automatically cools by around half a degree, increasing blood flow to the skin. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol are reduced during sleep and cell division actually peaks at around 2am whether you are asleep or not. Unfortunately, only in our deepest ‘beauty sleep’ does a surge in growth hormones help to repair and rebuild body tissues, including muscle and bone. So, as skin does most of its regenerating at night and skin renewal peaks between 11pm and 3am, late-night partying with a face full of make-up will, over time, wreak havoc. Thankfully there are ways to recover the situation. Studies show that, at night, skin excretes less sebum (oil), loses more water, and is hotter, drier and more acidic. To maximise night-time skin recovery, deep clean away the day’s make-up and debris and replenish with a cocktail of nourishing botanical extracts and peptides. Apply a slightly richer skincare product that contains oil to restore the moisture shield of the skin and strengthen. Unfortunately, too much emphasis has been placed on the removal of oils from skincare products because of the misconception that all oils are pore-clogging (comedogenic). This is not the case! Natural oils found in the skin provide barrier protection and maintain hydration levels, which lessen fine lines and create a visually smoother texture. So look after your skin around the clock and you may be able to turn the clock back too! thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk
WHAT TO WEAR Lindsay Punch, Stylist
S
pring is here and it’s the perfect time to showcase some print and have fun with colour. Do you love print, or do you tend to go for colour blocking? Do you find yourself drawn to one particular type of print when you are shopping? Perhaps you would like to add print to your wardrobe but don’t feel confident enough to. Each season brings a multitude of patterns and prints but you may find that you stick to the same one or two prints repeatedly. Alternatively, your wardrobe may be completely lacking in any kind of print. Whatever your situation, you can make print work for your style personality. Different patterns will certainly do the rounds of being ‘on trend’. Some you will love, some you will feel are just not you. Whatever the print, even if it’s on trend, don’t go for it unless you love it. Choosing prints has a lot to do with your personality and creativity, and recognising what your style personality is helps you to create a look with pattern that goes beyond a printed scarf. When choosing prints, there are a few things of which you need to be mindful. If you have a smaller frame you’ll be better suited to smaller print - think gingham, ditsy florals, polka dots, animal prints and geometrics. A smaller print can also look classic and feminine. If you are petite, a large, bold print can look like it is wearing you! A fuller frame, however, will be balanced out by a larger print, which can look creative and dramatic. Large prints also make a great style statement, and can make the most of your curves.
Don’t be afraid of mixing prints; you can have fun with them. However, if you have a classic style personality and you are used to block colours, clean lines and tailoring, pairing different prints together might make you feel a tad awkward. Mixing prints can take trial and error: blend colours by sticking to a colour theme, and make sure one or two colours are consistent in both items. If you are not a creative or dramatic dresser this look will make you feel very nervous! You can, however, choose one subtle print such as a pinstripe, grey plaid or breton and style it with a classic floral or leopard print. Leopard print is a little like marmite, you either love it or hate it, and that is absolutely ok. If Bet Lynch or Pat Butcher come to mind, just remember that Dior first made it a luxurious trend back in the 1950’s. It can be really chic, classic and subtle. You can then keep the rest of your outfit neutral and solid. If you are currently afraid of prints and patterns, do not let this overwhelm you. In a personal styling session you will be shown how to work prints and patterns into your wardrobe, which can add just a little excitement to your outfits. If you have any questions about print, colour, shape, style or just simply where to shop, you can find Lindsay at Vida Comida on 26th April joining a panel of experts in health, wellbeing and beauty for the ‘Wonder Women’ Masterclasses. Drop in on the day or book a class in advance at lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk/events sherbornetimes.co.uk | 93
Body & Mind
STRENGTH
Martin Armand & Zoe Charlton, Personal Trainers, SPFit
Y
ou may have seen recently, on the TV, in the news and on social media, people talking about the benefits of strength training, particularly for women. There has long been a belief, again particularly for women, that lifting weights will give you big muscles, make you bulky, and make you look like a bodybuilder! This is not true. In fact, pound for pound, fat takes up more volume than muscle. A pound of muscle also uses more energy than a pound of fat, so if you increase lean muscle tissue you will be burning more calories day to day, meaning you can eat more food… within reason! A lot of people want to lose weight and feel better. Losing weight means being in a caloric deficit, (or ‘diet’ as the media like to call it). This means consuming fewer calories than you burn or burning more calories than you consume. If you are in a caloric deficit, then strength training will help maintain lean muscle tissue, enabling you to lose body fat rather than muscle, meaning you will be more toned. There are many other benefits to strength training: it helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression; helps to prevent osteoporosis; builds and maintains lean muscle tissue; improves confidence, balance, coordination and posture; decreases the risk of injuries; and helps with chronic disease management. Studies have also shown that, in the older generation, strength training can reduce the risk of falling by up to 40% compared with individuals who do not do strength training exercises.
94 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Strength training is a form of exercise which uses resistance, weights or even body weight to induce a muscular contraction. It can build physical strength, muscular endurance and increase skeletal muscle. Being stronger will help us in our day-to-day lives, for example, when we carry objects or pick items up off the floor, and it will also help us to live longer. Let’s take the deadlift as an example. Deadlifts are great for strength training. It’s a lift we do every day, for example, lifting up your young children or grandchildren or picking up shopping bags off the floor. A deadlift is called a compound movement, meaning it uses multiple joints and thus more than one muscle group. Deadlifts have been shown to work nearly every muscle in the body and are very effective for your posterior chain, building a strong back, core, legs, strong hips and great gluteal muscles. With correct guidance and technique, through structured coaching, we have found clients always find this lift really empowering. Improved technique not only makes it safe to lift in a gym environment but will give you the correct technique when lifting objects in everyday life, meaning you will be stronger and less likely to injure yourself. There is also a great sense of achievement when lifting weights that goes along with all the physiological and psychological benefits. spfit-sherborne.co.uk
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LONDON ROAD CLINIC
"Leave the house confident in the colours and shapes that make you, you"
Health Clinic • Acupuncture • Osteopathy • Counselling • Physiotherapy • EMDR Therapy • Shiatsu
• Podiatry and Chiropody • Manual Lymphatic Drainage • Soft Tissue Therapy, Sports & Remedial Massage Therapy • Hopi Ear Candle Therapy
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Colour Analysis, Shape & Style, Consultations, Wardrobe Re-styling, Personal Shopping, Online Shopping, Mens Styling, Bridal Packages, New Mum Styling, Colour & Style Parties, Skincare & Makeup Advice, Gift Vouchers Available 07969 557004 INFO@LINDSAYPUNCHSTYLING.CO.UK WWW.LINDSAYPUNCHSTYLING.CO.UK sherbornetimes.co.uk | 95
Body & Mind
MANAGING MENOPAUSE Loretta Lupi-Lawrence, The Sherborne Rooms
S
uch an enormous topic for a small space but one that I believe needs to be talked about more openly and not whispered about in hushed voices. So, what has a 44-year-old woman have to say on this matter? In the spirit of being open and honest (and brave if truth be told) I stand up to being one of the many that are in the throes of menopause. Yes, I am young for this stage of life but believe me there are many of us at my age and younger. Of course, every woman will be going through this at some stage on life’s journey. Let’s not hide it or deny it; let’s embrace it. Going through menopause is no joke and is often referred to, with rolled eyes, as ‘the change’. That small eye movement is incredibly dismissive and unsupportive in what is a huge challenge. It is of course ‘a change’; everything changes. Life as you’ve lived it changes and you move into a new phase of living - your body, your mind, your attitude. Psychologically this is such a tough change to become comfortable with, especially as it can 96 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
last up to ten years. One of the worst things anyone can say to you (sadly I hear this a lot from my clients and it’s even been said to me) is, “She’s definitely in menopause now as she’s so grumpy/moody/touchy/angry.” The lack of understanding is widespread and it’s not just men. Throughout our lives we are driven by our hormones. Menopausal women are going through the last change from their hormones and the transition is hard enough without having to hear loved ones judging us as we struggle. It feels so unsupportive and ultimately it can make you feel that you are in a lonely place while dealing with something that is life-changing. Thankfully for me I have a lovely supportive network but other women really don’t know where to turn. So, how do we as women go through this stage of life and age well? Let’s look at the real symptoms that menopausal women are suffering with. The most commonly known
symptoms are feeling the heat in flushes and night sweats but we suffer from chills too. We have dry skin, but did you know your skin can break out like it may have done as a teenager? There’s also puffiness to the face, hair thinning, weight gain, slowed metabolism and of course mood changes. The two other common symptoms no one likes to talk about, and which granted don’t happen to everyone, are vaginal dryness and loss of breast fullness. There it’s said. To avoid any more uncomfortable reading pauses let’s move on to why it happens. Well, there are lots of reasons: the main one is a change in the reproductive system but it can also happen after chemotherapy, a hysterectomy and ovarian insufficiency. How can you help yourself ? There is the obvious HRT and other prescribed medication that you would go to your GP for but I will concentrate on how to do it naturally for now: 1 Take Vitamin E to counteract the flushes. 2 Take Vitamin B for stress - keep the stress low and you will have fewer flushes. 3 Anything with Geranium in it will be good for balancing hormones. 4 Use White Tea Facial mist when the flushes hit - this will calm your skin down and keep it cool and the hazelnut oil in the product can really help with puffiness. 5 Evening Primrose oil is instantly cooling and calming, helping your body from the inside, and can be found in our Super Antioxidant Boost and Multi-vitamin. It’s also found in our Rose Facial Oil. 6 Frankincense Essential Oil or Women’s Balance Essential Oil will keep you grounded and calm – this can be diffused or dotted onto a scarf or top. Managing menopause is an attitude you have to be willing to learn. There is no easy route out and no one piece of advice will be the same for everyone, but let’s get the conversation going and let’s keep it open and supportive. Loretta is running a ‘Managing Menopause Masterclass’ as part of Sherborne’s Wonder Women event on 26th April. Booking essential and places limited. 07545 328447. thesherbornerooms.com
OPENING HOURS:
Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5pm Saturday 7.30am - 4pm Walk in, relax. No appointment necessary
Stockists of Men’s Hair & Beard Care Products Barbering team this month Henri, Sadie, Shawna, Tom, Helen & Fatima
Order your Neal’s Yard Remedies here This month at the Sherborne Rooms: Natural Medicine Cabinet Dinner with Loretta & Hayley (Nutritionist): Thursday 12th April £20 a ticket to include dinner, wine and an exclusive master class Free Facial Friday 6th April, 30 minutes Wonder Women Masterclasses Thursday 26th April, from 9.30am - 10pm Managing Menopause & Radiant Spring Skin amongst other masterclasses. £15 per Masterclass Booking Essential for all events
07545 328447 email sherbornerooms@gmail.com or visit www.sherbornerooms.com
56 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3BJ sherbornetimes.co.uk | 97
Body & Mind
MENTAL FITNESS
R
Jill Cook, Counsellor, BACP Snr Accredited, 56 London Road Clinic
ecently, I was given a fitness tracking device. I’d been thinking of getting one each time I heard about the number of paces we should be aiming for daily; I felt pretty sure that I wasn’t achieving that number. So, when I received the pink-strapped wrist band I was excited and anxious in equal measure. I go to the gym regularly twice a week and would describe myself as quite fit and active, but 10,000 paces a day? I was fairly sure I didn’t achieve that, but I was shocked at what I found out about myself. My job is sedentary. I sit for several hours a week working with clients and spend several more at my desk writing. On a day when I was working all day I notched up the grand total of 2,500 paces - it was a revelation! It has made me think about how I can achieve more paces on a daily basis. I’ve tried to fit in a walk around the block in between clients if I can but on a busy day that’s not always possible. It’s also enabled me to see what I am doing well and I value that. I know that as the lighter evenings have arrived I can walk or cycle when I have finished work and that it will become a healthy habit (if I work at it!), just as going to the gym has become part of my life. But all this set me thinking. I have a gadget which helps me monitor my physical activity. I can use it as a tool to inform myself and can change the way I use my time as I wish, but what about my emotional and mental health? I don’t know of a gadget that will do the same thing. A report from the Mental Health Foundation has found that ‘nearly two thirds of us have experienced mental ill health at some point in our lifetime and that just 13% of us are living with high levels of positive mental health.’ They have devised a short survey to enable you to see how you are doing compared with the national average. It’s not a test to see what’s wrong with you; rather it’s a way of informing you about the level of your positive
98 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
mental health, which enables you to live a fulfilling life. If you’re interested, the following link will take you to the page: mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/goodmental-health-survey So just as my pink device has helped me to embark on improving my fitness, here are some suggestions that you might find helpful to ensure that your mental and emotional health are as good as they can be and that you have balance in your life: • Value yourself: pat yourself on the back when you have done something as well as you are able and allow yourself to do things that give you pleasure. • Take care of your body: our physical and mental/ emotional health are connected - if you ignore your body then your mental health could well suffer. • Spend time with people who are good for you: some people feed us and nourish us physically or emotionally, others may leave us drained or feeling negative about ourselves. • Learn how to manage your stress: relaxation, exercise, meditation, spending time with friends and mindfulness can all help. • Set realistic goals for yourself: unrealistic goals set us up to fail; goals achieved (however small) provide us with a sense of accomplishment. • Ask for help or support: sometimes struggling on alone is not the best way for us to help ourselves. There is no stigma in asking for help if you feel you are not managing as you would like. Remember that you are a whole person made up of physical, mental and emotional parts. They all benefit from attention. If you would like support for either your physical or mental wellbeing please contact us. 56londonroad.co.uk
OUT AND ABOUT
I
David Birley
n Sherborne we are particularly lucky in having not only excellent GP practices but also the Yeatman. For a town of our size to have such an outstanding facility is most unusual and should be treasured. However, the NHS has recently come in for a lot of adverse criticism - shortage of beds, delays in responding to 999 calls, waiting lists for operations and poor management to name but a few! Is this criticism justified? Well, let me tell you about my experience. I have Type 2 Diabetes which requires an annual eye test; until last year this was carried out by local opticians. The NHS decided to create a centralised booking service, and tests would be carried out in hospitals. I was told my test would be done at the Yeatman in September, five months later than it would have been under the previous regime. The testing machine was not working in September and I was asked to return in December. In late January my GP rang asking why I had not responded to a letter. I discovered it was because the letter had been sent to an address we had left five years previously! I was informed that I had suspected agerelated macular degeneration and advised that Blandford Hospital would contact me within two weeks to arrange an appointment. My wife suggested I should see her optometrists, Robert Frith in Yeovil. Simon, the managing partner, who I knew from his having played in a band at our Summer Festival, told me the condition was serious and that time was of the essence. He asked me to come in that day and the tests that he and his team
did confirmed the diagnosis. He would not accept any payment but I was delighted to make a donation to his Kenyan charity. He arranged for me to see Mr Shah, the consultant at Yeovil hospital. I am now on a course of treatment which is already proving beneficial and I have the utmost confidence in Mr Shah. If the previous testing system had not been changed I would have been seen eight months earlier, which I cannot help feeling might well have helped. My experience has shown me the fantastic care and treatment the NHS provides but also how bungling the administration can be. Of course, my experience is not unique but recent months have highlighted the NHS management and financial problems, which will only be exacerbated as we continue to live longer and need more medical care. I do not pretend to have the answers but I do believe the NHS is unsustainable in its present form - in both financial and management terms. Personally, I think those who can afford it should pay a small amount, say ÂŁ5 or even ÂŁ10, for an appointment with their GP and also for their prescriptions. I am sure this would reduce the number of "no shows" and, whilst it would require careful monitoring, would be a step in the right direction. It is common practice in the EU. I would also suggest that part of the National Insurance which is deducted from wages should be specifically allocated to the NHS. I have discussed these ideas with members of the medical profession who are broadly in favour and I look forward to your comments.
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 99
Body & Mind
ECZEMA
IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom, GP and Complementary Practitioner, Glencairn House
E
czema is a common inflammatory skin condition appearing anywhere on the body, particularly on the hands, inside the elbows and behind the knees. Eczema can occur as a result of direct contact by chemical and plant irritants. Eczema can also be due to allergies to food or air-borne particles such as house dust mite, mould spores, dog hair and cat fur. Allergy testing with validated methods such as skin-prick testing or IgE blood testing can be helpful to discover the cause and direct the treatment. Self-help for eczema includes avoidance of skin irritants and chemicals that trigger the flare-ups: soaps, detergents, antiseptics, perfumes, hair products and bubble bath. Regularly vacuum the bedroom and use micro-fibrous mattress/pillow covers to reduce house dust mite exposure. If you suspect food allergy you could exclude what you think may have caused the flare-up for 2-3 weeks to see if the eczema settles down. As eczema tends to be a dry skin condition, conventional treatment with generous applications of moisturising creams and lotions will rehydrate the skin. Use soap substitute and emollient in the bath – don’t soak for too long and the water should be body temperature, not too hot. Upon getting out pat yourself dry, don’t rub. Moderate and severe eczema usually needs steroid cream to dampen down the inflammation, however prolonged use should be avoided as this can lead to skin thinning and pigmentation. Antihistamine cream or tablets can be helpful, especially if the eczema rash is itchy. The complementary treatment of eczema could include nutritional, homeopathic and herbal approaches. Studies have shown omega-3 fatty acids and fish oils reduce the severity and itchiness of childhood eczema – this can be mixed into the food of babies and toddlers. Probiotics containing healthy gut bacteria taken in
100 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
pregnancy and infancy may reduce the chance of eczema developing in childhood by boosting the immune system and strengthening the gut wall against food allergens. A multimineral/multivitamin supplement, especially one containing vitamins B and E, zinc and selenium, should also be considered for the treatment of eczema. Homeopathic medicines such as Sulphur and Arsenicum Album can be very effective in the management of eczema. Application of Calendula cream soothes as well as encourages healing of raw areas. Seek advice from a homeopath who can match the type of eczema with a specific remedy or, better still, the ‘constitutional’ type of the patient. If an allergy to house dust mite is suspected the homeopathic medicine prepared from the mite itself can bring relief. Herbal treatments can control the symptoms of eczema; treatment usually requires the advice and guidance from a herbal practitioner. The same applies to herbs given on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine and Indian ayurvedic medicine. Tension and anxiety can exacerbate eczema - flareups can often be linked to some stressful life event or situation. Dealing with this is important and mindbody therapy with meditation, yoga, hypnotherapy and counselling, particularly CBT, will help. In summary, eczema management should include: • avoiding trigger factors; • looking for an allergic factor; • considering skin-prick testing; • taking a fish oil, probiotic and multivitamin • considering homeopathy or herbal treatment; • dealing with any stress. doctorTWRobinson.com GlencairnHouse.co.uk
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When your family suffers the loss of a loved one, we are here to support, guide and reassure you – every step of the way Call Daniel on 01935 812647 100 Lenthay Road, Sherborne DT9 6AG Email: daniel@wsbrister.com www.wsbrister.com
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The Old Vicarage Leigh, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6HL
01935 873033
care@tovic.com
We are delighted to announce that following our recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission we have been awarded a rating of Outstanding. This means we are in the top 1% of care homes in England.
The Old Vicarage CQC overall rating
28 January 2016
Set in its own secluded, beautifully landscaped gardens, woodland and meadow, and with stunning views overlooking the Dorset countryside, it’s hard to resist the charms of the Old Vicarage. As soon as you step through the front door of this charming country house, you’ll discover an oasis of comfort, warmth, calm and relaxation. Our highly trained staff ensure that everything - from the mouth-watering food and drink and the stylishly cosy bedrooms to the wide range of activities - will make the Old Vicarage truly a home from home. We have been recognised by the Cinnamon Trust as being one of the best pet friendly care homes in the country.
To arrange a visit please call on 01935 873033 or email care@tovic.com
@elizabethwatsonillustrations 104 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Coming Soon Lettings & Property Management
Independent Letting Agent representing town and country property throughout Somerset and Dorset
5 Tilton Court, Digby Road, Sherborne DT9 3NL
Sherborne
Abbotsbury
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Substantial period town centre maisonette, three bedrooms large sitting room, fitted kitchen
Large family home in village centre, three reception rooms, large kitchen, four bedrooms, large garden with parking
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Semi detached cottage, three bedrooms, newly decorated and much improved, garden and parking
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To find out how this award winning firm can help you telephone: Sturminster Newton 01258 473766 (Residential Sales), 01258 474265 (Lettings), 01258 472244 (Rural and Planning) or Sherborne 01935 814488 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 105
Property
ACCIDENTAL LANDLORDS Paul Gammage & Anita Light, Ewemove Sherborne
W
hat is an accidental landlord?
As the name suggests, an accidental landlord is someone who didn’t particularly intend to become a landlord. Perhaps you inherited a property, or you moved in with a partner and haven’t sold your property. Maybe you separated from a partner and can’t afford to live in your own property. Or maybe you’re working away from home at the moment so have rented your property out. This Is Money reported at the end of last year that there had been a massive increase in accidental landlords, with an estimated 80,000 properties now being rented across the UK. Why would you consider becoming a landlord rather than selling your property?
Rental payments are often considerably more than the cost of a low mortgage and the annual rate of rental growth increased by 1.6% last year. If you’ve got your mortgage covered by rent payments, it takes away the pressure of having to get a quick sale, allowing you time to reflect on what you want to do while you watch the market. In becoming a landlord you take on a number of responsibilities in respect of the rent you receive, the property and your tenants. Lender notification
Your lender may grant you a Consent to Let mortgage while maintaining your current mortgage. Alternatively, you may need or want to switch your residential mortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage. Although this is not necessarily complicated, it may include an arrangement fee and a different mortgage rate. You may also be offered a lower loan to value. Tax issues
You also have to declare any rental income for tax purposes and this is at a time when, unfortunately, the government is clamping down on landlords. Tax relief
106 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
on offsetting mortgage interest payments against rental income is being gradually phased out (and will be replaced by a tax credit). This year landlords will be only allowed to offset 50%, falling to 25% in 2019 and 0% in 2020. Stamp Duty and Capital Gains Tax
Changes to the stamp duty regulations mean that if you purchase a new property before you’ve sold your rental property, you will get hit with a 3% additional stamp duty charge. And on disposal of any property there could also be significant Capital Gains Tax implications. Your landlord responsibilities
Right To Rent: Under the Immigration Act 2014 landlords must check that their tenants have a legal right to rent in this country. Failure to do so can result in severe penalties. Tenancy deposit: Tenants’ deposits must be protected in a recognised scheme. There are rules about how you hold tenant deposits and provide information relating to the deposit. Safety compliance: A registered gas safety engineer must check every gas appliance annually and provide a record for the tenants. There are also fire and electricity safety issues and regulations with which you need to comply. Tenancy agreement: You will need an up-to-date tenancy agreement. This is most important as there has been so much new legislation in recent years. If in doubt take professional advice
There’s a lot more to being a landlord these days than there used to be. For many of the right reasons a lot of legislation has been introduced. Letting your property means you are, in effect, running a business and it should be approached and treated in the same way. Know your responsibilities, know the risks as well as the perks, and you’re far more likely to make it stress-free and successful. ewemove.com/estate-agents/sherborne/
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Property
THE HOME TEAM
Luke Pender-Cudlip, Partner and Office Head, Knight Frank, Sherborne James McKillop, Partner, Country House Department, Knight Frank, London
I
worked for Knight Frank in London for 16 years but moved to the Dorset/ Somerset border with my family 7 years ago. However, the area has been “home from home” for a long time as my parents have lived in Dorset since 1985 - and what a wonderful county it is. I love the gorgeous countryside without a motorway in sight, the glorious Jurassic coast and the warm-hearted friendliness of the people. There are so many towns and villages in Dorset and Somerset that are currently “in vogue,” many of them characterised by their delicious eateries. Bruton has At The Chapel plus The Roth Bar and Grill at Hauser & Wirth, Beaminster boasts the Bridge House Hotel and here in Sherborne we have The Green. Travel to the coast and you can choose from the Hix Oyster and Fish House at Lyme Regis, the Crab House Café at Weymouth, Riverside at West Bay or the popular Hive Beach Café at Burton Bradstock. We are so spoilt for choice that choosing a favourite would be impossible. Since moving here, I’ve been involved in selling all types of property, from cottages and town houses to large estates, and I can honestly say that there is something special about every house we sell. In spite of national and international political uncertainty, our Sherborne office has had its best financial year since 2006: sales are up and new buyers are registering with us, with plenty of viewings. The number of properties coming to the market is down but overall I think that the prognosis for 2018 is fair. LPC _____________________________________________________________________________
Although I live in London now, I was brought up in a village on the edge of the Cranborne Chase and the Dorset countryside is always a welcome sight for me. It is truly unspoilt and I always feel a weight lift off my shoulders as I approach. I went to school in Sherborne and there is a certain nostalgic pang I still feel even now, albeit I left a long time ago. Aside from Sherborne itself, I love the rolling coastline where I go trail running with the family dog, and the many villages and hamlets scattered across the county where you can stumble across a cracking local pub and enjoy a working lunch. I’ve sold many properties in Dorset but one that I felt a huge attachment to was a very pretty house called Westbrook House in Upwey, near Weymouth. It was idyllic, beautifully presented and I loved working for the owners who were dream clients. 2017 was a tough year for the prime country house market in the South West but I feel more confident now than I have done for perhaps 12-18 months. Already we are seeing more buyers emerge – we’ve recently agreed a great sale on a house near Beaminster which should have sold years ago. It is all about pricing – aspirational guide prices are a thing of the past and the tolerance on guide pricing is less. If you are 5% out now, you had better buckle up for the long haul. JM knightfrank.co.uk/sherborne
108 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Meet
your local experts
Your local property team at Knight Frank Sherborne will ensure a fresh, forward thinking service, grounded in local knowledge and true market expertise. Our long-standing relationships with clients show our dedication to providing the best service possible. Let us sell your property, so you can get back to what you love, sooner.
Luke Pender-Cudlip MRICS Partner, Office Head With over 30 years of property experience plus a chartered surveyor’s credentials, Luke’s experience is extensive. He has been involved in property of all shapes and sizes from £400,000 to £20 million. His client base has also been varied having dealt with those in finance, food, modelling, recruitment, sport, government and many more from all corners of the world.
James McKillop MRICS
Partner, Country Department, London Born and raised in a village near Salisbury and schooled in Dorset, James went to university in Bristol and then moved to London where he spent 5 years with another leading national firm before joining Knight Frank in June 2012 to focus on sales of prime properties in his “home patch” including Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset. He now works very closely with our Sherborne, Bath, Exeter and Bristol offices, covering the prime country house market.
For property advice or a no-obligation market appraisal of your home, please call our team. We’d love to help you.
T: 01935 590023 sherborne@knightfrank.com 15 Cheap Street, Sherborne DT9 3PU
Gain or Strain: The Truth about Buy to Lets & Second Homes
Legislative Changes Landlords Need to Know Whether you are buying a home to let or acquiring one for a family member, changes in the law could see you out of pocket or even facing court action if you fail to comply with new legislation. Jacqui Swann from the Property Dispute Resolution team and Ross Siviter from the Residential Property team at Battens Solicitors are hosting a special seminar on the 19th April at 5.30pm at the Yeovil office, Mansion House, Princes Street to outline all you need to know, including: • • • •
Tighter energy efficiency requirements for rented properties Return on investment versus second home stamp duty rates Rules around Air BnB lettings Updates regarding eviction notices
Second Home and Property Rentals: Are They Really Worth it?In April 2016, the government increased the rate of stamp by 3% for those buying a second home. Now the dust has settled, do the upfront costs and obligations as a landlord outweigh any potential gain? Pros Buy to let properties can provide a regular source of rental income Buy to lets can make good long term investments You only incur the higher stamp duty if you have a nancial interest in the property, meaning you can assist a family member in purchasing a property in their name by gifting the funds
Cons There is a risk - property prices will always uctuate New stamp duty rates make upfront costs even higher Landlords must comply with specific requirements and follow strict regulations relating to their property and the way it is used throughout the rental process
Associated costs can be o set against your tax bill
Other areas of the law are affecting new and existing landlords too.
Find out what regulations you need to follow by joining Battens on the 19th April at 5.30pm at the Yeovil office, Mansion House, Princes Street. Email sophie.knapman@battens.co.uk or call 01935 846255 to secure your place.
Specialist Legal Advice and Solutions for whatever life brings - at home or at work
E: enquiries@battens.co.uk T: 01935 846000 Mansion House, Princes Street, Yeovil, BA20 1EP @BattensSol BattensSolicitors www.battens.co.uk
Finance
ASSET ALLOCATION
Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.) CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS, Certified and Chartered Financial Planner, Fort Financial Planning
I
n last month’s article I explained that the most important investment decision is “asset allocation”. Simply put, this means that the ratio of shares or equities (part-owning a publicly quoted company) in a portfolio, compared to bonds (lending to countries or companies) is likely to have the greatest influence on the rate of return. Typically, because equities outperform bonds over the longer term, the return is likely to be higher if the equity portion is greater than the bond portion. Different assets perform differently, hence the initial weighting will drift over time. Equities generally deliver a better return than bonds, so the equity weighting is likely to increase at the expense of bonds. And because equities are riskier than bonds, the result is a portfolio that becomes riskier than originally agreed upon. Regular rebalancing can help to correct this portfolio drift as well as providing much needed discipline in the investment process. For many investors rebalancing in this way seems counterintuitive; after all, it means taking money out of what is performing well and allocating it to assets that are not performing so well. Experience tells us that, left to their own devices, most investors will not do this. It’s important to stress that rebalancing is designed to control risk, not maximise returns. If the goal were to maximise returns over the long-term, it would be logical to keep a portfolio invested 100% in risky assets* – yet this is an approach that most investors would find unpalatable. A number of studies have indicated that, as well as controlling risk, rebalancing can also increase long-term investment returns. Even if this increase is only 0.43% per annum (Vanguard research), it is worthwhile, especially due to the magic of compounding. *At FFP we have a saying “always expect the unexpected”. Average returns from the FTSE all share index since 1955 have been around four percent higher each year than bonds. However, bonds gave a better return than shares from 1960 to 1974!
ffp.org.uk
112 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Your Life, Your Money, Your Future Trusted, professional, fee based advice We live in a complex world. At FFP we aim to remove complexity, replacing it with simplicity and clarity so that our clients can enjoy their lives without worry
FFP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Telephone: 01935 813322 Email: info@ffp.org.uk Website: www.ffp.org.uk
AHEAD IN THE CLOUD Our real-time cloud accounting solutions present you with a full picture of your financial position 24/7, allowing you to proactively plan and respond ahead of tax deadlines. For a fresh take on your accounts, speak to Hunts
T: 01935 815008 E: info@huntsaccountants.co.uk W: huntsaccountants.co.uk @Hunts_Sherborne The Old Pump House, Oborne Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3RX
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 113
don't put all your eggs in one basket
Sherborne Office
01935 817903 James Mobile
07824 389750 Lucinda Mobile
James Oliver DipPFS CeMAP Independent Financial Advisor Pensions and Retirement Planning • Investments • Inheritance Tax Planning • Mortgage and Equity Release • Life Assurance and Protection
james.oliver@ssfs.co.uk
07791 094 551 www.ssfs.co.uk
Lucinda Warren CeMAP BSc (Hons) Independent Mortgage Advisor Mortgage • Life Assurance and Protection • Buy to Let Mortgage
lucinda@ssfs.co.uk
Strategic Solutions is a trading style of Strategic Solutions Financial Services which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, number 525733. Principals: Kevin Forbes: Jefferson Fawcett: Giles Wellington: Allan Cruse.
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE
Tech
S
ince the beginning of computer time there have always been new versions, program updates and system updates. In the old days it was a way to get you to continuously spend money by buying a new, improved product (just like washing powders), but today it’s much more about keeping you secure. Think of it this way: all software is imperfect as, among the millions of lines of code, there are errors, omissions and oversights that must be corrected. The primary driver behind all updates is to improve security and the news is full of reports of “good guys” finding flaws in the operating system. If the “bad guys” find these flaws first, they can develop new ways of infiltrating your PC or network, or just mess up your life with ransomware such as CryptoLocker. The Windows operating system is as bad (or as good) as any of the rest, as it’s riddled with bugs and security holes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly functional on a day-to-day basis, but every now and then it’ll crash for no apparent reason or refuse to operate in a proper way until you restart the PC. Whilst on the subject, it’s a great idea to “Restart” your PC or laptop at least once a week. By this I mean clicking on the window in the bottom left hand corner, clicking the power button and choosing “Restart” (not “Shut Down”). This is a different process to shutting down and powering on again, and it often fixes little issues that may have been bugging you for some time. Back to updates. Windows has two different types of update: little day-to-day ones and major version updates. The little ones download in the background and get installed without you being aware of it and they
are usually of little importance to the user. The major version updates include not only a roll-up of all the little ones that may have been missed but also fundamental changes and upgrades to how Windows works. Since Windows 10 was released in 2015 there have been versions 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703 and 1709 (note the year and month references) and we’re expecting 1803 any time soon. These updates should normally download themselves and Windows will offer to install it at a convenient time. There is no good reason not to do it, however it’s worth noting that if your computer has issues before the update then it’ll probably have issues after the update as well. These updates can take an hour or so to install and there may well be more to follow afterwards so be prepared. You can check your Windows version by right-hand clicking the window in the bottom left-hand corner, clicking on “Run” and then typing “winver” and click OK. If you’re not on 1709 or higher then I would suggest downloading the Windows Update Assistant that will lead you through the update process and do it all for you. In addition to updates from Microsoft for Windows, Microsoft Office has its own update procedure and other software you use should be checked regularly for updates as well. As always, if you need help with this or any other technology you know where to come. Coming Up Next Month: PC and Laptop Screens – Size Matters! computing-mp.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 115
FOLK TALES with Colin Lambert
JUSTIN JAMES, DREAMBOARDS
A
dreamboard is a collage of words and pictures representing your goals and dreams for the year ahead. Sheila and I used old magazines (Sherborne Times even!), a poster-sized sheet of paper, some glue and scissors. My 2018 dreamboard shows me as fit, with a dashing new hairstyle. The fitness bit is work in progress – I’ve re-joined the Boys’ School gym. Next, I had to find the perfect hairdresser to redesign my hair and newly acquired beard. Ideally, he would have trained with Vidal Sassoon in Mayfair, cut celebs hair backstage, done photo shoots in LA, be trendy, fashionable, stylish, be based in Sherborne and available now. However… Justin’s dreamboard saw him converting a VW van into a state-of-the-art home with all mod-cons and taking the whole of January and most of February to tour Europe with his skateboard, surfboard and dog Milo, as you do. I wait patiently for his return and meet Justin at his home in Yeovil just as the snow begins to fall at the start of March. I have difficulty taking notes as Milo, the boxer dog, is on my lap. Justin was born in County Durham, 1975. The family - mum (hairdresser), dad (military) and elder sister moved to Yeovil in 1978. Younger brother soon arrived. Justin saw little of dad but loved the idea of being in the Forces and travelling the world. Milford Primary then, aged seven, Sherborne Prep (subsidised as dad was serving Queen and country). Justin loved it: discipline, structure, rugby team and army cadet. Sherborne Boys’ School was a seamless transition: Duke of Edinburgh Gold, CCF. Life was fabulous until… Justin’s world collapsed in 1989. 116 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
His dad dying, off-duty, brought a number of problems, his mum’s pension and Justin’s school fees to mention but two. He loved his dad to bits and had intended joining him in the Forces. Justin’s dreamboard thought otherwise! He quit school, went to visit a cousin in London, walked into Vidal Sassoon (Bond Street) and asked for a job. Justin’s always loved cutting hair: first his grandmother’s 35 years ago and then his classmates’ hair - the mums were impressed. So was Vidal Sassoon, hence Justin’s rise through the ranks. Next was Knightsbridge with Tony & Guy, then Cardiff to manage a new store but the shop fit was delayed so Justin returned home. He meets fellow hairdresser Jewls [ Julian Lewis] for a beer. Jewls had just purchased ‘Richfields’ hairdressers and wanted a new name for the business. Many beers and many suggestions later, they settle on ‘Salon Fish.’ They decided to paint the shop front, walls et al, bright orange like a goldfish (cue Western Gazette front page horror, disgust, breach of something!). Salon Fish was launched in style. Justin meanwhile headed back to Cardiff followed by Bath then San Francisco and Los Angeles, where he cut posh folk’s hair, surfed Venice Beach and had a lot of fun. Mid-20’s and life was good once more. A Tony & Guy franchise becomes available in St Peter Port, Guernsey and the dreamboard changes again. 4 years later, with the franchise sold, Justin comes home to mum – but not for long. By 2006 he is in Manly, Australia, then New York, London, Paris and the rest working on fashion shoots. Justin says, “It wasn’t
glamorous but it paid very well.” He grew his beard, studied the Koran, got a tattoo of Ganesh on his leg - one of many. Meditation, spirituality and prayer became a part of everyday life on the road. What he didn’t expect was his brother’s death in 2011. A car accident in Yeovil. Justin came home to support his mum and stayed. Death in any family is a shock. Dad and baby brother is tough. He reunited with Jewls at Salon Fish, building a strong and loyal client base. He sets up teaching programmes, works with Yeovil College as an ambassador and gives talks in London at trade fairs. Most importantly, he returned to work late in February, after surfing with Milo in Tarifa, in readiness for my big day. He and Milo give me a tour of the van. I am truly impressed by the craftsmanship and Justin’s attention to detail. They, Justin and Milo, both look so cool, photographed on a faraway beach playing in the surf.
He’s clearly my man: we set a date for the cut. I was nervous as I entered the Long Street salon. Justin smiled, took my coat, offered me a coffee and sat me down. He is very dapper in his skinny-cut jeans, Oxford brogue boots and designer shirt. Having let both my hair and beard grow since mid-December there was plenty to shape and design. Do you have a dreamboard? Would you like to take off in a campervan with your dog and live the simple life? Change your hair, grow a beard (easier for men), have a tattoo? Life can be so much fun and remember you only get one go! A huge thank you to Justin and Milo for sharing their dreamboard with me. And for my fabulous new hairstyle and look. Have a great April. colinlambert.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 117
DESIGNER
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Half Moon Street, Sherborne opposite the Abbey
ANTIQUES VALUATION DAY With Antiques Roadshow experts from Dukes of Dorchester Saturday 7th April: 10am – 4pm Yetminster Jubilee Hall
Entry £5 Adults / Children under 14 free Refreshments all day and Raffle Supporting St Andrew’s Restoration Fund
BRYAN C. COOPER LTD TRADITIONAL BUILDERS - Since 1968 -
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Tel: 01935 814946 118 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Dog Training Classes in Sherborne Next courses start Saturday 28th April 2018 Private sessions also available The Pet Experience
Training & Behaviour Ltd Sarah Easterbrook CoPAS GoDT, IACP Member Fully qualified dog trainer & behaviourist with over 20 years experience Phone now on: 07769 705807 Or email: sarah@thepetexperience.co.uk www.the-pet-experience.co.uk
CROSSROADS PET SUPPLIES LTD All Pet Accessories Retail & Wholesale
01935 411859 Find us at Forward Garage on the A30 between Sherborne & Yeovil
Brocante Vintage Shop Specialising in French Collectibles
A VERY SPECIAL VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY Become a SAMARITAN and you become part of a superb local team that offers emotional support 24/7 Find out more about our exceptional training programme and the chance to make a real difference at a Prospective Volunteer Information Session on the first Tuesday of each month at 7pm. These are held at our centre (address below) We are keen to hear from anyone over 18 with time in the evenings and weekends. Call 01935 414015 and let us know when you are coming or email recruitment@yeovilsamaritans.org.uk Yeovil Samaritans, 25 The Park, Yeovil
www.samaritans.org
You could change someone’s life – maybe your own
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01963 250788
Renewable Force Ltd Energy that doesn’t cost the Earth
Air Source Heat Pumps Ground Source Heat Pumps Underfloor Heating
Tel: 01963 23291 / 03333 701568 Email: contact@renewableforce.co.uk Website: www.renewableforce.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 119
SHERBORNE & DISTRICT FENCING & GATE Co. •Domestic fencing specialist •Over 30 years experience •Free quotations
DAVE THURGOOD Painting & Decorating interior and exterior
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The Manual and Electric Garage Door Specialists
Replacing an existing garage door? Planning to build a new home or garage? Founded in 1991, Dorset Garage Doors are a family business covering Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. All our work is guaranteed and carried out by fully trained installation engineers • 10 year warranty on selected Garador products • Spares, Repairs and Installation
01963 363782 or 01258 472830 enquiries@dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk Unit 9, Station Road Business Park, Station Road, Stalbridge, Dorset DT10 2RN
www.dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk 120 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
Competitively Priced, High Quality Carpets, Vinyls, Woods & Rugs SHERBORNE SHOWROOM NOW OPEN Unit 16, Old Yarn Mills, Westbury, Sherborne, DT9 3RQ A family run business established in 1998, we promise a highly professional level of service Tel: 07733 101064 or 01935 817885 www.lsflooring.co.uk
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Steve Devoto
M: 07551 306827 E: help@thelocalboilercompany.com www.thelocalboilercompany.com
Wills ––– of Sherborne –––
Plu m b i n g & H e at i n g Lt d Local & reliable plumber. Gas Safe registered, fully insured • New build • Renovations • Boiler installations • Vented & unvented cylinder installations
• LPG • Bathroom installations • Free quotes • Competitive prices
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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 121
J. Biskup
Property Maintenance Ltd
TO-DO LIST ✓ Kitchen & bathroom installation ✓ Tiling ✓ Flooring ✓ Wallpaper removal ✓ Painting and decorating ✓ Plastering
✓ Wall repairs ✓ Roof repairs ✓ Loft insulation ✓ Carpentry ✓ Window renovation ✓ PVC guttering and facia boards
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Short Story
RAILWAY RHYMES Malcolm Cockburn, Sherborne Scribblers
M
y recent purchase of Simon Jenkins’ new book, Britain’s Best 100 Railway Stations, has filled me with enthusiasm for travel. Starting at Exeter St. David’s (two stars) I entered the Pumpkin coffee shop. There were no empty tables, so I asked an elderly man if I may join him. ‘I’m Jeremy Porter,’ I said. ‘Tom Pierce,’ he replied. We shook hands and I felt the hard, calloused palm of a countryman. He explained that he had been a horse trader and was here on account of a swindle. It seemed that the swindler had requested to borrow a grey mare for a ride to the Widdecombe Fair, but he never let on that the mare should be expected to carry his friends - Bill Brewer, Jan Stewart, Peter Gurney, Peter Davey, Donald Wedden, Harry Hawke and Old Uncle Tom Cobbley. Of course, by the time they reached Widdecombe, the animal took sick and died. I sympathised with the poor man but at that moment my Great Western train pulled into the station and I hurried to catch it. Bristol Temple Meads (five stars) was a must for me to visit: Isambard Kingdom Brunel is my hero. His great engine shed was opened in 1840 and through this hall must have passed the emigrants who had arrived by train from Paddington to catch a Great Western steamer to the New World. Maybe one of these was a miner headed for the ‘49 California gold-rush along with his darling daughter, Clementine. Evidently, she used to drive her ducks to the water every morning just at nine. Sadly, she hit her foot against a splinter and fell into the foaming brine. Back on a Cross Country train I chatted briefly to a charming man, Dr. Foster, but he left the train at Gloucester. I continued on to Crewe. This station is not even mentioned in Simon Jenkins’ book. It had been a vital railway junction and suffered severe bombing in the war, but there was a Pumpkin shop and I had time between trains for a coffee. There I found a lost-looking girl. I asked her name. ‘Elsie,’ she said, ‘and who might you be?’ ‘Jeremy Porter,’ I replied, and she promptly burst into tears. ‘Oh Mr Porter what can I do?’ she wailed, ‘I want to go to Birmingham and
they’ve taken me on to Crewe, take me back to London as quickly as you can. Oh Mr Porter what a silly girl I am!’ Well, I didn’t think that would have been wise in the present climate of sexual predation so I bought her a ticket to Kings Cross and boarded the next train to York (five stars), the most beautiful station in England. I foolishly pictured meeting the Grand Old Duke but knew perfectly well that instead of ten thousand men, our poor Duke has just three tiresome women. On the platform, under the famous three-faced clock I bumped into a young woman carrying bags and boxes. She dropped a cardboard box; I picked it up. ‘Thanks,’ she said, ‘are you going to Scarborough Fair?’ ‘Not really,’ I said. ‘What do you have got in all those bags and boxes?’ ‘Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,’ she replied, ‘they’re all organic.’ It had been a long day, so I left her and booked myself into the newly restored Great Eastern Hotel. Next morning I decided it might be fun to go to Ireland. I took a train across the Pennines to Manchester Victoria (three stars) and on to Chester, where I met the jolliest of men; he was a miller and had a mill on the River Dee. ‘I love my mill,’ he said, ‘it is to me like parent, child and wife.’ ‘I would not change it, no not I, for any station in life.’ ‘No lawyer, surgeon or doctor ere had a groat from me.’ Then, sadly, he added, ‘I care for nobody, no not I, if nobody cares for me.’ Onwards to Holyhead where I found a B & B, woke early and crossed the sea to Ireland at the breaking of the day; I hoped to watch the sun go down that evening on Galway Bay. Arriving in Dublin’s fair city, I made my way to Heuston Station (right by the Guinness Brewery) where I bought a breakfast bun and tea. The prettiest of girls came past wheeling a wheelbarrow. She sat on the bench beside me and introduced herself as Mollie Malone. ‘I’ve been wheeling this barrow through streets broad and narrow all morning,’ she said, ‘when I cry, Cockles! and Mussels! live alive O, no one takes a blind bit of notice.’ ‘Never mind dear,’ I said, ‘stick one in my breakfast bun, for the train ride to Galway.’
sherbornetimes.co.uk | 123
Literature
LITERARY REVIEW Jonathan Stones, Sherborne Literary Society
You Will Not Have My Hate, by Antoine Leiris, (Harvill Secker, 2018) Translated from the French by Sam Taylor. £7.99 Paperback
T
Exclusive Sherborne Times Reader Offer of £6.99 from Winstone’s Books
his moving and courageous memoir covers eleven terrible days in the lives of Antoine Leiris and his 17-month-old son Melvil. On the evening of 13th November 2016 Antoine is alone in his Paris flat looking after Melvil while his wife Helene is out at a concert. Suddenly he starts receiving anxious text-messages from friends, but without further explanation. Wondering at the cause of all this concern, he reaches for the TV remote control and the news of the terrorist attack at the Bataclan Theatre unfolds before his appalled and briefly unbelieving eyes. He tries to call Helene on her phone; she doesn’t answer. Antoine drives through the night, visiting with increasing desperation followed by stunned resignation, all the hospitals in the city which have taken in the victims of the attack. That night, Helene was one of 88 people who had been killed in the Bataclan massacre. In the days that follow, Antoine experiences extremes of grief for himself and his baby son. He takes us with extraordinary acuity through the practical and emotional staging posts in grieving which he has to endure: the inadequate expressions of sorrow with which his family and friends besiege him; the dire impression of having become an exhibit; the forlorn attempts at providing meals made by the mothers in Melvil’s nursery group; the traumatic meeting with his friend who had been wounded at the concert but who had survived; the viewing of Helene’s body; the funeral arrangements;
and finally, the first visit with Melvil to Helene’s grave, an event which brings about a form of catharsis for Antoine and of understanding for his child which would earlier have seemed impossible to accomplish. Three days after the attack, Antoine posted an open letter to his wife’s killers on Facebook. In it he wrote: ‘On Friday night, you stole the life of an exceptional being, the love of my life, the mother of my son, but you will not have my hate… that is what you want, but to respond to your hate with anger would be to yield to the same ignorance which made you what you are. You want me to be scared, to see my fellow citizens through suspicious eyes, to sacrifice my freedom for security. You have failed. I will not change.’ The letter ends thus: ‘…all his life this little boy will defy you by being happy and free. Because you will not have his hate either.’ The letter became a social media phenomenon throughout France and the rest of the world and, more importantly for us, it creates a vivid and profound empathy. This short book, which has been superbly translated, is a statement of such immediacy, of such emotional force and of such clarity of expression in circumstances which might have been thought beyond the power of adequate description, that it deserves to live long in readers’ memories. sherborneliterarysociety.com
Talk and signing with Author Robert Goddard
Winstone’s Tuesday 3rd April 7pm Tickets £2 incl. glass of wine
‘Music in the West Country’ Talk with Stephen Banfield Winstone’s Friday 27th April 7pm Tickets £2 incl. glass of wine
'Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016’ 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128
All in the Balance
Vintage watch repairs, restoration and sales
Hair by Fatima Home hairdressing in Sherborne and surrounding areas
Telephone Michael Elderton on:
Cuts, blow-dry, hair up and colour
or email: info@allinthebalance.co.uk
Call 07866 571789 or Email roura2@msn.com
01963 365749 / 07926 980381 website: allinthebalance.co.uk
Women, men and children
MARCH SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Intended to appeal to ordinary people (8) 5. Bitter-tasting substance (4) 8. Deep fissure (5) 9. Belgian city (7) 10. Import barrier (7) 12. ___ crow: Eurasian crow (7) 14. Small fast ship (7) 16. Series of boat races (7) 18. Characterised by constant change (7) 19. Sprites (5) 20. Utters (4) 21. Interpret in a certain way (8)
DOWN 1. Stride; single step (4) 2. Flat; two-dimensional (6) 3. Glare of publicity (9) 4. Clean-___ : without a beard (6) 6. Happy (6) 7. International negotiator (8) 11. Unlimited (9) 12. Popular party game (8) 13. Business organisation (6) 14. South American cowboy (6) 15. ___ Reed: English actor (6) 17. ___ of Wight: largest island of England (4) sherbornetimes.co.uk | 125
PAUSE FOR THOUGHT
Deacon Jonathan Simon, Church of the Sacred Heart and Saint Aldhelm
W
ell, April is definitely spring-time! Of course, some years it doesn’t feel like spring at all. I remember many years ago I went with a small group of friends to a house we’d hired in Cornwall for the Easter weekend. Everyone wanted to tell us how it was the first time they had seen snow in that village for 20 years! And for some of us, this year won’t be feeling like spring whatever the weather. When the painful things happen in our families, when our loved ones die, when serious illness or accidents strike, when families break up for whatever reasons, any good weather can feel like a mockery. When such things happen to us - and we cannot live without such things happening in our families - nothing outside can make it better. Of course, the way that other people help and support us can make a huge difference but, when we are suffering, it is always within ourselves that we have to come to terms with the realities. No-one else can do it for us. As a Christian, I will be celebrating the resurrection from death of Jesus Christ on 1st April. His resurrection gives me hope for the future – for my personal future and for the future of all humanity. But it doesn’t make problems go away. In some ways it makes life more challenging. My faith in a God who loves and cares for all his creation means that I have to be loving and caring for all his creation myself. I hope I’m getting better at that. When we look at the world around us we can see many things that are not as we would like them to be, but there are many signs of hope. There are millions of young people who want, and try, to change the world for the better, and millions of older ones too. There are charities and politicians who believe and act for transformation of our global society. Just as the death of Jesus was a step towards healing and redemption in people’s lives, so also, if we look, we can see many signs of renewal and hope in our world this spring-time. Spring-time is our opportunity, and our challenge, for personal and global renewal. sherbornecatholicchurch.org.uk
126 | Sherborne Times | April 2018
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SMOOTHES FINE LINES AND WRINKLES REDUCES SUN DAMAGE AND PIGMENTATION TACKLES ACNE BREAKOUTS AND SC ARRING BOOSTS SKIN REGENERATION & COLLAGEN PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTORY OFFER: P RE-TR EAT MENT - £30 (2 WEEKS PRIOR TO FIRST TREATMENT INCLUDES DERMALOGIC A PRODUCTS TO PREPARE THE SKIN) B IOACTIV E 30 T R EAT ME N T - £ 4 2
(BOOKING TIME 45 MINS)
EXP ERT ACT IV E T R EATM E N T - £ 7 2
(BOOKING TIME 1HR 15 MINS)
T H E S A N C T UA RY BEAUTY ROOMS 8 A C H E A P S T R E E T, S H E R B O R N E , T E L : 0 1 9 3 5 8 1 5 0 8 5
W W W. T H E S A N C T U A RY S H E R B O R N E . C O . U K