Chat/message board!

Click Here to add your message or suggest a topic of discussion!

---

Topic 3

General Comments and requests.

---

Responses

Re: Holidays From: Phil O'Connor (London)

message - 16/02/2006 - I stayed in the grounds of a large house as a child that had several parts rented as holiday accomadatioin back in the 1970s. It had a very large garden that was entered by climbing down steps/ladders to a level area, similar to how you would enter a swinmming pool. Had more extensive gardens beyond that.
Any idea where this was, would like to see it again when I next visit Devon. Great memories
Phil O'Connor (London)

Click Here to reply to this message.

From: Webmaster
Phil,
You don't say if your holiday was at High Bickington?
If it was then I would suggest the prime candidate would have been Nethergrove House' which I believe used to provide some holiday accommodation. Alternatively, it could have been 'Kingford Hill Holiday Village' about 2 miles from the village. If it was Kingford Hill then you would obviously remember the swimming pool which would have been shared with many of the village children, (myself included), who spent many a long hot summer's holiday afternoon lounging around the pool having walked or cycled the two miles from the village. I'm not sure if either of these places are still in the holiday business now.

Re: Old Village Addresses 1881 From: Phil Shaddock

message - 05/02/2006 - In the 1881 census, addresses are listed as e.g. 57 Village. How does that translate to modern addresses? Are these old cottages still standing? I can see that the Golden Lion is mentioned in 1881. Several of the girls in the cottages are listed as glovers. Did this employ a lot of people in High Bickington?

Click Here to reply to this message.

From: Webmaster
Phil,
I believe many of the houses listed as 'The Village' in the old Census do still exist but since that time many of the streets have been named and the houses now have the street name in their address, i.e. High Street, Poplar Terrace etc. It is very difficult to tie up individual houses from an ambiguous address such as 'The Village'! I don't think that High Bickington was ever a centre for glove making and think it was one of those cottage enterprises that many undertook to earn extra money when other work or chore's were not required. I do know that Torrington did have a glove factory up until the 1980's.
It would be interesting if we could find evidence to show if the girls were working for themselves, i.e. they would have sold/ bartered the gloves they made locally or if they worked for an employer who paid the girls to make the gloves which he then sold on to markets elsewhere? A little more investigation work required on this I think?

Re: Church Records From: Margaret Martin

message - 30/04/2006 - I would like to congratulate you on the website & details of the graves/ burial register. So many churches hide their information that this is a real gem to discover. Thank you. Margaret Martin (Mrs)

From: Webmaster
Margaret,
Thanks for the support! Am a great believer that the Internet should be a valuable source of free information.

Re: Little Bickington From: Alan Butt

message - 11/05/2006 - Cant believe they have refused planning , when through out the rest of the county they have been putting up houses that no local can afford. Look at Tiverton , Hemyock(my former home) , countless other places in the county. None of these houses are affordable to local people.
You put forward an excellent plan. Far better than any other and get turned down. I just cant believe it!
Wishing the Parish well in future appeals.
To me it stinks.
Alan Butt

Click Here to reply to this message.

From: Webmaster
Alan,
Thanks for your message of support. Yes it certainly does stink! A lot of hard work and effort down the drain. Lets hope the Project 2000 team can pull something good back from this otherwise I suspect a developer will move in and simply build whatever is going to make him the most money!
What does anyone else think?

To see what the North Devon Journal had to say Click here!

To read the Journal's background story about the project Click here!

To see what the project team had to say Click here!

Re: Bickington Historical Society - Help with Contact Please From: Jeannie Barton

message - 07/11/2006 - I am trying to make further contact with Avril Stone, President of the Historical Society vis a vis info on my relative Capt. Francis Barton's house Little Silver. I had contact with her earlier this year when she'd just moved but appears she's changed her email address. Could you kindly forward my message and address so that she contacts me, or alternatively if permitted forward me her current email address.
Thank you
Jean Barton

Click Here to reply to this message.

From: Webmaster
Jean,
Thanks for your message. Unfortunately we don't have Avril's present contact details but hopefully if she see's this message she may contact us.

Re: Street Lighting From: Dennis O'Gara

message - 06/03/2007 - Is there any chance of replacing the hideous street lighting in the High Street with some more attractive ?

In my view the whole appearance of the High Street and the village itself is ruined by the monstrosities that are currently there !

We live in Rambler Cottage and have one right outside our bedroom window !!

In my opinion they are totally inappropriate for such a pretty road, and I have seen much nicer ones in hundreds of Devon villages so why do we have to suffer in comparison ?

Thanks

Dennis O'Gara

Click Here to reply to this message.

From: Webmaster
Dennis,
If I had my way all street lighting would be banned! It is a common myth that street lighting makes us safer, after all criminals like to see what they are doing, they like to be able to select their prey just like any predator. Also, street lighting on motorways and other major roads doesn't make them any safer it just encourages people to drive faster!

I say lets do ourselves and the environment a favour and get rid of them once and for all. The money and CO2 emissions this will save will help the government to meet it's CO2 reductions target and also ease the strain on the poor old tax payers. The only argument for keeping the lights on is so that electricity companies don't have to shut down their power stations over night!

As far as your request to change the lights in the village I think you might be better speaking with the Parish Council but suspect your request will be met with concerns over finance and nothing will happen!

Re: Devon Air Ambulance planning application From: Ray Trute

message - 01/04/2007 - Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Ray Trute I live in Dolton and I am contacting you about the proposed further expansion of Eaglescott Airfield.

It has come to my notice that full planning approval no 40551 was granted on 30th March 2006. It is a deviation from the original planning permission which forbade the operation of all helicopter traffic from the site. This planning application seems to have been slipped through very quietly.

Mr Pearson of Devon Air Spots Ltd has also pursuaded the Devon Air Ambulance to move from it's base at Belle Vue to Eaglescott by offering them a 125 year lease..

On the surface of it this does not seem a bad thing, benefitting the community and all that. But the Helicopter already does that from it's base at Belle Vue. If you look on the Eaglescott website, Mr Pearson is also advertising for someone to invest in a Helicopter Training School to be based at Eaglescott as well. He is also offering both day and night landing capabilities for helicopters at the field.

My point is that if planning for the Devon Air ambulance is granted without any opposition then the future noise levels in the whole area are likely to rise significantly as the ambulance alone has flown at least 1,150 missions from Belle view in the past 18 months. And very commendable it is too. But future combined helicopter operations are likely to be 24/7, especialy as I believe he has plans afoot to allow the military to use the airfield from time to time for training purposes as he did last summer.

Is there anything we can do to appose these plans before it is too late?

Yours sincerely
Ray Trute

Click Here to reply to this message.

Next Page >>>>>>>