Feniton History Group held the 83rd Meeting in the Nog Inn

We reviewed the fascinating illustrated talk by Martin Howell, it was sad that due to the very bad weather only 9 people came. This raised £40 for the Church Fabric Fund

Our next event is the WW1 Talk with Jim Woolley from Ottery Heritage on Thursday 30th Nov in the Church at 7:30 pm.

For the culmination of the 100 years since WW1 it was decided to mark this with a Themed WW1 afternoon tea in the Church or village hall, war time cakes and music. Suggested date Saturday 10th November 2018.

George : Has been looking at the horrific events after the Monmouth Rebellion, (1685) the South West was littered the decaying bodies hung in cages from churches and at Cross Roads after being boiled in pitch.  Bitterly Cross was one such place. Between Feniton and Talaton.

This links gives the account of the time:

 We discussed child labour in the mines, mills and small boys working for chimney sweeps, Jenny related the story of a young girl who had stolen a violin case, all driven by poverty, followed by harsh sentencing in the courts.

This tells more:

George  spoke of the American grave yard and the French Prisoners of war


He also told us the Dartmoor Jail Museum was worth a visit.

I related my conversation with my grandson regarding the Devon dialect, he had not heard of regional accents,   the Cornish spoke late Anglo Saxon and had their own language, which is being revived in an effort for it not to be lost.

Bob is enjoying the garden, and told us about the  Indian service  1930/32 medal with 2 bars.  There was a Water Carrier medal. The English detachment did not get involved with the skirmishes, but if a white person involved they would shoot. His father served in India in the 1930s. Sadly, all his father’s effects were lost when his home was cleared after his death.

Jenny  has a relative of the Horsey family  of Clifton May Banks House. Sadly, with the wills destroyed in the second world war the line is not easy to follow.  

 Brenda brought along her Grandfather’s postcards from WW1, he was a Batman to an Officer. The cards are written with a pencil, only the Officers had access to ink! He was in hospital in Birmingham in July 1917, using the dates from the postmarks Brenda has worked out where in the world he was at the time of posting.

While searching the newspaper archives Brenda found some articles relating to Cecil Harris  of Bricklands now Appletrees. behind the Nog Inn.  Samuel, his father lived at Pound House in Payhembury he was a carpenter and wheelwright.  Cecil was a carriage builder. In  1928,  when the building  of council houses was proposed, he criticised the siting of the council houses because he thought it more sensible they should be near the Station where there was a mains sewer that could be used instead of the proposed site in Station Road. He also worried about flooding in front of Bricklands. He went with the nickname  “Crab Apple Face.”   His wife died in  a cycle accident.

Cecil  had the first motor garage in the area , he was offered the Vauxhall dealership, but he thought cars had no future and turned it down. Arthur, Cecil’s son was  put forward for e military medal.

Brenda attended the DFHS conference  and mentioned the Heathcote family who were keen on education and erected a school. At the conference Brenda met the author of a new book about  Thomas Fowler, an inventor from Torrington who invented a calculating machine.



 Geoff told us of a family with 22 children raised  in a bigamist marriage, the father remarried the 1st wife to legitimise the children inc a spell in Canada.

Alan has seen the item on the Spotlight news about Drowners Huts on the River Frome in Dorset, for the men  working on the  water meadows.  He asked if the small derelict shed at Fenny Bridges would have been such a building?

Alan also recalled a boundary change that meant Feniton Parish were responsible for the maintenance of the Bridge.

It was a lively and fascinating evening, thank you all.


Next meeting 8pm in the Nog Inn on 7th December 2017.

WW1 talk to mark the Rememberancetide



Feniton History Group would like to invite you to join with
Jim Wooley and Bob Neal from Ottery Heritage are coming to talk
about Jim’s book on WW1 in Ottery St Mary and surrounding villages
 in Feniton Church on Thursday 30th November 2017 at 7:30 pm

Admission £4.00 including tea /coffee.