A monthly Community Newsletter published by St. Michael’s Church and Gittisham Parish Council
August 2022 Edition 246
Gittisham Flower and Produce Show
What a wonderful hot and sunny afternoon when we enjoyed another very successful Flower and Produce Show. The hard work of the gardeners, the handicraft and cooking skills of the Gittisham area residents and the imagination of the children were very much on display at the Show on 6th August.
During the course of the afternoon many visited to view the entries, enjoy a cup of tea and cake, chat with friends and maybe think to themselves – “my flowers / vegetables are as good as that!” So, make a note of the date for next year – Saturday August 5th.
The cup winners were:
Marker Vegetable Cup – Len Abbott,
Best In Show Vegetable – Len Abbott,
Flower Shield – Angie Hutchings,
Best In Show Floral Exhibit – Ann Stansell,
Homecraft Cup – Anne Holley,
Men Only Cup (cake baking) – Will Wolsey,
Carol McCann Cup – Kadence Hulbert,
Infant Cup 3-6 years – Emily Grayson,
Junior Cup 6 –12 years – William Fuller.
The committee were also delighted to receive 24 entries for the Potatoes in a Bucket competition. The content of the winning bucket was grown by Scarlett Wolsey, weighing in at 1.197 kg. Second place was won by Angie Hutchings (1.194 kg) and third by Len Abbott (1.099 kg). The competition is fun for all the family so please do join in next year.
A big thank you to all for making the event such a success namely, the organisers, the exhibitors, the helpers on the day and perhaps most importantly, all who came along to support this, the best of village events.
The Committee of the Gittisham Flower and Produce Show have raised money over the past few years and would very much welcome your suggestions on how we spend it in the village. Please reply to
Community Kitchen
Grateful thanks to Sara Trumper for her Thursday evening community supper in the village hall which started on 21st July. Sara’s idea of a ‘simple meal’ is free. The Hall is open from 6pm to 9pm with food being served at about 6.30pm. No need to book, everybody welcome and feel free to bring board games, cards etc. A simple meal which will hopefully cater for all tastes. All donations of excess produce etc. gratefully received – please email Sara on or text/WhatsApp to 07939 148762.
An East Budleigh – Gittisham connection – Derek Wensley
Here in East Budleigh, a group are pursuing the history of Roger Conant, who sailed to America in 1623 and founded the community of Salem, Massachusetts. Roger Conant is remembered for his attitude of tolerance and conciliation among the early settlers of New England. Roger was born in East Budleigh, the son of a miller, Richard Conant. There is, however, a Gittisham connection. Roger’s grandfather, Dr John Conant of Devon was born in Gittisham (8/1/1520). He married Marie Budeley, also born in Gittisham (ABT 1525). Dr John Conant’s father was John Conant, born in Gittisham in 1480 and died in Gittisham, buried 4/9/1559. His mother was Alice Brown, born in Gittisham in 1496 and died in Gittisham in 1559. Both may have been buried in OSM churchyard. John Conant (1480) father was also John Conant from Gittisham (1466) and his mother Isabella Anna Fiske (1471).
Some ancestors of Roger Conant are interested in this Gittisham connection, so if there is any further information in Gittisham about this family it would be interesting.
I also note Thomas Hardy of Hardys wine fame was also from Gittisham, before seemingly moving to Australia. I noticed a Hardy gravestone in Gittisham churchyard.
Also in our churchyard is Henry Ince, b1736, Penzance, Cornwall d1808 (aged 71–72), Gittisham, Devon. Henry Ince was a sergeant-major in the British Army who achieved fame as the author of a plan to tunnel through the North Face of the Rock of Gibraltar in 1782, during the Great Siege of Gibraltar.
Gittisham Parish Council
There is no meeting in August. For the next meeting, see the Gittisham website or contact the parish clerk, Fiona Clampin, on 07899 932620.
Grain to Cream – Russell Hayman
Been a while since I wrote, we are still here! So what have we been up to? More of the same really the cows have been calving all going quite well and had a TB test at the end of June which went really well all clear not had that for years. The recent hot weather has tried the cows. We have fans going for them to try to help cool them but they really do prefer 5 to 10 degrees not 30 to 35. So with them under stress they eat less, lie down less and stand around in big groups, not a recipe for good health. So far we have not had too much trouble we have lost quite a bit of yield though and with our ever-increasing costs it is worrying times ahead; our milk price has gone up but the UK is still down on milk production and it looks unlikely to increase in the near future. The margin is just not there to take the risk to get those extra litres. Having said that, they still keep on calving and we seem to have plenty of them around which means we have to move them about a bit to make room.
The hot weather also took its toll on our old dog Daisy. I thought it would and we had to have her put to sleep, but it wasn’t fair to keep her going. Pluto our young Lab has benefited due to the Covid regulations in that he has managed to keep his testicles for a couple years; well Helen put a stop to that and took him in to have them whipped out. I do believe it has reduced the amount of leg lifting now and it’s past him being sore!
We have had a vet student here and another one coming soon; always an interesting experience as they usually have had no experience with cattle which is why they are here. Some take to it better than others. Edmund has finished his work in Yorkshire so will be with us for a bit before he goes back to Uni. We have also been getting part of the yard concreted to help keep the place cleaner, it was a bit messy in the winter which will be great when done, not quite so keen on the bill to come with a load of concrete over a thousand pounds and there will be quite a few of them by the time we finish. It also makes moving around the yard interesting, but no time was going to be convenient.
Harvest will soon be upon us let’s hope the dry weather continues, well just a little rain, otherwise we could be short of food for the winter, as long as it knows when to stop. The crops look ok but I am not expecting massive yields a bit too dry in the end.
We have seen our resident barn owls more of late. There are three here now and we quite regularly see them hunting around the farmyard. The other night we had a meeting here with a load of farmers and we had a few fly bys in the shed (just as special as the Spitfire Matt, though quieter). The swallows the lovely little things are raising their chicks and making one heck of a mess beneath themselves as they do; but it’s worth it though!
Gittisham Village Hall
Our beautiful village hall is available to hire from £10.90 per hour. An ideal venue for a summer party, making use of the beautiful garden, or perhaps, a winter social gathering in front of the open fire. It has been recently redecorated has a well-equipped kitchen, dishwasher and great sound system plus wifi. Contact Carol Hall Lots more info on the gittisham.org.uk website.
Village Hall committee July 2022 – July 2023
Chair Hamish Hall Vice Chair Nick Chapman Treasurer Janet Twist
Bookings Clerk Maggie Walker. Committee Members, Sue Fallows, Pierre Graeber, Bill Griffiths, Stephen Howe, Terry Kitchen, Cordelia Wolfe and Will Wolsey
St Michael’s Church, Honiton Mission Community and 200 Club
St. Michael’s Gittisham
You may have noticed that Rufus Lyle has started the re-plastering of the damp areas in the church, porch and vestry, with other sections where loose plaster is prominent will be brushed and limewashed so hopefully when the work is done we will have a lovely pristine church.
Our services for August: 7th no service, 14th Eucharist with Baptism, 21st no service, 28th lay-led Morning Worship. To receive details for ongoing worship, Eucharistic and lay-led please contact me, Carol on 01404 851113 or email or Julia by email on or for those without internet ring her on 07763 111367 or 01404 850680.
Unfortunately the churchyard’s lovely and varied wild flowers that grew last year haven’t made much of a re-appearance this time. We hope to be able to sow a wild flower mix later in the autumn and endeavour to have a good show in 2023. If you would like to help or have any ideas please let me (Carol McCann) know. It is also nearly time to have a churchyard tidy-up (clearing ivy from the walls, clearing the weeds from the gravel round the church and under the yew trees etc). A date has not yet been set but if you would be prepared to help do let me know, thanks.
Gittisham’s monthly coffee get-together: 20th August, and on the third Saturday of every month, from 10.30am until midday. Hopefully it will be on the village green, but in case the weather is unkind, it will be in the parish room. All welcome.
Honiton Mission Community
The Mission Community ‘Rest and Refresh’ marquee was again manned by members of our six churches, offering hot and cold drinks with biscuits, a children’s play area, nappy changing and breast feeding stations for mums with babies and toddlers. Always very much appreciated and well patronised.
Honiton St Paul’s weekly services continue at 11.00am. The website (honitoncofe.org) is updated regularly and has news about services and the latest guidelines on the Covid regulations. There is also a link to the Gittisham website. The monthly Mission Community newsletter Around the Parishes is available by email or post from the Parish Office; see below for details. As our MC churches are now having their own services, Sunday Morning Eucharistic Worship at 11.00am, in St. Paul’s is being live streamed. If you would like to join this service do please contact Rev’d Sue or the Parish Office by emailing or and the link will be forwarded. Alternatively, ring the Parish office to book your place in person, on 01404 44035. Messages will be replied to when someone is available. Mollie the Church administrator is there on Tuesdays. Coffee and biscuits are served in St Paul’s church on Tuesdays and Saturdays and after Sunday services, donations are welcomed. Details of the other M.C. church services can be found in the Around the Parishes under each church and the service details including Readings and Collects for the month and will certainly be helpful if you join the live streamed Sunday service.
On Saturday 10th September the next ‘Celebrate Together’ afternoon with tea for both adults
and youngsters with learning difficulties and their carers. We sing songs, have stories and there is
usually a theme. Everyone is most welcome and if you know of anyone who might like to join in
do please ask them to ring Lyn Thatcher (Honiton churchwarden) 01404 41429 or the Parish
Office 44035 for details. The event starts from 2.45pm and finishes about 4.30.
Congratulations to Honiton Ringers
Honiton Ringers won the local Striking Competition. After ringing for a wedding at St. Paul’s on Saturday July 9th, six members of their bellringing team took part in a striking competition held at Combe Raleigh. Eight bands entered and Honiton were placed first in the individual tower section. Needless to say, they were delighted.
200 Club
The members who have not renewed their subscriptions for the season 2022/23 April-March have now been taken out of the 200 Club. Therefore I am currently able to offer numbers for the 200 club, (there are several available). If you do still want your number and forgot to pay the sub please let me know and I will re-instate you upon receipt of the full subscription amount. If you would like to join the 200 Club, please ring Carol, I can send or email an application form. This is one way of funding the upkeep so necessary with this old church which takes a lot to keep it heated (especially with the spiralling costs for energy) and watertight, keeping the churchyard in good order and kind to nature, The cost is £12 per number per year; however as August has been drawn, this year’s sub until March will be £7 commencing with September. The draw takes place at the beginning of each month with 5 prizes: £40.00, £20.00, £15.00, £10.00 and £5.00. Twice a year there is a 6 monthly prize of £48 (March and September).
Payment can be made by cheque or cash or Standing Order, there is a form for your bank. I can
email both the application and Standing order forms if required, please let me know by telephone 01404 851113 or or write to 3 School House Cottages, Gittisham, Honiton, EX14 3AH.
August 2022 200 Club Results
1st Jackson King 2nd Florence Wolsey 3rd Michael Neve
4th Margaret Tawse 5th Chris Ward
2022 Ploughing Match
This year’s Sidmouth Junction & District Ploughing Match is on 11th September, at Higher
Gosford Farm, Fenny Bridges, EX14 3AZ. From 10.00am.
Gittisham Gazette distribution
This is to advise if any Hayne Farm and Gittisham Vale estates residents wish to receive the
Gazette by email or if they have no internet access, they can receive it by post, (many are emailed and several households have 2 copies). I put 30+ copies in the Vale bus shelter and as the Hayne Farm sales
office is by appointment only, I have stopped putting any in the office. I apologise to those who do not get the Gazette and do my best to print as many as I can on my own printer, and understand there is a Hayne Farm WhatsApp group which links with the Gazette. If you have a neighbour who doesn’t have access to the internet and you could print off a copy, then many more could receive this publication. It would also be good to receive news from both the Vale and Hayne to let us know what’s going on etc.
Editor/Distributor:
Carol McCann 01404 851113 / 0794 6409142 .
If you have events or news items including pictures, for inclusion in the gazette from the village, the Vale or Hayne Farm Estate, do please email it to Carol as early as possible. Copy date for the September edition is 23rd August. The Gazette will hopefully be ready by the first weekend in September, but depends on the parish council meeting.