Archaeology

Christmas Eve at the Front

An interesting letter has just been received by Mrs Packer, of Broadclyst, from her husband, Corpl Packer of A Company, 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, who is serving with the Expeditionary Force in Northern France. In the course of a letter he describes a remarkable incident which occurred on Christmas Eve between the British and German trenches.

Chanter’s Folly, which over the years has faced up to storm and tempest unaided,

and provided an object of landscape beauty and interest to thousands, met its doom under blue skies and mist-dispelling sunshine.

Comparatively few spectators were about, as it was not generally known that demolition was to take place. Mr S Woolaway, of Messrs Woolaway and Sons, personally supervised the operations. During the afternoon, a number of pedestrians came to view the scene, including some older Appledorians who recalled the days gone by when a fair used to be held within the old quarry, and at one time some half a dozen Appledore mothers with their perambulators were foregathered looking up at the empty spot.

Though with the passage of time younger generations will not miss it, most of the older generation will regret the passing of this old and picturesque landmark and ‘friend.’

Friends of Bideford Society might have started fund

Criticism of what he called 'the indecent haste' with which Chanter's Folly had been demolished by its new owners, especially in view of the fact that it was known the Society was earnestly considering ways and means of preserving the tower, was voiced by the President, Mr Vernon C Boyle, at the meeting of the Friends of Bideford Society at the Rose of Torridge Cafe, Bideford.

Introducing the question of Chanter's Folly to the meeting, the President said members would know that it was 'all over bar the shouting' but possibly there should be some shouting. Mr J Andrews thought the first point the meeting had to be clear on was whether the people who had arranged the demolition had been legally entitled to do so. There was little doubt that the owners were legally entitled to take the action they had, said the secretary, Mr W Thornton. He went on to point out that on the information appearing in the press that the former owner had been served with a notice by Northam Council that the tower was a dangerous structure and should be demolished, he had written to the Urban Council stating that, although it was late in the day, the Society would be willing to cooperate with the Council in an attempt to save the Folly. Receiving no reply, he had then written to the former owner, Mr J C Moore, of Wooda, Northam, inviting him to attend the meeting that evening. Mr Moore had replied that during the past week he had luckily been able to come to an agreement with the Barnstaple Brick and Tile Company whereby they had taken over the Folly and adjoining quarry.

'Chanter's Folly was here today and gone today' continued the secretary. Mr Andrews suggested the only thing the Society could do was to censure those who had pulled down the tower. 'I don't think we can censure them' said the secretary.

Gazette article dated 31 October 1952 and 21 November 1952

Do you recall the old windmill at Northam?

Memories of the old windmill which once stood off the road

between Northam and Appledore have been revived in the minds of older residents in the Northam district by the recent demolition of Chanter’s Folly.

The mill stood in a field known as ‘Windmills’ which lies on the Appledore side of the lane leading to Bidna off the main Northam to Appledore road just past Knapp House. Like Chanter’s Folly, the tower fell into disrepair and became a danger to cattle wandering around its base and even inside.

In 1922, the late Mr G H Cork of Watertown Farm, Appeldore, on whose land the mill stood, contracted with Mr Jim Beer of Appledore, for the tower to be taken down. Powder was not to be used, stipulated Mr Cork, as back in 1908 when Mr George Cawsey had owned the field an attempt had been made to blow up the tower and a portion had landed on the roof of Knapp House!

As can be seen, the windmill tower was of brick on a stone base. A good deal of the base remains, but the brick walling, which was some three feet thick, was later used to build a sea-wall under Watertown farm which can be seen today.

Asked if he thought Windmill Lane, Northam, had taken its name from this old windmill, Mr Cork said he thought it was unlikely, although, of course, the mill had been visible from that road.

21 November 1952

Finds A Brick On Which Grandfather Had Written

While Jeremy Mugford was helping his builder father, Mr Richard Mugford, of Hartland, carry out alterations to a cottage at Ball Hill he found himself looking at a brick upon which his grandfather had written some 50 years ago.

This strange coincidence happened when Jeremy was using a small hammer to knock apart some Marland bricks. To his delight he came across a brick upon which his grandfather had written in thick pencil ‘William Mugford, builder and contractor, Ball Hill’.
The wording was well preserved and the brick was proudly taken home.
Gazette article dated 3 March 1972