Robin Mills met Russell Woodham near Kingston Lacey
Ienjoyed a childhood immersed in the Dorset countryside. Dad was a postman, Mum a stay-at-home mum, who loved their garden. I have fond memories of helping on local farms with haymaking, building dens in the woods, and always being outside.
We lived near Weymouth and my first job after school was on the RMAS boats in Portland Harbour. Later I became a ranger on the Lulworth Army Ranges, and from there I started a grounds maintenance business. That was inevitably seasonal, busy in spring and summer, so when I saw a TV programme featuring a hedgelayer, whose work was concentrated in the winter months, I got interested.
At that time, Kingston Maurward College ran hedgelaying courses, so I enrolled. It lasted only three days, at the end of which we got a certificate of attendance. It’s fair to say most of those attending were there because learning a bit of hedgelaying was on a retirement bucket-list, or they had a garden hedge which needed laying, or it was a birthday present, but for me, that was 27 years ago, and I’ve been doing it ever since and am still learning with every new hedge. Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to have been awarded many accolades including four times Dorset National Champion, and many competition titles throughout the South and South West. I’ve also judged two National Hedgelaying Championships in Ireland.
I’m committed to it, because I’m outdoors in all weathers, working with a living hedge which, after I’ve laid it, will provide habitat and a food source for small mammals and birds, create an aesthetically pleasing stock-proof barrier, and breathe life back into a feature that may have shaped the landscape for centuries.
I mainly work all over Dorset, but have laid hedges in Wales and France. The hedgelaying season is between September and the end of March, although that can vary from one year to the next. I’m basically working when the hedge plants are dormant, and am mindful of when the birds are nesting. But to work on the land and be governed by the seasons is a privilege.
My tools are simple; a doubled bladed billhook, commonly known as a Yorkshire, which can be used as a short axe; a felling axe, and a small chainsaw. The principles of the job are also simple, but the techniques required to create an effective, tidy, and
Winter’s Work; Russell Woodham at rest while laying a hazel hedge in the Dorset Style” oil on canvas (121.5 x 151cm) Toby Wiggins RP
pleasing hedge need a lot of practice and can be physically demanding. In this work, you’re not so much thinking about what the hedge looks like when you move on to the next job, it’s more about what will happen during the rest of the hedge’s life, or when it’s next laid, and that’s really satisfying.
After cutting and clearing out the unwanted growth on the sides of the hedge, the fundamental part of the job, making the cut, is called pleaching, which involves cutting part-way through the vertical stems, or pleachers, near their base, allowing you to bend them so that they lay horizontally instead of vertically, forming a dense and tidy structure.
Russell Woodham
Crucially the pleachers must not break as they bend. The thin top growth is then trimmed and woven or tucked into the laid hedge, according to the style of hedge laying followed. The pleachers will then continue to grow and be stimulated to produce new vertical shoots.
There are many styles of hedge laying, and many which have disappeared, which are local to particular areas; but it’s not hard and fast, so it’s more important that the style used will suit the purpose and characteristics of the hedge, regardless of the area. The styles I work to are the Dorset, a low flat hedge predominantly on a bank, a style suited to the control and shelter of sheep on downland. The pleachers are laid as low as possible, building a strong intertwined hedgerow. If required, hazel binders or bonds can be tucked under a pleacher on one side, and passed over the hedge at an angle of about 30° and tucked under the other side. The other style I work in is the South of England style; in this the hedge is cut and laid over to create a double brush, and a single line of stakes 18″ apart are driven into the centre of the hedge, with the top bound with hazel. String or wire should never be used in any hedge laying.
Hedges can be single species or mixed; the ancient hedgerows contain many species. Each species requires a different approach, but personally I like to work with a mixed species hedge, with a bit of holly, beech, dog-rose, thorn, and hazel all making a nice combination. In all the years I’ve been doing it I’ve probably worked single-handed for over 95% of the time, but occasionally I might need a bit of help with a large overgrown hedge.
In the summer months, I’m often at the country shows exhibiting and demonstrating, such as Melplash Agricultural Show, Sherborne Castle Country Fair, Stock Gaylard Oak Fair and Dorset County Show. As well as the main show in August, where I’m the Hedgelaying Chairman, Melplash holds a ploughing and hedging match, which is the origin of the show. I’ve taken many Hedging Competition wins from my first competition in
2000 to the present day. I also run courses for those who want to learn the craft.
There have been some surprising diversions during my career as a hedgelayer. In 2022 I took part in a rather different kind of competition, one that was as much about television as it was about tradition. This one-off event was staged at Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire for the hit Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm. Featured in Series 2, Episode 6, Counselling, the “Diddly Squat 2022 Hedgelaying Competition” brought the craft to the attention of a worldwide audience. Against the backdrop of Clarkson’s often unconventional approach to farming, the competition highlighted the genuine skill and heritage of hedgelaying. It was an opportunity to showcase my experience and craftsmanship, and I was delighted to come away as the winner of the Dorset Class.
A few years ago, I came across some lovely paintings of two very good friends of mine; Alan Brown, the hurdle maker, now sadly passed away, and Simon Grant Jones, a master blacksmith. They were painted by the artist Toby Wiggins, so I contacted him and told him they were friends of mine. He replied that he was painting portraits of country folk in Wessex, had seen one of my roadside signs, and wondered if, as a hedgelayer, I’d be interested in being painted as part of his project. After doing some preliminary sketches while I was working, I ended up in his studio, in full hedge laying gear, while he put the finishing touches to my portrait. Toby, as a member of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, entered the picture in the 2023 Ondaatje Prize competition at the Mall Gallery in London. My wife and I were given tickets to the Gallery, and were completely amazed when Toby was awarded first prize for his painting, entitled Winter’s Work; Russell Woodham at rest while laying a hazel hedge in the Dorset Style.
I never imagined I would be at a smart London gallery, as the subject of a prizewinning painting. I will treasure the print and sketches that Toby gave me and will never forget the occasion. But then, I never expected hedgelaying would take me to meet HM King Charles either, but as HM is the Patron of the National Hedgelaying Society, of which I’m a lifetime member, he has been a staunch supporter of the craft, and other rural crafts, for many years. I have had the privilege of not only meeting him but laying his hedges at Highgrove and Sandringham on six or seven occasions.
The UK has the most extensive, ancient, and species-rich network of hedges anywhere. Our countryside is often described as a patchwork quilt, on which hedgelayers sew the seams of the countryside for generations to come. ’
It’s not often that we need to provide a spoiler alert on these pages, but for those who struggle with the pub quiz question about which US Presidents have been assassinated, the answer is on page 49. Looking back at the lives of these assassinated Presidents, Abraham Lincoln is notable for his role in abolishing slavery, but he is also among the many noted individuals who have been resurrected from the dead by AI deep fake creators. Bringing an old photograph to life is now a common AI meme, but a new study says that turning a person’s voice, face, and life history into reusable raw material is ‘ethically explosive’. Tom Divon, an internet and technology researcher from Hebrew University, and Prof. Christian Pentzold of Leipzig University in Germany argue that AI ‘resurrections’ matter because the dead become ‘involuntary sources of data and profit.’ However, that’s just the ethical issue. The bigger problem is the blurred boundaries between memory and manipulation. It is already possible to create an interactive experience with someone to discuss their life, philosophy, and achievements, even if they have been dead for centuries. The concern is that these initiatives can have immense potential for weaponisation. Imagine resurrecting a Hitler-type character and circulating his ideology to new audiences. As we have already seen, it doesn’t take many generations before people forget the horrors of war. If the technology exists to bring back the voices of those who would turn the world upside down, the same manipulation can be applied to those close to us to bend our opinions. Take the recent meme of the current US President, using Lincoln’s voice while advocating for the reintroduction of slavery. Thankfully it’s just a meme. Isn’t it?
Fergus Byrne
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Contributors
EVENTS February
Saturday, 31 January
Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Little Bredy. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.
Bridport Seed Swap 10-12 Bridport Youth and Community Centre, Gundry Lane. This event kick starts the gardeners’ growing plans using local seeds from each other. Seeds from the Heritage Seed Library will also be available. For more info contact bridportfoodmattersoffice@gmail.com.
Saturday, 31 January - 8 February 2026
Compton Valence snowdrops Village hall lunches & teas. Come and walk/drive through our beautiful village and see the stunning white drifts of snowdrops. The village hall is just below the church. Open (weather permitting)11.00am-3.30pm. To book please ring or email so that we can cater accordingly. Tessa Russell – Tel ; 01308482227 mob;07818037184 email ; tessa@cvfarms. co.uk. Pippa James – Tel : 07880882985. email : pippa. james8@gmail.com. Pre booked guests will take priority as the hall is small. In bad/icy weather we may not be open. Please be considerate of our village/verges when parking. Or ring us to discuss help with parking etc. We very much look forward to seeing you.
Monday, 2 February
Scottish Dancing in ChardstockAn evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BJ 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug if possible and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00 . For more information contact David on 01460 65981. https://www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk. West Dorset Commons/MMMM film double bill –Seeds of Sovereignty and Seeds of Freedom. 2 shortish films exploring how indigenous communities are reviving traditional seed systems to eliminate corporate control, dependency and debt. 7pm start, (6pm for food - please book). £3. Refreshments available. In the Chapel in the Garden, Rax Lane, DT6 3JJ. https://westdorset.news/ bridport-opens-seed-library-and-launches-first-seedweek/
Hawkchurch Film Nights, in association with Moviola. org, proudly presents ‘I Swear’, 121 mins, Cert.15 (very strong language, brief violence, sex references).
Uplifting biopic of Tourette’s Syndrome campaigner John Davidson, featuring an astonishing performance from Robert Aramayo. Peter Mullan and Maxine Peake also star. Doors open 6.30pm, film starts 7.00pm at Hawkchurch Village Hall, EX13 5XD. Ticket reservations £6.50 from csma95@gmail.com or leave a message on 07753 603219; tickets also available in advance for £6.50 from Hawkchurch Community Shop or on the door for £7.00 (cash only). Subtitles for hearing-impaired patrons provided if available. Home-made cake, teas, coffees, soft drinks, wine and other refreshments available.
Tuesday, 3 February
Scottish Country Dancing. New Beginner’s class starting at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR 6.30 to 7.30 pm only £3.00 per session. Learn a new skill, make friends, keep fit and have lots of fun. General class from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com.
Bridport Film Society - Solo by Sophie DupuisCanadian French with English subtitles. In Montreal’s drag scene, Simon is on the venue’s main lineup of drag queens. However, beyond the shine and attention he receives on stage, Simon must deal with two impossible loves. 7.45pm Bridport Arts Centre. Members and Guests (£5) only.
Beaminster Museum Winter Talk: Mapperton Hous e and the intriguing history of the Montagu family. Mapperton guide Peter Rand shares stories of an estate first recorded in the Domesday Book and a family with roots reaching back to King Edward I who made it their home in 1955. The talk starts at 2.00pm, tickets are £5.00 on the door. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. www.beaminstermuseum.co.uk.
Wednesday, 4 February
Entertaining talk , with pudding – popular, well known speaker Francis Burroughes will give a lively and humorous discourse “Seated One Day at the Organ’’. 7.30pm, at Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. £8 includes a choice of hot and cold puddings; Francis’ previous talk in 2025 was very popular, so please book and pay in advance, by contacting Mary (01460 74849) or Julia (01460 72769).
West Dorset Community Orchestra meet for rehearsal in Christian Fellowship hall, East Street car park, Bridport DT6 3PL from 6-30p.m. to 7-45p.m.New members welcome. 01308 456297 www.westdorsetmusic.org.uk.
My Ballet - since 2012 - Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Ages 18 to 82 plus! Join the fun and feel good. 10am-11:15 (some experience) 11:30-12:45 ( mixed ability) 1pm-2:15 (a Partly seated class with barre work for balance, confidence & fun)2:15- 3.30 (mixed ability) Do get in touch and come and dance! Bull Hotel ballroom, 34 East St, Bridport DT6 3LF Classes are currently held at Bridport Town Hall, East St, DT6 3LF due to building works at the Bull Hotel. Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@ gmail.com. www.my-ballet.uk.
My Ballet - since 2012 - Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. 6:45pm to 8pm Jubilee Hall, Church Street, Winsham, Chard, TA20 4HU Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail. com www.my-ballet.uk.
Thursday, 5 February
Lyme Regis Museum Friends offer an illustrated talk, ‘’The Cobb-Past, Present & Future’ by Jim Thomas at 2.30 pm in the Woodmead Hall, Hill Road, Lyme Regis. DT7 3PG. Jim, a geographer and geologist, will discuss the evolution of the Cobb over the last 800 years including proposals for the future. Members £3 visitors £5. All welcome. Enquiries to David Cox, 01297 443156.
Bride Valley Films will be showing The Salt Path ‘thought-provoking and emotional’ The Salt Path tells the emotional and life-affirming story of a couple whose connection with the natural world helps them overcome challenges and ultimately reconnect with one another. Capturing the beautiful scenery of parts of the South West Coast Path. Starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. Doors Open: 7.00 p.m. Films start 7.30 p.m. Tickets: £6.00 (to include a glass of wine) Tickets on the door: Litton Cheney Village Hall DT2 9AU.
Wilding (2023, UK, PG, 75 mins, Dir: David Allen) In this heartwarming documentary drama, a pair of English farmers take radical steps to reinvigorate the dying landscape around their estate, which yields astonishing results along with public criticism. Doors 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm start. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall (TA18 8PS). Membership £30, guests £5 per film. For more information/book guest tickets, please email mickpwilson53@btinternet.com or k_everard@live.com. Alternatively, ring Mick Wilson on 01460 74849 or Julia Borland on 01460 72769.
Seeds and Diversity - a talk by Suzy Gallina. Find out how we, as gardeners and growers, can reclaim our seeds and seed diversity and challenge corporate control. At the Chapel in the Garden, Rax Lane DT6 3JJ 6.30 for 7.00pm. Refreshments for sale. Talk is free but donations to cover costs and support the seed library welcomed, please bring cash. bridportseedlibrary@gmail.com.
Friday, 6 February
Move and Groove Adult dance with Nikki Northover at Steps studio, Crepe Farm Business Park. Every Friday at 10. 15am to 11.15am. Move and Groove focuses on enhancing creativity and dancing for well being. Enquiries and to book please contact Nikki Northover at nikkinorthover43@gmail.com.
My Ballet -Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Everybody welcome! Do get in touch and come for a dance! Winsham Jubilee Hall, Church St, Winsham, Chard, TA20 4HU Fridays 10am and 11.15am Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.myballet.uk.
Saturday, 7 February
Bridport Seed Library opening The opening of Bridport Seed Library Based in the Council Lending Library on South Street, the Seed Library will be offering over 100 varieties of vegetable and flower seeds . . . absolutely free to everyone. The seeds have been donated and packaged by several local seed savers, and will be available all year, whenever the main library is open. The opening will be followed by seed related children’s activities in the library. 11am Free to attend, free seeds to take home. Bridport Lending Library, South Street DT6 3NY. bridportseedlibrary@gmail.com.
Friends of Weymouth Library Justin Newland, The Friends of Weymouth Libary (F.O.W.L.) speaker in the Library at 10-30a.m. in the Library, will give a reflective talk about Mirrors in Our World. The ones we stare into every day, yet do we know their provenance? They can magnify or contract, predict the future and guard against evil. The talk explores our fascination with reflections of
all kinds. Tickets can be obtained from the Library @ £2 for members and £3 for non-members. All are welcome; any enquiries phone 01305 832613 or 01305 750557.
Monday, 9 February
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BJ. 7.3010.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug if possible and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00. For more information contact David on 01460 65981. https://www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk
Tuesday, 10 February
Scottish Country Dancing. New Beginner’s class starting at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR 6.30 to 7.30 pm only £3.00 per session. Learn a new skill, make friends, keep fit and have lots of fun. General class from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com.
Beaminster Museum Winter Talk: Growing up in Beaminster. Enjoy a lively Q&A with Douglas Beazer as he shares memories of a Beaminster childhood and reflects on the changing face of rural life, celebrating the town’s unique heritage and strong sense of community. The talk starts at 2.00pm, tickets are £5.00 on the door. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. www.beaminstermuseum.co.uk.
Wednesday, 11 February
Kilmington Film Night “The Roses”(15) starring Benedict Cumberbatch & Olivia Colman. Theo Rose is a London Architect, Ivy is a chef, they meet and instantly fall for each other. Ivy, who has more talent than her bosses, moves to America and Theo quickly follows. Time moves on and fortunes change. Doors and bar open 6.45 film start 7.15 at Kilmington Village Hall EX13 7RF. Tickets £6 can be ordered by contacting: John at wattsjohn307@gmail.com or Tel: 01297 521681.
West Dorset Community Orchestra meet for rehearsal in Christian Fellowship hall, East Street car park, Bridport DT6 3PL from 6-30p.m. to 7-45p.m.New members welcome. 01308 456297 www.westdorsetmusic. org.uk.
My Ballet - since 2012 - Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Ages 18 to 82 plus! Join the fun and feel good. 10am-11:15 (some experience) 11:30 - 12:45 ( mixed ability) 1pm-2:15 (a Partly seated class with barre work for balance, confidence & fun) 2:15- 3.30 (mixed ability) Do get in touch and come and dance! Bull Hotel ballroom, 34 East St, Bridport DT6 3LF Classes are currently held at Bridport Town Hall, East St, DT6
3LF due to building works at the Bull Hotel. Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.myballet.uk.
My Ballet - since 2012 - Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. 6.45pm8pm Jubilee Hall , Church Street, Winsham, Chard, TA20 4HU Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail. com www.my-ballet.uk.
Thursday, 12 February
Kilmington Film Matinee “The Roses”(15) (See 11th February). Matinee, doors open 1.45pm film starts 2pm, cream-teas served during the interval but must be prebooked with your seats @ £4. see above and www. kilmingtonvillage.com/other-organisations.html for more info.
Bridport History Society will be welcoming Prof. William Gibson who will talk about ‘The West Country and James II.’ The talk will be held at the United Church Hall on East Street, Bridport. Doors open at 2.15 for a prompt 2.30 start. All are welcome. Members £1pp and visitors £5pp. Bridport History Society meets on the second Thursday of each month (except July and August). Membership is open to all (£12 individual/£18 couple). For more information visit https://www. bridporthistorysociety.org.uk.
Chard History Group The History of the Vulcan Bomber by Barry Hamblin 7pm for 7.30 start. Chard Guildhall top floor with lift access. £2.50 members £3.50 guests all welcome. For further information contact Tessa 07984481634.
Seaton Garden Club. A Talk by Andrea Rye from Coombes Garden Centre, Evergreen Shrubs. Date February 12th. Time 2.30p.m. Venue Seaton Mason Hall. Members free, visitors £2.00 plus refreshments. Contact 01297 22869.
Friday, 13 February
The Asian Hornet by Peter Crabbe Netherbury Nature Group Netherbury Village Hall, 7.00pm. Peter Crabbe is Chair of the West Dorset Beekeepers’ Association and their Asian Hornet Co-ordinator. The Asian hornet is a threat to a wide variety of insects with a knock-on impact on pollination levels and bird populations. Beekeepers are at the forefront of trying to minimise its impact. Join us for this interactive, illustrated talk which will increase awareness of this insect, understand its potential impact and how to report any sightings. You will even be able to buy an Asian Hornet trap! Admission is just £3 and there will be a cash bar for drinks and socialising before and after the talk.
Open Mic at the Millhouse. Music has always been a big part of what we do here at The Millhouse, Ilminster. Come to our next open mic - as a performer or attendee
of great grassroots music. We’d love to see you there to support and celebrate our local musicians. We aim to showcase the best local talent in our special and vibrant Somerset grassroots music venue. If you are in a band and want a great venue to perform in, get in touch. The Millhouse, Rose Mills Industrial Estate, Ilminster, TA19 9PS. For enquires: themillhouseilminster@gmail.com.
My Ballet -Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Everybody welcome! Do get in touch and come for a dance! Winsham Jubilee Hall, Church St, Winsham, Chard, TA20 4HU Fridays 10am and 11.15am Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.myballet.uk.
Saturday, 14 February
Scottish Dancing Party in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing at Chardstock Village Hall 7.30-10.30 p.m. EX13 7BJ. No partner required. Please bring your own mug and a plate of food to share. Tea and coffee provided. Cost £5.00. Contact David on 01460 65981. https://www.chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk. Beaminster Museum Paperback Sale: A Valentine’s Day treat for book lovers. 10.00am to 12.30pm, including a raffle and bric-a-brac stall. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. www. beaminstermuseum.co.uk.
Sunday, 15 February
Singing Bowl Soundbath 2-3.30 pm The Heritage Suite, 43 Bell St. Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 8AE £17 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning give you a sonic deep-tissue massage, taking you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com.
Monday, 16 February
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BJ. 7.3010.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug if possible and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00. For more information contact David on 01460 65981. https://www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk
Tuesday, 17 February
Scottish Country Dancing. New Beginner’s class starting at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR 6.30 to 7.30 pm only £3.00 per session. Learn a new skill, make friends, keep fit and have lots of fun. General class from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. For further information contact Anita on 01460
929383 email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com.
Bridport Film Society - Santosh by Sandhya Suri - Hindi with English subtitles. Santosh accepts the so-called ‘compassionate appointment’ – a convention where a policeman’s widow inherits his job. But the reality of the role, the bigotry and violence which surround it, eat away at her conscience. 7.45pm Bridport Arts Centre. Members and Guests (£5) only.
Saving energy in the home What really works. Sam Wilberforce, Dorset Climate Action Network and Energy Champion, will outline choices and tips to find the best value for your home – solar, batteries, heat source pumps, electric, insulation. He will give an update of national policies for reducing carbon emissions and grants available for home owners. 6.45 for 7.00 – 9.00pm Driftwood Café, Baptist Church, top of Broad Street, Lyme Regis. Free. All welcome. Refreshments available.
Wednesday, 18 February
Coffee Morning , including cakes, scones & savouries, and bacon/egg rolls (made to order), 10.30am – noon; all welcome. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. More details from Julia (01460 72769).
Colyton & District Garden Society: ‘The Work of the National Trust Plant Conservation Centre’ by Chris Trimmer, N T Plant Saviour. Colyford Memorial Hall, EX24 6QJ, start 7.30 pm. Membership is £15.00 a year, please pay cash on the night. Plenty of parking in the hall car park. Information Peter Clark : 01297 553341.
Saturday, 21 February
The Untouchables , starring Kevin Costner, Sean Connery and Robert de Niro. Axminster Heritage Classic Cinema. 2pm, Bradshaw Meeting Room, Axminster Heritage Centre, EX13 5AH. Tickets £7 per person includes tea or coffee and popcorn, can be purchased in advance from the heritage centre or on the door. For more details email: info@ axminsterheritage.org or telephone 01297 639884.
Sunday, 22 February
Singing Bowl Soundbath 2-3.30pm Stour Row Village Hall, Dover St, Stour Row, Shaftesbury, SP7 0QG £17 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning give
you a sonic deep-tissue massage, taking you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com.
Yunmi Sang and the BEJE Trio. ‘Yunmi Sang and the BEJE Trio’ is a unique Korean-European soulful and pastoral jazz fusion with a one-world mission. Hatched in Bristol in 2018 when Yunmi Kang and Sangyeon Park (‘Yunmi Sang’ is actually a contraction of their full names) met David Mowat of BEJE; journalist Jon Turney remarked at the time “Kang’s voice is astonishingly good...The blend with Mowat’s clear-toned trumpet gave the whole thing something of the air of the great Azimuth, with Norma Winstone and Kenny Wheeler. They turned the lofty space of St Stephens into a place of refuge and refreshment.” An Arts Council funded album, ‘Modernised Sacrifice’, followed and 2025 saw a successful tour of South Korea. The February 2026 UK tour works towards a new album deepening their jazz expressions of humanitarian concerns. BEJE stands for the Bristol European Jazz Ensemble, a visceral and grooving contemporary jazz group made up of the finest players based in Europe’s recent Green Capital, Bristol. The full line up for this concert is Yunmi Kang on vocals and piano, David Mowat on trumpet and flugelhorn, Sangyeon Park on guitar, Al Swainger on double bass
and Paolo Adamo at the drums. ‘Their performance unfolded as jazz that transcended nationality and culture. The philosophy that we are all alike and essentially one was deeply embedded in their music’ Kado News, South Korea ‘Beautiful and soothing music and vistas - a balm for the soul in these troubled times’ Dani Raestar 8pm. Marine Theatre, Church St, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3QB. £16 advance £18 on the door. Tickets available at www.marinetheatre.com. You can also purchase tickets from the Lyme Regis Bookshop and Bridport TIC (01308 424901).
Dalwood Jazz Club presents Rebecca Willson’s “Formula Five” with Alfie Pugh - keyboard, Rebecca Willsonviolin, David Jones - guitar, John Donnelly - double bass and Gary Evans - percussion. Dalwood Village Hall, EX13 7EG (near Axminster) at 3pm. Bar for beer/ wine/soft drinks and tea/coffee/cake etc. Parking at the Village Hall. £12.50p If possible, please book in advance and pay (cash or card) at the door. Thank you! t.mackenney111@btinternet.com.
Monday, 23 February
Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BJ. 7.3010.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug if possible and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £3.00. For more information
contact David on 01460 65981. https://www. chardscottishcountrydance.co.uk. Mapperton House , Gardens and the Montague Family. An illustrated talk by Peter Rand , history lover and Mapperton guide. Golden Cap Association at The United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport. Members £3, Visitors £5. More information from Chris Munden 01308 426396.
Tuesday, 24 February
Scottish Country Dancing. New Beginner’s class starting at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR 6.30 to 7.30 pm only £3.00 per session. Learn a new skill, make friends, keep fit and have lots of fun. General class from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our web site at www.ashillscd.wordpress.com.
Bridport U3A February’s talk is to be held at Bridport United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport, DT6 3LJ 2.00 pm. Ashley Jones tells us about, ‘Bill Slim - Britain’s Forgotten Hero’ The story of Field Marshal William Slim, hero of Burma in WW2 Members are free, guests pay £3.00. The talk lasts for up to 1 hour with Q & A, followed by refreshments.
Wednesday, 25 February
Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society. Talk/ demo/Q&A, ‘Pruning’ by Saul Walker, Head Gardener at Stonelands House. Uplyme Village Hall 7.30pm. Doors open 7pm. Members free; guests £3. More information https://ulrhs.wordpress.com.
West Dorset Community Orchestra meet for rehearsal in Christian Fellowship hall, East Street car park, Bridport DT6 3PL from 6-30p.m. to 7-45p.m.New members welcome. 01308 456297 www.westdorsetmusic.org.uk.
My Ballet - since 2012 - Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. 10am,11:30am,1o’clock & 2:15 Bull Hotel ballroom, 34 East St, Bridport DT6 3LF Classes are currently held at Bridport Town Hall, East St, DT6 3LF due to building works at the Bull Hotel. Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk
My Ballet - since 2012 - Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. 6:45 - 8pm Jubilee Hall, Church Street, Winsham, Chard, TA20 4HU Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.my-ballet.uk.
Friday, 27 February
My Ballet -Holistic ballet classes for all adults Supportive & Non - judgemental classical ballet to fabulous music. For posture, flexibility, strength, balance, fitness, friendship. Join the fun and feel good. Everybody welcome! Do get in touch and come for a dance! Winsham Jubilee Hall, Church St, Winsham, Chard, TA20 4HU Fridays 10am and11.15am Whatsapp 07866896978. email: myballetuk@gmail.com www.myballet.uk.
Saturday, 28 February
Singing Bowl Soundbath 2-3.30pm Oborne Village Hall, Obrne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA £17 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning give you a sonic deep-tissue massage, taking you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com
EVENTS IN MARCH
send your event details to info@marshwoodvale.com BY FEBRUARY 14th
Journey continues in West Bay
Ahugely popular exhibition that opened at Sladers Yard in West Bay is set to continue until the 7th of March.
The exhibition is the fruit of an extraordinary experiment between two of the West Country’s most compelling artists: portrait painter Binny Mathews and sculptor Clare Trenchard.
The idea was simple. Binny wanted to capture an artist in their most private, creative throes. She approached Clare with a proposal to paint her at work. Clare agreed for one month on condition there would be no talking and no lunching (they are both tremendous talkers and lunchers.) What began as a one-month project stretched into a transformational four-year odyssey.
While Binny observed and painted with a new
energy and lightness, treating the seemingly chaotic environment of the sculptor’s studio as an abstracted landscape, Clare evolved. Binny’s paintings reveal transformation and the quiet beauty of the creative space.
Known for her spirited bronzes Clare began to pivot toward the human form. Inspired by the nomadic souls of Morocco, she has produced the ‘Representatives’: towering, ceramic figures that stand larger than life. The exhibition also showcases Clare’s drawings, which are a sheer delight.
Journey—Two Artists—One Studio—Two New Bodies of Work is at Sladers Yard in West Bay until the 7th of March. Visit www.sladersyard.co.uk for more information and opening times.
Clockwise from the top: Back Light, Binny Mathews. Field System, Binny Mathews. Coming in from the Desert, Clare Trenchard and The Representatives, Clare Trenchard.
Thirty-five billion of these annually – blue tit with caterpillar of the winter moth (pictured below)
WNature Studies
By Michael McCarthy
inter wildlife is hardly superabundant. Were you to pick the least likely time of the whole year to spot anything interesting in the natural world, you might well choose now—and in particular, you might choose a January or a February night, might you not? But you might be surprised.
An incomer’s discovery of the natural world in the West Country
I have not a few times seen in the car headlights, while driving in the countryside in the Christmas season or in the weeks following New Year, a fluttering but unmistakeable moth. Hey look! A moth! I always blink with surprise because we are not talking that mothy time, the hot summer’s night—just the opposite, in temperature terms. But this isn’t some sort of mistake by nature. This creature is where it should be, because it is Operophtera brumata—the winter moth.
Spectacular it isn’t. The male, the insect you will see fluttering around in the cold and dark, is smallish and drab— something between light grey and light brown, with a barely noticeable pattern. The female is even less noticeable, since she is one of about 35 of our 2,500 moth species to be wingless—when she emerges from her chrysalis she walks up a tree to lay her eggs and you will never set eyes on her. But a couple of points make this species fascinating.
First, as its name proclaims, it has found its ecological niche in the middle of winter, like only a few others. (One is the mottled umber moth, Erannis defoliaria, a much more attractive beast than the winter moth, whose female is also flightless. Is that a coincidence? I asked one of Britain’s leading moth experts, Mark Parsons who lives in Walditch near Bridport, and he said, probably not—these females didn’t need to fly, as there were many fewer predators hunting them at this time of year. “The migrant birds have gone and there aren’t any bats flying around,” he said, “so they can devote more energy to egg-laying.”)
The other remarkable aspect of the winter moth (and to a
lesser extent of the mottled umber) is the nature of its tiny caterpillars—just how numerous they are, and when they appear. For unlike some lepidoptera which will lay their eggs on only one type of plant, the winter moth lays its eggs on almost any broadleaved tree or shrub, in sometimes quite enormous numbers, so much so that the caterpillars can occasionally defoliate whole trees. And those caterpillars hatch out just as the new green leaves appear—“at budburst”, Mark Parsons said.
And then, they are pounced on by blue tits. Winter moth caterpillars are the key food resource for blue tit fledglings in March and April. The relationship is a dependent one—blue tits will time the hatching of their eggs to coincide with the caterpillars’ appearance, and research has shown that the fortunes of their breeding success go up and down with winter moth breeding success or failure. The numbers involved are humungous. Blue tits have large broods—they may have 14 chicks—and before they are ready to fly, such a single nest of blue tit babies may consume 10,000 caterpillars brought by the endlessly energetic parents. It has been estimated—and if you want chapter and verse, it was in The State of Britain’s Larger Moths produced by Butterfly Conservation and Rothamsted Research in 2006—that the total number of caterpillars eaten by blue tit chicks in Britain each year is 35 billion. Not all of those will be winter moth caterpillars, but a large proportion will be.
It’s the wonder of nature once again, folks. So remember, if just about now on a chilly February night you see a lone moth fluttering around, there might just be the one in the car headlights. But in the background, there are billions.
Recently relocated to Dorset, Michael McCarthy is the former Environment Editor of The Independent. His books include Say Goodbye To The Cuckoo and The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy.
The Art of the Photograph
This month featuring Jon Bunker
JJON BUNKER is not your average English teacher. While he spends his days imparting knowledge about literature and language to his students at The Sir John Colfox Academy in Bridport, his true passion lies beneath the surface—literally. An avid underwater photographer, Jon has spent years exploring the depths of the ocean, capturing its hidden wonders and sharing them with the world. His journey into underwater photography is as fascinating as the creatures he photographs, and his story is one of curiosity, perseverance, and a deep love for the marine world.
Jon’s journey into photography began in an unconventional way. ‘It was actually the diving first, really,’ he explains. ‘I started that in 2004, and I picked
up a camera mostly because I was just interested in the kind of stuff I was starting to come across, which was very new.’ Growing up by the coast, Jon had always been fascinated by the underwater world, but it wasn’t until his early twenties that he decided to take the plunge—literally—into scuba diving. ‘I’d always meant to scuba dive, but I’m quite disorganized,’ he admits with a laugh. ‘I started foolishly in Australia, really should have done it here first, and then got more time actually out on the Barrier Reef.’
It was during these dives that Jon’s interest in photography began to take shape. ‘I got a little compact shoot with an onboard strobe around 2008. The lighting is obviously a huge thing underwater because it’s so much darker down there, and natural
light drops off. Everything becomes blue after a bit.’
Jon’s early attempts at underwater photography were far from perfect. ‘I had no idea how any of this stuff worked’ he tells me. ‘I mean, I was a barely competent diver, really. So getting into something else like that at the start didn’t seem like a great idea.’ But his curiosity and determination kept him going. ‘I just kept on finding I was using the camera more and more. I came across GoPro back in 2012 or 2013 when they were just becoming big. There was a guy on the boat who said, “Look at this little camera. It’s the next big thing.”’ While the GoPro was a good starting point, Jon soon realized its limitations for capturing the intricate details of underwater life. ‘It’s the fantasy of having a tiny little sensor taking so much in, but it’s not actually very good for photography.’
By 2017, Jon had fully embraced underwater photography as more than just a casual hobby. ‘It’s just become an obsession, obviously, as these things do with gentlemen of a certain age,’ he jokes. His passion for photography has grown to encompass not just underwater shots but also other genres, including low-light and astrophotography. ‘It’s ironic. It kind of happened backwards because
some people start off as wildlife photographers and then do a bit of snorkeling or diving. But with me, it was completely the opposite way around. I did the diving first, and then I was like, “Oh, f-stop, exposure triangle.” That all came the other way around.’
Jon’s love for underwater photography is deeply intertwined with his fascination for marine life, a passion he attributes to his father. ‘My father was a science teacher, so I grew up literally in a lab filled with lobsters, salamanders, and tadpoles. There was always some fascinating creature on display. A lot of this is basically my father’s fault,’ he says with a smile. His interest in marine life has led him to develop a keen eye for fish identification. ‘I pride myself on having pretty reasonably good fish identification. I’m not so good on the squishies, the mollusks and things like that, but I’m getting better.’
One of Jon’s most memorable underwater encounters happened in 2012 when he came across a lumpsucker, also known as a sea hen. ‘They’re this fish that looks a bit like a basketball. They’re orange and have these ridiculous little things at the side. They can suck onto a rock, and you can’t shift them because they form this suction with their fins. I couldn’t even imagine something like that, let alone actually take a picture of it.’
Leading the Sir John Colfox Academy’s Blue Planet Club, Jon was proud to see the school awarded ‘Ocean Friendly School’ status by the Marine Conservation Society in 2024. His passion for underwater photography has deepened his desire to
be more environmentally responsible. ‘It stopped me taking things,’ he says. ‘As a diver, I used to snaffle a good-sized crab or fish, take it home, and cook it. But I haven’t done that in years. It feels far too unsporting, really, because it’s just so easy—they’re just there. Now I shoot them with a camera, and that has utterly transformed my attitude.’
The state of the oceans is a topic that weighs heavily on Jon’s mind. ‘It’s terrifying, the whole plastic situation. You see a lot of plastics in the sea all the time. The really scary stuff is its capacity to turn everything into microplastics, which are now even in the air. The thing we see an awful lot of is hooks, nets, gill nets. Chesil Cove, a really popular dive site, has been rather overfished in just the past 10 years I’ve been actively diving it. It’s transformed from quite a busy environment to something that’s really quiet.’
Despite these challenges, Jon remains optimistic and dedicated to his craft. ‘There’s amazing stuff literally just tucked under a rock in the shoreline. You don’t have to go right into the depths to get much at all.’ His dream dive? ‘I’d love to see a basking shark. That’d be amazing, just to come across it naturally. The only place you can reliably dive with them off a boat is off the Isle of Coll in Scotland. Even then, their migration patterns seem to be changing.’
When it comes to equipment, Jon is pragmatic. ‘Photography is not a cheap hobby, but underwater photography is 10 times worse. I mean, just to get started, scuba equipment has gotten more expensive over time. I still mostly use compact rigs. Sometimes
it’s just a GoPro and a pole, or a little Sony RX100. I’ve done an awful lot of my stuff on this little Sony compact camera. The dream would be to go up to a full-frame camera one day, just because there’s nothing like it for capturing stunning detail, especially with the small stuff.’
Jon’s passion for underwater photography has also connected him to a vibrant community of likeminded individuals. ‘It’s a lovely community. We all know each other, talk to each other quite regularly online, and there’s the British Society of Underwater Photographers, which is great with their regular meetings. It’s fantastic just talking to like-minded folk about it.’
This sense of community extends beyond photography as well. Jon often shares his images with organisations like the Marine Conservation Society. ‘Anything I get that’s useful, like a clear species shot, I try to catalogue and put into the Marine Conservation Society. They’ve got quite a few of my pictures and actually put one of mine on a front cover of their magazine.’
To see more of Jon Bunker’s photography and learn more about his underwater world, visit www.jonunderwater.co.uk.
Bridport opens Seed Library and launches first Seed Week
Bridport will become a much seedier place in 2026 following the opening of the brand new Bridport Seed Library in February—part of the first ever Bridport Seed Week!
Based in the Council Lending Library on South Street, the Seed Library will be offering over 100 varieties of vegetable and flower seeds . . . absolutely free to everyone. The seeds have been donated and packaged by several local seed savers, and will be available all year, whenever the main library is open.
The instigator of the project, Steve Meek, explained ‘the aim is to encourage more people to grow their own vegetables, herbs and flowers, fostering greater diversity and making locally adapted varieties freely available. This will help strengthen our local food system and our growing community. It’s also a source of fun for both adults and children’.
The project is run by a group of 10 volunteers, who say they would be delighted if people learn to save seed and return it to the library, though this is not essential. Advice and help will be available from members throughout the year.
The Bridport Seed Library is part of the ‘West Dorset Commons’ which aims to create and support shared and community owned resources.
It opens at 11am on Saturday 7th February, in the Lending Library on South Street, and seed inspired children’s activities are planned to coincide!
Early Spring Garden Visit
MARCH may not be a month to expect many gardens open in aid of the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) but there are a few. Amongst them on Friday the 20th March the awardwinning gardens at Athelhampton near Dorchester will be open in support of the NGS.
This glorious Grade I architectural garden is full of vistas with spectacular planting, ponds with fountains and the River Piddle flowing past.
Athelhampton House & Gardens, Dorchester DT2 7LG.
For more information visit www.athelhampton. co.uk.
Reach out to your community through these pages.
To advertise telephone 01308 423031 or email: info@marshwoodvale.com
FEBRUARY IN THE GARDEN
By Russell Jordan
As I’m writing this, outside the rain is lashing down and any thought of balmy, dry, days seems entirely fanciful. As I mentioned last month, we need the winter rain in order to fill up the man-made reservoirs and also to filter through into the natural water table so that the longed for ‘hot summer’ is not accompanied by water restrictions. ‘New Year’ already seems like a long time ago but, if you made a resolution to be more ‘water wise’ this year, then now is a good time to research and then purchase water butts, seep hoses, permeable membranes, and such like, while you have the luxury of time in this final month of winter.
In the garden it’s essential to get on with all those tasks which rely on deciduous trees and shrubs being leafless and dormant; hedge cutting, tree surgery and planting bare-root plants being chief amongst these. It won’t be long before our feathered friends are starting to scout out possible nesting sites so any major work, involving trees and hedges, needs to be completed pretty soon in order to ensure that potential nesting sites are left undisturbed. I often don’t get around to planting bare-rooted material until this ‘post-Christmas’ lull. It seems to establish perfectly well as long as post planting watering is conducted during any dry spells, for at least the first year of establishment.
It’s probably during February, when every day seems to herald a new snowdrop, early daffodil or precocious crocus into bloom, that gardening tasks begin to form an orderly queue. As well as completing winter tasks, ahead of full-on spring, there are also those ‘getting a headstart’ kind of jobs that can be started now in order to cross them off the list before things get really busy. If you didn’t
get a really early start, by sowing them in November, then now is the time to sow sweet peas. They don’t like root disturbance so it’s a good idea to invest in some ‘root trainers’, the most commonly stocked product is made by ‘Haxnicks’, which are a sort of plastic tube affair which sit in a dedicated frame, to support them during the seedling stage, but which can be subsequently opened up to facilitate planting without damaging the roots. These can be reused year after year, to offset the fact that they are made of plastic, as long as you are reasonably careful when it comes to filling them with compost and when you split them open at planting time.
Nowadays it seems popular to sow hardy annuals in the autumn and to coax them through the winter in a frost-free greenhouse. This produces a slightly earlier display of flowers, than sowing them in the spring, but it does take up a lot of propagating space. It’s probably a bit too early to sow ‘half-hardy’ annuals, unless you can provide supplementary heat and light, but sowing hardy annuals (such as pot marigolds, cosmos and nasturtiums) into multi-cell, ‘plug’, seed trays will at least get one spring task out of the way and they won’t be sitting around quite as long as autumn sown specimens. While you are potting things up, it’s worth checking anything that you’ve overwintered in the greenhouse to remove dead or diseased foliage and to start, very gently, watering if that tender perennial is beginning to show signs of growth.
Despite the ravages of the dreaded lily beetle, I still can’t imagine the summer garden without the scent of lilies and these can also be started off now, as soon as you can purchase them as bulbs from the garden centre, or have them delivered by
mail-order / internet suppliers. I don’t think you can go far wrong with the classic Lilium regale and I tend to grow these as pot specimens, for the first year, when, like most bulbs purchased new, they are guaranteed to give a good show. Assuming I’ve kept them fed and watered, for their debutante season, and I’ve kept the lily beetles under control, then I usually ‘retire’ them to a spot in the border, they can withstand a certain amount of light shade, for future years in the hope that they will naturalise. While you are perusing catalogues for the ‘Regal Lily’ you may well be seduced by one of the other, myriad, lily varieties that are offered alongside them. It’d be churlish of me to suggest that you resist the charms of some of their showier stablemates; Lilium ‘Conca D’or’ looks particularly enchanting!
Heading back outside, just for a moment, I should remind you that you really should be finishing your rose pruning exploits, if you have not already done so. They will be commencing growth soon so it’s probably worth giving them a feed with rose fertiliser and mulching them with organic matter in readiness for the flowering season ahead. Actually, it’s a good idea to get on with any mulching of borders that you’ve already cut down and also to start thinking about whether any herbaceous
perennial will require supplementary support (cut your pea-sticks now if you have access to suitable material). I tend not to cut down ornamental grasses, leave them for next month, as they are relatively late into growth compared to more traditional herbaceous perennials.
I’ll end on that perennial ‘do in February’ stalwart; pruning wisteria. I don’t know what percentage of gardens actually contain wisteria, but it always seems to get a special mention. It customarily gets a ‘reduction of whippy growth’ prune at the end of the summer and, most commonly suggested for February, a ‘cut every flowering spur to just a couple of buds’ in late winter. I find that in most gardens this kind of gets concertinaed (yes that is the correct spelling!) into a general ‘cut back sometime while it is leafless’ in a bid to reduce its urge to become a tangled mess. I think most people, fortunate enough to have an established wisteria, have settled into a maintenance regime that works for them and the structure upon which their particular beast is attached to. The more you are able to manually attach it to a structure, rather than just letting it twine around anything it fancies, the happier you will be to coexist with this most showy of climbing plants.
This
Month
in the not so distant past
Looking back at historical moments that happened in February, John Davis highlights Ann Lee
It seems writers, producers and directors are willing to make musical theatre out of any story these days.
The sinking of RMS Titanic with a huge loss of life in 1912 has spawned at least two musical presentations and one of the biggest hits in the West End during 2025 was Operation Mincemeat This, described as a musical comedy, retells the story of a clandestine operation in World War Two when the British dressed a dead body in army uniform, attached to it a set of so called ‘secret’ papers and set it adrift in the Mediterranean. The hope was it would be found by enemy spies who would use the information to persuade the Axis Powers that Allied landings would soon take place in Greece instead of the intended location in Italy. It worked and the ruse proved to be one of the most successful deceptions of WWII.
The latest production is The Testament of Ann Lee, a musical drama, due to premier in cinemas later this month which relates the story of the founder of the United Society of Believers in Christ’s Second Appearing, often colloquially known as The Shakers.
Ann Lee, was born on February 29th, 1736 in Manchester. Her birth and early years were dominated by an evangelical revival in Britain fuelled by itinerant preachers like John and Charles Wesley, George Whitfield and later William Booth who went on to found the Salvation Army.
Lee was born into a distinct branch of the Society of Friends (a sect of the Quakers) where her father, a blacksmith by trade, and her mother were members. Ann, like the other children in the family, received no formal education. She remained illiterate for the rest of her life and signed with a cross.
With child labour the mainstay of the textile industry in Manchester, Ann first worked in cotton factories and later became a cutter in the millinery trade. By the age of twenty she was working as a cook in a Manchester infirmary which was also the local asylum.
In 1758 she had become a member of a religious group founded by John and Jane Wordley. This was to be a precursor of The Shaker sect. Adherents were often called the Shaking Quakers because of links to
similar groups well known for their overtly energetic chanting and dancing during the purging of sins by the Holy Spirit. The Wordleys were firm believers in the Second Coming and maintained that God would return in the form of a woman.
Lee and her followers stood firmly neutral, asserting they were pacifists who did not side with either the Americans or the British
Ann Lee proclaimed that she was indeed this woman and received the title of Mother Ann after founding her own group. Although she was later forced to marry and had four children, all of whom died in infancy, she strongly advocated celibacy because she believed the association of Adam and Eve should be classed as the ‘great sin’. Ann’s ‘sham’ marriage and the losses of the children only solidified her beliefs that celibacy and the abandonment of marriage were paramount. As the cult continued to grow, Mother Ann spoke of visions and messages from God. She claimed that when questioned by a group of high-ranking clergymen she had spoken for some four hours in over fifty different tongues.
For breaking rules of blasphemy and dancing on the Sabbath, she spent several lengthy spells in prison and, as a consequence of continued persecution, decided, in 1774, to take a select group of followers to the Americas. The nine members arrived in New York City in August and stayed for almost five years.
Then in 1779 they moved to Albany in New York State and developed a thriving and unique community life. During the American War of Independence, Lee and her followers stood firmly neutral, asserting they were pacifists who did not side with either the Americans or the British.
Several smaller sects joined The Shakers and in the spring of 1781 Mother Ann and her followers embarked on an extensive missionary journey
seeking converts in Massachusetts and Connecticut. During this mission, it is estimated they converted many followers with eighteen Shaker villages being established. Witnesses recorded that Mother Ann performed many miracles. The sect seemed to flourish, making many conversions especially in groups who were already outside mainstream religion in New England. They were not without their critics though. Following one serious fracas with a mob, Ann Lee’s brother William was badly injured and in the fallout the missionaries returned to their home base. William never recovered and died in 1784. Several months later Mother Ann also passed away. She was only 48 years old. The fact that her followers considered Ann Lee to be the female counterpart of Jesus Christ was at the time unique although several women since have made similar claims and been accepted by their followers.
At its peak in the mid-nineteenth century, The Shaker movement had some 5000 members based in eighteen major centres. By 1920 this had reduced to twelve villages although financially the movement was flourishing as The Shakers became pioneers throughout America in marketing medicinal herbs and packet seeds. Economic competition later hit their businesses hard however and growth was further hampered through the sect’s strict rule of celibacy
which prevented the birth of future members. Many former settlements are now Shaker museums but, at the time of writing, there is only one remaining settlement in Maine with a handful of adherents.
Note 1: The musical The Testament of Ann Lee is cowritten by and directed by Mona Fastvold. It stars Amanda Seyfried in the title role. It was shown at the Venice Film Festival last year, opened in the USA in December and is due for cinema release in Britain on February 20th.
Note 2: Although perhaps past its prime, Shaker furniture is still popular with its emphasis on lack of decoration, durability and functionality. Many Shaker followers were highly skilled craftspeople and members have been credited with a number of important inventions including wood-burning stoves, the circular saw and a wheel-driven washing machine.
Semi-retired and living in Lyme Regis, John Davis started working life as a newspaper journalist before moving on to teach in schools, colleges and as a private tutor. He is a history graduate with Bachelors and Masters degrees from Bristol University with a particular interest in the History of Education and Twentieth Century European History.
Amanda Seyfried in The Testament of Ann Lee
A closely guarded secret in many Italian families is the recipe for Mamma’s Ragú, each generation in turn discussing and disagreeing on what makes ‘the best’ meat and tomato pasta sauce. Even more closely coveted in my own household was my Nonna Amelia’s Bolognese, a Veneto classic and family treat. Often around the family table as a child, my brother and my two sisters would give a knowing glance in appreciation when Nonna had prepared her specialty for us, she was the best. Later in my life, after settling in the UK and with 3 young children in tow, we took a regular family trip to Italy and visited Amelia in her Veronese flat. After coffee we got talking, and it was here that my partner, permitted by his English anonymity, was able to ask my Nonna for her recipe for the famed Ragú, something I’d taken for granted and thought would always be there I guess. Here is my attempt to translate: In Nonna’s words. (Nonna used an AMC pan, a casserole dish with heavy base will also suffice.)
• Tomatoes - 1/2 litre passata or 400g tinned tomatoes
• Butter, unsalted - 1 espresso cup levelled (40g)
• Salt - 1 full tea spoon
• Sugar - 1 tea spoon
Serves 4
Amelia’s tip. Don’t rush it, try it on a piece of bread first. If it doesn’t come as you expected, it will the next time…
DIRECTIONS
• Mix the beef, pork, onion, and garlic together in the pan and stir slowly. This process should last 10 minutes with the lid on and always on a low heat. This will give the ‘rosolare’ - ‘when you colour and bronze the meat’.
• Now add the butter. A drizzle of olive oil can be added if desired for more body too.
• Leave on low heat until water has evaporated from the pan with the lid closed, continue to stir now and then.
• After 30 minutes remove the garlic and add the tomatoes.
• Add sugar and salt in equal amounts and stir.
• Close the lid - and say bye!
• Leave for 2 hours stirring occasionally, add espresso cup of water if necessary.
NONNA AMELIA’S RAGU
37th Beerex in Dorchester celebrates a west Dorset CAMRA milestone
Real Ale and cider aficionados will be gathering at The Corn Exchange in Dorchester to celebrate the 37th Dorchester Beerex Festival in February.
To coincide with West Dorset CAMRA’s 50th anniversary, Dorset brewers have been busy brewing one-off celebratory ales that will feature amongst the 84 real ales, alongside over 20 ciders and perries.
Cerne Abbas Brewery, the main sponsor, will be showcasing some special brews including Gurt 50th, a rich dark winter warmer in celebration of West Dorset CAMRA, and “Ale To The Chief” in tribute to Victor Irvine (Vic), original partner and brewer of Cerne Abbas brewery who featured in these pages in December 2021 (https://www.marshwoodvale.com/features/2021/12/sharing-abrew/).
There are many other beer highlights and for cider drinkers there will be a selection of all styles from dry to sweet including Isaac Cider from Beaminster, Somerset’s Harry’s Cider Company and Dorset Nectar from Salway Ash.
Friday evening will see Jack Daniels providing an acoustic set while back by popular demand on Saturday evening are Bournemouth based Bullitt, who perform covers from the likes of Ash, FooFighters and Green Day delivering a party atmosphere to close the festival.
To get your tickets, click the ticket link on the Dorchester Beerex 2026 event page https://beerex.co.uk/.
They are also available to buy in person from: Convivial Rabbit micropub, (Saturday night tickets only), Copper Street Brewery (all sessions available). Tom Browns Pub in Dorchester (all sessions available). In Poundbury get them at Brace of Butchers, (Friday evening only). And in Weymouth pick them up from The Globe Inn Weymouth Dorset (no Friday lunchtime tickets).
ALL IN THE MIND
Preparing for his solo spring tour in 2026, mind reader Alex McAleer talks to Fergus Byrne about his craft.
Although the lines between supernatural and magic are sometimes blurred, magician and mind reader Alex McAleer is clear that he does not sit amongst the gods, ghosts or spirits. He’s a mind reader, but very much not in the supernatural sense. ‘I’m not a psychic, I’m not supernatural, I’m not reading palms or talking to the dead or anything like that,’ he explains. Sporting a beanie hat and as many layers as possible on a freezing January morning, he is keen to ensure those unfamiliar with his show that it is not creepy. Instead, his performances are a unique blend of mentalism, psychology, and comedy. Alex is more about creating an interactive and entertaining experience for audiences. ‘It isn’t one of those shows where a soft Northern voice quietly tells you that your late Nan’s here with you.’
Alex’s fascination with magic began in childhood when, as an only child, he would set up games to entertain his parents. Sometimes he would be a magician, practising tricks that his dad would secretly help him with. Other times, he would set up a shop in the living room and expect his parents to buy stuff. In time the shopkeeper game was dropped. ‘I just had the Paul Daniels magic kit and things like that, but I never really pursued magic until I was in my teens,’ he recalls. A key moment came when his mother passed away when he was 14, leaving him quiet and introspective. During this time, he started reading books on psychology, and while doing his exams, his dad gave him a book about memory techniques, which led him to explore books about mentalism. ‘At the same time, I just happened to flick on the television late one night on E4 and there was this show called Darren Brown Mind Control’. He realised that combining psychology, memory techniques, and magic could be a potential career path.
Still in his teens, he put together what he laughingly describes as a ‘business plan’ for the Prince’s Trust to get an £800 loan. ‘I got a website, got a suit, and they gave me my first gig,’ he says. In time, the gigs grew from small groups to larger venues as he honed his skills in mind-reading entertainment. From performing at small parties and cabaret shows, Alex’s career took a huge turn when he joined the ensemble show Champions of Magic. ‘I went from playing to 50 people in a room in a cabaret venue to performing in
front of like 4,000 people in a venue in America,’ he says. After 10 years with the Champions of Magic show, he left at the end of 2023 to focus on his solo career.
His solo show, Alex McAleer: Mind Reader, showcases his distinctive approach to magic. ‘It’s very much what it says on the tin,’ he says. While the show is rooted in mentalism, it is also a comic and interactive experience. ‘It’s not sort of gag, gag, gag, but it’s a very fun show,’ he explains. He emphasises that his performances are not about supernatural powers but about creating moments of wonder and disbelief. The highlight for him is that moment when people in the audience collectively gasp. ‘You can hear it,’ he says. ‘And you see people turn to their partners with their mouths open and a “what just happened” look on their faces.’
Reading the minds of his audience means that anything can happen. He talks about a scenario where the entire audience is involved and secrets can be revealed. ‘Nothing too salacious, normally,’ he says. However, he recounts one occasion where a young woman made an embarrassing admission in front of her parents. He asks a member of the audience to think about something and tries to work out what they are thinking about. ‘What she chose to think about was that she had got her first tattoo a week beforehand, and her parents, who were in the audience with her, did not know. And I was the one to break the news. I think there might have been some lively discussion on the way home.’
Despite his confident stage presence, Alex admits he is naturally shy. However, he learned early in life that he had the choice to either ‘just sit on my own and be quiet, or I can hold the room.’ His confidence developed through years of performing, beginning with amateur dramatics in his village. ‘I just got used to being on stage and sort of faking it till you make it.’ Over time, he learned to embrace the vulnerability of performing and focus on the unique connection he creates with his audience. The confidence to do that is something he believes could help children and young adults if it were incorporated into their schooling. He believes memory techniques, in particular, can be invaluable for students. ‘Your brain thinks in pictures and you think in stories. That’s why we like stories. You just combine those ideas, and you can memorise anything,’ he explains. He used the
same techniques to help his son, who struggled in mainstream education but later excelled in mathematics. He struggled with maths and now ‘absolutely loves mathematics. He’s brilliant at it.’ He also suggests that memory techniques may be valuable in later years, pointing to the ‘neuroplasticity of people’s brains’ and how activities like memory techniques can keep the brain healthy and strong.
Alex also advocates for teaching public speaking and confidence-building skills in schools. ‘I think if you ask people their fears as a general populace, the biggest is public speaking. It rates above being buried alive or eaten by sharks’ he laughs. ‘Confidence in public speaking and memory tricks and techniques would
absolutely help everyone.’ He believes these skills are not only useful for education but also for personal and professional development.
While Alex McAleer continues to tour and develop new projects, his passion for mentalism and entertainment remains unwavering. Whether he’s performing for thousands in America or a small audience in the UK, his goal is always the same: to create moments of wonder and connection that audiences will never forget.
Alex McAleer: Mind Reader is at The Corn Exchange in Dorchester on Friday 13th February. For tickets and more information visit https://www.dorchesterarts.org.uk.
GALLERIES
7 February - 14 March
Humphrey Jennings & Charlotte Jennings Humphrey Jennings (1907-50) was a film maker, artist, co founder of the Mass-Observation group and member of the International Surrealist Group, helping to present the first surrealist exhibition in London in 1936. As a film maker, he is best known for the documentaries he made during the war, working as a director, writer and editor for the Ministry of Information, on titles including Spare Time (1939), Listen to Britain (1941), Fires were Started (1943), and a Diary for Timothy (1945). The work in this exhibition is from the estate and includes a number of beautiful watercolours from the 1930’s which have never been seen before. Charlotte Jennings (1935-2021) was the daughter of Humphrey Jennings. Born in London, she spent several childhood years as an evacuee in New York and from 1982 had about twenty years in Australia. She won a Major County Award to the Slade School of Fine Art, 1955–8, having spent 1953–4 at Hammersmith School of Arts & Crafts, and 1954–5 at Chelsea School of Art. She won several prizes at the Slade, and gained a Boise Postgraduate Scholarship. Studied at Atelier 17 in Paris, 1965, and London International Film School, 1976. Jennings’ teachers included William Coldstream, Anthony Gross, William Townsend, Ruskin Spear, S W Hayter, Ernst Gombrich and David Sylvester. Group shows included Young Contemporaries, LG, New Vision Centre, Gardner Centre at University of Sussex and abroad. The Art Stable Child Okeford Blandford Dorset DT11 8HB.
Until 28 February
Shifting Waterscapes: Ellen Wiles and Arun Sood Exhibition created by multidisciplinary artists Ellen
Wiles and Arun Sood exploring the value of water in our landscapes including immersive works involving sound, story, moving image, visual art, and mixed media. Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 5. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX. thelmahulbert.com / 01404 45006. Free admission.
Until 7 March
Journey – Two Artists – One Studio – Two New Bodies of Work. Ceramic sculpture and drawings by Clare Trenchard. Paintings of the sculptor’s studio by Binny Mathews. Four years ago, two acclaimed artists embarked on a project which would change the way each of them worked. Successful portrait painter Binny Mathews had the idea of painting another artist at work, observing their most private creative moments and recreating the atmosphere of absolute concentration within the studio. She approached her friend the sculptor Clare Trenchard who agreed for one month on condition there would be no talking and no lunching (they are both tremendous talkers and lunchers.) The arrangement continued for four transformational years. Sculptor Clare Trenchard – whose spirited sculpture in bronze captures the essence of animals and wild hare-humans – gradually began to explore making human figures in ceramic inspired by Moroccan travellers and nomadic people in harsh landscapes. The electrifying ‘Representatives’ are taller than life-size with flapping robes, headdresses and undefined faraway faces. In maquette they are also a delight whether gathering in groups or single. Clare’s drawings revel in the distinctive humorous, decorative qualities of travellers on donkey, old women gossiping in the marketplace, figures in the dust and wind. While other drawings define the thrilling figures she has developed as sculpture. Sladers Yard, West Bay, Bridport,
Dorset DT6 4EL Open: Mon to Sat 10 – 4pm. All work can be viewed at www.sladersyard.co.uk t: 01308 459511. e: gallery@sladersyard.co.uk.
Until 12 April
Airborne over Sherborne Quentin Blake’s drawings have always carried lift — lines that leap, figures mid-flight, stories that rise off the page. Airborne over Sherborne invites you into that feeling of flight and freedom with a vibrant new series of works made in 2025: birds, contraptions, and impossible inventions that somehow feel completely believable in Blake’s world. The Sherborne, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JG. www.thesherborne.uk.
100 Portraits Created exclusively for The Sherborne, 100 Portraits offers a rare chance to meet Quentin Blake’s imagination now: vivid, warm, and unmistakably his. These are not “likenesses” of specific people, but encounters — characters discovered through drawing, where a tilt of the head, a glance, or a single line can spark an entire personality. The Sherborne, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JG. www. thesherborne.uk.
The Folke Altarpiece: The Resurrection Painted in Baroque drama and light, The Resurrection shows Christ rising above the tomb as angels flank the scene and Roman guards recoil below. Known as the Folke Altarpiece, this newly conserved work attributed to Sir James Thornhill returns to view on loan from St Lawrence Church, Folke — a striking counterpoint to Blake’s airborne imagination within the exhibition. The Sherborne, Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JG. www. thesherborne.uk.
Until 3 May
Grayson Perry: Aspects of Myself A new exhibition of one of Britain’s most influential contemporary artists. Standard ticket – £7, Book online – £6, NUS cardholders and MA Members – £4, ArtFund – £3, Under 19s and carers free. Some works in the exhibition will depict adult themes. The Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery is Queen Street, Exeter, EX4 3RX. 01392 265858.
Until 10 May
People Watching Over a hundred years of British portraiture with The Ingram Collection and Dorset Museum & Art Gallery. Exploring the concept of image and portraiture in British art, ‘People Watching’ will feature approximately 50 works of sculpture, paintings, drawings, and photography from 1915 to the present day. Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, High West Street, Dorchester DT1 1XA. Open Daily: 10:00am – 5:00pm. Last entry to the Museum is at 4:00pm Legacy in the Making This new exhibition celebrates the remarkable breadth of contemporary and historic craft in Somerset. Bringing together former members and masters of the Somerset Craft Guild, along with the 2025 Somerset Art Works × Somerset Craft Guild Emerging Maker Bursary artists, the exhibition reveals a vibrant creative community shaped by heritage, experimentation and deep connection to place.
Multidisciplinary artist Arun Sood talks to Fergus Byrne about Shifting Waterscapes, his collaborative exhibition with Ellen Wiles
There is a particular kind of sonic resonance that exists at Otterhead Lakes in the Blackdown Hills, says writer, musician and co-collaborator of the Shifting Waterscapes exhibition, Arun Sood. It isn’t so much a frequency, but rather a dense, storied quiet—the kind that settles in a valley where the air holds onto the ghosts of the past. In the case of Otterhead Lakes it is medieval mills and long-lost mansions. ‘It kind of envelopes you a little bit’, says Arun ‘and you kind of get lost in it. You get lost in the light of it, and you get lost in the sense of time there.’
Arun describes the landscape as ‘spring line mire’, where the ground is never quite solid, and the history melds into the ecology.
A response to Otterhead Lakes is the primary collaborative centre of the Shifting Waterscapes exhibition that Arun and Ellen Wiles opened at the Thelma Hulbert Gallery in Honiton in January.
Both artists are lecturers at Exeter University and came to the exhibition from projects with similar perspectives but on opposite ends of Britain. Ellen, a novelist, multidisciplinary artist, musician, and academic, is also involved in an artist residency and research project at The Centre for Resilience in Environmental, Water and Waste (CREWW) at the University of Exeter. It aims to engage diverse audiences with the water system and issues surrounding its future resilience.
Arun, a writer, musician, and arts-led researcher with a soft-spoken but intense passion for the ‘ecology of place’, had completed a project exploring the shifting waters of a tidal island called Vallay in the Outer Hebrides.
‘Ellen and I had talked about working together for a while because we both have quite similar backgrounds and multidisciplinary practices,’ Arun explains. ‘We realised that we both had these similar projects working on water and thought it would be interesting to bring those together, but also develop something new together.’
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a new installation born from their time at Otterhead Lakes. Arun points to the ‘layers of history’ at Otterhead that he hopes visitors will respond to. ‘We wanted the installation to be quite like an immersive experience for visitors. For them to walk in and maybe provoke questions around water and wetlands, but also just have this kind of evocative sense of this watery place and landscape through the combination of sound and visuals, and the hanging canvases as well.’ The installation features a mix of sound, music, poetic text, film, natural sculpture and collage, along with hanging canvases created in collaboration with local printmaker Emma Molony.
The heart of the experience is a moving image work that refuses to be ‘polished.’ While many artists might take field recordings back to a sterile studio to ‘fix’ them, Arun and Ellen took a different path. Over the course of a year, they sat by the lakes with flute, guitar, and ukulele, improvising in tandem with the environment. ‘We were trying to allow this really distinct sound of the landscape to shape our improvisations,’ Arun tells me. They included the fast flow of the river, the delicate trickles, and even the eerie, ultrasonic ‘flickers’ of bats recorded during evening walks with local guides.
‘Initially, my idea was to take the basis of that and... make a nice recording of what we’d improvised,’ Arun admits. ‘But then when we had this kind of banks of files, and I started to listen to it back... we both immediately said, look, it’s not the most polished recording... but it’s completely evocative of how our relationship with the environment was shaped by the environment.’
Consequently, they decided not to re-record a single note. The sound you hear in the gallery is the raw, ‘in situ’ reality of the Blackdown Hills, including the background noise of the wind and the ‘squelching’ of their own footsteps in the mud.
While the Otterhead room is a joint venture, the exhibition also travels north to Arun’s work in the
Arun Sood by Robin Christian
Outer Hebrides. In a section titled Tidal Memory , Arun explores his personal connection to Vallay, a tidal island where his maternal grandmother was one of the last inhabitants.
There are parallels between the two sites that evoke memory and heritage. Just as Otterhead once boasted a lavish 19th-century seat of power, Vallay was home to an Edwardian mansion built by the antiquarian Erskine Beveridge. Arun’s maternal grandmother was his housekeeper and one of the last people to leave the island.
‘The tidal island completely shapes the way people are,’ Arun says, recounting stories of his grandmother hiking up her skirts to trek across the strand after a dance in North Uist—racing against the incoming sea. ‘Their lives are shaped by the water.’
Their deaths are too. Arun relates the story of how, when Erskine Beveridge died, the property was left to his son George, who drowned while trying to get over to Vallay on that same strand. ‘Then it was just left to decay because there was no heir.’
Today, both histories are fading. While the Otterhead mansion has entirely vanished, Vallay’s ruins remain visible, gradually ‘collapsing into the ecology of the island.’
Working on Otterhead offered Arun a different kind of creative freedom compared to the deeply personal Hebridean project. ‘You give up your sense of self a bit more to the kind of broader environment... and the kind of, more than human, and the water,’ he reflects. ‘There’s something quite liberating about that in its own way, where I suppose, personal identity recedes a little bit more.’
It is hard to consider Shifting Waterscapes without acknowledging the looming presence of climate change. The exhibition doesn’t preach, but it does point toward the precarity of our resources.
Arun highlights the remarkable foresight of Erskine Beveridge, who wrote about environmental change and, in the early 20th century, was already measuring the tides by inserting sticks into the layers of peat on Valley. ‘He writes with quite some concern about the climatic future of Vallay,’ Arun says.
In the Otterhead film, Ellen’s voiceover evokes the layers of history—the lawn tennis and medieval milling—before focusing on the ‘precarity of resources’ we face today. It serves as a reminder that water, which we have spent centuries trying to harness, dam, and pipe, remains ultimately a force beyond our control.
As Artist-in-Residence in the CREWW Ellen says she has taken a deep dive into watery ecologies, and is ‘passionate about the power of the arts to engage audiences in vital environmental science research and
prompt new forms of awareness and action.’ She says that she and Arun both wanted the work in this new exhibition to ‘highlight the importance of waterscapes for environmental resilience, and to prompt audiences to reflect on the preciousness of our watery ecosystems at a time of growing global scarcity of freshwater and biodiversity collapse.’ But rather than confronting audiences with the risks, she says they ‘first wanted to draw people into the experiential wonderment of waterscapes, including their acoustic ecologies, and their power to improve wellbeing as well as ecosystem health.’
‘With Otterhead Lakes, you’ve got this history of deep ecological time,’ Arun concludes. ‘But then you’ve got this cultural history, where it’s used as a resource... from a medieval mill to a 19th-century lavish mansion with lavish gardens.’
Today, there are no longer humans inhabiting these specific spots. There are only beavers, spring lines, and the shifting silt. Shifting Waterscapes offers a meditative look at what remains when the mansions fall and the water takes back the land.
Shifting Waterscapes is open until February 28. Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 5. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX. thelmahulbert.com / 01404 45006. Free admission.
Celebrating William Barnes’ 225th Birthday STURMINSTER NEWTON
UP and down the country, there are jolly events to mark the birthday of Robert Burns—but Dorset has its own special event, which celebrates the works of dialect poet, William Barnes. This year the party, at Sturminster Exchange on Sunday 22nd February, coincides with what would be Barnes’ 225th birthday.
For the past nine years, Artsreach and The Ridgeway Singers and Band have marked the Dorset polymath’s birthday with Tea with William Barnes, an afternoon of poetry, music, song and Dorset food.
Born in Bagber in 1801, William Barnes attended school in Sturminster Newton. A scholar, linguist, poet, artist, priest and inventor, Barnes wrote more than 800 poems in the Dorset dialect. He also relished the country dances, folksongs and carols of the county and often wrote about them in his work.
Alongside a delicious cream tea, The Ridgeway Singers and Band, led by Phil Humphries with Tim Laycock, historian, folk musician and vice-president of The William Barnes Society, will perform folksongs and dance tunes from across the county. The programme this year will include One Night as I Lay on my Bed, collected in 1906 by the Hammond brothers from George House of Beaminster, Away Dark Thoughts from Winterborne Monkton, and The New Rigged Ship and The Young May Moon from the Hardy family manuscripts.
This year’s programme also includes a musical setting of Barnes’ poem Rustic Childhood. Recitals of some of Barnes’ much-loved poems will keep alive the rich dialect of Dorset in this wonderful celebration of this life. Tea with William Barnes begins at 3pm.
Artsreach is also delighted to be partnering with The Exchange to host a pop-up producers and makers market on the day, offering the chance to try some famous local produce or discover something new and made with love in Dorset. The market is open to the general public from 11am to 3pm.
It is a truth universally acknowledged BRIDPORT AND TOURING
... that we all love Jane Austen (well, most of us do), but best friends Charlotte and Ellie are superfans and they want you to join them at their exclusive Jane Austen Fan Club at Bridport Arts Centre on Saturday 7th February.
Hilarious and heartfelt, The Jane Austen Fan Club promises high drama, breathless romance and dancing of the highest quality*. Alongside the usual books, bonnets and biscuits, you can expect comedy, chaos and a lifesize cardboard Colin Firth. But as real life inconveniently intrudes on the meeting, Charlotte and Ellie are faced with the question—in 250 years, how much have things really changed?
The Jane Austin Fan Club is at Bridport Arts Centre in February
Performers Victoria Briggs, who is based in Salisbury, and Lucy Mellors, based in Southampton, are taking their hilarious and deeply loving Jane Austen show on tour, with dates at arts centres and libraries around the region, including at the Palace Court Theatre in Bournemouth, on Thursday 12th February. * This is a somewhat optimistic promise—dancing, anyway.
Masterclass with Alison Steadman POOLE
ALISON Steadman, one of the bestloved and most versatile actresses of her generation, will be the special guest at the Pipeline masterclass at Poole’s Lighthouse arts centre on Wednesday 11th February.
Acclaimed for her stage, television and film roles, Alison first came to prominence in television plays Nuts in May and Abigail’s Party—she had originated the role of the monstrous Beverly on stage. She received BAFTA nominations for her roles in The Singing Detective and Fat Friends, and also made memorable television appearances in Pride and Prejudice and Gavin & Stacey. On stage, she has worked at the Royal Court, Hampstead, Nottingham Playhouse, Theatre Royal Bath and the National Theatre.
The Pipeline masterclasses are open to anyone interested in new work, what actors do and how they do it, and the art of bringing life to characters. The February event also provided an opportunity to ask questions of one of the country’s most celebrated actresses. The sessions are free, but donations are welcome to support the development of new work.
Pipeline is run by Lighthouse Poole in association with Dorset Scriptwriters. Tickets for the masterclass with Alison Steadman can be booked at https://www. lighthousepoole.co.uk, or on 01202 280000.
The mysterious woman returns LYME REGIS
LYME Regis has two major literary connections—one is Jane Austen’s Persuasion and the other is John Fowles and his best-known novel, The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Austen’s last completed novel had an anniversary production at the Marine Theatre last year, and this year, from 11th to 14th February, the mysterious cloaked woman returns in a new play.
Alison Steadman is a special guest at The Lighthouse in Poole in February
The production of Fowles’ novel, famously filmed with Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons, has been adapted by Mark Healy, who also adapted the version of Persuasion that was staged last year.
The new stage version brings the complexities of Fowles’ ideas to life, almost 60 years after the original novel was published.
Set mostly in Lyme itself, this is a tragic story of unsuitable love in respectable Victorian Britain. The audience is given access to the inner workings of the original novel by the writer who, like a puppet-master, manipulates characters and plot as the story unfolds.
Director Chris Gill has worked closely with Mark Healy, supported by the Fowles Trust, to create this adaptation especially for the Marine Theatre.
Readers may know that John Fowles lived in Lyme Regis from 1965 until his death in 2005. For most of that period he lived at a handsome house, Belmont, which is now owned by the Landmark Trust, who
restored it to its original 18th century form, with Victorian additions removed.
Campaign to honour Walter Tull DORCHESTER AND TOURING
A NEW musical based on the life of the late, great Walter Tull, a pioneering black footballer and courageous army officer, is coming to Exeter’s Barnfield Theatre on 17th and 18th February, and to Dorchester and Poole as part of a national tour.
Commissioned by Show Racism the Red Card, the show is part of a national campaign to address a century-old injustice that has denied Britain’s first black British army officer the award of the Military Cross for which he was recommended during the First World War.
Our Little Hour tells the inspirational story of Walter Tull, the first black footballer to play at the highest level of the domestic game in the UK. He went on
Our Little Hour tells the inspirational story of Walter Tull
to achieve another historic breakthrough as the first man of his heritage to be commissioned as an officer in the British Army. His appointment in 1917 came despite an official ruling made just three years before that all British army officers should be of “pure European descent”.
Leon Newman, who plays Tull, says the play is not only an artistic celebration of Walter Tull’s life: “It is also part of an active mission to persuade the British government to honour the award of the Military Cross for which Walter was recommended following his courage and leadership during a mission which took place on January 1st 1918 when he led a party of 26 men as part of a raid across the Piave River in Northern Italy.”
Walter Tull’s party had to shield the rest of the battalion involved in the raid and provide cover as they crossed multiple streams and advanced on enemy lines. The raid was a complete success and Walter returned with all 26 of his men safe and unharmed. As a consequence he received a citation for “gallantry and coolness” under fire from Major-General Sydney Lawford, Commander of the 41st Division of the British Army.
For some inexplicable reason the award has never been made. Playwright Dougie Blaxland has placed Tull’s role in the raid across the Piave River at the very centre of the drama. He argues that “the failure to honour Walter Tull with the award he so clearly deserved is made all the more disgraceful by the fact that he was killed just three months later fighting in Northern France.”
Director Amanda Horlock describes Our Little Hour as “a celebration of the life of an extraordinary man whose pioneering spirit continues to inspire the campaign for justice and equality. This production honours the memory of one of the most significant figures in British sporting and military history.”
Paul Kearns, who is director of operations at Show Racism the Red Card, believes that the production “tells a really important story which will help to reinforce the work that we are doing to combat racism by engaging new audiences in a celebration of Walter Tull’s pioneering contribution to British society.”
To date more than 3000 people have signed up in support of the campaign. But in the words of Dougie Blaxland: “We still have a long way to go to reach the 10,000 signatures needed for a formal response from the government, but we hope audiences will be moved to support us when they have heard the great man’s extraordinary story”.
More details of the campaign to honour Walter Tull can be found via the following link: https://www.change.org/p/honour-walter-tull-byawarding-him-the-military-cross-and-by-erecting-astatue-in-london
Our Little Hour is at the Barnfield Theatre, Exeter, on 17th and 18th February, the Redgrave Theatre at Bristol on 10th March, Poole Lighthouse on 11th March and Dorchester Arts at the Corn Exchange on 12th March.
Fantastic fun for families HALF-TERM
FROM Book Witches to Viking gods and adventures in the woods, Artsreach has a host of fun and entertainment for children of all ages over the February half term, from Sunday 15th to Saturday 21st, with live music, magical puppetry and more.
Front Room WSM comes to Dorset with Yara in the Wild Wood, a charming story with captivating puppetry, non-verbal storytelling and spellbinding original folk music.
Yara lives wild and free in the woods, but there’s more to these woods than the trees. This is an endearing tale of growing up, getting wiser and making unexpected friends—come into the woods and explore your wild side in East Stour at 2pm on Sunday 15th February, Hinton Martell at 11am on Tuesday 17th and Cerne Abbas at 2pm on Wednesday 18th.
Coppice Theatre needs help hunting book witches in an enchanting show that celebrates libraries, storytelling and imagination. Kira loves reading, and visiting the library to find a new book is her favourite thing, until one day the words in the books start disappearing and the adults get grumpy.
With her new friend, the book worm, Kira has to uncover why words are vanishing and where these book monsters have come from! Could there be a Book Witch in the library? With live music and puppetry, How to Catch a Book Witch also includes key word signing and integrated captions. Join Coppice Theatre in Child Okeford at 11am on Wednesday 18th February, and Litton Cheney at 10.30 on Thursday 19th. After each performance there is also
Yara in thwe Wild Wood comes to Cerne Abbas in February
the opportunity to take part in a creative workshop and make your own book witch!
Finally, join skilled storytellers, Ulf and Odd, for a comedic romp through a whole host of ancient Nordic tales and the world of Viking gods in The Misadventures of Thor. Thor is tall, brave and strong, but not too bright! His days are not always full of heroic thunder, but instead are filled with hapless blunder! Like the day he was almost married to an oafish giant or when he thought he was shortchanged as the golden presents were handed out.
Rattlebox and Angel Heart Theatre present a new family show, full of their usual blend of puppetry, storytelling and larger-than-life characters. Catch them in Sturminster Newton at 10.30am on 19th February, Broadwindsor at 2pm on 20th and Sixpenny Handley at 11am on 21st.
For more information on these half-term shows, visit www.artsreach.co.uk
Hollywood at the Corn Exchange DORCHESTER
WEST End stars Lisa Pulman and Joe Stilgoe bring movie musical magic to Dorchester Corn Exchange with their new show Hooray for Hollywood, on Tuesday 3rd February at 7.30pm
The two versatile and popular performers have put together a delightful mix of some of the best-loved songs of our movie-musical lives and it’s coming to the Corn Exchange, ahead of a major UK tour.
From The Wizard of Oz to Wicked, West Side Story to La La Land, this joyful celebration pays tribute to the Hollywood musicals that have captured hearts for nearly a century. Dorchester audiences are being offered an exclusive chance to see the show while it is still being fine-tuned before its major UK tour.
So bring your popcorn, sit back, and let Pulman and Stilgoe transport you through the golden age and modern classics of movie musicals in a feel-good night of music—just what you need to treat yourself in February!
An adopted life TOURING
PERFORMER Luke Wright has taken his real-life story of adoption and turned it into a show that is part stand-up and part poetry, coming to Dorset in February for three dates with Artsreach, Friday 13th at Chetnole village hall, Saturday 14th at the Mowlem in Swanage and Sunday 15th at Ibberton village hall.
Later Life Letter is an evening of warm and honest thoughts, with poems, jokes and some music, as he shares the story of the life he leads and the one he might have done ...
What’s it like to stumble across your birth mother
on Facebook? How do you honour the parents who have raised you while satisfying a curiosity about where you came from? Is it telling that you married a social worker?
The show combines the wit, pathos, and silliness that has made him one of England’s most popular live poets. This is a frank account of what it means to be someone’s child told by a performer who really knows what he’s doing. Expect raucous laughter, tearstained cheeks and a smattering of drum ‘n’ bass.
The regular tour support act for Dr John Cooper Clarke, Luke Wright also appears regularly on Radio 4, and has won a Fringe First for writing, and a Stage Award for performance.
Other regional dates on the tour include 23rd April at Salisbury Arts Centre and 25th April at Poole Lighthouse.
An evening of piano mastery SHERBORNE
DORCHESTER Arts collaborates with Sherborne Girls School to present an exciting evening of piano virtuosity, on Friday 6th February at 7pm, when two of the most gifted young pianists of our time, Martin James Bartlett and Mariam Batsashvili give a programme of piano duets at Gransden Hall in the school’s Merritt Centre.
Franz Liszt Competition winner Mariam Batsashvili and 2014 Young Musician of the Year Martin James Bartlett will be performing together in the first of only two performances—the other is at London’s Wigmore Hall.
These two remarkable young pianists both have a breathtaking expressive range and the programme has been arranged to include some of the most exquisite works ever written for piano duo. It includes luminous Bach arrangements, the lyricism of Schubert and the sparkling mastery of Mozart, as well as Debussy’s charm, Tailleferre’s elegance, Ravel’s vibrant colours, and Lutoslawski’s virtuosity.
From Elvis tribute to 007 VILLAGES
SPITZ & Co, the comedy and physical theatre company who have been entertaining Artsreach audiences for some years, are back with Dorset’s rural touring arts charity in February with a new, actionpacked comedy full of diabolical villains, Bond girls, car chases and music. The Spy Who Loved Me Tender will be at Wootton Fitzpaine village hall on Thursday 12th February, Sturminster Marshall hall on Friday 13th and Briantspuddle on Saturday 14th, all starting at 7.30pm.
The inimitable Spitz & Co, creators of Elvis in Blue Hawaii, Glorilla, Gloriator and Les Gloriables, are back
with a show filled with songs, sequins and drama galore, promising the audience that they will be shaken, stirred and left in stitches.
Fresh from winning Best Elvis Tribute Act (aged 55+) Southwest Region 2025, Elvis impersonator Ian Pollock is dreaming bigger and bolder than ever. His new mission? To write and star in a genre-busting, hip-shaking blockbuster James Bond musical ... with Bond played by Elvis! Aided by his ever-loyal tour manager Josephine, and with a little audience backup, Ian takes us on a globe-trotting escapade full of diabolical villains, Bond girls, car chases, iconic songs, and plenty of bling!
Celebrating Welsh traditions
BURTON BRADSTOCK AND VILLAGES
AN award-winning Welsh trio comes to Burton Bradstock on Sunday 8th February, the last of three dates with Artsreach, Dorset’s rural touring arts charity. World-famous actor and champion of all things Welsh, Michael Sheen says: “VRï is where Welsh craft and heart meet.”
Twice winners of Best Album at the Welsh Folk Awards, VRï are Jordan Price Williams (cello, voice), Aneirin Jones (violin, voice) and Patrick Rimes (viola, violin, voice). Songlines, the magazine for folk,
traditional and ethnic music traditions, says: “They play—and sing—with the exuberance of a folk band, but possess the exquisite musicality and elegance of a chamber string ensemble.”
Inspired by the history of a time when Wales’ traditional music and dance were suppressed by Methodist chapels and, earlier, its language by the Act of Union, VRï sheds new light on a vibrant folk tradition. Their music harnesses the raw energy of the fiddle with the finesse of the violin, and the beauty of chamber music with the joy and hedonism of a pub session, all underpinned by powerful vocal harmonies. VRi will be at Langton Matravers village hall on Friday 6th February and Sturminster Marshall’s Memorial Hall on Saturday 7th, both at 7.30pm, and Burton Bradstock hall on Sunday 8th February at 3pm.
Up up and away!
BRIDPORT
BRIDPORT Pantomime Players will take the audience up into the clouds from 4th to 7th February as they stage their 2026 show, Jack and the Beanstalk at Bridport Electric Palace. Performances are at 7.30pm with a 1.30 Saturday matinee.
Step into a world of magic, mischief, and towering
VRï sheds new light on a vibrant folk tradition in February
Screen Time
with Nic Jeune
Top Six at the Flix
Weymouth Pavillion
2nd February 2026. Sentimental Value (2025). ‘On its surface, the film may touch on the familiar theme of how artists draw from their own lives, but Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgard bring incredible tenderness to a story that is ultimately about what children and parents never say to one another—and whether those lifelong silences can ever be broken.’ Screen Daily. Tim Grierson.
Cineworld Yeovil
4th February 2026. Lord of the Rings: The Return Of The King. Extended 2026. Running Time 4 hours and 39 minutes. ‘An epic success and a history-making production that finishes with a masterfully entertaining final installment.’ The Hollywood Reporter.
H is For Hawk (2025) 9th February 2026. ‘This movie will stay with viewers long after its conclusion as it makes one wholeheartedly believe in the healing power of love and the methods of coping with loss that can make living life tolerable (and possible) again’. Film Book. Thomas Duffy.
In the Mood For Love (2000) 12th February 2026. ‘Probably the most breathtakingly gorgeous film of the year, dizzy with a nose-against-the-glass romantic spirit that has been missing from the cinema forever.’ The New York Times. A O Scott.
Bridport Arts Centre
14th February 2026. One Day Festival of Music on Film celebrating the greatest concert and music festival films. If I had to choose one of the four great films, it would have to be Summer of Soul (…or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021).
Bridport Electric Palace
Various Dates. Hamnet (2025). ‘Hamnet is devastating, maybe the most emotionally shattering movie I’ve seen in years.’ New York Magazine. Bilge Ebiri.
adventure as our lovable hero, Jack (Hatti Amos) and his brother Simple Simon (Justine Gawen) trade their much-loved family cow for a handful of enchanted beans. Watch in awe as those beans sprout into a colossal beanstalk reaching up into the clouds, leading to a fantastical land above where Giant Buster Gut-Bucket roams and wonders await.
There is side-splitting humour thanks to Dame Dotty Dimple (Jess Goldstone), outlandish characters such as Snatchet (Johannah Leins) and Scarper (Amy Day), and delightful songs that you’ll be humming long after the curtain falls.
Expect plenty of audience participation, hilarious antics and magical moments as our hero tackles challenges, outsmarts the Wicked Witch Piccalilli (Amy Carlile) assisted by her apprentice Rancid (James Oldfield) and is helped along the way by Fairy Sugardust (Abbi Irving-Bell).
Jack discovers the true meaning of bravery and friendship, and falls in love with the Princess Charlotte (Ellie Ives) while her caring Mum and Dad, the King and Queen (Teresa Grinter and Pippa Osment) watch on. Humphrey (Alice Scadding) keeps them all in check with his role as The Royal Equerry – or at least tries to.
Liszt and Chopin
CONCERTS IN THE WEST
CONCERTS in the West opens the 2026 series with a recital by the acclaimed young Hungarian-born pianist Daniel Lebhardt. The monthly programme begins on Friday 13th February, with the coffee concert at Bridport Arts Centre at 11.30am, followed by a 7.30pm performance at Ilminster Arts Centre.
The third concert is at Crewkerne Dance House on Saturday 14th at 7.30pm.
Lebhardt, who has a growing reputation internationally, and a CV that already includes performances at major venues, as a soloist and with chamber ensembles, will be performing an exciting programme of solo piano works by Chopin and Liszt.
Romantic dialogues
TINCLETON
PIANO-violin duo Milda Daunoraite and Amber Emson open the 2026 season at the Tincleton Gallery in the Old School House at Tincleton near Dorchester on 13th and 14th February with an evening of romantic musical dialogues—just the right programme for Valentine’s Day.
The recitals are the same on both evenings, and include Clara Schumann’s lyrical Three Romances for violin and piano, Richard Strauss’s passionate violin sonata in E-flat major, Lili Boulanger’s Nocturne, Elgar’s Salut d’Amour, de Falla’s Danse Espagnole and Brahms’ violin sonata No 3.
Pianist Milda Daunoraite is studying with Tessa Nicholson at the Royal Academy of Music where she is a recipient of the ABRSM Scholarship award. She has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Musikhuset Aarhus, United Nations headquarters in Geneva, at the EMMA World Summit of Nobel Prize Peace Laureates in Warsaw and many other eminent events and festivals.
Amber Emson won first prize at the International Competition
Hohenpriesnitz and second prize at International Competition
Szymon Goldberg. She has performed in venues including Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Berliner Philharmonie, Wigmore Hall, Singapore Victoria Hall, ANAM Quartethaus Melbourne and Rheingau Musikfestival.
Shiver they timbers!
HONITON
BRISTOL moves to Honiton as the town’s community theatre company prepares to present its 2026 pantomime, Treasure Island, at the Beehive centre from Tuesday 17th February to Saturday 21st at 7pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2pm.
Writer Ben Crocker has taken the great Robert Louis Stevenson adventure of pirates, deadly danger and buried treasure, starting in a dock-side tavern in Bristol, and created a laugh-out-loud, swashbuckling stage adventure.
This version of Treasure Island is a vibrant and comedic reimagining of the story, which retains the core elements of the original—with brave young Jim Hawkins, the charismatic villain Long John Silver and the quest for buried treasure, all infused with traditional panto magic, slapstick humour, audience participation, catchy songs and larger-than-life characters.
Long John Silver may be a dastardly villain, but he’s reckoned without the Ladies of the Smuggler’s Cove Women’s Institute! This is a madcap, laugh-a-minute pirate adventure story!
Second scratch night collaboration EXETER
EXETER’S Northcott Theatre and Phoenix arts centre are collaborating on a Scratch Night partnership, on Monday 23rd February, to support established and emerging artists and performers across the South West.
Following the huge success of Scratch Night during the 2025 Elevate Festival, the second Scratch Night will take place at Exeter Phoenix auditorium offering artists the opportunity to showcase work in progress in front of a live audience.
Kate Danbury, co-producer of the event, says:: “We want to open our doors and meet as many artists as possible. Scratch Nights are a celebration of local talent and, going forward, they will serve as a declaration from Exeter’s two leading performance venues that we are here to support artists from the early ideas stage to the big stage.”
For audiences, it is a rare insight into the creative process behind new work while allowing artists to receive valuable audience feedback that could help shape how the final version of the performance may be presented.
The successful applicants receive £150 towards developing their practice, along with access to free rehearsal space at both Exeter Phoenix and the Barnfield Theatre, as well as dramaturgical support from Exeter Northcott Theatre’s artist development producer Sam Parker who encourages artists at all stages of their practice to take this opportunity.
The Young Lit Fix
A Believer’s Guide to Unicorns
By Jenni Desmond
Published by Hachette Children’s Books
Paperback £7.99
Reviewed by Nicky Mathewson
THOUGH a sighting of a unicorn is rare, it’s good to know what to look out for and be ready for magic at any time.
This delightful picture book is full of clues of where to look to find them.
Aside from fascinating information about where unicorns live; in the sky, what they like to do for fun; bouncing and jumping, how their emotions are linked with the weather; excitement can result in lightning, there are also, very cleverly, details about types of clouds and weather to help young explorers identify this aspect of nature for themselves.
For example, “Fog is a flat, low cloud, that makes it hard for unicorns to see…Cirrus clouds are made from ice crystals, which are very slippery for unicorns…Cumulonimbus clouds are huge thunderclouds full of energy that make hail, thunder, lightning and unicorn power.”
Beautifully illustrated and engaging, this book embraces kindness, family bonds and friendship and most importantly, magic, which we all need in our lives.
I adore this story come guide book and recommend it for a read aloud for little ones or an independent read for early readers from 7 and up.
10% off for Marshwood Vale readers at The Bookshop on South Street, Bridport. 01308 422964 www.dorsetbooks.com
THE PRETENDER by JO HARKIN
Review by John Davis
JUST a few chapters in, I could imagine myself wandering around Farmer Collan’s Oxfordshire fields with his young son, John, attired in my kirtle, hose and good strong clogs and perhaps twiddling a long piece of straw between my lips for effect.
Why is this observation important? Well, in order to appreciate the telling of this story, it is necessary to immerse yourself fully in the mores of the fifteenth century Britain, France and Ireland.
The writing style so successfully employed by Jo Harkin is vitally important in understanding what actually made the people of that time tick. There is ‘dated’ vocabulary to wrestle with too (puissant, maugre, lai) but usually the general context is a big help.
To set the scene. It is the tail-end of the War of the Roses, the House of Lancaster (Red Rose) versus the House of York (White Rose). Richard III has been deposed and Henry Tudor (Henry VII) rules. At first Henry is unaware that Edward Plantagenet, the Earl of Warwick, and a legitimate heir to the throne, has been spirited away in infancy to a farm in rural Oxfordshire, kept safe until he can return to champion the Yorkist cause and claim the country’s top job.
Edward (The Pretender) is to undertake this secret odyssey from farm boy to sovereign by
not only switching locations, (Oxford, Burgundy, Ireland, London) and changing names, (John, Lambert, Simnel, Edward) but also coping with the emotional baggage besetting his impressionable juvenile mind.
There is a point midway through the book when Edward is told the court jester is always doleful because Lady Margaret never laughs at his jokes. Edward sees something of himself in the fool— always trying to guess at what’s required but always failing to come up with the right solutions. We can sympathise.
This is at times a funny book not to say ribald in places. The naivety with which Edward comes to terms with how to use sheep’s wool in a castle garderobe is a laugh out loud moment and the alliance he forms with strong willed Joan, the daughter of one of his sponsors in Ireland, is an engaging interlude. They compare notes on the stark realities of their future fifteenth century lives. For her arranged marriage or nunnery. For him the throne of England or a battlefield death.
To summarise, this is what historical novels should be about-vibrant, well researched, thought provoking and with relevant information woven carefully into the narrative not off-loaded in ‘fact-drops’. All credit to the author for taking what is a minor footnote to Britain’s history and turning it into such a fascinating read. Is Edward a bona fide usurper or is this yet another audacious identity scam? Best to enjoy the fictional narrative first then mug up on the actual recorded history afterwards.
Published by Bloomsbury
Death by Lightning
DEATH BY LIGHTNING
created by MIKE MAKOWSKY
Review by John Davis
Director: Matt Ross; created by Mike Makowsky from Candice Millard, Destiny of the Republic (2011) Netflix, 6 Nov. 2025, 4 episodes
IT’S staple pub quiz material: name the four assassinated presidents of the United States. Kennedy (1963) obviously springs to mind, coming in many people’s life-time experience; the shooting of Abraham Lincoln (1865) shares the same notoriety.
I’ll help with the other two. They were William McKinley (1901) and James A. Garfield (1881), the latter the subject of this short but engrossing and expertly directed mini-series.
Garfield, president for seven months, is admirably played by Michael Shannon. He is accurately portrayed as a shrewd, resolute, familyorientated individual, untainted by the endemic corruption of post-Civil War politics. Famously, he was nominated to be the Republican presidential candidate in 1880 despite not even seeking it, after making a speech nominating another at his party’s national convention, but which so impressed the divided delegates with its obvious integrity that they united behind him in preference to all the formal candidates.
The twin focus thereafter is on Garfield’s election and brief period in office, on the one hand, and on the other the obsessive lobbying for a political appointment by assassin-in-waiting Charles J. Guiteau, mesmerizingly played by Matthew Macfadyen. Macfadyen is in the same mould as Mark Rylance, able to convey more information by
facial expressions than a whole scene of action. He brilliantly depicts Guiteau’s narcissistic, delusional character, convinced that his unrealistic claims to a consulship in Europe, despite his patent lack of qualifications, were merited by his erratic campaigning for Garfield’s candidacy.
In the months before his assassination attempt Guiteau managed to meet Garfield once to press his claims, but when it became obvious that he would not be successful he became convinced that Garfield must be killed. He stalked the President for weeks, finally choosing a Washington railway station to carry out the shooting and making no attempt to flee. No manhunts needed here.
This drama scores highly for historical accuracy. It convincingly highlights the political in-fighting and chicanery of the period, especially as represented by Garfield’s rivals Roscoe Conkling (Shea Whigham) and Chester A. Arthur (Nick Offerman). Other accurate details: the first doctor to attend Garfield was the black Charles Burleigh Purvis; and the president did indeed die from infection, caused by White House doctors probing his wound with unwashed hands.
Makowsky intended six episodes but was forced to cut costs, omitting Guiteau’s trial in which he bizarrely claimed that he had chosen a British Bulldog pistol with an ornate handle because it would make the best museum piece. The jury took less than an hour to reach a verdict.
The title of the series comes from a comment said to be made by Garfield, that death by being struck by lightning was more likely than him being assassinated.
WANTED: Vintage collections, job-lots & estate items. (Antique, wartime, toys, Motoring, advertising, Curio & interesting items) Seeking larger collections (typically £300+ in value). Fair offers & instant cash payments. Friendly approach, no obligation & Free Home Visits. Discrete Local Buyer. Darren 07875 677 89 May 26
WRITING
Budding Authors. Writing an interesting story, the past achievements of an organisation or a family history for self-publishing and need some advice with style, layout and editing? Contact freelance author and editor John Davis on johndavis77@ btinternet.com.
Classified ads in a box are £1 per word. Email your advert to info@ marshwoodvale.com for a quote.
WANTED
Vintage & antique textiles, linens, costume buttons etc. always sought by Caroline Bushell. Tel. 01404 45901. Dec 26
RESTORATION
FURNITURE.
Antique restoration and bespoke furniture. Furniture carefully restored and new commissions undertaken. French polishing and modern hand finishes. Phil Meadley. 01297 560335. phil. meadley@btinternet. com May 26
Dave buys all types of tools 01935 428975 Sept 26
Coin & Stamp Collections Wanted
Discerning collector / investor seeks pre-war collections of stamps and coins. Individual items considered. Tel Rod on 01308 863790 or 07802261339. Mar 26
Classified ads in a box are £1 per word. Email your advert to info@ marshwoodvale.com for a quote.
SPECIALIST BUILDING
CHIMNEY SWEEP
DISTRIBUTION
The Lighter Side of wildlife
Go Away by Annette
Kirby
SEATON Tramway is hosting the internationally acclaimed Comedy Wildlife Photography Exhibition at Seaton Station until 19th April 2026.
Founded by wildlife photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards celebrate the lighter side of the natural world while raising awareness of vital conservation issues. Tickets are avaikable at: www.tram.co.uk/events/view/ comedy-wildlife-photography-awards-2025.
