Holyford Woods & Water Tower, Seaton, Devon

I'm including the water tower along with the wood because they're both connected historically, and will make a really decent article instead of one for the woods and a very small one for the tower. All will be revealed later! :) 

This is one of the oldest natural woods in existence in Britain, and is the 1000th Woodland Nature reserve. The wood and its surrounding area have been utilised by people for thousands of years. 

I've walked up here a few times but this visit, in May 2010, was the only time I walked completely through the wood to the other side...although I did take the shorter route and missed the longest bit out!

The woods lie to the North of - and partially surrounds - the Iron Age encampment known as Seaton Down Hill Fort, where the remains of a bank and ditch can be seen. The photo above shows part of it from the path leading to the woods. You can see my article about it here.

On the eastern edge of the woods is Horriford Farm. The oldest parts date back to 1480, containing mullion windows, Elizabethan fireplace and an oak screen. 

I had to change these photos to black & white, as the colours came out rather strangely and I just couldn't get them right in editing. I plan to have a walk up there again this year but I decided to run with these photos for now and maybe add more later.

A stream becomes a delightful ford across the lane with a footbridge to the side for pedestrians, seen below. Further along is the entrance to what used to be the pump house. Now a residential building, it was used for pumping the water up from the reservoir to the tower.

Then skirting the northern edge of the woods on the footpath to the entrance. 

It isn't very big; my longest walk was up the road and down the footpath at the side of the hill fort towards the woods. Even so, it's choc-a-block with trees, which consist of many native species such as oak, ash, birch and elm, along with an undergrowth of holly, hazel and hawthorn.

As this visit was in May the woods were wall to wall with bluebells. Sadly, the photos haven't picked them out very well. It is such a lovely place for a wander even so. Very tangly and ancient, which can also be testified by wood anemones, which only grow in ancient woodlands. There are also wild garlic in the spring and later in the year there are foxgloves (my favourite flowers), red campion, cow parsley and many other wild flowers.

In the centre of the woods is an old reservoir, which is now private and used as a fishing pond. It was difficult to see through the tangly trees, and the glimpse I caught of it was covered in pond weeds. I did see a wader type of bird picking its way across the weeds, but it was too unclear to be able to identify.

The reservoir was built because by 1930 there was an increased demand for water in Seaton. Fed by a stream the water was pumped through the pumping house up to the water tower at Seaton Heights. 

I've read that a second reservoir was added later on. When I visit again I'll go through the longer way and see if I can find it. 

There's a lovely little bridge over the stream. Interestingly, the stream feeds into the Stafford Brook, which then runs into the River Axe at the Seaton Wetlands Nature Reserve on Colyford Common. I wrote an article about Seaton Wetlands four posts ago, and you can access it here if you'd like.

The Douglas Fir trees, below, were planted in the 1960s. Although some of them have been taken out, to allow for natural growth and extend room for the deciduous trees, the woodland has been left to continue naturally, with no other planting by human means.

Piles of logs from the felled trees have been left to provide a necessary habitat for insects and other small creatures; also a source of food for woodland birds, such as Woodpeckers.

Dead trees and fallen branches have been left for the same purpose, and also to provide a place of study of the natural evolution of woodlands.

There's a delightful walk through heathland on the outskirts of the trees with gorse, heather and many more bluebells.

The footpath then exits the woodland along the other side of the hillfort and continues up to the A3052 road...

...where there's a lovely view of the woods with the hill fort situated on the right. On the opposite side of the road is Tower Heights, which brings us nicely to the water tower itself. :)

I haven't been able to glean any information about the tower, apart from its connection with Holyford Woods. The water from the Holyford reservoir was pumped up to the tower in order to supply the growing needs of Seaton town. And that's it!

There's no suggestion that the tower was built specifically at this time. Therefore it's possible that the tower was already in place and the reservoir water was an extra supply.

Now a private residence, it's a beautifully elegant and well-loved landmark at the top of the hill and turn-off to Seaton. A sign for Seatonians that they are nearly home. :)

And one final photo of the top seen above the trees, taken on another day.

I'm afraid that's all I have about the tower at the moment but if I do find out more I'll add it to the post. The same goes for the woods, including any photos from a future - near future, hopefully - visit.

Cheers. :)

Church of St Giles & St Peter, Sidbury, Devon

Situated in the delightful village of Sidbury, this fabulous church with Saxon origins sits amidst impossibly beautiful surroundings. It contains some unusual features, including a couple of things that I haven't seen before, and the building as a whole is quite lovely set amongst the trees in the churchyard.

A Grade I Listed Building, the architecture covers various periods with some significant Norman work and also includes one of only six known Saxon crypts in the country.

On the east wall exterior is an example of Norman diaper pattern in the stonework (below), which is unusual and rarely seen in this area.

The building fabric comprises limestone rubble and ashlar with limestone dressings from Beer Quarry, above Beer Village. 

This attractive corner between the south transept and the chancel contains a shelf in the wall to the right of the door, where it is thought that either pilgrims left offerings or it was possibly an empty tomb recess.* Interestingly, the windows here show four different styles; the one on the left is Early English, the next along is Decorated, a tiny Norman window next to that then a Perpendicular style above the Niche.

*I did wonder if it was used as a coffin rest to conduct the first part of the funeral service before taking it into the chancel, which they used to do at one time. I don't know if there ever was a Lych Gate for that purpose but there isn't one now, which would mean setting the coffin down elsewhere.

The south elevation is quite unusual, comprising a porch with embattlements and a large South Transept gable.

The 15th century porch, below, including  sundial above the door and with an embattled polygonal stair-turret angled between the south aisle and west face of the porch.

And another turret between the aisle and the Norman tower, seen below.

The tower is dated circa 1150, with its round-arched Norman windows. The 95ft high needle spire was a later addition, along with the top parapets and pinnacles in 1884 - 5, during a time of much restoration.

On the west front of the tower are two bas relief effigies, dated to circa 12th century, seen below on the right. They are thought to be St Giles and St Peter, although on the Listed Buildings Register they are described as a bishop and a saint.

Below those is a three-light Perpendicular window, which in turn is above the west door, seen below left. The photo to the right of that shows inside the south porch with stone vaulting and a large carved boss in the centre.

The interior is beautifully light with plastered and whitewashed walls. The aisles date from around 1190 and the transepts are of 13th century origin. Below shows the end of the south aisle with its lovely barrel vaulted ceiling, which is between the south porch and the stair-turret.

There are plain windows throughout, apart from four stained glass windows. The east window was placed in 1913, which can be seen along the nave below.

And some close-up photos including a lovely reredos depicting the crucifix in gesso panels.

The other stained glass windows were all added from 1899 to 1913 during restorations.

Just inside the west entrance is a gallery with organ dated circa 1620.

 

This rather delightful door on the west is probably the inner door of a porch between it and the exterior door. There's part of a mediaeval wall painting to the left, one of several fragmentary pieces in the church.

The octagonal font, below, is situated to the right of the gallery and has a perpendicular base with lovely decorative panelling and quatrefoils. The unusual ogee shaped cover is Jacobean. 

And looking up from the gallery along the north aisle.

Although I hadn't specifically taken photos of the other stained glass windows here is one seen in the background. I'd forgotten about this! ;)

And another one can just about be glimpsed in the north transept to the right. Plus some of the plain perpendicular windows.

And on the arches between the aisles and transepts are the kind of things that make me want to grab people and say 'Look at this!' Fabulous decorative carvings from the perpendicular period - mid 14th century to the 16th century - when decorations started becoming more uniform throughout the church rather than an effusion of different motifs.

Aren't they just gorgeous! :)

And some lovely carving beneath the gallery too.

Two pairs of squints are on either side of the nave; the photos below show one beside the door looking into the nave and the view through another one from the nave to an aisle or transept. 

Looking down the nave to the west door, below...

...and an old bier, which was used to transport coffins at one time.

Two of the final photos include the drinking fountain built into the churchyard wall in1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, on the left below, and a cheeky self portrait in the glass of the south door.

The village and church were on my list of places to visit for some time, but not at all easily accessible for me. However, going out for the day with a friend on a lovely late spring day in May 2011, we ended up there and enjoyed a wander around in the late afternoon.

And just to put the cherry on the icing, as the sun lit up the hills behind the church we repaired to the pub just across the road, where we enjoyed a pint in the pub garden before heading home. Bliss!

As it was 13 years ago and I didn't have enough photos to orient myself by, I got somewhat confused as to what was where. What really puzzled me was the description of the South Transept and the Chancel beneath a photo in a book I bought in the church, and I just couldn't figure it out. To make it a bit clearer I drew a plan of the church as best I could, which helped a lot, and then realised that they had the description round the wrong way! From then on I was fine, lol.

Well, that was one of the 'stragglers' that I talked about at the end of the previous post, but it was difficulty in writing it up that put me off. Otherwise I really enjoyed the visit to this truly beautiful church. There are a couple of others to do too, which I'll get onto as and when, along with the 'reluctant stragglers'. No idea which one I'm doing next though, so that'll be a surprise! :)