Post by Dave on May 25, 2015 18:10:00 GMT
Stockland Fair 25th May 2015
It’s a bank holiday again and time to get out and about and find an event that I have never been to before. Stockland Fair fitted the bill and this fair was granted by King Henry III to the Manor of Stockland in 1252, just sorry it has taken me so long to get along and support it.
For those who do not know, Stockland is a small rural village in Devon, close to the Somerset boundary. Its nearest neighbouring towns are Honiton and Axminster, which are 6 miles and 5 miles away respectively. It has a population of around 600. The village is placed within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Stockland parish had historically been anexclave of Dorset until the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844.
Near the church is a farmhouse dated 1602. The parish has many scattered farmsteads, joined by narrow winding lanes, and is a good example of land cleared piecemeal and directly from the forest. The church (St. Michael) is a 14th century building, altered and enlarged in the 15th.
On the hill SW. of the village is Stockland Great Camp, 667 ft. above sea level, of which only the N. half remains. It was a hill fort of great strength, probably of late Iron Age date, and may have been constructed by the Dumnonii on their frontier against the Durotriges (of Dorset). The single valIum is still over 40 ft. high in places.
Lyn and I set off from Paignton at 11.30am and it took for ever to get to Penn Inn Roundabout, nothing new there then. We arrived at Stockland at 1pm and were directed into a field that was being used for parking. The farmer had kindly lent his field for this purpose, but must have decided to have a laugh into the bargain. He let his entire herd of cows use the field over night and what a job it became walking through the field into the fair. First job at 5.30am in the morning when I get to work is to wash my car lol
For such a small village I have to say this was the very best village fair I have ever been too. I believe the venue is the village crickets team ground and it was fit for purpose for sure. There was so much going on during the afternoon, so many stalls with many old favourites such as hook the duck, bounce the ping pong ball into the jar.
I loved the children’s fancy dress; they all got a prize which was nice to see. I enjoyed watching a sheep being sheered and Dan‘s magical mayhem, the same guy we saw a few weeks ago at the Brixham Pirate Festival. Then there were the Morris men and a great brass band, the pirate puppet show( you are never too old are you?) and the falcon high falconry display.
£2 to get in, burgers £3 and an ice-cream a pound, not a dear day out in anyone’s book. We left the fair and walked to the local church before heading back through that shit filled field to get to our car.
Hungry on the way home we decided to try the new Toby Inn that was until recently known to most as the Penn Inn Pub. Home of the roast they claim, well at £9.50 for a carvery that was the worst one we have ever had, I can’t agree. Won’t be going in there again and Lyn said on the way home we will stick to only eating on the other side of the pineapple. She meant that twenty grand palm tree that until recently was in the middle of the roundabout at Kerswell Gardens.
Really enjoyed today and its been a great weekend, great game of football Saturday, ride in Haldon Forrest Sunday and Stockland fair on Monday. Do I really have to go back to work tomorrow?
