|
Hartland Abbey Newsletter - March 2009
Dear Visitors,
Many people who visit us here most probably imagine
that when the front door shuts at the end of the season, we all
have a long holiday. Sadly, nothing could be further from the
truth!
The Abbey is always in great need of restoration
and thanks to a very good season in 2008 we have been able to
repair the west facing windows, the windows on the front and the
crumbling masonry of the castellations above. It is never a good
time financially but we had to grab the bull by the horns otherwise
the house was literally going to fall to pieces, probably on top
of someone! We have employed an excellent local builder, Andy
Rowe, whose team has done a brilliant job. We are absolutely thrilled
that the Abbey is looking so good again and it is nice to feel
that we can hand it on to the next generation in better shape!
It was just too big a job for Leighton, our long suffering maintenance
chap, who has been here since he was 15 and is soon to draw his
pension!
 |
We have
also restored the old park railings; for the last 25 years
a rather nasty wire fence has sufficed! We have also restored
some of the railings into the Walled Gardens and in front
of the Lodge which had given up after over 100 years!
Living by the sea has definite disadvantages (as well
as huge advantages) in that everything rusts and windows
rot in no time. The stables have also been reroofed so
all in all it has been a very expensive winter! |
Indoors Carol, our housekeeper, has been trying
to kill off the woodworm which love it here and are desperately
trying to reduce our furniture to dust. They can’t be allowed
to win! She has been spring cleaning everything and painting the
tea rooms which have to have an annual spruce up; the damp makes
all the paint peel off in the winter.
 |
We
were very excited when Grenville College offered us two
statues (Herms); the College has been at Moreton for the
past 50 years, which was the former Stucley home on the
outskirts of Bideford. Sadly they have had to amalgamate
with Edgehill College and are now to be known as Kingsley
College on the Edgehill campus. The statues had belonged
to Sir Hugh Stucley (the present Sir Hugh’s grandfather)
so it was thought fit that they should be returned to
the family. It was very thrilling when in February they
were dug up and brought over here to stand in a part of
the garden where they look suitably mysterious! We are
sure visitors will enjoy their presence! It was a massive
task as they were hugely heavy and a large digger had
to be brought in to carry them. |
The hugely cold winter has affected us badly
here. The late Lady Stucley used to tell us that Hartland never
had a bad frost. Well, this year even the sea froze, and nearly
a week of minus 7 in the daytime really has done a lot of damage.
We had very heavy snow here too which is very unusual but were
lucky not to have lost too many limbs on the shrubs. We have lost
an entire ‘forest’ of echium pininana at the entrance to the Walled
Gardens. We really thought they were going to be an absolute show
stopper as they had seeded themselves where the old bonfire had
been. So typical that when we were going to have masses they were
all killed! Some other echiums have survived, just, but are not
going to be as good as usual. We have lost a lot of tender plants
which will have to be replaced so apologies for any disappointing
spaces!
We have cleared the ponticum rhododendron above
the path leading to the Fernery. It was taking over and we now
have a lovely blank canvas; we have planted a lot of bulbs but
intend to put in some Mediterranean plants as this bank is baking
hot in the summer. The ‘Jekyll’ path has been mended by Leighton
and is safe again for visitors.
Our first ‘Snowdrop Sunday’ on 8th February fell
foul to the weather but we just managed to hold the second one
a week later. The weather was very kind to us on the day and only
a handful of visitors got their cars stuck. The snowdrops were
at their absolute best; over two thousand people came showing
great good humour in the mud and dogs of all shapes and sizes
accompanied their owners. The tea ladies, lead by Nancy Johns
who had only just had a new hip, worked incredibly hard, showing
an astonishing war-time spirit to feed everyone. Our vicar, Shirley
Henderson, who we love, spent all afternoon at the sink! They
all raised lots of money for St Nectan’s Church which was wonderful.
We have decided to hold our first Bluebell Sunday
on 26th April. For ages people have been asking for one as the
bluebells at the Abbey are legendary and stretch from the Walled
Gardens to the sea. They are a fantastic sight and it is also
possible to see wild orchids and many different woodland wild
flowers depending on the weather. It is almost impossible to choose
the right date when the bluebells are at their best, particularly
when it has been so cold and, as I write in mid-March, boiling
hot! But we are hoping for the best… There will also be lots of
lovely spring flowers in the gardens, it is such a beautiful time
of year here. We open at a much reduced entry fee for
adults with children and dogs free!
The donkeys have had a lovely winter back at
the farm. They have been warm with a good shed to go into (but
rarely do) and lots of good food. They are enormously greedy and
are top of the pecking order seeing off the much bigger thoroughbred
horses! We adore them as do our grandchildren. They (the donkeys)
seem to have been here forever and they are the last of eleven
children bred by Nellie and Mr MacGregor, their parents!
 |
The peacocks have fared less well; the fox has
eaten both our peahens and their three children and a peacock
since the autumn. It is so distressing as they become so much
part of the Abbey and we miss them. Unfortunately the hounds no longer are here as the cliffs are too much of a risk,
consequently the fox problem is very bad. We can’t have any chickens
here any more as they are always eaten. |
On a brighter note, having gained two new grandchildren
in 2008, our youngest daughter, Lucinda, had their first child,
a son William Donald, on 5th March. She and Ran had been married
here in August 2007. We now have 8 wonderful grandchildren so
hopefully visitors will avoid tripping over toys in the passage!
Christmas was such a lovely gathering of all the family and hopefully
they will all be here for Easter too!
Our jockey son-in-law, Tom Scudamore, had a great
win on Madison du Berlais in the Hennessey Gold Cup at Newbury
but much to his frustration came home from the Cheltenham Festival
empty handed – the ups and downs of racing – but at least he was
safe. He now writes a column in the Times as well - an insight
into a jockey’s life – which is fun. He has been lucky to have
ridden Lough Derg to some good wins this season, he has been an
amazing horse.
We do hope that you have had a good year and
will have a good trip to the Abbey and the gardens. Do try and
walk to the beach, it is such a lovely view when you get there.
The tearooms are a must; all the proceeds go to St Nectan’s church
and everyone gives their time and much of the food to help save
this wonderful church. Do try and call in after visiting the Abbey,
St Nectan’s is only a couple of minutes on the way to the Quay
and well worth the trip. The Quay is a must too with it’s stunning
scenery, warm, cosy bar serving good pub meals and comfortable
rooms at reasonable prices. Hartland itself has some fascinating
artists and craftsmen, some of whom exhibit in our gallery.
Thank you all so much for coming here and supporting
us.
Hugh and Angela Stucley March 2009
|
