1.    Worm Charming this Sunday!

2.    Commemorative Plaque
 
3.    Dartmouth Shakespeare Week

4.    Tell No one

5.    The Best Burger in town?

6.    Civic Dinner

7.    St Petrox Church

8.    Small News
 

 

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1.    Worm Charming this Sunday!

The village of Blackawton in the South Hams will once again be the centre of every worm charmer's universe this May Bank Holiday Sunday.  Adults and children from all over the country and around the world will compete to extract the greatest number of worms from their dedicated one metre square patch of grassland. Worm Master Nick Smith announces the rules and worm plots.  And here's the catch. They have to do it without digging up any of the turf!

So how is it done? Over to "Worm Master" Nick Smith… "You can use whatever means you like, as long is you don't harm the animals," he told the BBC Devon website.  "We've been worm charming in Blackawton since 1984, when two locals decided to try it as a means of banishing the winter blues!"

To see the full programme of events click here.

Come down for the weekend ? 

Self catering accommodation click here	Dartmouth B and B  click here
Dartmouth Hotels click here	A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

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2.    Commemorative Plaque

A plaque commemorating the time that Acton Central School was evacuated to Dartmouth was unveiled on Monday by the Mayor of Dartmouth, Councillor Iris Pritchard and the Mayor of the London Borough of Ealing (which now incorporates the former Borough of Acton), Councillor Hazel Ware. The boys from the school in Middlesex were sent to Dartmouth in 1939 and spent 3 years being educated in the St Saviour’s Church Hall, now known as Southford Schoolrooms. In 1942, because of its role in training and plans for the D Day landings, Dartmouth was felt to be too dangerous for evacuees and they left, having made many friends within the town.  Check out the Mayor of Ealing's official car, a crest on the roof of this brand new Daimler!

Southford Schoolrooms maintains its educational tradition by now being the home of Dartmouth Pre-School.

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3.    Dartmouth Shakespeare Week

Every year for the last five years, The Inn Theatre Company have presented a Shakespearean production at Dartmouth Castle, and this year is no exception.

But! The Company are short of men! Rehearsals started for ’The Tempest’ several weeks ago and this years’ Director, Jane Windsor-Smith, is still looking to cast several of the leading male roles.
“ This play is particularly male ’top-heavy’, and although we have some fine actors already cast, we need more,” she said.  “ We’re looking for people to play Antonio (Prospero’s brother), Alonso (the King of Naples), Gonzalo, (the faithful courtier) and the Bo’sun; not to mention Francisco and Adrian, two more of the royal party with a few lines, and lots and lots of Mariners for the stormy opening to the play.”

After last year’s hugely successful production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, the Company are really looking to push the boat out and give Dartmouth audiences an even more thrilling theatrical experience.

So, if you think you fancy treading the boards, you can contact Jane via their website by clicking here,  or you can call her on 07825 663 825.

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4.     Tell No one   showing tonight

A man's life is turned upside-down after buried secrets are unearthed. Kristin Scott Thomas features in this French adaptation of the best-selling novel by Harlan Coben, Francois Cluzet stars in this French thriller from director Guillaume Canet. Eight years after the heinous murder of his wife, doctor Alex Beck receives an ominous email from an unknown source. The message contains a video image of Alex's thought-to-be dead wife in real time.

It’s so rare to find in a thriller a character whose fate you could possibly care about – but Tell No One is such a powerful love story that, like Alex, you hope against all reason for a happy ending.

Guest tickets for sale in The Windjammer 7.30-7.55 £3.50 Our bar is open from 7.30 - the film to be shown at 8pm approx.

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5.     The Best Burger in town?

Burgers made with Devon Beef prove that Slow Food can also be fast! 
 
Chefs at Dart Marina’s Wildfire Bar & Bistro have made over 2,200 Wildfire Burgers in the last 12 months – all made with beef reared on Devon pastures and supplied by local butcher A W Luscombe of Totnes.    
 
“We are very proud of our Wildfire Burgers, which represent all that we feel is great about local food.  The burgers are made from well matured Devon beef and seasoning – nothing else.  We are fortunate to have the very best local produce to choose from and Luscombe’s family butchers at Totnes, which has been rearing and supplying local meat since 1788, is typical of the quality we have at our fingertips,” explained Mark Streeter, Executive Head Chef at Dart Marina. 
 
An open terrace by the water’s edge allows diners to drink in the views of the South Hams landscape, whilst enjoying the flavours from the sea, river, pastures and orchards.  Dart Marina sources local products from many award-winning producers, many of them from the South Hams area of Devon including Bigbury Bay Oysters, Farmer Phil Bond Lamb, Challices of Totnes, Westcountry Smokehouse and Dartmouth Bakery.     

The Dartmouth dot TV Crew sampled this big burger, they marvelled at the sheer size of the square cut chips and pronounced their seal of approval.  You can't get better than that! 
 
For further information about events at Dart Marina please click here.

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6.     Civic Dinner

About 80 guests attended the Dartmouth Town Council Civic Dinner at the Guildhall on Saturday evening. Held at the end of Town Mayor Iris Pritchard’s two year term in office, the event included a toast to the town proposed by Honoured Citizen Miss Irene Scawn and an amusing address by guest speaker Councillor Judy Westacott from Totnes.

The Guildhall is available for hire by individuals and organisations, contact the Town Clerk on 832281 for details.

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7.  St Petrox Church

This lovely old photograph is believed to have been taken on a sunny day in 1890, perhaps of churchgoers leaving St Petrox Church, probably after the morning service, and shows Dartmouth Castle in the background. The Church is thought to have been developed from a mediaeval chapel sometime towards the end of the 14th century for the use of the residents in the part of Dartmouth which lies along the harbour edge between Bayard's Cove and the harbour mouth (South Town).

St Petrox occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of many people both in Dartmouth and beyond; sailors and fishermen see it as they leave the River Dart and on their safe return and many locals and visitors alike find it a place of peace and tranquillity.

St Petrox is open daily and this Sunday, 4th May sees the first of the summer’s Evensong services at 6.30pm.

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8.    Small News

• Joan Cawley reports: Members of Dartmouth Art Society are very pleased to be putting on an Exhibition of paintings at the National Trust property, Coleton Fishacre. The paintings are for sale at various prices, sizes, mediums and subjects - including landscapes, seascapes, flowers, people, and many more - something for everyone! The Exhibition is open daily (except Tuesdays, when the house is closed) until Sunday 11th May from 10.30am - 4.30pm. Visit Joan's website by clicking here.
   

• Why go to Amsterdam when you can see better Tulips in Dartmouth right now!
   

• Devon Life has a big feature on Dartmouth, the front cover and pages and pages inside!  A must have, pop down to the Tourist Information Centre to buy your copy?
   

• The Dartmouth dot TV techies survived Terminal 5 without event and had a great time in Munich.  They talked the talk, walked the walk, and drank the beer.  Expect a report later?
  
   

• Is it time to book your holiday in Dartmouth now? 

   

  Self catering accommodation click here	Dartmouth B and B  click here
  Dartmouth Hotels click here	A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

   

• Images copyright Dave Cawley, Joan Cawley  Tony Pike & others.