https://stokegabrielchurch.co.uk/history/ You will feel much better on this dull and rainy day, if you read all about the Yew Tree at Stoke Gabriel Church, a village in South Devon near Paignton. We'll come back to the Yew tree; some of the local footballers might have followed the instructions on the tree which says: "Walk ye backward about me, Seven times round for all to see, Stumble not, then for certain, ONE true wish will come to thee..." BELOW:THE YEW TREE
The link above tells you much about Fred Hagender's book and his explanation of the local history.
Apparently if you measure the girth of this Yew tree (5.65m in 2016), it is possible to estimate the age of the tree....yes, it is somewhere between 1000 and 2000 years old.....HELPFUL. The tree survives in the church grave yard, planter there purposely, keeping it away from creatures that might browse it, The yew is not good for animals, it is poisonous! Yew trees, of course, are/were valuable to the King's soldiers because the wood makes terrific BOWS for firing arrows. Like the oak (planted for ship building in Henry VIII's time) you will find yews planted all over the land in preparation for war!
Nearby is the River Dart estuary (a river RIA, a drowned river valley, common in South-west England, where a gently sinking coastline and relatively rising sea level, has filled valleys with sea water since the ice age ended. The village of Stoke Gabriel, with a population of around 1200, hosts crab fishing, as well as bow making (and a few other things) and it is the birth place of George Jackson Churchward, the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Great Western Railway (1902-22). The village is also the inspiration for the fictional village of Thornford Regis, familiar to readers of Benison's crime novels such as "Twelve Drummers Drumming, Eleven Pipers Piping".
More importantly is Stoke Gabriel FC, founded in 1905 and nicknamed "The Railwaymen". The club was a founder member of the Devon County League and joined the South-west Peninsular League in 2007, now in the National League 10th Tier. The reason for the club's inclusion here is that it has made the news for its record of 10 out of 10 defeats, so far, scoring 2 goals and conceding 122; the greatest a 1-18 defeat on September 30th. Their best effort so far is a 0-3 defeat at Ivybridge Town.
Last season The Railwaymen were 16th/20 in their div before the lockdown, but players have moved along with the "manager" and some committee, leaving the club stranded on the proverbial sand banks.* The present team is made up from local youngsters (U18s mainly) and have to play against hardened "peninsular" men. Josh Organ is the 17 year old goalkeeper, who has a flexible back, and who recently saved a penalty and has been MOM three times. There are 28 game left; next Axminster away on 14/10...may the Railwaymen not get beaten on the carpet.
Above the "Speedwell Kia" stadium.
* My brother may spot the reference to the falling sea level; we were stranded in a hired row boat in the Kingsbridge Ria, many years ago....we went up ria as the tide went down ria....sandbanked. We walked ashore up to our "nether regions" with thick west country sludge.
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