Back to the Devon posts; I hope to finish them before September brings us a new GBG.
Some of you have complained about the maps, not having a clue where places like “Chulmleigh” and “Kings Nympton” actually are. Join the club.
Forget your clotted cream and Bass from the jug, this is the REAL Devon.
Hills, woods, railway stations serving hamlets (Eggesford) or pubs (Portsmouth Arms) but not the main towns (Bideford).
Chulmleigh (pronounced Chol-mind-ley in a posh Cheshire accent) looks a sizable town, but Wiki assures me there’s only 1,017 souls.
That’s a 30% reduction on the previous census, perhaps explained by Exeter City fans still finding their way back from the 2008 Conference Play-off final at Wembley.
I guess it’s like those unpronounceable tiny towns in mid-Wales like Llanwrtyd with essential facilities for a hundred tiny settlements in the hinterland.
Facilities like the Hands on Life Transformative Luxury Retreat and a Tandoori Restaurant with Pineapple Fried Rice.
One photo is all you need to sum up Chulmleigh;
Those these will help, too.
Two pubs, one selling Doom Bar, the other one in the GBG. When will they learn ?
But the Old Court House is a Grade A1* (post-algorithm) corker.
The Facebook page is dead, but something tells me the pub rarely closes (11am -11pm 7 days a week says What Pub).
How long will the perspex last ? Do you care ?
What a lovely landlord, once he’d dispensed with the formalities.
“You can sit where you like, Sir”
“WiFi code is on the wall, Sir”
“There’s copies of the Chulmleigh Courier from 1987 on the rack, Sir”.
It’s proper Pub Curmudgeon approved red bench seating, too.
Ten folk in at 3pm on a Friday, mostly Old Boys and Gals, and a gorgeous hum of inessential banter about insurance reports.
When you’re in a village pub where you feel welcome, it warms your heart.
Really, this was pub magic.
“But it’s Butcombe !, BBB dishwater !” says Beer Twitter. They’ll never know.
retiredmartin 
Butcombe lost the plot when they started making more than one beer.
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“1880s beer dispense ? Paul will confirm”
Being early nineteenth century its a bit older but, yes, a most unusual handpump manufactured by J. D. Young and Son Iron founders of Silver Street, Barnstaple and well deserving its Grade II listing.
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A quality posting, if I might say so, Sir.
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Thank you, Mr Smeeton.
Are you well. We’ve missed you.
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How long will the perspex last ? Do you care ?
Sooner its gone the better.
“But it’s Butcombe !, BBB dishwater !”
Yes its true, but Basingstokes Wheatsheaf did serve up an exceptionally well cared for one.
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One of the most variable of pints. Fantastic in that national pub of the year, Salutation in Ham, but often dull in dining pubs.
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Chumleigh Warner, for those who remember Harry Enfield! 😊
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You win the Doom Bar 😉
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It’s hard to work out whether we’re remembering him or his dad, who was the double of his son’s “old git” character, and who was never off the telly.
We’ve got a PM in a similar position now.
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That red building is remarkable! Friendly boozer with decent BBB sounds terrific to me 👍
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“Some of you have complained about the maps”
(whistles innocently)
“Forget your clotted cream and Bass from the jug, this is the REAL Devon.”
(slow golf clap)
“(pronounced Chol-mind-ley in a posh Cheshire accent) ”
Pfft. You lot are famous for the pronunciations of places like Gloucester and Worcestershire for goodness sake!
“Cute”
Or maybe… bucolic?
“View from St Mary Magdalene”
Is that a rare moth hovering in the top right?
“Not what you think…”
You have no idea what I’m thinking!
(oh, ok, maybe you do)
“How long will the perspex last ? Do you care ?”
Nope. 🙂
“And GBGs on the shelf !”
Including 1975?
““But it’s Butcombe !, BBB dishwater !” says Beer Twitter. They’ll never know.”
Garden Hermit quite liked the one he had at Ebenezers (apostrophe optional).
Cheers
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