Clatworthy Reservoir in the Brendon Hills, West Somerset.

One weekday last August I decided to pay a first visit to Clatworthy Reservoir, the smaller of the two reservoirs in the Brendon Hills.

Clatworthy is reasonably well signposted from Wiveliscombe so I followed the country lanes via Langley Marsh, Maundown and the prettily named Huish Champflower: Huish is a Saxon word meaning lands or household while Champflower is the name of the family which owned the lands in the 12th century.  It was a slow but enjoyable drive, twisting up and down hills through, in places, very narrow lanes.  When I arrived just after midday at the spacious free car park, which is on a hill overlooking the dam, it was very peaceful with only a handful of cars dotted around.

The reservoir, run by Wessex Water, takes its inflow from the River Tone and is 130 acres in area with a capacity of 5,364 million litres.  It was inaugurated by H.R.H. Princess Alexandra of Kent on the 6th July 1961.  The settlement of Syndercombe, mentioned in the Domesday Book, was flooded on the creation of the reservoir.

Clatworthy Reservoir viewed from the car park. 

For walkers - no dogs allowed - there is a footpath around the 5 mile perimeter of the reservoir.  I decided to walk down the hill and cross the dam to the wooded hill on the far side.  Unfortunately, as an asthmatic, this was a bad choice as by the time I had negotiated the zigzag path up the hill I was too worn out to go further.  Next time I visit I will try the clockwise route as it appears to follow more level ground although I don't envisage walking the whole circuit: the hills seem to be a bit too demanding.

The fish farm with its trout ponds below the dam.

Independence for Scotland? Yes please - it will bring on English independence and an English Parliament.

A letter in the Western Morning News 20th November.

Bring on English independence.

I recall that the SNP once followed a self-imposed policy of not voting in the Westminster Parliament on "England-only" matters.  Things have changed, now it seems policies for England on subjects ranging from fox-hunting to Sunday trading have, in the SNP's view, an effect on people in Scotland.
 

The reason for this change of thought by the SNP is understandable.  To further their campaign for independence they are determined to interfere, whenever the opportunity arises, in the domestic affairs of England and cause as much disruption and annoyance to English political decision making as possible.  I say bring on independence - English independence!

S.W.
English Democrats, Somerset

"Jeremy Corbyn needs to learn to love England". A headline beyond belief.

As R.A.Hopkins points out in his letter published in the Western Daily Press on November 9th it is not just Jeremy Corbyn who needs to learn to learn to love England.

English parties must become nationalist.
It is beyond belief that a recent press headline read “Jeremy Corbyn needs to learn to love England”. In what other country in the democratic world would any nation’s MP, leave alone a party leader, have to “learn” to love the country and its electorate that he purports to represent?

However he is not alone in needing such advice for, from David Cameron down, legions of English MPs are no champions of England and its people.

Love of one’s country and promotion of national interests is in the “DNA” of all patriotic politicians affiliated to their own national parties as they are in Scotland, Wales Northern Ireland and in democracies worldwide. .

Since 1999 the post Devolution governments of Blair, Brown and Cameron have put the interests of their obsolete “UK” parties before that of England and its people.

The writing is on the wall – England must now join the real democratic world with our MPs (and MEPs) affiliated to national English parties.

R A Hopkins

Leckhampton, Gloucestershire

Over 70 years ago George Orwell wrote: "England is perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality. In left-wing circles it is always felt that there is something slightly disgraceful in being an Englishman and that it is a duty to snigger at every English institution, from horse racing to suet puddings. It is a strange fact, but it is unquestionably true that almost any English intellectual would feel more ashamed of standing to attention during God save the King than of stealing from a poor box".  This still rings true today!

Political appointments and reform of the House of Lords. A letter in the Western Daily Press.

In my view the burgeoning House of Lords, largely made up of party donors, cronies and former MPs, should be abolished entirely.  Why have a second chamber to "scrutinise and revise" the work of the House of Commons?  After all if members in the Commons fail to do their job properly and introduce bad legislation they can be voted out of office.

However, if there must be a House of Lords this letter from Robert Craig, published in the Western Daily Press on November 7th, includes a reasonable suggestion of how to create one.

Lords reform should focus on parties.
Political appointments to the House of Lords should be in proportion to the number of votes cast for parties at the previous general election. That would lead to the presence of parties not currently represented in the Lords such as the Greens, the English Democrats and Ukip, without increasing the number of Lords.

One might have thought that Stuart Eels ( Western Daily Press November 3) would welcome the existence of Ukip as a party (rather than individuals) in the Lords, and a reduction in the vastly inflated number of Liberal Democrats whose party was rejected by the British people in last May's general election.

On the subject of the EU, Colin Fountain, in the same edition, referred to how Malta ignores EU law on hunting and trapping leading to the massacre of migrating turtle doves and other small birds, pushing them towards extinction. The British government, as a member of the EU, must be conniving at Malta's illegal actions. Over-fishing of sand eels in the North Sea has led to worrying declines in puffin numbers. This would appear to be a another failure by the EU and the UK government.

Six years ago David Cameron told the electorate to vote Blue and get Green. It is hard to see any evidence of him honouring that declaration.

Robert Craig

The Saxish Home Rule League

English Votes on English Laws (Evel) is meaningless. It does not answer the West Lothian question.

Clive Lavelle of the English Democrats had this letter published in the Western Daily Press on November 14th.  He points out the inadequacy of English Votes on English Laws.

Evel is not answer to British problem.

I am no fan of the idea of relaxing Sunday trading restrictions.

However, a government proposal to do just that in England has been scuppered by none other than the Scottish National Party.

It feared that if the proposal were implemented, wages in Scotland might be driven down.

This demonstrates two things. The first is that SNP politicians in the UK parliament are there, not for the benefit of the UK, but for that of Scotland. Secondly, English Votes on English Laws (Evel) is meaningless. Despite this being an England-only issue, the Scots blew it out of the water.

This is because Evel is entirely negative. Under Evel, British MPs sitting for English constituencies can only veto legislation affecting England alone. It does not prevent Scottish MPs vetoing such legislation.

Evel has been billed as the answer to the English (aka the West Lothian) question. It clearly is not. Only an English parliament can answer that question.

Clive Lavelle.

Weston-super-Mare English Democrats.

I recall that the SNP once had a policy of voting in the Westminster Parliament only when an issue impacted on Scotland.  Now it seems policies in England on matters ranging from fox-hunting to Sunday trading have, in the SNP's view, an effect on people in Scotland.  The reason for this change of thought by the SNP is understandable and obvious.  In order to further their cause of independence they are determined to interfere, whenever the opportunity arises, in the domestic affairs of England and cause as much disruption, mischief and annoyance to English political decision making as possible.  I say bring on independence - English independence!

Beacon Batch and Black Down on the Mendip Hills in Somerset. Their link with the Bristol Blitz of 1940/41.

Beacon Batch on Black Down is, at 1068 feet, the highest point in the Mendip Hills. 

The most convenient place from which to approach Black Down is the car park adjacent to Burrington Ham on the B3134.  Cross the road, with care, and make your way left, then take the track to your right which goes past Ellick House and leads on to a gate which gives access to the northern slopes of Black Down.

I usually follow the diagonal path up towards Beacon Batch and the trig point.  This route is easier going but takes time: I find I am forever stopping to enjoy the magnificent view - carrying binoculars is recommended!

Black Down is crossed by a number of footpaths so an OS map is handy if you prefer walking and exploring rather than taking in the spectacular scenery.

Black Down viewed from Burrington Ham.

The link to the Bristol Blitz of 1940/41.

The first heavy raid on Bristol occurred on the night of 23rd/24th November 1940.  Subsequently, over the next six months, the city was frequently targeted by the Germans.

As part of Bristol's air defence system Black Down was chosen as a "Starfish" site: an area laid out with suitably lit fires and lighting to simulate a city under night bombing attack.  It was hoped that such sites would decoy Luftwaffe bomber crews away from their real target.  Those hopes were realised at the end of 1940 when the first bombs fell on Black Down and in the following January the site attracted over 1,000 incendiaries. The nearby Starfish sites at Chew Magna and Downside also proved successful.

My late mother described the site on Black Down in action as: " looking very pretty, just like twinkling fairy lights".  Twelve years old in 1940, she spent most of the next decade staying with relatives at Lye Hole and Redhill, just north of the Mendips, and with a fine view of Black Down.  She and my grandparents had the roof of their home in South Bristol badly damaged by a "near miss" early on in the Bristol Blitz.  It was fortunate that my grandmother came from a farming family with a spacious farmhouse in Lye Hole where safe refuge was at hand.


The view north from Black Down. Blagdon Lake is in the foreground with the village of Butcombe just beyond.  Bristol can be seen to the top left, most of the city is hidden by Dundry Hill.   

Saved by the Russians?

Between August 1940 and June 1941 Bristol was the fifth most heavily bombed city in Britain.  In late spring of 1941 the heaviest raids were over as the Luftwaffe's bomber groups began moving east in preparation for the German invasion of Russia.  From the autumn of 1941 the Germans faced determined and steadily mounting Russian resistance.  Under increasing pressure the Luftwaffe was never again able to gather enough bombers to mount air assaults on England of the same scale as 1940/41.

The EVEL debate. The English Democrats are happy! Robin Tilbrook in the Western Daily Press.

Robin Tilbrook, Chairman of the English Democrats, was published in the letters column of the Western Daily Press on the 26th October.

England campaign is starting to bear fruit.

The English Democrats are happy to hear that many Conservative MPs reported in yesterday's debate being inundated with demands for an English Parliament. This shows that our long campaign for England (and also the over 30 million leaflets which we have delivered so far) is bearing fruit.

The English Democrats are the only English Nationalist Party.

We are confident that once EVEL fails to deliver a proper voice for England, the only remaining possibility within a continuing UK will be a fully Federal English Parliament, First Minister and Government with at least the same powers as the Scottish ones. If that isn't delivered soon then the already rising demand for English Independence will grow rapidly.

 

We are also pleased that there is absolutely no popular demand or democratic mandate for “devolution” within England AKA “Regions” or “Northern Powerhouses”.

 

Robin Tilbrook

Chairman,

The English Democrats


It is interesting to note that all nine of Somerset's MPs supported EVEL in the Parliamentary debate on the 22nd of October.  Of Bristol's four MPs, Charlotte Leslie was amongst the Ayes while Kerry McCarthy was with the Noes, Thangam Debbonaire and Karin Smyth did not vote.

George Monbiot suggests the "rewilding" of our National Parks. Pumas, lynxes, wolves and even bears to be reintroduced to the English countryside?

As recently suggested by editorial comments in both the Western Morning News and Western Daily Press, George Monbiot's idea of "rewilding" and reforesting our National Parks is not without merit.  I certainly would not be opposed to re-establishing forests. They have been, and still are, part of the traditional English landscape.

However, Mr Monbiot's idea of reintroducing lynxes, wolves and possibly bears does seem a little impractical now that England is one of the most densely populated countries in the world and the population of Britain as a whole is now heading for 74 million.  When the British lynx died out in around 700AD the population of Anglo Saxon England was about 2 million.  Bears survived until the10th century when the population of England was still about 2 million.   At around the start of the 16th century, the wolf became extinct in England when the population was 3 million having reached 5 or 6 million at the end of the 13th century only to be devastated by the Black Death.

If the bear, wolf and lynx could not co-exist alongside the very much smaller populations of past centuries then it is difficult to see how they could do so now.

This letter in the Western Morning News on the 29th of October reflects my view.

No room for lynx in overcrowded island.

David Cameron recently announced he is launching a “crusade” for a million new homes by 2020. Lord Adonis, the new National Infrastructures Commission chairman, says that 40 towns and cities in southern England must double in size even if it means building on the Green Belt. Eighty-four bishops from the Church of England have called for the Government to take in 50,000 refugees from war ravaged Syria – they will all need housing. Clearly the urbanisation of the English landscape will proceed apace as a necessary consequence of such campaigning. Now I read that the veteran environmentalist George Monbiot wants to reintroduce lynxes to our National Parks, (WMN, October 18). If Mr Monbiot’s “shy and secretive” creatures need a tranquil and spacious countryside in which to make their home I doubt they will find anywhere to their liking on this increasingly overcrowded island of ours.

S.W.

Ilminster