Navigate Sharpham’s river heritage and enjoy a fascinating day out in South Devon

Find out about Sharpham's history and explore the Grade 1-listed house and gardens at our Discovering Sharpham Heritage day.

Join us for a packed day of talks, tours, music by Devon's award-winning folk musician Jim Causley and delicious Sharpham food in the majestic 18th Palladian villa overlooking the River Dart.

Sharpham's links to the River Dart

This year's Discovering Sharpham Heritage Day will focus on the links between Sharpham and the beautiful River Dart, on which we sit.

We will be discussing the river's connection between Dartmoor, Totnes and Dartmouth, and grand riverside villas including Greenway & Sandridge Park.

You'll tour Sharpham House as if it were the River Dart, flowing through its principal rooms to experience talks and discussions with history experts.

There's performance of music and poetry, plus the option to join a river walk. The day includes a chance to sample Sharpham's cheese over a delicious lunch.

This day, which runs from 9.30am until 4pm, is for you if you are:

• Interested in history and keen to learn more about local heritage
• Looking for an exclusive tour around Sharpham House and its gardens
• Wanting to taste the award-winning Sharpham cheese over lunch
• Looking for a fascinating and varied day out

Contributors include:

Dr Tom Greeves – a Dartmoor and Dartmoor tinworking historian and author.

Jim Causley – an award-winning Devonshire folk singer, described in national media as "spearheading the West Country folk revival" and "the finest singer of his generation". He has been nominated for the BBC Radio 2 Folk

Awards six times, and has a great interest in Devonshire history. At Sharpham he will be singing 'The Earl of Totnes', about a Champerknowne of Dartington and playing Devonshire tunes throughout the day at various venues.

Jill Drysdale –archivist and researcher for Totnes Museum Archives at the Museum in Totnes.

Gail Ham - Chair of the Dartmouth History Research Group, currently

researching life in Dartmouth at the time of the visit of the Mayflower and Speedwell; 18th century privateering and the fallen of both the First and Second World Wars.

Dr Rosemary Yallop - an architectural and cultural historian specialising in domestic British architecture of the 19th century. A writer and lecturer, she works for the Oxford University Department of Continuing Education and for the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and is a Trustee and Vice-Chairman of the Georgian Group. She lives on the east bank of the Dart and has recently been researching aspects of Sharpham’s history.

Sandy Howard - a National Trust volunteer and room guide at Bradley Manor in Newton Abbot and Greenway on the River Dart, where she leads weekly garden tours at Greenway and continues to research and promote the historical development of the estate.

Valerie Belsey - Valerie has been researching the life and times of Philemon Pownoll of Sharpham for the last couple of years and has written extensively on Devonshire's green lanes. On the day, she will read extracts from some poems associated with the Dart from medieval to modern times.

Lynette Gribble - Lynette was a Sharpham Trustee from 2000 – 2011 and Chair for 4 of those years. She then formed a Heritage Group to uncover Sharpham’s history, and developed the Sharpham Archive.

Chris Nicholls - Chris was the Director of the Sharpham Trust for 18 years, until his retirement in 2014. He is now part of the Trust's Heritage Group, helping to preserve our history.

“This is going to be a fascinating day full of rich local history,” said Katy McBean, Archive Coordinator of The Sharpham Trust.

“And it’s a rare chance to see inside Sharpham House with authorative experts on hand, who’ll answer questions on the day.

“We’re using the idea of the River Dart as a way of flowing through Sharpham House, so visitors will visit the principal rooms of the building as if they’re travelling down the river – its ingenious!”

Katy added that people who have memories, stories and artefacts about Sharpham and the River Dart are welcome to share them on the day.

“There are so many things that we’re learning about Sharpham and its setting on the Dart, but there are so many more gaps to fill in – we’d love to hear from anyone who might have stories and items to share with us.”

More information and how to book

Tickets are £21 in advance only. To buy, visit www.sharphamtrust.org/calendar or call 01803 732542

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Further information and high-resolution photography from:

Katie Tokus, Marketing & Communications Officer, on marketing@sharphamtrust.org

Tel: 01803 732708

The Sharpham Trust connects people with nature and fosters mindfulness and well-being through our programme of retreats, mindfulness courses, outdoor learning and the arts. At the heart of the Trust ethos is our desire to build a more mindful, compassionate and environmentally sustainable world.

The Trust is home to Retreats at Sharpham, Sharpham Wine & Cheese, The Barn Retreat Centre, Sharpham Meadow Natural Burial Ground and a programme underpinned by nature connection and the practice of mindfulness. Sharpham House is also a wedding venue and we hire out our Bathing House on the River Dart for holidays.

The Trust is an educational charity based in and conserving Sharpham House and the 550-acre Sharpham Estate on a stunning three-mile stretch of the River Dart.

Sharpham House is a Grade-1 listed Georgian Palladian villa, set in a landscape designed by Capability Brown, featuring an 18^th century walled garden and ornamental grounds.

See our events here: www.sharphamtrust.org/Calendar