Big Lottery Funding for The Glen Sannox Project  

The St Marychurch & District Action group were awarded a grant of £10,000 for the Glen Sannox Project in Babbacombe in 2007 from the Big Lottery Fund www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/ Breathing Places www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces  Lottery funding will enable the opportunity to drive this worthwhile project even further foreword for the benefit of all.

The action group attribute the success of the grant application to the freely given support and co-operation over the years from: Torbay Council, Torbay Council Parks Department. Plandscape Contractors, Dartington e2e, Torbay Probationary Service, British Trust Conservation Volunteers, and members of the public.

A BIG thank you to all who have helped and supported the project during these past few years.  Progress achieved to date would have been impossible without their assistance. There remains a great deal of work to be undertaken as the site covers such a large area. It is the largest project the St Marychurch & District Action Group have ever undertaken.

Location & Information.

Right: Location of Glen Sannox project Babbacombe, Torbay, South Devon, England. The site situated just below Babbacombe Theatre on Babbacombe Downs overlooks picturesque Babbacombe Bay (Lyme Bay) the land is part of the 22 miles of the English Rivera coastline. The woodland paths on Babbacombe Slopes wind there way down to Babbacombe Beach, a poplar destination for tourists and locals.

Babbacombe Cliffs a Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ).

In her journal of 1846, following her visit to Babbacombe Bay with Prince Albert Queen Victoria wrote 'It is a beautiful spot, which before we had only passed at a distance. Red cliffs and rock with wooded hills like Italy, and reminding one of a ballet or play where nymphs appear, such rocks and grottoes, with the deepest sea on which there was no ripple'

Left: Document courtesy of Plymouth & West Devon Records Office 1893 sale poster ref No's 274/1. Right: Glen Sannox 1860's courtesy Mr D Mason. 1951 courtesy Mr & Mrs Biggs.  The house part of the Babbacombe Estate built in 1820 commanded scenic coastal views of Watcombe, Teignmouth, Dawlish, and across to Portland Bill in Dorset. The name changed during its 140-year existence. Vine Cottage in 1857, The Vine in 1882, Glen Sannox by 1890 and Babbacombe Court in 1919. Proceeds from the sale of the old St Marychurch Gasworks to Torquay & Paignton Gas Company in 1926 used towards purchasing the Babbacombe Court estate by the then Torquay  orough Council in order to preserve the coastline.

Left: Courtesy Mr & Mrs Biggs residents in the early 1950’s. The house as two flats for a period was occupied on a temporary letting basis. From the late 1950’s left derelict, mullioned windows and doors covered by sheets of galvanized iron. Time and the elements took there toll, the building deteriorated and declared as structurally unsafe and demolished early in the 1960’s.

Countless properties have met a similar fate, replaced with unsympathetic structures in design and with there surroundings due to the unforgiving march of alleged progress it recognizes no boundaries. One of many fine buildings within Babbacombe and beyond, gone forever.  Memories and a piece of walling all that is left.

John Babbacombe Lee

In 1884 at the beach house called 'The Glen'  resident Miss Emma Keyes was murdered by John Lee. One of the most notorious crimes in the late nineteenth century which became world famous.

On November 15th 1884, John Lee who worked at the Glen murdered Emma Keyes ( buried in St Marychurch Parish Church ). The murder inquiry held at St Marychurch Town Hall John Lee convicted in 1885. Sentenced to hang for the murder and incarcerated in Exeter Prison he survived three attempts via the hangman’s noose to execute him. Each time the apparatus failed to function instead he was committed to a life sentence. Thereafter known as ‘John Babbacombe Lee the Man They Could Not Hang.' and a place in history. Released in 1907, he became a celebrity, two years later disappeared into obscurity.

 Comprehensive insight of Babbacombe's history written and researched by UK historian Ian Waugh logon: www.murderresearch.com/

John 'Babbacombe' Lee 'The Man They Could Not Hang' Hardback book written by Mike Holgate & Ian David Waugh published by Sutton Publishing in February 2005.

"Babbacombe" Lee Fairport Convention ( Island released in 1971 ) and the many published books portray him as John Babbacombe Lee 'The Man They Could Not Hang'.

This event and its link with Glen Sannox and the many personalities connected with the area Baroness Mount-Temple, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Oscar Wilde could be included in a history interpretation board for the garden.

We would appreciate old photographs, postcards; early or late holiday photographs which will then be copied ( returned to sender if requested ) any personal recollections for display on a history interpretation board to be erected in a prominent position within this public garden. Please contact:

jml@stmarychurchdag.wanadoo.co.uk or publicity@stmarychurchdag.co.uk

Project Aims.

The project will create a secure and exciting recreational area not only for children for people of all ages. Providing a safe, educational, activity, picnic nature area for children and adults in what is already a Greenfield area of outstanding natural beauty. The area offers wonderful natural facilities for children to play and be adventurous in a safe healthy environmentally friendly activity area. An ideal rest and picnic area for groups whilst on adventure walks along the South-West Coastal Path. Children of all ages will have the opportunity of freedom of expression in many forms through play, creativity, imagination, interaction and exercise. At an age uninhibited and unaffected by the real world part of the learning curve deriving confidence for later years. Public both local and visitors, schools, groups accompanied by their teachers, youth leadersand visitors with their children would benefit from learning about native trees, wild flowers and wildlife. The sites geology as part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest ( SSSI ) is important as the cliff section is inverted displaying interesting structural features.  .

Note: Not all of the pathsways on the slopes which lead down to Babbacome Beach are part of the Glen Sannox project,.

Those with sight impairments will be able to participate in the tactile features along with sensory aspects of wild flowers, cultivated plants, and shrubs. Along with sea views, grassed picnic area plus many more access via the woodland pathways down to the beach all excellent opportunities for nature studies and educational purposes. This aspect will be encouraged and enhanced by the sighting of interpretation signs explaining the diversity of the flora and fauna and history associated to the area.

Project Begins

The project began in 2003 after negotiations with Torbay Council. Mr Andy Froggatt Parks Officer for Torbay Council arranged for contractors to begin the mammoth clearance task to enable access for volunteers to commence work. This took almost four weeks!

Barry Pitt and his teams from the Torbay Probationary Service dug out the dangerous mud steps that originally lead down into the upper garden ( top left ) Replaced them with gravel filled wooden edged steps and handrail ( bottom left ).  They re-built a section of a large stone retaining wall on the upper garden level, which had collapsed ( top right )  Re-enforced another wall with a buttress and constructed a new timber fence on the seaward side of the site ( bottom right ).

Ron and Dartington Tech youth teams built a reinforcing wall alongside the new main steps a dry stonewall, prepared new pathways additional step with handrail to the path that continues down to the next level.

Two original park benches similar to one in the garden restored and delivered by an action group member re-assembled on concrete plinths. Torbay Grounds maintenance contractors cleared the mass of brambles and weeds covering the proposed picnic and children’s activity area on the next level of the garden.

Barry and the Torbay Probationary Service delivered and positioned on concrete plinths two large old park benches re-furbished, in their workshop. One in upper garden and one on the vista overlooking the picnic area constructed handrail for the steps to vista and new steps from the picnic area onto the coastal path.

Dartington Tech youth teams continued the weed clearance, stonewall repairs, constructed a wattle fence along the perimeter of the picnic site, and laid stone edging for the new pathway.

The commitment by these young people from the commencement of the project, and their hard work was a major factor in achieving the beginnings of the transformation a credit to their generation an inspiration to all.

Torbay Council contracted tree surgeons to fell three unsafe oak trees from cliff above the picnic area increasing the light and views. The logs lowered down the cliff neatly stacked for recycling used for pathway edging throughout the project. ( When sponsorship or funds become available we would like to resurface the pathways ).

Logs laid on there side or sunken upright into the ground simple yet effective seating ( for hobbits ). Others used to create log car and cannons or carved into tactile sculptures, serpent, and a fish. Additional static creations will be constructed in due course providing children with an imaginative and stimulating play area.

An integral part of the development is recycling of natural and renewable materials stones, logs, green waste etc.

Ian Williams of Torbay Council is providing valuable expertise and advising on implementing play strategies for children and young people.

Utilising natural resources will encourage children to learn and appreciate the environment also how they can contribute to sustain it. Torbay Council funded the construction and installation of a notice board.

Torbay Probationary Service funded by Torbay Council built a fence with handrail for steps from Babbacombe Beach Road leading down onto a path and a fence along the top garden parallel with the notice board.

The olive tree planted in 2003 by the beach road top entrance has flourished.

Three more were planted in this year (March 2007) one failed, however, the purchase and planting of more olive trees and installation of a seat among them is planned to create a small grove, thanks to Lottery Funding.

With the help of teams from British Trust for Conservation Volunteers ( BTCV ) led by Mike Newby new pathways were laid, Hawthorn hedge-laying, site clearing, compost bins, fencing and a much more work in all areas of the project.

Barry and teams from the Torbay Probationary Service constructed a new timber fence on the eastern side of the picnic area overlooking Babbacombe pier, a section of fencing for the stage vista and a handrail for the steps, which lead out onto the coastal path.