For years, the council was indecisive as to the use of the house many proposals suggested, none implemented. Offered for auction in the late 1920’s but failed to reach the reserve. The council received an offer above the reserve after the auction but declined to accept it.

The garden was maintained by two gardeners from the parks department was a popular family recreation area. A haven and place of rest and respite for weary folk who climbed up the steep hill (Beach Road) from Babbacombe beach before continuing on their homeward journey. Watched over by their mother’s toddlers picked daisies to make daisy chains a practice one hardly ever hears about these days. Older children scampering in and out of the trees the more adventurous played in the building before access denied. Elderly residents of Babbacombe recollect sitting on the level lawns or the old benches chattering amongst themselves in the late afternoons and evenings.

Left: Courtesy Mr & Mrs Biggs residents in the early 1950’s. The house let as two flats for a period was occupied on a temporary letting basis. Right; Picture courtesy of T Leaman (Glen Sannox house top right  Emma Keyes cottage The Glen middle of picture. 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.

The car park near the Cary Arms public house on Babbacombe Beach is where the house 'The Glen' once stood (demolished in 1904 now site of Babbacombe Beach car park). Right: The Glen 1860's courtesy Mr D Mason. Left: Emma Keyes gravestone St Marychurch Parish Church.

On a few occasions Queen Victoria and members of the royal family were visitors to 'The Glen’ and its resident Mrs Whitehead (bequeathed the house to her daughter Miss Emma Keyes). Mrs Whitehead used to put up her guests in ‘Glen Sannox’.

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.

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 from 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.

An olive tree planted in 2003 by top Beach Road entrance to the site is flourishing.

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.

John, Greg and Mike from Planscape contractors and Devon Tree Contractors working at the site.

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.

Installed a new fence and cleared a flight of steps near the gateway entrance Babbacombe Beach Road side of the site.  Some of the grant awarded from the Breathing Places Lottery Fund has enabled this major and necessary safety work. Alongside the perimeter of the new eastern side fence, action members planted Wild Rose (Rosa Canina) Field Maple (Acer Campestre) Spindle Tree (Euonymus europaeus) Hawthorn (Crataegus Oxyacatha) Wayfarer Tree (Viburnum Lantana) to create a wildlife corridor. This is a long-term plan by planting alongside the fence a hedgerow will be established to replace the timber fence, which has a limited lifespan.

Funded by the Big Lottery- Breathing Places the first phrase to upgrade the pathways commenced. Ian Williams from Torbay Council set the wheels in motion for British Trust Conservation Volunteers to help. Following a site meeting action group members and BTCV (‘Biscuit Tea and Coffee Volunteers’ as they jocularly nicknamed themselves)began working on the pathways in early March 2008. Thanks to Dan, Martin, Mark, Chris, Malcolm, and Anthony from BTCV for helping for those few days.

Work Continues

Action Group volunteers continue with the preparation work. 

Wooden edging installed along part of picnic path leading to the woodland walk, the pathway widened by repositioning and realigning log edging and log step. 

Picnic area strimmed and path raked, further planting out of this part of the site will be carried out in due course.

Stone edging set around Serpent lawned area edged. Two additional olive trees purchased and planted in the olive grove at the top of the beach road entrance.

Action group members some days in atrocious weather conditions installed land drainage pipes and lined the paths with a geo-textile weed proof membrane.

Bob Hill Haulage Lt delivered lorry loads of gravel (fifty tons) to the site. Dave and John (Dave the Digger) laid the 20mm to dust gravel also re-distributed large amounts of earth around the site.

Without the help of Dave and John and their heavy machinery, moving such vast quantities of material would have been impossible.

John with the aid of the digger levelled areas of soil in the picnic area. Torbay Probationary Service teams led by Barry Pitt installed the fencing, handrails, steps, bench, cleared overgrown paths and helped with the resurfacing of the pathways. Working with Dave and John, they dug a 25-metre trench for the soak away pipe to enable surface water drainage from a path near the entrance on Babbacombe Beach Road.

A vibrating roller compactor was hired to compact all the new pathway surfaces.The beach road gateway entrance area flanked by two stone pillars was levelled and gravelled. Whilst removing the top soil near the Beach Road entrance the old horse and carriage turning circle and part of a rockery were uncovered. The fence was lowered to compensate the ground height reduction and a bench installed on the seaward side. Now a part of the rediscovered history of the old house is now preserved behind the fence.

The second phase of the pathway resurfacing now completed thanks to the hard work by teams from Torbay Probationary Service led by Barry Pitt the major contributors in the completion of this phase of the project.

Greg from Plandscape contractors strimmed the site, some areas of wildflowers were left intact as habitats for insects. Later during the Autumn of 2008 there was no alternative other than to spray the Winter Heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) in the wildflower area with weed killer as it is a major problem there.

Teams from Torbay Probationary Service led by Barry Pitt dug out and constructed steps and a new level vista view area in the olive grove, installed a hardwood bench on a concrete base. Repaired sections of the stonewall. An old seat built with rocks below the olive grove was unearthed when an overgrown earth bank was cleared. they also planted thousands of additional daffodils and narcissi and a quantity of bluebells and fitted bird and bat boxes around the site.

Fitted edging boards and gravelled the stage area (eight tons) overlooking the picnic area helped by Dave the Digger. Four wood benches constructed and positioned around the site. Pathways clearance continued. Sensory garden covered with a weed proof membrane surfaced with bark chippings and planted out.

Under the bank above the sensory garden were the remains of an old outbuilding which were marked out on a 1904 map. During the years between then and 1933 it had been covered in earth and forgotten as it ceased to be marked on the later map.

On further excavation the mound of soil not only were there remains of walls, traces of plaster and possibly steps but also an old riveted iron tank with cover underneath ashes.

A path now leads into the now partially timber fenced area covered in bark chippings on top of a layer of soil and stone to preserve the remains of the building buried below.

A section of an uncovered wall has been converted into a seat. As to the building original purpose a mystery it is some distance away from where the old house once stood.

A dry stone wall at the back of the olive grove area near the Babbacombe Theatre sustained significant damage due to vandalism. Stones were removed from the wall then thrown or rolled down the slope. Anyone who happened to be walking along the pathway below could have suffered serious injuries. The stupidity of those who commit such acts and lack of forethought of the possible consequences is beyond comprehension. As with many voluntary organizations remedial work is an unnecessary drain on funds. Thanks to Barry and his teams from the Torbay Probationary Service who constructed a new wall. Hopefully the morons will cease their with their acts of stupidity now that the stones have been cemented together.

A large section of a beech tree brought down by high winds in late October 2008. Hi-line tree surgeons (Exeter) were called in by Torbay council to remove damaged section and make safe the tree. Fortunately, it just missed the top garden fence and old fig tree although it did land on a weigela and fuchsia but with pruning, they will recover.

The skills, knowledge, equipment, and work force of Torbay Council, ‘Plandscape’ contractors Torbay Probationary Service, Devon Tree Services, Dave and John (Dave the Digger) and British Conservation Trust Volunteers (BTCV) are invaluable. Without their co-operation, none of what we have achieved so far on this ongoing project would have been possible. They are at the forefront inspired by its potential. Thanks guys

Views of the site

Wildflowers.

Wildflower seeds sown in the upper garden level in 2004 produced a spectacular display.

Winter Heliotrope (Petasites fragrans) native to the Mediterranean region is rampant throughout the area. Vast amounts of this perennial have been painstakingly dug out by hand. This invasive weed continues to spread excluding the establishment of wildflowers. Our policy is minimal use of chemicals at times there is no alternative other than to spray with weed killer.

Four photographs above taken in June 2005 courtesy Kate Todd.

Why ? 

One weekend in July 2007 vandals destroyed the wattle fencing constructed by youths from Dartington Tech a few years ago, work which they were so proud of. Committing these illegal acts of anti-social behaviour create a negative impression of an area and serves no purpose whatsoever. The culprits should be ashamed of themselves!