Home » Blog » diary » Jane Banks, a poem and the Tavistock Inn, Dartmoor.

Jane Banks, a poem and the Tavistock Inn, Dartmoor.

The marine painting of “Jane Banks entering Bermuda” (see page http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/jane_banks_entering.html) has inspired a painting poem!   Poem__Memories_forever.JPG

I am delighted and honoured to find my painting has inspired a poem now an addition to the beautiful music of Bob Brennan.

The request for a marine print of “Jane Banks”  also brought about a rare chance to meet a descendant of one of the captains of “Jane Banks“.

Richard Brenton finding my 2 paintings of Jane Banks via the internet on this web site, had asked for a copy of  “Jane Banks entering Bermuda” framed and with a remarque (shown here)  to be a gift for his mother.  Remarque_IMG_6421_d.jpg

You may recall, the schooner FRAU MINNA PETERSON, built at Portmadoc, North Wales, later JANE BANKS of Fowey, Cornwall, later VIIR was built as a general purpose trading vessel?

Jane Banks achieved modest fame by becoming one of the last 2 British square riggers to trade with out an engine, running mate to the renowned Waterwitch http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/waterwitch.html

Jane Banks was also the last British engineless square rigger to trade “foreign”, hence the 2 paintings of her leaving Fowey and entering Bermuda.

You can read much of the sea story of Jane Banks by following the links from the web site pages.

She is also mentioned in old copies of the journal “Sea Breezes” (still publishing see http://www.seabreezes.co.im/) as is Waterwitch and in several books about merchant schooners.

Maybe you can add a tale or two?

Richard went further and generously suggested we meet at “his place” and have lunch together.

Normally this is not possible.

This time though the distance from Plymouth was not to far and the venue irresistible.

Richard suggested it would be fun to meet and that I visit him “at work“.

At work being the historic 14th century Tavistock Inn, Poundgate, Dartmoor (near Ashburton, follow the old coaching road towards Princetown) and what a meeting it turned out to be!  Dartmoor_IMG_6414_wp.jpg

(Devon, TQ13 7NY ~ Tel: 01364631251 ~ www.tavi-inn.co.uk).

Before I forget, “Jane Banks entering Bermuda” is now available as a marine print, signed, numbered, time limited edition.

Now Jane Banks and Waterwitch are both published, they make a fabulous and historic pair of pictures, worthy of any meaningful collection.

You can enjoy a copy, quickly and easily, securely using PayPal from page  http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html

or pay bank to bank or send a cheque.

I was lucky with beautiful light while driving over the wild heights and into the narrow laned valleys of Dartmoor (England’s largest wilderness and a National Park).

Care is needed on Dartmoor, not just because of the very slippery November roads and wiggly lanes, because of the numerous animals loose on the moor including the famous Dartmoor ponies.

Consequently it took longer than expected to reach the Tavistock Inn however Richard’s hospitality was as immediate and warm as the Inn is cosy and intimate.  Dartmoor_IMG_6416_wp.jpg

I was introduced to several of Richard’s friends and sat beside a large open fire where we sampled good English and Cornish beers (not toooo much I was to drive back to Plymouth!) and we enjoyed a splendid home cooked steak pie with all the trimmings.

Our converstion was wide ranging with Richard kindly presenting me with his poem (see above) and generously with now rare copies of “The Merchant Schooners” volumes 1 & 2,  by Basil Greenhill 1968 edition, being a portrait of a long vanished industry formally of great significance to the ports of England and Wales.

A little about the Tavistock Inn

The Tavistock Inn was built on the road between Ashburton and Tavistock, hundreds of years before Princetown existed.

On a cold winter’s day it would have been a long and arduous 20-mile journey across the Moor on foot or horseback, difficult to imagine in the warmth and comfort of a car.

The Inn was therefore an important refuge and meeting place, as it still is today.
One of England’s oldest pubs, The Tavistock Inn dates back to about 1413 when New Bridge (at the bottom of the hill on the way to Ashburton) was built.

The bridge was “new” when it was built – hence its name – and so was the pub, a welcome stop for weary travellers who had just climbed Newbridge Hill.
Little has changed, for good beer, wines, spirits and soft drinks – including a fine selection of real ales – are still dispensed to visitors from near and far, together with some of the best pub food you’ll find in Devon, with local produce being used when available.
The strangest guest to visit the “Tavi” must have been Old Nick himself -yes, the Devil!

The story goes that in 1638, while on his way to knock down the tower of Widecombe Church and claim a poor soul called Jan Reynolds, he dropped in for a drink.

The poem on the wall beside the top fireplace tells the tale.
A few years later, in 1646 during the English Civil War, some Roundhead gunners were billeted at the pub and they left one of their cannon balls behind in the beer garden.
One of the more conventional guest, around the end of the 19″ century was Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, who stayed at the Inn while he wrote the “Hound of the Baskervilles“.

Fancy a visit to The Tavistock Inn? ~ Tel: 01364631251 ~ www.tavi-inn.co.uk
So, if you’re looking for a traditional pub, serving good beer and food – and full of character(s) -you’ve found it at Poundsgate!

Jane Banks entering Bermuda” is now available as a marine print, signed, numbered, time limited edition.

Now Jane Banks and Waterwitch are both published, they make a fabulous and historic pair of pictures, worthy of any meaningful collection.

You can order a copy, quickly and easily, securely using PayPal from page  http://www.frickers.co.uk/prints.html

or pay bank to bank or send a cheque.