Step back in time with our ‘Then and Now’ feature, where vintage postcards from the Barry Cuff Collection meet modern-day reality. Explore the past and present on the same page, and see the evolution of familiar local places. ‘Now’ images by Courtenay Hitchcock
Paris House originally stood at the corner of High Street and Station Road (left of the picture). It was a three-storey specialist outfitters, drapers and milliners owned by the Pitman family (Thomas and George). Part of the building remains as the adjacent newsagents. The remainder was demolished to make way for the National Provincial Bank, below, which was later the town’s library.Neither of the original postcards were posted, so we don’t have a date. However, the three-letter car number plates tell us that it is later than 1932.
The bank, above, is Grade II Listed, built in 1900 to the designs of Sir George Oatley for the Stuckey Banking Company Ltd, a major West Country bank which at one time had a banknote circulation second only to the Bank of England. Stuckey’s was acquired by Parr’s Bank in 1909, which merged in 1919 with London County & Westminster Bank.
Tucked away in the tiny hamlet of Lower Chicksgrove (10 miles north east of Shaftesbury, a mile off the A30), The Compasses Inn is a gentle rebuff to the homogenised modern pub scene. With no passing traffic (unless you count the occasional sheep), this genuinely hidden gem is well worth going out of your way for. In fact, even if you do go looking for it, you may well drive straight past if you’re not careful.
The Compasses Inn, Lower Chicksgrove, from the road – just walk through that heavy oak door under the red roofed porch. The building on the right is now Plum Cottage, the pub’s self-catering cottage which sleeps four. Above the pub are four bedrooms – three doubles and a larger family room. Image: Courtenay Hitchcock, The BV
Stepping into The Compasses feels like a brush with time travel – I suspect a customer from 1863 wouldn’t feel too out of place if they managed a timeslip into 2025. The dimly lit interior, ancient beams and well-worn flagstone floors exude a sense of continuity that has likely remained unchanged for centuries. But it’s no pastiche of Ye Old Inne: whether you’re enjoying a candlelit dinner or tucking into breakfast as sunlight filters through leaded windows, the ambience is just comfortingly constant – creaking, warm and steeped in quiet history.
The Compasses Inn interior is quirky and characterful, even for breakfast on a bright sunny morning. Image: Laura Hitchcock, The BV
Food that understands the assignment
As you might expect from the son of restaurant critic royalty Fay Maschler, owner Ben oversees a menu that’s a quiet masterclass in understated excellence: classic dishes with just the right amount of flair. We began with a more-than-generous portion of pâté, velvety smooth and light as air, accompanied by a very good red onion marmalade. And yes, the pate portion was enormous – but when it’s this good, that’s hardly a complaint. The grilled goat’s cheese was equally generous, toasty warm with a creamy centre, accompanied by a well-balanced, texture-filled salad. A fruity dressing on the leaves (perhaps from that blood orange) might have taken it to the next level, but it was already delicious.
The Compasses Inn’s Sunday Roast: pork with apple sauce, and the rare roast beef with the greatest horseradish, accompanied by those huge yorkshires
As it was Sunday, roasts were a must – served from noon through to 8pm. The pork was a highlight: tender, flavourful and crowned with perfect crackling. The beef – very rare, deeply savoury and utterly tender – ran it close. Both came with a generous heap of vegetables and a Yorkshire pudding so large it veered into stunt-baking territory. Sadly, it leaned dry: a smaller version which was fluffy and soft would have served us better. The horseradish sauce deserves a special mention – properly hot, but with so much depth and flavour. Courtenay declared it the best he’s ever eaten.
Dessert was a triumph and the absolute star of the night: a sticky date, apricot and walnut sponge that arrived warm and spiced. We’d braced for indulgent heaviness but were met with a surprisingly light, fragrant delight – drenched in sauce, paired with a proper dollop of cream. We’re still talking about it.
Eat, then sleep
If you’re making a night of it (and we thoroughly recommend you do), the rooms are just steps away. Above the pub are four bedrooms – three doubles and a larger family room. We stayed in the self-contained Plum Cottage which adjoins the main building, just outside the front door. It has a spacious, open-plan living area with woodburner and TV (no live channels, but excellent WiFi and every streaming platform you might want), a fully equipped kitchen, and up the stairs to two cosy singles, a spacious double and a smart bathroom. The contrast with the ancient pub couldn’t be starker – bright, minimalist and stylish, with the gentle Danish touch of Ben’s wife evident in the clean lines and calm tones.
Inside Plum Cottage. Images: Courtenay Hitchcock, The BV
It was peacefully quiet until about 2am, when a noisy rook drama kicked off in the trees nearby – nothing too disruptive, just a reminder that you’re deep in the countryside. A peek into the rooms above the pub revealed the same blend of character and comfort, with light, fresh decor that lets the bones of the building speak.
Worth the detour
In a world of copy-paste refurbishments, The Compasses Inn stands firm – a pub with soul, run with care, and the rare ability to make you instantly feel at home. It may be off the beaten path, but that only adds to its charm. Great food, thoughtful accommodation, and a proper night’s sleep – what more could you want?
Brownsea Island welcomes thousands of birds and visitors every year. Jonny Owen, Brownsea ranger explains how Dorset Wildlife Trust is stewarding this precious natural environment for future generations and introduces The Lookout, a brand new wildlife observatory with stunning views across the Lagoon.
Adult sandwich tern flying over Brownsea Lagoon, showing its characteristic yellow bill tip or ‘butter from its sandwich’
Brownsea Island’s nature designations include Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA), and it is on the Ramsar List (the list of Wetlands of International Importance, the world’s largest network of protected areas). It is also part of the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve (NNR). Behind these bewildering acronyms lies a more rousing truth: a deep collective desire and pledge to protect this natural paradise. In the early 1960s, Helen Brotherton, CBE BEM Dorset Wildlife Trust’s late founder, sailed her boat to Brownsea to explore, and immeidately recognised the importance of Brownsea’s lagoon to birds such as dunlin, curlew and redshank. Helen set to work mobilising partners like the National Trust as well as the local Poole townspeople to fundraise, successfully outbidding prospective developers to protect Brownsea – which became Dorset Wildlife Trust’s first nature reserve. In the 1850s, Colonel Waugh built Brownsea’s lagoon wall with more than a million bricks, encircling St Andrew’s Bay to increase his beef cattle pasture. The first world war meant there was little appetite for repairs when the seawall breached in 1916, flooding the cow’s pasture. This happy accident started the quiet transformation of 80 acres into prime brackish lagoon, reedbed, and saltmarsh – a rich mosaic to host a bewitching assemblage of birds. Typical spring surveys boast 40 or more different wetland species, some of which are present in their thousands: in February this year I counted more than 4,300 dunlin! Brownsea is vital for overwintering and breeding birds alike. It is the only part of Poole Harbour, which is non-tidal, meaning winter visitors can feed on exposed mud even at high tide, and in summer, nests will not be washed out. Its wall offers shelter and its position within Poole Harbour brings prime fishing opportunities.
Close to the drama We count every bird on the lagoon weekly – also the eggs, nests and young in the breeding season, giving us data reaching back more than fifty years. In 1972, just five sandwich terns were recorded: by 1979, a whopping 320 birds heralded the future. We saw a steady upward trend in numbers until a record of 509 sandwich terns was recorded in 2020 – I remember the excitement of that day! From the Tern Hide, visitors can enjoy the closest views of breeding sandwich terns in the country, witnessing the air drops of sand eels to hungry chicks, the aerial acrobats and the deafening melodrama of the tern colony has inspired many young minds towards a career in conservation. Thanks to the generosity of our members and supporters, we are extending the breeding islands, making more space for the birds. Further around the lagoon is a brand new wildlife observatory, The Fine Foundation Lookout, which will welcome its first visitors when Brownsea re-opens on Saturday 15 March 2025.
The building is nestled among trees and has been constructed using sustainable materials designed to weather over time and soften into the natural setting of the Lagoon. From its elevated position, visitors will have spectacular views of the many birds which nest and feed on the lagoon. The Lookout is part of the Wild Brownsea project in partnership with National Trust. It was partly funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with generous contributions from The Fine Foundation, National Trust and of course Dorset Wildlife Trust members and supporters. The aim of the Wild Brownsea project is to make the natural heritage of Brownsea more accessible for people of all ages and backgrounds and has included the construction of boardwalks, improved access to the bird hides and outreach and engagement work with many local community groups. Brian Bleese, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s chief executive, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome visitors to The Lookout where they can immerse themselves in the rich birdlife of Brownsea Lagoon and discover more about the island’s remarkable wildlife. The building’s innovative design allows visitors to truly connect with nature. Despite the challenges of building in such a remote location, with all materials needing to be transported to the island by boat, the dedication of our contractors, Townsend Timber, and project team turned this exciting vision into reality and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone for their hard work and commitment.’
The historic view across Colonol Waugh’s cow pasture towards Brownsea Castle, before the 1916 breach in the sea wall which created what is now a wildlife-rich lagoon
Brownsea Island will be open daily from 15 March to 2 Nov 2025, 10am to 5pm. More information is available at nationaltrust.org.uk/brownsea-island Find out more about the Wild Brownsea project here: dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildbrownsea
The scent, the colour, the folklore … wildlife writer Jane Adams says wild garlic isn’t just food for the table, it’s a tonic for the end-of-winter soul
A feast for winter-weary eyes – the lush, thick green of fresh wild garlic, glowing in the watery March sunshine. image: Laura Hitchcock
Two things hit you when you step into a wood full of wild garlic: the sharp, pungent scent and the lush, almost irresistible colour that makes you want to dive right in. Each March, I visit a wood just like this. Brown hares lollop lazily around its edges, and one year, a roe deer passed so close I heard its vapourous breath. These places hold a magical quality – calm and quiet, and a world away from the rush of our modern lives. In a few weeks, the wild garlic’s starburst blooms and bluebells’ drooping bells will overwhelm these fresh leaves. But for now, before the flowers appear, it’s the perfect place to recharge a winter-weary mind and body with a generous dose of green. It’s probably no surprise to learn that wild garlic, as well as a useful source of food, has a long history of medicinal uses. At one time, it was used to support heart health, lower blood pressure and improve circulation. Rich in sulphur compounds, it shares many of the same benefits as cultivated garlic, though milder. Herbalists also used it as a natural antibiotic and remedy for colds, digestive issues and skin conditions – a perfect way to purify the blood after the harsh winter months. Wild garlic goes by all sorts of names. You’ll often hear it called ransoms, but also bear’s garlic, gypsy’s onion and stinking nanny (which seems a bit harsh on the nannies!). In Dorset, people believed it either scared off or attracted the Devil, earning it the name devil’s posy. Its powerful, almost otherworldly fragrance likely helped fuel these folklores, giving wild garlic a bit of a mysterious air.
Once the wild garlic blooms, Dorset’s oldest woodlands will be thickly carpeted with vast swathes of the fireworks of white flowers
Foragers love its edible leaves, which pack a real punch of garlicky flavour. It has a long season – four to five months – so you don’t have to rush out and start picking, but they’re best picked before the flowers bloom, usually from late February to early April, as the leaves turn more bitter once the flowers show up. Me? I’m all for just leaving it be. Just the sight of its deep unspoiled lushness is enough to purify my sluggish winter blood. And don’t worry, you won’t forget its scent in a hurry. The smell of crushed wild garlic is likely to linger with you for days – even weeks – when it is caught on the soles of your boots. Leave your wellies in your car, and every time you pop to the shops or dash for the school run, you’ll get a little whiff of that green goodness all over again.
Did you know …
The Latin name for wild garlic, Allium ursinum, comes from the word ursa, meaning bear. This is down to the fact that brown bears dig up and eat the bulbs in the wild, leading to one of the plant’s common names, bear’s garlic. If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise … but it won’t be a bear!
From rehabilitating traumatised animals to pioneering equine thermography, Diana has spent a lifetime learning their language – and teaching others to listen
Diana Robinson, an advanced equine thermographer and equine masseur in Dorset, has developed the Equus Soul Technique
Diana Robinson’s life has always revolved around horses. Born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) ‘too many years ago,’ as she puts it, she grew up on a farm with a father who loved playing polo and who owned racehorses. She was placed on a horse as soon as she could sit up at eight months old, and from that moment, she has never wanted to get off. Her childhood was both idyllic and tragic. At almost five years old, she witnessed the devastating effects of a freak polo accident on her father. ‘A ball struck his horse between the eyes, dropping it at full gallop and leaving him with a spinal injury. While not immediately paralysed, he collapsed months later. At the same time, Diana’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. She died while her husband was in hospital, leaving Diana and her siblings to be raised by their grandparents until her father returned home seven months later. Horses remained a constant source of solace and joy. She was home-schooled for a year, then went to boarding school at seven, but credits her father’s polo ponies as her greatest teachers. Her upbringing was one of independence and resilience: ‘When you’re never told to be frightened of something … you aren’t,’ she says. By her teenage years, she was working at a stud and a racing yard and teaching children to ride.
Diana, aged 6, riding one of her Dad’s polo ponies in Zimbabwe
War and espionage As Rhodesia entered its bush war in the 1970s, Diana sought to become an equine vet in the UK. But as a woman, she found doors firmly closed – no one would consider her for large animal work. Returning home, her father encouraged her to join the newly established Rhodesian Women’s Services. After the six-week initiation, it was recommended she join the equine division, which she refused, feeling it was inappropriate at her age to try and teach men to go into battle. Instead, she entered a top-secret signals intelligence unit, where she spent more than three years working in Ciphers and learning about espionage.
In the Rhodesian army with her husband, 1978
Discovering the healing power of horses Marriage took Diana to South Africa, where her work with equine therapy began in earnest. In Johannesburg, she was asked to take charge of the early days of the Riding for the Disabled unit. She worked alongside leading professors from Onderstepoort, the only institution in South Africa offering a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. ‘I definitely regretted not training as a vet,’ she says, ‘but I found something I loved – the healing side of working with horses. Having had a father in a wheelchair, I instinctively understood. It was fascinating to see how much horses could help disabled people gain independence.’ She began experimenting, bringing in off-the-track under-performing Thoroughbreds. ‘People asked what on earth I thought I was doing,’ she says. ‘Thoroughbreds? For therapy? But the ones that don’t perform that well on the track generally have the most incredible temperament – and it was that temperament, intelligence and sensitivity I was after for therapy work. And it was successful. It really really worked.’ One of her most memorable experiences was with Neil, a 33-year-old man with autism who had never spoken: ‘Someone from the Johannesburg Autistic Society told me, “I don’t want to knock your enthusiasm, but I don’t think you’ll manage what you’re setting out to do.” But I thought, nothing ventured, nothing gained! So I worked with Neil. He was very aggressive initially, but soon began to enjoy the attention. He would come to see the horses but refused to touch them. After I encouraged him to touch and hug trees, he got braver, but even that took some time. After a few months, I got him into the saddle. He was very nervous at first, but we all encouraged him. After a few months of riding once a week, he came to the arena with a more positive attitude. He clambered into the saddle with help, a mile-wide smile crossed his face, and he gave me the thumbs up. He began to trust me. We’d been working patiently with Neil for 17 months, when one morning he indicated I should stop. Looking back at him, I asked, “What do you want, Neil?” He smiled, hesitated a moment, then said, “horsey.” I had a lump in my throat and couldn’t speak for a moment. It was the first word he’d ever spoken in his life. It was a momentous occasion. Sadly, after four years, funding for the programme was cut. But by then, Diana had gained a very deep understanding of the therapeutic value of horses and realised how much of what she’d learnt as a child she could use.
Diana showing her Clydesdale stallion in South Africa in the 1980s: ‘He won every class I entered him in.’
Equine-assisted learning and rehabilitation Not long after, Diana was attacked as she drove into her home, very badly beaten up and robbed. At the time, car-jackings were quite commonplace in Johannesburg. Her army training helped her cope with the trauma, but the experience pushed her to leave the city. She and her husband moved to a farm in the rural Free State province, where she found healing in the company of her horses. ‘I realised there were many women experiencing the same trauma,’ she says. ‘So I decided to create a peaceful retreat. No psychologists. No formal investigative therapy – just being with my horses, soothing the soul simply by sitting with them, observing. ‘I was using traumatised horses I had been asked to rehabilitate. I noticed that rather than being a greater risk, they were more sensitive to traumatised people. They understood. They responded in way I couldn’t explain then. They so impressed me with he results I had from the ladies in the groups, I developed the Equus Soul Encounters. I watched,I learned, and I began to understand. ‘A number of these retreats were documented in magazines, and I got endless calls to rehabilitate badly-behaved horses. I’d take them on like a kid collecting candy – all horse people will understand that! I simply loved the results and in 2000 I qualified as an Equine Masseur. I had some amazing horses pass through my hands. Some even stayed! The rehabilitation process taught me that kindness and the gentle touch is the most rewarding process for the horse. And one of the most interesting things I learned on the course was Pressure Point Therapy. The gentlest of touch creates a reaction, and observing their reaction leads you to a greater understanding of where the muscular issues may lie. I mean, they flick their tails when a fly lands on them. ‘When I work on a horse, I like to observe what they tell me with their ears, their eyes, the chin and the mouth. Their reaction tells me if I’ve got the spot and what kind of pressure I need to use to release a knot! Of course, there’s more to it than that, but my favourite saying is: “Through observation comes wisdom.” And horses are fabulous tutors.’
Hektor and Diana image Courtenay HitchcockHektor (and above) is a huge 21-year-old carriage horse whose career included Royal Ascot. He’s now a happy hacker with his owner Paula Bailey. Image Courtenay Hotchcock
Seeing red Diana’s training deepened her understanding of how horses compensate for pain and injury. ‘I had 24 horses when I did my massage course: I had plenty to practice on. During this endless practice I learned how roughly we handle these sensitive creatures – most of us are guilty of it. I adjusted my touch and learned so much from their shifting body language and responses. They told me so much when I took the time to listen! ‘Then I was introduced to equine thermography. That blew my mind, as they say! I immediately set about training so that I could combine the use of the infra-red camera with my massage work, because now I could see the inside of the horse, as well as know exactly what was happening on the outside. Having the camera to support me visually I would probe where I saw a problem on the screen, gauging the horse’s reaction. If there was none, I knew the trauma or injury was an old one, no longer troubling the horse. ‘I was trained on an Iris 2000 camera: on humans first, and then I moved to equine. I had two years of training in total. And now with fifteen years of scanning, I have scanned thousands of horses of many different breeds and in an assortment of disciplines. I have learned so much, scanning horses across Africa and Britain. ‘What I have discovered is quite shocking,’ she says. ‘Probably 90 percent of those horses had subluxations – partial dislocations of their joints – that no one had picked up on. A horse can have multiple subluxations and still perform, but they’ve been compensating for their discomfort, and we’ve not noticed. When the demand on their bodies becomes greater – perhaps with a higher level of competition requiring more fluidity – that’s the time they start to resist, and things begin to go wrong. The knock-on effect has been too great, and the resistance shows not just in iffy lameness, but in a change in behaviour: in bucking, rearing, shying, leaning on the farrier, head shaking … many other issues. At this point the poor horse is labelled naughty! But it’s not just the subluxations they are struggling to compensate for, it’s also poor training, poorly-fitted tack, over-biting, poor farriery, perhaps an unbalanced rider … until eventually they become dangerous. Not because they want to be vile, but because we’ve not listened. The use of thermographics as a diagnostic modality is useful in all equine circumstances. I’ve scanned across the disciplines, but have probably scanned more racehorses and top competition horses than happy hackers. ‘Racehorses really benefit. As their joints are nowhere near closed when they begin their racing career it is vital that, skeletally, they are kept as aligned as possible to avoid these knock-on issues, which hopefully keeps them sound winners! This is especially true for chasers. This can be a ‘quick fix, that lasts!’ And correction doesn’t hurt – in fact you can hear them sigh in relief. The scanning procedure is simple: an assortment of protocols needs to be adhered to, which are given to the client upon enquiry. There is no radiation risk, and I travel to the horse, saving a lot of money and time. Approximately sixty images are taken, which I download and audit carefully. A full histogram is then emailed to the client 24 hours later, with advice on what has been observed along with a recommendation on which professional needs to treat the horse – which might be a vet, a physiotherapist, chiropractor, farrier or others. This modality is a wonderful pre-purchase examination too, and great for saddle-fit.’
Connect Diana’s years of experience have culminated in her book, Connect, a guide to developing a deeper relationship with horses through touch, observation and understanding. She believes that many horse owners – no matter how well-meaning – are often too rough without realising it. The book delves into everything she has learned, from reading subtle body language to using the thermographic imaging to detect discomfort. It’s a practical and insightful resource for anyone who wants to enhance their relationship with their horse, whether for competition or companionship. Today, Diana continues her work, consulting with horse owners, trainers, and breeders, and promoting Connect. Her mission is simple: to help people see horses differently. ‘We live such fast-paced lives: we don’t stop to just be,’ she says. ‘We don’t get that opportunity, or we don’t stop ourselves, to just take a breath, take a step back and have a really good look.’
Diana offers demos at yards and clubs for groups to see how equine thermography works. Please feel free to book a slot: call Diana on 07407 684 605 or email dianakrobinson22@gmail.com Diana is an advanced equine thermographer, equine masseur, equine behaviour specialist, pressure point therapist, lameness and unsoundness specialist.
The 8th March is International Women’s Day, and while this would be a great time to win some brownie points at home by talking about my amazing (and long-suffering) wife, it is also an opportunity to celebrate some of the many amazing – and too often overlooked – women in West Dorset’s history. Mary Anning, born in Lyme Regis in 1804, is one of history’s most renowned fossil hunters. Despite facing so many challenges, her discoveries changed the course of palaeontology forever. Today, a statue in Lyme Regis honours her achievements – a tribute made possible through the dedication of two other amazing women: Anya Pearson and Evie Swire, a mother-daughter duo who successfully crowdfunded for the statue. Yet despite this rich history, there has long been a glaring absence of women represented in our public spaces. Until recently, in Dorchester there were six statues of men, one of a dog, one of a horse, and one of the Queen Mother. But not a single statue of a non-Royal woman. This is not just about stone and metal – it is about the stories we choose to tell. Thanks to the efforts of Anya Pearson and the Dorchester Sheroes campaign, this is beginning to change, with a statue of Sylvia Townsend Warner, a 20th century novelist, poet and pioneer for gay rights, set to be installed in the town centre. Women’s contributions to West Dorset span centuries: The Dorset button makers, who influenced the livelihoods of hundreds of women and played a vital role in the region’s economy; Lucy Emily Baxter, an art writer from Dorchester; Mary Mullet Moule, who worked to improve sanitation during a cholera epidemic and Maude Steele, who was awarded the George Medal after she courageously maintained telephone services during the bombing of Sherborne in 1940. They are all part of our rich history of extraordinary women. On International Women’s Day, let us celebrate these women. Let us continue to push for progress, to support and uplift women in every walk of life, and to ensure that when we look to the past, we see the whole story, not just half of it. Edward Morello MP for West Dorset
This month Barry Cuff has chosen two postcards sent from Alderholt in the early part of the 20th century
Sent on 8th April 1920 to Mr Fred Street in Boscombe. Maud’s suggestion of visiting a place which is ‘good for the nerves’ might at first glance be a humourous comment on the slow pace of life in Alderholt. But sent just a couple of years after the end of the first world war, it potentially takes on a different tone and more poignant meaning if Fred had survived time in the trenches:
‘Dear Fred – These shops are quite close to the station. Why don’t you come up one day – its good for the nerves here – have three people pass the house every day. Love from Maud
This one was quite a challenge to decipher – even the postmark is impossible to read! I have taken the liberty of adding some punctuation …. The three children mentioned have crosses, to the left of the picture. The card was sent to Thurloe Square in South Kensington – close to the Natural History Museum: Dear [I], Here is one for your album. Vais is plain. Ada is peeping through behind [her Thomas] if you don’t know her Flo will. Glad you had a nice time, just had a letter from Hat last. Hope you’ll soon be [m___ful], yes I’ll send you on what you mention the beginning of the week. Hope you’ll get this safely, will write a letter too at the same time. Annie’s time is getting near now. Much love from all, Martha.Am [fussy] Mrs M this tiff today, can’t stand it. No longer wonder how he’ll like it, will tell you in my letter. The boy is Georgie I’ve marked.
A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues.
Q: We’re planning a summer getaway to Greece and I’m worried we’ll forget something important, which could ruin the holiday. What can we do to make sure we’re fully protected and prepared if anything goes wrong?
A: Booking a holiday can be overwhelming, especially if it’s been a while since you last went away. It’s unlikely anything will go wrong, but we’ve prepared a checklist to make sure you can relax into your holiday knowing you’re protected from the unexpected:
Check your passport is in date. Renewing your passport can take several weeks so don’t leave it until the last minute. Check the validity of your passport for your trip on GOV.UK by finding out the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to. If you’re heading to Europe, bear in mind EU countries don’t accept passports more than ten years old. This includes passports issued pre-Brexit, which may have longer expiry dates.
Know your rights if something goes wrong. If your flight’s delayed long enough – usually two to four hours, depending on the journey – your airline must provide access to food and drink vouchers, phone calls and emails, and accommodation if you’re delayed overnight. If it’s cancelled, you’re legally entitled to a full refund or replacement flight to help you get to your destination. You’re also entitled to compensation if your airline delays, loses or damages your checked-in luggage.
Get travel insurance. Although it’s an extra expense, travel insurance can cover many of the things already mentioned, like flight delays and lost luggage, but also things like a holiday cancellation and medical emergencies. Citizens Advice recommends getting insurance as soon as you book a holiday to make sure you’re covered right away – but always check first to see if an existing insurance policy covers what you need for your holiday. There’s no need to double up if you’re already covered! The chances are your holiday will be problem-free, but early planning and preparation can make all the difference.
Peter Wiltshire learned the art of hand bookbinding from his father. Now, he’s restoring literary treasures in his own Dorset workshop
Bookbinder Peter Wiltshire in his workshop in Maiden Newton
Peter Wiltshire gently lifts the lid off an old biscuit tub. Emblazoned across the Family Circle logo in big bold letters is DO NOT DESTROY. Inside is a worn and tattered leather-bound family bible, dating back to 1600. Peter is about to embark on the enormous challenge of painstakingly restoring and rebinding its hundreds of fragile, flaking pages and the disintegrating cover. One of only a handful of professional bookbinders in Dorset, Peter continues this age-old craft of hand bookbinding while co-parenting his three children, all under 10 years old. His workshop in Maiden Newton is crammed with pots of tools, delicate brushes and huge, handsome book presses alongside a collection of discarded book boards. This incredible archive illustrates binding styles from different eras – Peter uses them to help customers (and me) – understand the restoration process. ‘Book binding used to be a cottage industry. It wasn’t mechanised at all. Books were sewn together with their boards cut to fit,’ he explains. ‘These were laced on using cords which went through holes in the boards. There was just no way of speeding up the process. Once the boards were laced onto the book, the leather was cut to size and wrapped around the book in one go. ‘During the Industrial Revolution – and alongside growing national literacy – the Victorians invented case binding, where instead of being sewn, case covers were created separately, then attached to the book. That was the birth of mechanised book binding.’
Bookbinder Peter Wiltshire’s current challenge is restoring a 400-year-old family bible, that had been kept in an old biscuit tin. All images: Courtenay HitchcockDO NOT DESTROY says the label – but the rusting biscuit tin is doing its own job of damaging the ancient book inside
Dad’s apprentice Peter began practicing his skills as a teenager. His father, Tim, ran a prestigious bindery in Winchester, connected to P & G Wells Bookshop, one of the oldest bookshop binderies in the country. ‘I’d sew books for Dad to get a bit of pocket money. I learnt a huge amount from just watching my father at work.’ However, a love of antiques and history was initially a greater attraction, and Peter began working for an auctioneer and antiques dealer. ‘It was only when an older friend of mine, with a slightly wiser head on his shoulders, asked me why I wasn’t training in bookbinding when I had such a unique opportunity within my own family. That was the catalyst, and I entered an apprenticeship under my dad.’ Peter went on to open his own bindery in Hampshire, connected to Petersfield Bookshop, before returning to work in partnership with his father until his dad’s retirement in 2021. ‘Dad was inspiring. The more I learnt about the craft, the more I realised his depth of knowledge and skill. I still pick his brains. I’m grateful there was no pressure from him to make me join his trade – this craft isn’t something you can do if your heart isn’t in it. It demands so much patience and precision.’
Peter at his workbench
I see what he means as I watch him expertly work. Using an incredibly sharp paring knife he gently lifts the inside of a book cover inscribed with the name Jane Dodgson – a relative of Lewis Carroll. ‘You can’t compromise a signature like this – they are literally irreplaceable,’ he says. ‘Often the book is too fragile to soak the pages off and you may damage the book board – so a knife is the only way to save them. It’s nerve wracking!
A blank page is just part of the process for a bookbinderThe fabric of bookbinding – cloth store, each one carefully selected to restore and create beautiful, lasting coversIndividual heated stamps with engraved designs, used for gold tooling and embossing. They are mounted on long handles for control and precision
You really do only get one chance to do it right.’ The work demands complete concentration and though Peter enjoys listening to history podcasts, he often works in complete silence. ‘As you can imagine, with three young children, home life is noisy. It’s relaxing to work this way.’ And when he’s not on dad duty or working, books are his go-to for downtime, too. ‘It’s a busman’s holiday, but I love exploring auctions and second-hand bookshops for rarities!’ Hand bookbinding is a niche profession with no official apprenticeship schemes, but it’s a burgeoning hobby with many amateur bookbinding groups and guilds across the country. It’s a far cry from the bookbinders of the past who, along with leather tanners, used to have one of the lowest life expectancies in London. They were badly paid and often worked in poor light. Popular interest in restoration has seen a surge in commissions in recent years, and family bibles, second-hand literary treasures and even flight logs from the World Wars sit on Peter’s workbench awaiting his safe hands for repair. But first it’s the bible in the biscuit tin!
A bookbinder’s world – beautiful antique presses, weary books awaiting renewal, and a gallery of useful or notable covers
Patience and precision – Dorset bookbinder Peter Wiltshire expertly cuts into a leather book cover
Peter’s dinner party A-list guest?
I’d resurrect Roger Payne, a much celebrated and maligned 18th century bookbinder – as close to being rock-and-roll as you get in bookbinding! He was a wonderful bookbinder but an alcoholic who died penniless. Payne was the first English bookbinder to come up with a new style of bookbinding, and the notion that a book cover should reflect the contents of the book. He wrote poems about beer on customer invoices!
