What a summer it has been. I’m happy to say I’m writing this in North Cornwall and therefore am still having fun with my children and grandchildren in the many coves and beaches that Rock has to offer. It really has been a spectacular couple of weeks.
Unusually, I was also able to visit friends in St Mawes on the south coast, giving me an opportunity to compare two rather different Cornish holiday destinations. For a start, the south coast was a few degrees cooler than the north, but perhaps the most marked difference was in the style and atmosphere of the two places.
Rock has undoubtedly changed over the years. It has attracted the rich and famous, something reflected in both house prices and the amount of development. Expensive houses seem to be popping up everywhere, all desperately seeking a glimpse of the sea across to Padstow, or “Padstein” as it is sometimes known, or towards Polzeath and its famous surfing beach.
Fortunately, the things that really matter remain much as they always have. The beaches are still gloriously long, edged by sand dunes and open to everyone, whether they are staying in one of the grand houses, rented accommodation or a tent at one of the nearby campsites.
St Mawes, on the other hand, is much quieter and has a rather different feel. It has a strong sailing tradition and, despite also being an affluent and popular place, seems to have retained a rather more understated character.
All of which made me think about Waterstock.
We are obviously a very long way from the Cornish coast, but small places everywhere face much the same challenge: how do they change with the times without losing the things that make them special?
Waterstock has changed enormously over the years, as have the surrounding villages and Oxfordshire more generally. People come and go, houses change hands, farming evolves and the world beyond the village seems to move ever faster. Yet much of what gives Waterstock its character remains remarkably constant: the church, the river and fields, the old houses, the lanes and, most importantly, the people who make up the community.
The river itself is perhaps something we shouldn’t take for granted. Henry Manisty recently remarked that the River Thame is, rather alarmingly, at its lowest level in the 30 years he has lived at Waterstock Mill. That seems all the more striking after seeing the extraordinary wildlife around the Mill brought to life earlier this year in the BBC’s Secret Garden, narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The kingfishers, otters and other wildlife made Waterstock look every bit as remarkable on television as we know it to be. Let’s hope the exceptionally low water levels have not taken too great a toll on them.
The strength of Waterstock, however, isn’t confined to its landscape and wildlife. I was reminded of that very recently when I put out a plea for anyone who might be able to help take my granddaughter Daisy to the station so that she could get into London for her internship at a Beauty PR agency.
The response was immediate, with numerous people offering to help. A particular thank you must go to Stephen Shipperly and John Wilkinson, who between them came to the rescue, and to everyone else who volunteered. It was a small thing perhaps, but another lovely example of Waterstock as a community coming together when someone needs a hand.
There has been plenty of other activity in the village too. Sarah tells me that after the recent wedding celebrations the house looks remarkably similar to how it did beforehand, although piled high with all the paraphernalia that now needs sorting out. The rather more challenging legacy is an enormous metal arch, made in two pieces by her nephews, which is currently lying in a field and apparently almost too heavy to move. A solution has yet to be found, but I’m assured one will be!
Perhaps that is the lesson from both Cornwall and Waterstock. Places inevitably change, and we shouldn’t necessarily resist that change. But we should take care of the things that cannot easily be recreated once they are gone: landscape, wildlife, character, history and, above all, that sense of community.
After a couple of weeks away, that will make returning to Waterstock rather easier.
