IN PRAISE OF DEVON
by Lane, John

A Guide to its Places, People and Character

A review of 'In Praise of Devon' in the Tavistock Times:

"'In Praise of Devon? by John Lane delves into the geography, history, people and places of the unique county. And by imaginatively dividing the book into seven thematic chapters, Lane covers much ground and constantly surprises the reader with fascinating facts.

Lane has a particular eye for the details of Devon?s churches, be they fine or grand. He devotes a spread to the tiny, evocative untouched 12th century St Mary?s, Honeychurch, near North Tawton. ?It seems flooded in a lake of silence,? he writes. ?Here the present is enough.?

But he also gets off the established church track by looking at Loughwood Meeting House near Axminster, the interior of which shows ?chaste perfection?. Lane?s descriptions are simple and spot-on.

The county?s industries and traditions also fill the book?s 183 pages which are replete with beautiful photographs of old and modern Devon. And when it comes to writing of the county?s characters Lane does not fall into the trap of plumping for stereotypes.

The poet Robert Herrick and the Rev Sabine Baring Gould sit in the chapter alongside modern characters like 26-year-old thatcher James Marshall, a Lancashire lad who says he would be filled with horror at the thought of moving back north, and Dr Sheila Cassidy who 23 years ago suffered torture under Pinochet?s regime in Chile.

Lane does not opt for the quaint ? he goes for the true and succeeds with a quiet honesty that lets the best of the county shine through."
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Eloquently describes Devon?s rivers, coastline and moors; its towns, villages and buildings; its beautiful images and objects, traditions and occupations; and gives intimate sketches of the lives and values of twenty Devonians, including farmers, a trawlerman, a doctor, a cook, the sculptor Peter Randall Page, potter Clive Bowen and scientist James Lovelock.