PULL UP A CHAIR TO CUNNY CORNER – THE PODCAST LIFTING THE SKIRTS OF VICTORIAN BARNSTAPLE

Forget prim bonnets and polite parlours – Cunny Corner is here to tell you what really went on in the back alleys, taverns, and courtrooms of Victorian Barnstaple. 

Hosted by local historian Sue Pengelly and writer Stef Fox, this brand-new podcast dives into the scandal, hardships, and gallows humour of the town’s 19th-century prostitutes. 

Not so much about genteel ladies ... more about gin, gossip and grit. 

Each episode revives the voices of individuals – such as Sarah Hammett, Eliza Boastfield, Mary Heard, and others – who faced poverty, prejudice and pompous magistrates with wit, resilience, and an unshakeable sisterhood. 

Sue has pieced together their stories using court records, newspaper clippings, historical documentation and the town’s oral history and, in conversation with Stef, reveals how these women made their own rules in a world that tried to break them. 

“They weren’t just names in police reports – they were mothers, rebels, and entrepreneurs, trying to feed themselves and their children,” says Sue. “As well as very real and incredibly brave … with, quite frankly, some cracking stories.” 

Packed with meticulous research, laugh-out-loud moments, and just enough filth to mean you’ll have to listen through headphones if kids are around, Cunny Corner is history with its corset unlaced. 

Expect: 

•  True tales from Barnstaple’s underbelly – raw, witty, and 100% real  

• Women who fought back, looked out for each other, and gave Victorian respectability the side eye 

•  A great mix of historical fact and bawdy banter 

•  Stories that will make you gasp, grin, and maybe Google a few old slang words! 

CUNNY CORNER – THE PODCAST LIFTING THE SKIRTS OF VICTORIAN BARNSTAPLE 

Barnstaple, North Devon, UK.

Cunny Corner is available now on all major podcast platforms including Apple, Amazon, Spotify 

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 Website: cunnycorner.co.uk 

 Instagram @cunnycorner 

 Facebook @cunnycorner 

 TikTok @cunnycorner

Hepworth, Moore and Lowry come to North Devon as part of summer exhibition

‘Into Abstraction: Modern British Art and the Landscape’ runs until 14 September at The Burton at Bideford. Free entry.

Works by a host of well-known 20th century artists including Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, L.S. Lowry, Patrick Heron and Elisabeth Frink are currently on display in Bideford as part of The Burton’s major summer exhibition.

‘Into Abstraction: Modern British Art and the Landscape’ examines the intersection of abstraction and landscape in British art from the 1920s to the early 1970s. Organised in collaboration with The Hepworth Wakefield, ‘Into Abstraction’ draws on their extensive holdings of modern art to explore how artists used abstraction during periods of social upheaval to engage with the natural world and human experience.

The exhibition considers landscape in relation to themes such as regionalism, class, sexuality, psychological anxiety, and industry. Created during times of national crisis, these works demonstrate how abstraction offers redemption when realism falls short. As we navigate our own unsettled times, this exhibition underscores the importance of abstraction in understanding the world we live in.

The exhibition also spotlights works by artists connected to North Devon, including Northam-born Allin Braund, who studied at Bideford School of Art, and South West-based Gillian Ayres and Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, who are both represented in The Burton’s permanent collection.

Harriet Cooper, Director of The Burton at Bideford, says:

“The Burton is delighted to collaborate with The Hepworth Wakefield to bring world-class works of modern art to North Devon, many for the first time.

“The rich artistic history of the South West is deeply connected to the power, beauty and complexity of our landscapes. This exhibition helps us reflect on how abstraction has been used as a tool to explore this by artists throughout the 20th century and still to this present day by the many artists and makers in this region.”

The exhibition includes works by over 40 notable artists such as Roger Fry, Duncan Grant, Emmy Bridgwater, Elisabeth Frink, Patrick Heron, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, Prunella Clough, L.S. Lowry, and many others.

Installation view, ‘Into Abstraction: Modern British Art and the Landscape’ at The Burton at Bideford, 2025. Photography by Jim Wileman.

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 ‘Into Abstraction: Modern British Art and the Landscape’ is organised in collaboration with The Hepworth Wakefield, with support from The Golsoncott Foundation and Little Greene Paint Company.

The exhibition runs from 19th July – 14th September at The Burton at Bideford, EX39 2QQ. Free entry.

See www.theburton.org for more details on the exhibition and accompanying events.

ABOUT THE BURTON AT BIDEFORD

Rain or Shine, Nursing Home’s Annual BBQ Welcomes Loved Ones

Hatherleigh Nursing Home in Okehampton, Devon, held its annual family BBQ for its relatives, friends and family members (residents). This event is usually held in the nursing homes modern outdoor living space, however despite the unpredictable Devon weather, the BBQ still went ahead in full force – this time indoors. Home Manager Ashley commented, “It takes more than a storm to dampen spirits at Hatherleigh!”.

The purpose built nursing home welcomed around 40 relatives into their indoor living spaces. Chef, Faye, cooked up a delicious indoor BBQ grill with burgers, sausages, and an array of salads for everyone to enjoy. “I’ve never seen it so packed here, the atmosphere was brilliant, everyone tucked into the BBQ and ice cream whilst it was chucking it down outside, everyone was laughing about it,” said Administrator, Tamsin.

Cold N Rolled was also welcomed back after last year’s success, a unique, family-run business offering a fun and interactive ice cream experience. Their setup in the doorway of the home’s cinema room allowed those to watch their desserts being freshly crafted with an array of different flavours and toppings to choose from.

Hatherleigh Nursing Homes annual family BBQ continues to be a success, rain or shine each year, bringing loved ones together and using that time to strengthen bonds within their care community. The event reflects the home’s commitment to delivering well-led, meaningful experiences as part of a responsive approach to family members needs and preferences.

If you would like to learn more about Hatherleigh Nursing Home, please visit https://www.hatherleighnursinghome.com/lifes-journey-continued/