Introduction
Chittlehampton & District Garden Show, Fete and Dog Show is held in the Village Hall & surrounding grounds, Chittlehampton. In 2025 the Show was its 80th - and the theme was Ruby, Oak, Longevity, Family, Strength, Endurance.
Our aim is to include as many of our Village Societies and Clubs as we can. This is a great opportunity for being visible and showing you are part of our Community.
This year we were delighted to have "Community Djembe Drumming" - which was free to join in. With many thanks to Tasha for providing this experiences.
The Show is held annually on the second Saturday in August, and in 2025 it fell on 9th August.
The show opened at 2 pm. Proceeds are in aid of Village Hall Fund.
The committee acknowledge and thanks the donations given by
St John's Garden Centre
RHS Rosemoor
Castle Hill Gardens
Spillers Dog Food
Have a look around the website and see the fun that was had at the Show. The weather was kind to us this year, we had partial cloud and the temperature was in the low 20's - perfect. There was a gap in 2024 as the village hall was under a big renovation. We were thrilled to be able to open the Garden Show again for 2025.
Sally Broughton and sister Charlotte Grimshire took over over as Show Secretaries and Sue Mizon took over as Homecraft Secretary in 2023. We would be so delighted if you would take part in our show.
Our aim is to include as many of our Village Societies and Clubs as we can. This is a great opportunity for being visible and showing you are part of our Community.
This year we were delighted to have "Community Djembe Drumming" - which was free to join in. With many thanks to Tasha for providing this experiences.
The Show is held annually on the second Saturday in August, and in 2025 it fell on 9th August.
The show opened at 2 pm. Proceeds are in aid of Village Hall Fund.
The committee acknowledge and thanks the donations given by
St John's Garden Centre
RHS Rosemoor
Castle Hill Gardens
Spillers Dog Food
Have a look around the website and see the fun that was had at the Show. The weather was kind to us this year, we had partial cloud and the temperature was in the low 20's - perfect. There was a gap in 2024 as the village hall was under a big renovation. We were thrilled to be able to open the Garden Show again for 2025.
Sally Broughton and sister Charlotte Grimshire took over over as Show Secretaries and Sue Mizon took over as Homecraft Secretary in 2023. We would be so delighted if you would take part in our show.
You will find a little history below which makes interesting reading:
Retired Show Secretary:
Derek Matthews stepped down as Secretary of Chittlehampton Garden Show in August 2011 after 31 years at the helm (pictured here with his wife Margaret who is Homecraft Secretary and a member of Chittlehampton Social Club). Margaret stepped down as Homecraft Secretary in 2022. Their daughter Alison was Treasurer for many years and also stepped down in 2022.
Derek has been passionate about plants since he was a child and is very keen for young people to come forward to ensure the Show's success continues. Luckily for Chittlehampton, Derek will still be exhibiting and supporting the Show; gently ensuring that his successor gets it right! He has done an amazing job over the years and will be a very hard act to follow!
Rose and her team of Cup Cakes, formerly Chittlehampton Tea Bags, decided after 9 years to let someone else serve the teas from 2013. Many thanks to Rose & Co for all their efforts, and to Brenda who took over.
Derek has been passionate about plants since he was a child and is very keen for young people to come forward to ensure the Show's success continues. Luckily for Chittlehampton, Derek will still be exhibiting and supporting the Show; gently ensuring that his successor gets it right! He has done an amazing job over the years and will be a very hard act to follow!
Rose and her team of Cup Cakes, formerly Chittlehampton Tea Bags, decided after 9 years to let someone else serve the teas from 2013. Many thanks to Rose & Co for all their efforts, and to Brenda who took over.
Steward retiring:
Also stepping down from her role as Steward supporting Derek is Cynthia Cockram. Cynthia has been quietly following the judges around and taking note of the scoring (pictured here in action with judge, Peter Cole). Another key role has been ensuring that the content/number of exhibits is correct trying not to let anyone be disqualified. Many thanks to Cynthia for her years of support. For 2025 we have Bill Lee who will be our Judge for the Flower, Fruits and Vegetables, and he will be ably assisted by Trish Connolly, both residents in Chittlehampton.
A Little History.....
We cannot date this picture but it is taken from a clipping out of the paper when The Matthews family won a 'family hat trick' at the Show one year. Derek won the cup for most points, his wife Margaret won the Women's Institute Cup and his mother was runner up in the WI Section.
The first Chittlehampton Garden Show to aid Red Cross Funds was held in 1942 on August Bank Holiday. According to an extract from the North Devon Journal it was a great success and the Secretary & Treasurer at the time was Mr J. R. Burgess. Curiously the Journal is dated 13 August 1942 - was August Bank Holiday earlier then? During the afternoon variety shows were given by Mr Spencer Vivian and Skittling was held in the Reading Room. There was a Baby Show and Lorna Phillips won for 12 months; and Eunice Andrew won for 1-2 years. Mrs W. Stone won the Best War Time Cake. The serving of tea was supervised by members of the Women's Institute. The days proceedings concluded with a Whist Drive and Dance when the Vicar (the Rev R. Seymour) thanked everyone who had assisted in making the day such a great success. All of the exhibits were sold in the evening and realised a considerable sum for the Red Cross Fund. Mr J. R. Burgess reported a credit balance of £65 2s. 10d.
In an extract from the North Devon Journal dated 12 August 1943 entitled, Chittlehampton's Red Cross Week, competitions helped to swell the funds and over £200 was raised. During this week a sports programme was held, a Dance, Whist Drive, Maypole Dancing, Punch & Judy, Cricket Match (Veterans versus the Rest), Skittles Competition and Concert. It seems the Veterans won the match by a substantial margin!
To appease your curiosity Derek has been researching August bank holiday dates. It seems the last August Bank Holiday held on the first Monday in August was on Monday 3 August 1964. A change in the law in 1971 formalised that the last Monday in August should become a Bank Holiday following a trial period of the new arrangement between 1965 and 1970. Grenville Buckingham whose family have been long time residents in Chittlehampton kindly sent the show catalogue for Monday 3 August 1964 which is copied below:
