Come sail up the River Helford and meet the enigmatic Mr de Sousa

Come sail up through the age old oaks that flank the beautiful River Helford in Cornwall to the lovely River village of Gweek and watch the enigmatic Adam de Sousa fall in love with the young widow Rachel Pendavas, follow their, tragic and epic love story in 'Mr de Sousa's Legacy'. Don't miss this truly heartfelt, evocative and beautifully engaging story.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1490930760/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_h2pgsb0EP7FWV via @AmazonUK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DS6DO6A/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_50pgsb1NQAHPT via @AmazonUK

Widecombe in the Moor - plays an integral part in my novel Mr de Sousa's Legacy

If you don’t already know of it, I want to introduce you to Widecombe-in-the-Moor a small village located within the heart of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England. The name is thought to derive from 'Withy-combe' which means Willow Valley. Although my novel Mr de Sousa’s Legacy is marketed as a Cornish love story, an integral part of the book in set in Widecombe during the 2^nd World War.

 

 

I first visited Widecombe about eight years ago whilst on a camping holiday and as I walked the quiet lanes skirting this pretty village I felt as though I stepped into a Thomas Hardy novel. I was so inspired by its beauty, I knew I had to use it in my novel.

 

 

The village is well known for Widecombe Fair, held annually on the 2nd Tuesday in September and celebrated by a folksong of the same name, featuring 'Old Uncle Tom Cobley and All'.

 

 

The Widecombe Fair Poem and Folk Song describes the 'adventures' of Uncle Tom Cobley and his friends and the fate that befell the poor old grey mare that they borrowed from Tom Pearce... The words were first published in 1880.
It is based on a supposedly true happening. Tom Cobley's grave is at Spreyton, just North of Dartmoor.

 

The church of St Pancras is known as the 'Cathedral of the Moors' in recognition of its 120 foot tower and relatively large capacity for such a small village.  This is the church I had in mind when I wrote about the Harvest Festival and also the venue where one of my characters got married.

 

The church was originally built in the fourteenth century, in the Perpendicular style (late Gothic), using locally quarried granite. It was enlarged over the following two centuries, partly on the proceeds of the local tin mining trade. Inside, the ceiling is decorated with roof bosses, including the tinner’s emblem of a circle of three hares (known locally as the Tinners' Rabbits).

 

In Widecombe churchyard is the grave of novelist Beatrice Chase who lived in a cottage close to the village. Her real name was Olive Katharine Parr, and she was a direct descendant of William Parr, the brother of Catherine, the sixth wife of Henry VIII.

The Darmoor ponies roam the village green quite freely. But there is great concern over the number of ponies being killed on open Moorland roads. I have heard that some of the ponies wear a neck bands which shows up in the headlights of cars at night which keeps them safe, but none of the ones I saw, when I was there, had them on.

 

Mr de Sousa's legacy is now available in Paperback and on kindle

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1490930760

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DS6DO6A

 

 

 

Ann E Brockbank Novelist : Mr de Sousa's Legacy now out in Paperback

Ann E Brockbank Novelist : Mr de Sousa's Legacy now out in Paperback: Turning cappuccinos and toasted teacakes into novels at my beachside Café office at Kynance Cove     What could be better than this beautif...

Mr de Sousa's Legacy now out in Paperback

Turning cappuccinos and toasted teacakes into novels at my beachside Café office at Kynance Cove

 

 

What could be better than this beautiful Cornish view?

Reading my new Cornish novel Mr de Sousa's Legacy that what!

 

When you read my novel, I hope to help you lose yourselves for a while. I want to take you to wonderful places, whether it’s the wild rugged cliffs of Cornwall, the lush green hills of the Yorkshire Dales, or the heat of a Tuscan Village. Come with me on a journey, cry and laugh with equal measure, but most of all enjoy my love stories.

 

Available from Amazon as a kindle download and in paperback.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1490930760/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_6H2dsb0XENWND via @AmazonUK 

Ann E Brockbank Novelist : Mr de Sousa's Legacy will be published in Paperbac...

Ann E Brockbank Novelist : Mr de Sousa's Legacy will be published in Paperbac...: Just finished proof reading the paperback of My novel Mr de Sousa's Legacy. Watch this space for more information of when it will...

Mr de Sousa's Legacy will be published in Paperback soon!

Just finished proof reading the paperback of My novel Mr de Sousa's Legacy. Watch this space for more information of when it will be available to buy.

 

Its available as a Kindle download at the moment if you cant wait for the paperback

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DS6DO6A/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_p0Mbsb106AVT5 via @AmazonUK

Gweek. Helford Cornwall

Gweek, Helford, Cornwall

The setting for my new novel

 

 

I just thought I would give you a little insight into the beautiful Helford river village of Gweek which gave me the inspiration to write my novel.

 

This is the view of the bridge in the middle of the village, as mentioned in the first chapter of Mr de Sousa's Legacy. Photo © Ann E Brockbank

 

Gweek is a village and civil parish in the Kerrier district of Cornwall, England

The name derives from the Cornish word wyk meaning creek.

 

This is a view of the river from the first bridge. Photo © Ann E Brockbank

 

This lovely village nestles at the upper reaches of the tidal limit of the Helford River which is a ‘drowned river valley system which was formed thousands of years ago when the land sank and the valleys were flooded by the sea. It is located on the soft side of the lizard (the most southerly point in England.)

 

The Helford River is one of the loveliest and most unspoilt rivers in Cornwall. Deep sheltered valleys covered in ancient oak woodlands, lead down to hidden creeks, century old villages and gardens and is far removed for the wild jagged cliffs and treeless heaths at the west of the peninsula

 

The Ancient Harbour of Gweek

The old port of Gweek is at the head of navigation of the tidal Helford River

History books show there was a port in Gweek as long ago as 450 BC when tin was traded with the Phoenician merchants from the eastern Mediterranean. The Romans named Gweek ‘Vicos’.  In Mediaeval times Gweek was the busiest harbour with its own Customs House, when Helston port ceased to be workable owing to the build up of shingle and silt at Loe Bar.

It was here in Gweek that the pilchard-fishery carried on extensively, with 200 boats being employed in bringing the fish, which were cured in the various creeks and coves within the limits of the port. In addition to the fishery, the chief trade consisted in the exportation of copper-ore, corn, and oysters, and the importation of limestone, timber and coal; the latter needed to run surrounding mines.

 

Now in the 21st century the river is still navigable at high tide through a small channel and is now mainly used for pleasure craft.

Gweek is once again a beautiful thriving bustling village where the village facilities are well supported, making it a busy community within a tranquil river village setting.

Gweek Quay Boatyard keeps the village live and vibrant and is a thriving workplace which houses several boatbuilding, repair and maintenance companies. The Boatyard also has facilities to overwinter some 250 yachts. The Old Custom House still stands within the Boat yard

 

View of the Old Custom House in Gweek Quay Boatyard Photo © Ann E Brockbank

 

 

The Black Swan Gweek

This is where is all begins.

 

  

Authors note: Mr de Sousa's Legacy is now available
Waterstones Truro and all UK Waterstones  by Stock Transfer from Truro
The Black Swan at Gweek
The Premier Shop Gweek
The Waymarker, Constantine, nr Gweek
Poldhu Cove Café 
Amazon Kindle Store
Amazon.co.uk and all Amazon sites

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DS6DO6A/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

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A Cornish Love story - Mr de Sousa's Legacy

Ann E Brockbank Novelist : A Cornish Love story - Mr de Sousa's Legacy: Mr de Sousa’s Legacy is set in the beautiful village of Gweek ( Cornish : Gwig , meaning forest village ) situated at the top of the Helfor...

A Cornish Love story - Mr de Sousa's Legacy

Mr de Sousa’s Legacy is set in the beautiful village of Gweek (Cornish: Gwig, meaning forest village) situated at the top of the Helford River in Cornwall.

 

It is now Available to download on Amazon Kindle Store, and paperback available to order from Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00DS6DO6A/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk