The Friends of Manning's Pit
This is the website of the Friends of Manning's Pit Group, which has led the "Save Manning's Pit" campaign since 2015. The Manning's Pit fields have been loved by generations of Pilton, Bradiford and Barnstaple people from the writer H H Munro (Saki) back in the 19th Century to the local community in the present day.| Twitter |
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The Buy Manning's Pit Campaign
We launched a fund-raising effort (in conjunction with local Pilton Charity the Green Man CIO) to purchase Manning's Pit after it was announced that it was for sale in the summer of 2019. The Auction finally took place in September 2020 and the land failed to reach its reserve. We remain hopeful that we can purchase the land - for more information go to the Buy Manning's Pit Page.If you would like to learn more about Manning's Pit, you can follow the various links above. Or you can just scroll down below to learn about the story of our Campaign, the people involved and the many, many reasons why Manning's Pit matters so much to everyone.
Ryan Vowles has been one of the stars of our
campaign, and he sent us this photograph while on his
school trip to Iceland. He says we can change the word
“Save” for “Buy” when we quote the last two lines of his
Prize winning poem "Together" during
this campaign.
"So make a lot of effort, put your heart and soul into it
And maybe, together, we can Buy Manning's Pit."
Our aims, and why we want to
Buy Manning's Pit
Latest News and Upcoming Events
The story of our
Campaign,
from October 2015 to now:
| For many
photographs showing both the Manning's Pit
fields, our supporters and events that have
taken place, go
to our Blog and scroll down through it. Endorsements
from prominent
environmental and cultural figures, including
Sir Richard Eyre, Ken Loach, Sir Michael
Morpurgo and James Lovelock. enquiries@manningspit.com Our 2019 Environmental Exhibition Our Policies including link to our Data Protection Policy |
The History and Culture of Manning's Pit:H H Munro (Saki), Colonel and Mrs Hibbert, F. R. Lee, R.A, Henry Williamson andBenjamin Manning How the Local Community feel about Manning's Pit Maps and Information - Manning's Pit Fact File  Lance Housley |
Videos and Films
How We Started
A short video made in September 2019 by Wendy Robinson
and Christine Lovelock explaining how the Campaign to Save
Manning's Pit was started. Wendy started her own fund
raising page and she and her one- eyed pug Twinkle did a sponsored
walk on November 30th to raise funds for the
campaign.
And here below is Ryan Vowles, from Pilton, reading his poem "Together" at our
Poetry Competition Presentation Evening on January 12th 2019.
Ryan was 14 when he wrote the poem. His poem, and his recitation, could
not be more inspiring. It ended with these words, where he talks of who will win in this battle:
"So make a lot of effort, put your heart and
soul into it
And maybe, together, we can Save Manning's Pit. "
And maybe, together, we can Save Manning's Pit. "
|
Mark Totterdell wins first prize with his thoughtful poem "Form" The poems can all be read on our results page - see link to the right and reports were also on Facebook and our Blog. Here is a Full
Report with photographs and
videos.
|
 The ResultsThe Presentation Evening for Prizewinners was held at St. Anne's Chapel in Barnstaple on Saturday January 12th. Judge Julia Bird came from London to speak and read a poem, and David Weeks, Executive Director of The Week Magazine gave out the prizes. More about Julia, our Judge. |
Manning's
Pit and messages of support from around the world,
including China, Australia, the Falklands and the Arctic!
Zoom in for Manning's Pit itself, and Pilton posters and signs.
A page of posters
including China, Australia, the Falklands and the Arctic!
Zoom in for Manning's Pit itself, and Pilton posters and signs.
A page of posters