Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2009 23:29:14 GMT
A day in the countryside for me today. Arrived to the sound of gunfire - always a friendly welcome to country ways (although I'd be far more concerned hearing it at home in Exeter). Set off across the bone-hard ground - a reminder of just how cold it's been - following the Tarka Trail up the Taw Valley. Great conditions for walking - both mud and marsh almost firm and no cattle in the fields to worry about.
Paused in Brushford churchyard to sit on a bench which I discoverd was dedicated to the memory of Frances Luxton.
Now this rang a bell. Who remembers the story of the middle-aged family found shot dead in their remote farmhouse thirty-odd years ago?
This was the Luxtons: brothers Robert (65) and Alan (54); sister Frances (67). Murder? A suicide pact? Who knows? It happened at West Chapple Farm, Winkleigh in 1975 and made headlines for several days. Not only is there a bench in memory of Frances but she's also buried next to the wonderful little church. But, what of the brothers? They appear to have worshipped elsewhere.
There was a book written about the Luxtons - Earth to Earth by John Cornwell (1982) - which I vaguely recall reading. It was supposed to be factual but its critics describe it as fiction.
Pondering the Luxton's fate, I retired to the Lymington Arms at Wembworthy where the shooting party was in full voice - and rather full of themselves - at the bar.
More about the Luxtons at:
www.devonheritage.org/Nonplace/Genealogy/TheLuxtontragedyof1975.htm
Paused in Brushford churchyard to sit on a bench which I discoverd was dedicated to the memory of Frances Luxton.
Now this rang a bell. Who remembers the story of the middle-aged family found shot dead in their remote farmhouse thirty-odd years ago?
This was the Luxtons: brothers Robert (65) and Alan (54); sister Frances (67). Murder? A suicide pact? Who knows? It happened at West Chapple Farm, Winkleigh in 1975 and made headlines for several days. Not only is there a bench in memory of Frances but she's also buried next to the wonderful little church. But, what of the brothers? They appear to have worshipped elsewhere.
There was a book written about the Luxtons - Earth to Earth by John Cornwell (1982) - which I vaguely recall reading. It was supposed to be factual but its critics describe it as fiction.
Pondering the Luxton's fate, I retired to the Lymington Arms at Wembworthy where the shooting party was in full voice - and rather full of themselves - at the bar.
More about the Luxtons at:
www.devonheritage.org/Nonplace/Genealogy/TheLuxtontragedyof1975.htm
