497:
312:, led to a public enquiry which took place in September 1953. Sir Patrick Duff, the National Parks Commission chairman, was well briefed by Sayer and at the enquiry his case was mainly based on the damage the mast would do to the scenery of the moor. Although congratulatory letters were passed between all the main objectors after the enquiry, the ministry granted the planning application in January 1954, though with some minor provisos to minimise the impact. Although Duff had failed to stop the installation of the mast, Sayer rewarded him for his efforts with a painting of North Hessary Tor saying it was "almost the last representation of that landscape that can be made while it is still unshadowed and unspoiled".
57:
411:
289:
22:
493:'s management plan for Dartmoor, since it allowed for a continuance of military usage. She was also one of a deputation who met the Prince in 1990 to explain to him why they thought he should not renew the military licences for a further term. However, the licences were renewed that year until 2011.
422:
in the south west of the moor. They had permission dating from 1951 to expand their pits and tips. Shaugh Moor is an adjacent area that is rich in ancient monuments and it was there that the companies planned to tip the vast quantities of spoil that is generated from clay extraction. At the time the
539:
She was the scourge of farmers, foresters, quarrymen, civil engineers, of generals and even of the
National Park Authority when its professed pragmatism appeared to her, in the sort of words that she would use, 'snivelling cowardice'. No modern history of Dartmoor would be valid without reference
251:
by demanding that they retain their own planning powers. She noted that local authorities had been unable to control development by
Government departments in areas such as Dartmoor, referring to the 32,800 acres held by the Admiralty and War Department and the 3,763 acres that had been taken by the
400:
The effect on the younger generation of the methods of present-day misgovernment is alarming but inevitable. When they utterly despair of a fair hearing or a just decision, they tend to stop talking and reach for the nearest brick. And who can blame them? Certainly we do not. We well know that the
447:
on the northern edge of
Dartmoor. Two alternative routes were proposed: a northern one through agricultural land, or a southern one which would encroach on the National Park. After a public enquiry was held in 1980 arguments continued for over five years with Sayer vigorously opposing the route
351:, pointing out that the public could not be excluded from the area involved because it was not a firing area, and that sheep and ponies had been frightened away as the helicopters converged – "it could have been pony trekkers and hikers and might have resulted in a serious accident", she said.
279:
which was a special committee of Devon County
Council and subsidiary to the County Planning Committee which could veto its recommendations. Sayer was a member of the committee from its formation, but she resigned in 1957 in protest at its failure to protect the moor as she would wish.
322:...determined and articulate, Sylvia was single-minded in her pursuit of the things she believed in. Never a compromiser, she was unimpressed by the size and power of her adversaries, whom she would fight to a standstill when the occasion demanded. Many respected her as a foe...
264:, could basically do what it liked with its land. She urged that control of the soon-to-be-formed National Parks should be at the highest possible level within the Government so there would be a chance of exercising control over the Duchy and other Government departments.
223:
newspaper in 1971 as "a militant conservationist, who is a full-time thorn in the sides of those authorities and others who want to flood, fence, dig up, knock down and otherwise damage the
Dartmoor national park." Crispin Gill wrote about her in his introduction to
456:
The end of the Lords debate, when the vote was about to be taken and the half-empty
Chamber suddenly filled up with well-wined and dined Lordships totally ignorant of the facts but jovially resolved to vote as directed, was only too typical of the whole disastrous
299:
As chairman of the
Dartmoor Preservation Association (DPA), Sayer was heavily involved in all that organisation's fights for what it saw as conservation issues. The first of these was against the proposed installation of a television transmitting mast on
304:
in the centre of the moor. When the
Dartmoor Standing Committee voted in June 1952 to approve the application, Sayer complained that it had relied on the casting vote of the chairman in the absence of three members who would have voted against.
359:
In the late 1960s and early 1970s she was involved, as DPA chairman, with the disputes over the proposed construction of two new reservoirs on
Dartmoor. The largest, which was to supply Plymouth, was known as "Swincombe" after the small
395:
that was published by the DPA. After expounding at length all the arguments made against building a dam at Meldon and in favour of an alternative site at
Gorhuish, and the responses from the establishment, it ended with this statement:
524:, the then chief executive of the DPA, revealed plans to memorialise Sayer by organising annual walks to some part of Dartmoor that she had saved, and also by holding an annual Sylvia Sayer lecture given by a prominent speaker.
347:. In February 1967 she disrupted a large-scale mock battle at Ringmoor Down that involved low-flying helicopters. She told the press that she did this to exercise her rights and to ensure that no damage was caused to
275:
whose first chairman was Sir Patrick Duff. Ten National Parks were created in the 1950s under this Act – Dartmoor National Park was the fourth to be created, in October 1951. It was administered by
427:, a Plymouth MP, argued against irreparably damaging the ancient landscape. In June 1978, the two companies agreed to share their waste tips, as Sayer had recommended, saving Shaugh Moor.
448:
through the moor. The matter was finally settled when the southern route was approved in December 1985 by the House of Lords. After the decision had been made, Sayer wrote a letter to
228:
published in 1970 as having "roused the conscience of a number of people" and he described her as an indefatigable worker with an enormous knowledge; he also referred to
423:
area became known as "Area Y", from an explanatory diagram that Sayer had drawn. The activism culminated in an adjournment debate in the House of Commons in which
513:
The DPA set up a Lady Sayer Land Purchase Fund after her retirement as chairman in 1973. It was used in 1984 to purchase 32 acres of land at Sharpitor, near
268:
387:
on the north west edge of the moor was passed, despite claims that the water would be poisoned by arsenic and lead because of the presence of three disused
139:. They had twin sons, Geoffrey and Oliver, born in 1930, and until World War Two the family travelled widely to meet the needs of Guy's navy career. After
797:
96:
935:
983:
959:
391:
mines and their spoil heaps in the area to be flooded. The dam was built in 1972, and in that year Sayer wrote a 62-page booklet entitled
235:
She regularly wrote letters to newspapers, both local and national, about matters related to Dartmoor. In her first published letter to
152:
1186:
190:
292:
1148:
1101:
540:
to her, but quite naturally reactions to her actions and statements divided the world of Dartmoor stakeholders for 50 years.
248:
162:
Lady Sayer acquired her title in 1959 when her husband was knighted on his retirement as the vice-admiral commanding the
517:, in celebration of the successful fight against the Swincombe reservoir. As of March 2013 the fund held about £29,400.
166:. After his retirement he spent much of his time helping his wife with her conservation work. She was chairman of the
1191:
1129:
702:
595:
535:
series of books, Professor Ian Mercer (former Chief Officer of the Dartmoor National Park Authority), said of Sayer:
486:
474:
in the centre of the moor in 1959. In the 1960s she complained about off-road car parking, and the poor treatment of
309:
198:
167:
73:
45:
143:, Guy was posted to the Far East and Sylvia settled at Cator and became interested in local politics, at first as a
276:
186:
496:
332:
From 1955 onwards Sayer kept up a correspondence about the military roads that lead across the northern moor from
1035:
1012:
163:
116:
181:
two weeks before. On 10 February 2000 a service of celebration for her life was held in the parish church of
56:
32:(6 March 1904 – 4 January 2000), was a passionate conservationist and environmental campaigner on behalf of
368:, the proposed site of the reservoir. The proposal was eventually rejected in December 1970 at the Bill's
955:
194:
144:
272:
343:
on Dartmoor's Royal Marines firing range to inspect and photograph any damage done to a prehistoric
521:
202:
127:, and they spent some time in China. Three years later they bought Old Middle Cator, a dilapidated
104:
410:
694:
687:
327:
Address by Geoffrey Sayer, her son, at the thanksgiving service for her life, 10 February 2000.
148:
501:
418:
Following these efforts, she concentrated on the two companies involved in the extraction of
182:
132:
112:
1181:
1176:
719:
240:
156:
8:
333:
253:
174:, she continued to attend virtually every meeting of its executive committee until 1999.
65:
60:
St Raphael's Church at Huccaby which contains a memorial to Sayer's mother, Olive Munday
1070:
514:
467:
340:
128:
68:
performed the first scientific excavations of ancient monuments on Dartmoor, including
48:
from 1951 to 1973, and remained deeply involved with the organisation until her death.
388:
1144:
1125:
1097:
698:
591:
490:
301:
257:
206:
85:
653:
Webb, Christine (7 June 2000). "A slice of history in the wilds of Devon – Homes".
384:
348:
559:
449:
377:
369:
361:
288:
256:. She also referred to Dartmoor's uniqueness in that most of it was owned by the
244:
77:
532:
21:
1170:
979:
475:
436:
373:
229:
847:"Woman who defied an army – Dartmoor's champion has no time to ride there".
931:
793:
424:
365:
1096:. The New Naturalist Library. Vol. 111. London: Collins. p. 22.
717:
24 letters from Sayer about Dartmoor matters that were published in the
239:, in 1948, she expressed concerns about local authorities (specifically
670:
Trevor Fishwick (30 August 1971). "Fighting to preserve the timeless".
471:
444:
440:
419:
185:. It was attended by over 300 people, including representatives of the
177:
She lived at Cator almost until her death, moving to a nursing home in
124:
120:
69:
723:
between 1951 and 1990 are listed in Hamilton-Leggett (1992), pp.224–5.
733:
Sylvia Sayer (21 May 1948). "National Parks". Letters to the Editor.
655:
479:
452:, the then Minister of Transport that included the following extract:
344:
261:
219:
171:
100:
81:
1141:
Quartz and Feldspar – Dartmoor: A British Landscape in Modern Times
178:
136:
33:
1160:
DPA News – the Newsletter of the Dartmoor Preservation Association
988:
964:
940:
802:
95:
1873–1960), Robert Burnard's eldest daughter. Her father was the
37:
140:
108:
557:
Mattingly, Alan (13 January 2000). "Obituary: Sylvia Sayer".
64:
Sayer's grandfather was Robert Burnard (1848–1920), who with
41:
72:; and who was one of the founding members in 1883 of the
821:. No. 56738. London. 16 September 1966. p. 10.
851:. No. 56873. London. 23 February 1967. p. 2.
836:. No. 56872. London. 22 February 1967. p. 1.
414:
The china clay tips on the edge of Shaugh Moor in 2007
44:
in the south-west of England. She was chairman of the
796:, MP for Falmouth and Camborne (14 March 1963).
401:
provocation to lawlessness often starts in Whitehall.
339:
In 1966 she and her husband deliberately interrupted
269:
National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949
308:
Continued objection from Sayer and the DPA, and the
232:'s description of her as "the shield of the moor".
982:, MP for Lambeth Brixton (26 February 1963).
686:
91:Her mother was Olive Louise Munday (born Burnard;
1168:
1119:
893:. Dartmoor Preservation Association. p. 62.
435:In the early 1980s there were plans to create a
669:
376:was built west of the moor near the village of
170:between 1951 and 1973, and after that, as its
978:
954:
958:, MP for High Peak (10 December 1967).
930:
888:
792:
732:
693:. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p.
485:In 1983 she refused an invitation from the
243:) seeking to subvert the implementation of
556:
1033:
806:. House of Commons. col. 1670–1672.
495:
409:
287:
191:Association of National Park Authorities
55:
30:Sylvia Olive Pleadwell Sayer, Lady Sayer
20:
247:'s recommendations for the creation of
131:about two miles west of the village of
1169:
1091:
685:Gill, Crispin (1970). "Introduction".
618:
616:
585:
581:
579:
520:On the centenary of her birth in 2004
405:
293:North Hessary Tor transmitting station
1138:
504:, designed by Sayer in the late 1940s
466:She opposed proposals to build a new
1056:DPA AGM Papers 2012 – 2013, p.9. in
832:"Woman on the warpath at Dartmoor".
737:. No. 51077. London. p. 5.
684:
674:. No. 58263. London. p. 2.
652:
639:
637:
590:. London: Robert Hale. p. 469.
478:by those who only keep them for the
430:
212:
88:and Sayer used to visit as a child.
1038:. Dartmoor Preservation Association
1013:"History Group Talks November 2010"
992:. House of Commons. col. 1207.
968:. House of Commons. col. 1475.
613:
576:
13:
1094:Dartmoor – A Statement of its Time
1071:"Life of Dartmoor champion marked"
777:
567:
529:Dartmoor – A Statement of its Time
76:. He leased Huccaby House, on the
14:
1203:
634:
604:
550:
199:Campaign to Protect Rural England
168:Dartmoor Preservation Association
74:Dartmoor Preservation Association
46:Dartmoor Preservation Association
16:British environmental conservator
1120:Hamilton-Leggett, Peter (1992).
944:. House of Lords. col. 416.
277:Dartmoor National Park Authority
187:Dartmoor National Park Authority
99:at the Naval Hospital School in
1187:People associated with Dartmoor
1085:
1063:
1050:
1027:
1005:
996:
989:Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
972:
965:Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
948:
941:Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
924:
915:
906:
897:
882:
873:
864:
855:
840:
825:
817:"Firing stops for Lady Sayer".
810:
803:Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
798:"VOTE A. NUMBER OF LAND FORCES"
786:
768:
759:
750:
741:
726:
711:
678:
315:
115:in London. In 1925 she married
936:"PROPOSED NEW DARTMOOR PRISON"
879:Hamilton-Leggett (1992), p.84.
663:
646:
625:
1:
544:
354:
92:
1034:Ashbrook, Kate (July 2007).
489:to attend the launch of the
51:
7:
1158:"Tribute to Sylvia Sayer".
372:, and a reservoir known as
10:
1208:
1113:
903:DPA News (2000), pp.17–19.
283:
260:which, as a department of
195:Council for National Parks
1143:. London: Jonathan Cape.
1124:. Tiverton: Devon Books.
1122:The Dartmoor Bibliography
1015:. Widecombe History Group
870:Kelly (2015), pp.282–293.
861:Kelly (2015), pp.293–298.
774:Kelly (2015), pp.237–241.
508:
273:National Parks Commission
149:Rural District Councillor
147:for Widecombe, then as a
97:Principal Medical Officer
1192:English conservationists
610:DPA News (2000), pp.4–5.
461:
295:and base of mast in 2010
25:Sylvia Sayer in May 1983
1139:Kelly, Matthew (2015).
1060:. No. 181, Spring 2013.
912:Kelly (2015), pp.10–16.
217:Sayer was described in
105:Princess Helena College
1002:DPA News (2000), p.17.
921:DPA News (2000), p.23.
631:DPA News (2000), p.11.
573:DPA News (2000), p.10.
542:
505:
459:
415:
403:
324:
296:
226:Dartmoor – A New Study
153:Dartmoor Sub-Committee
61:
26:
1036:"The Sharpitor Story"
984:"LIVESTOCK, DARTMOOR"
889:Sylvia Sayer (1972).
783:DPA News (2000), p.7.
756:DPA News (2000), p.8.
689:Dartmoor. A New Study
643:DPA News (2000), p.3.
586:Hemery, Eric (1983).
537:
502:Widecombe-in-the-Moor
499:
454:
413:
398:
341:live-firing exercises
320:
291:
203:Ramblers' Association
183:Widecombe-in-the-Moor
133:Widecombe-in-the-Moor
113:Central School of Art
59:
24:
1092:Mercer, Ian (2009).
934:(15 December 1959).
765:Kelly (2015), p.236.
720:Western Morning News
622:Kelly (2015), p.243.
500:The village sign at
241:Devon County Council
157:Devon County Council
151:and a member of the
36:, an area of mostly
1073:. BBC. 7 March 2004
747:Kelly (2015), p.231
527:Writing in 2009 in
443:around the town of
406:China clay workings
364:that flows through
254:Forestry Commission
66:Sabine Baring-Gould
960:"COUNTRYSIDE BILL"
515:Burrator Reservoir
506:
416:
297:
129:Dartmoor longhouse
62:
27:
1150:978-0-22409-113-8
1103:978-0-00-718499-6
491:Duchy of Cornwall
482:they can obtain.
431:Okehampton bypass
349:ancient monuments
302:North Hessary Tor
258:Duchy of Cornwall
213:Conservation work
207:Duchy of Cornwall
145:parish councillor
86:Duchy of Cornwall
1199:
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1162:(142). May 2000.
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1058:Dartmoor Matters
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487:Prince of Wales
476:Dartmoor ponies
468:Dartmoor Prison
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450:Peter Bottomley
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378:Broadwoodwidger
370:committee stage
362:River Swincombe
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334:Okehampton Camp
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245:Arthur Hobhouse
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111:, and then the
103:. She attended
78:West Dart River
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1075:. Retrieved
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1040:. Retrieved
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1017:. Retrieved
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932:Lord Stonham
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648:
627:
606:
587:
569:
558:
552:
538:
528:
526:
519:
512:
484:
465:
455:
434:
425:Janet Fookes
417:
399:
392:
382:
366:Foxtor Mires
358:
338:
331:
325:
321:
316:The military
307:
298:
271:created the
266:
236:
234:
225:
218:
216:
201:(CPRE), the
176:
161:
119:, who was a
90:
63:
40:moorland in
29:
28:
18:
1182:2000 deaths
1177:1904 births
1077:3 September
1042:4 September
1019:3 September
84:, from the
1171:Categories
545:References
472:Princetown
457:charade...
445:Okehampton
420:china clay
355:Reservoirs
205:, and the
125:Royal Navy
121:midshipman
70:Grimspound
849:The Times
834:The Times
819:The Times
735:The Times
672:The Times
656:The Times
563:. London.
480:subsidies
380:instead.
345:stone row
262:the Crown
237:The Times
220:The Times
117:Guy Sayer
101:Greenwich
82:Hexworthy
52:Biography
441:A30 road
439:for the
179:Chagford
137:Dartmoor
34:Dartmoor
1114:Sources
284:TV mast
123:in the
80:, near
38:granite
1147:
1128:
1100:
701:
594:
509:Legacy
437:bypass
197:, the
193:, the
189:, the
172:patron
141:VE Day
109:Ealing
462:Other
42:Devon
1145:ISBN
1126:ISBN
1098:ISBN
1079:2015
1044:2015
1021:2015
699:ISBN
592:ISBN
310:CPRE
267:The
470:at
155:of
135:in
107:in
1173::
986:.
962:.
938:.
800:.
697:.
695:16
636:^
615:^
578:^
336:.
209:.
159:.
93:c.
1153:.
1134:.
1106:.
1081:.
1046:.
1023:.
707:.
659:.
600:.
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