Everyone in Honiton knows of Dave Retter, the town’s popular town crier who plays a leading role in our community.
But do you know that American TV viewers recently watched Dave charging over Feniton’s meadows, along with his comrades, Honiton MP Neil Parish, Honiton historian Terry Darrant and former East Devon District Council chairman Andrew Moulding, all armed to the teeth, as they killed government forces who had marched into Feniton?
You may not have heard the sad news either that Dave was the first to be shot and killed… Well, the terrain was rough and dying prematurely was preferable to suffering a twisted ankle.
The good news, however, is that he was resurrected in time to take on a new role the following day: that of a vicar in Ottery church. Here, as proof of Dave’s career move, is a photo of the Rev Dave Retter, also known as the Rev William Harper, addressing his congregation in the Lady Chapel of Ottery St Mary parish church.
Dave’s fame as a rebel soldier and vicar is now spreading worldwide as the TV docu-drama in which he starred, after translation into a number of languages, is being shown in many countries around the world.
Dave and 40 other local people, including Mr Parish, were actors in one episode of the series, called The European Reformation. The episode was based on the first draft of the book Battle of Fenny Bridges 1549 - Prelude and Aftermath, which is now on sale at the Curious Otter Book Shop, Honiton Museum and Paragon Book Shop in Sidmouth.
Colour photos of the people who took part in the filming are scattered throughout the book, while several more appear in an appendix devoted to the making of the film.
Some, including Dave in his role as vicar, are featured on the front cover. Local people worked hard to prepare for the filming that became a village project and took on the task of dressing the extras who came from all over East Devon to join in.
The ladies of Rose Marie Davies’ Feniton Art and Craft group turned piles of discarded curtains and duvet covers that were generously donated and left on various village doorsteps into 40 Tudor costumes. These, with those hired from the National Theatre Company at an eye-watering cost, and others donated by the local Tudor dance troupe, soon turned Feniton back 450 years.
Meanwhile, Feniton's Pam Valentine, aided by Rose Marie's village Art and Craft group spent 500 hours stitching the eight-foot-high banner of the Five Wounds of Christ, the rebels’ emblem, which they carried in battle.