Excitement over the club’s first season in our new clubhouse is tinged with sadness that our honorary president, a pivotal figure behind making our move possible, will not witness it.
Members were saddened to hear that Lord Clinton, our honorary president for 42 years, died last week after a short illness - he was 89.
Lord Clinton was one of the Westcountry’s most prominent and forward-thinking landowners,
He was responsible for 25,000 acres across three estates in North and East Devon, collectively known as Clinton Devon Estates.
The club’s sympathies go to Lord Clinton’s wife, Nicola, always known as Nicky, and three children, the Hon Charles Patrick Rolle Fane Trefusis, who will succeed him, and daughters Caroline and Henrietta.
It was the club’s honour to show Lord Clinton around The Holt in November when he was incredibly supportive of what had been achieved and was delighted to pull the first pint!
Lord Clinton made his home for many years at Heanton Satchville at Huish, near Merton, in the Torridge district, before moving with his wife to East Devon around five years ago.
The eldest child and only son of Capt. Charles Nevile Fane and Gladys Mable Lowther, Lord Clinton was born at 23 Belgrave Square, London – now the German Embassy - and educated at Cothill Preparatory School and Gordonstoun in Moray, Scotland.
During his lifetime Lord Clinton secured the long-term sustainability of the 700-year-old Estates - the largest in family ownership in Devon - turning a traditional landed estate into a leading land management enterprise fit for the 21st century.
The Club’s move to The Holt was facilitated by Lord Clinton when he oversaw one of the biggest conservation projects in the UK working with the Environment Agency, to restore the estuary of the River Otter to its former floodplain. This project involved the relocation of BSCC to a new site on higher ground, also owned by the estate, ending years of flooding misery for players and members.
The innovative ten year LORP project has won wide praise from local people and conservation organisations across the country and overseas and is already reducing the flood risk upstream and providing a new inter-tidal habitat for wildlife.
BSCC Director Bill Roper said: “Lord Clinton has been incredibly supportive - especially in recent years with the move to The Holt. Without his, and Lady Clinton’s support, we wouldn’t have what we have today. He will be greatly missed by all at the club.”