Saturday, 6 July 2013

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Foreshore fishermen often have winches at the top of the foreshore to haul their boats up the shingle and there were some rusting specimens of same at Budleigh. But there were also some more rustic versions, things you could probably knock up yourself, without having to give up hard earned cash to the blacksmith or the nautical ironmonger.

A capstan rather than a winch, with the hauling rope winding around the central pole. Slots in the central pole to take miniature capstan bars. Not sure why the pole is as tall as it is, as the winding seemed to take place down below. So that one could rig retaining guys from the top on days when the haul was particularly hard?

PS: I learn from the book from Topsham (vide infra) that the word miniature is derived from minium, the late Latin for the red lead paint used to colour initial letters in the books which eventually evolved into illuminated books with miniatures in the initial letters. Medieval coffee table books as it were, rather than practical prayer books and with that commissioned by the Duc de Berry being the starting point for the book from Topsham. A derivation which is more or less confirmed by OED, via the word 'rubricate', to make red. There is also an elaborate & informative discussion of the whole business at http://metmuseum.org/.

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