St Anne's Arts & Community Centre, Barnstaple

04/06/2026

Upcoming Creative Workshops taking place at The Guildhall, Barnstaple.

03/06/2026

Thank you Theatre Workhouse for the invite to your very first show last evening.
Please do go along and watch this talented company perform this entertaining, thought provoking and laugh out loud new production.

02/06/2026

James Spencer- Live at Barnstaple Guildhall

At the core of James’ music is the desire to tell stories. Tales of life, love, loss and folk-lore.
He writes songs comprised of folk and country infused rock.
From North Devon, James is better known as half of the duo, ‘Bicycle Repair Man’ and will be playing solo versions of his work across multiple instruments.

No Bar. Bring your own!
Tea/coffee & Soft drinks available.

Full details and booking information here: https://www.theploughartscentre.org.uk/event/james-spencer-live-barnstaple-guildhall

01/06/2026

Well done to those who attended our workshops on Saturday.
Thank you Penny Rowland Hill for delivering the 'Bags of Fun' Wet Felting Workshop in the morning, and to Juliette Hayward Mosaics for the smashing Seahorse Mosaic Workhsop in the afternoon.

For all future events, see here: https://www.theploughartscentre.org.uk/

01/06/2026

01/06/2026

Join us for an evening of immersive electronic music, experimental sound, drones, ambience and audiovisual performance as we celebrate three years of Pattern Recognition.

This special birthday event brings together five outstanding artists from the South West electronic music scene:

🔹 Ken Peel
🔹 Flux-us
🔹 Terminal Optimism
🔹 MAF
🔹 Patrick Dunn

From hypnotic analogue synth explorations and tape-loop experimentation to immersive audiovisual journeys and expansive soundscapes, this promises to be one of our most ambitious events yet.

📍 Barnstaple Guildhall
📅 Sat August 29th
🎟 £10 advance / £12 on the door

Please note: Due to essential building works at St Anne's, this event will take place at Barnstaple Guildhall.

⚠️ No bar – please bring your own refreshments.

Come and help us celebrate three years of bringing experimental electronic music to North Devon.

Tickets: https://www.theploughartscentre.org.uk/event/pattern-recognition-presents-ken-peel-flux-us-terminal-optimism-maf

01/06/2026

1863. Thomas Hughes, alias Benton, wasn't keen on serving four years in Barnstaple prison for picking pockets at Barnstaple Fair.
Thomas, already had a reputation for being a bundle of trouble, so he was put in the most secure cell.

The walls were two foot thick, over that was a two inch layer of oak, made more secure with iron bands round the room. The window, had iron bars an inch thick; the door was solid wood. You'd think all this would be a detterant to Thomas, but no, Thomas saw this as a challenge to be overcome, the faster, the better.

Thomas, a tailor by trade, was nothing if not determined. Given a tailors goose to use, at his trade in prison, Thomas knew this was a handy tool and kept it. In the space of two weeks he had chipped through the oak and then through the wall. Hiding the debris in his night soil box, which he had to empty each morning. In an old coat under his bed and likely, by distributing some finer dust, down his trouser legs, when walking in the yard.

Come the evening of his escape, Thomas pulled himself through the hole into the middle of the prison, wrenched open the back door by breaking the hinges, and was now in the yard. Using tables from empty, unlocked cells, he made a tower of them and using the washing line he hooked it on spikes on the outside of the wall, pulled himself up, over the twenty foot wall and was away.

This and other stories of intriguing people, crimes, ghosts and more; Thurs 4th June 7.30pm. £12. https://www.theploughartscentre.org.uk/whatss-on/live/talks-tours/haunted-history-tour