Walter Raymond’s The Book of Simple Delights, held and available to read in The Exmoor Society’s Library, is a gently beguiling account of how, in 1905, the author rented a cottage in Withypool because he ‘was yearning for the simple life’.
There he escaped ‘the folly of hurry’ and found both the solitude he needed to write and the company of congenial neighbours. Raymond regretted the mechanisation that was changing country life and ending traditional customs. Nostalgic memories of lost rituals are part of his narrative’s charm, as are his meticulous and eloquent descriptions of nature.
His simple life overflowed with variety: woodland and moorland walks accompanied by bird song; haymakers debating the existence of the devil; sightings of partridge and curlew; picking whortleberries with bossy little Priscilla; engrossing conversations at roadside and inn; being mistaken for a swindler on the run; the unexpected beauty of the horse-drawn reaper machine that was replacing the sickle; and more besides.
A kindly man, Raymond changed all the place and personal names to ensure the anonymity of his Withypool friends. This book, which speaks so vividly of his love of Exmoor, is in itself a simple delight.
Caroline Tonson-Rye, Archive Volunteer
