Devon CPRE sponsors new festival to celebrate 'Devonshire's Robbie Burns'
The charity that campaigns to protect and celebrate Devon’s countryside is sponsoring the first Edward Capern Festival, taking place on Devon Day (Thursday, 4 June) in Heanton Punchardon to honour the ‘Postman Poet of North Devon’, also known as ‘Devonshire’s Robbie Burns’ or ‘Devon’s Bard’.
Edward Capern (1819 - 1894) composed a wealth of poems and songs about the Devon countryside while going about his job delivering the mail to far-flung villages. He became famous throughout Victorian England. He died in Braunton and was buried in the churchyard at St Augustine’s in Heanton Punchardon, where the first day of an annual Festival to commemorate this local literary hero is being organised by the church and the residents' association.
Devon CPRE Chairman Steve Crowther, who lives in the village, is inviting people to submit their own poems about Devon’s countryside to win a £500 prize as part of the first Edward Capern Award for the ‘Postman Poet’ of 2026, sponsored by Devon CPRE.
Steve says, “As Edward Capern went about his rounds as a postman, he composed poems and songs celebrating the glory of Devon’s countryside. As an organisation that equally loves Devon, we at Devon CPRE have decided that in our centenary year, we would help to revive his memory. So, we’re working with the community and church here at Heanton Punchardon to create the first-ever Edward Capern Festival.
“We’ve decided that this year we should also introduce the very first Edward Capern ‘Postman Poet’ of the Year award. Something we can start this year and then build as a recognition of citizen poets. So if you’ve got any poetry in you, of any kind, celebrating Devon’s nature, our landscapes, our way of life, send it to me.”
A two-day programme of events will take place in Heanton Punchardon:
Thursday 4 June, 7 - 9 pm, An Evening of Music and Poetry at St Augustine’s Church
Local author Liz Shakespeare, an authority on Capern, joins musicians Mick Wyke and Becki Driscoll to celebrate the life, poems and songs of ‘Devonshire’s Robbie Burns. Tickets £10. Drinks and snacks are available.
Friday 5 June, 1 - 3 pm (schools), 3 - 7 pm (public), Capern’s Countryside Exhibition at Wrafton Hall
Art, poetry, displays and choral music created by local schools and residents based around six of Edward Capern’s best-known poems, reflecting the North Devon countryside, coasts and rural life. Announcement of the first Edward Capern Award for the ‘Postman Poet’ of 2026, with a prize of £500. Tea and cakes are available.
Entries for the poetry competition should be emailed to sjcrowther@btinternet.com by Friday, 29 May 2026.
To book tickets, email sjcrowther@btinternet.com or call 07775 787579.
To find out more about the festival and the poetry competition, go to CPRE Devon’s YouTube: Devon CPRE sponsors the inaugural Edward Capern Festival, 4-5 June 2026
