Coleford is a small hamlet in Mid-Devon

Devon

Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...

, England. It includes a chapel and a pub, and also has a park and a full set of public conveniences (male, female and disabled).

Coleford junction (arguably Penstone

Penstone

Penstone is a hamlet of some 21 houses in Devon, England, about from the villages of Colebrooke and Coleford, close to the point where the Exeter-Barnstaple and former Exeter-Okehampton rail lines diverge; the latter is now a freight line but there has recently been talk of reopening it to...

 Junction) is the place where the North Devon Railway

North Devon Railway

The North Devon Railway was a British railway company which operated a line from Cowley Bridge Junction, near Exeter, to Bideford in Devon, later becoming part of the London and South Western Railway's system...

 from Crediton

Crediton

Crediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...

 to Barnstaple

Barnstaple

Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...

 splits to the later Okehampton line.

History

Charles I

Charles I of England

Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...

 came through Coleford on 27 July 1644 on his way to Bow

Bow, Devon

Bow is a village and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon, England, about 8 miles west of Crediton. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,093. There is an adjoining hamlet of Nymet Tracey which shares a church with Bow and much common history.-History:There is a 3rd...

, where he spent a night during the English Civil War

English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...

. At that time Coleford village was on the main highway from Cornwall

Cornwall

Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...

 to Devon. There is a tradition that the King reviewed his horse troop, from the "Porched House", a building which dates from this time.

The novel by Henry Kingsley

Henry Kingsley

Henry Kingsley was an English novelist, brother of the better-known Charles Kingsley.Kingsley was born at Barnack rectory, Northamptonshire, son of the Rev. Charles Kingsley the elder, Mary, née Lucas. Charles Kingsley came of a long line of clergymen and soldiers, and in addition to the two...

, "Recollections of Geoffrey Hamlyn" is set partly in the village.

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