Ilfracombe
Encyclopedia
Ilfracombe is a seaside resort
and civil parish on the North Devon
coast, England
with a small harbour, surrounded by cliff
s.
The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay
toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs
to Lee Bay
toward the west. The resort is hilly and the highest point within the parish boundary is at 'Hore Down Gate', 2 miles inland and 860 feet (270 m) above sea level.
The landmark of Hillsborough
Hill dominates the harbour and is the site of an Iron Age
fortified settlement. The architectural award-winning Landmark Theatre is either loved or hated for its unusual double-conical design; it is distinctive and, with the St Nicholas's Chapel on Lantern Hill, a major landmark in the town.
, when the Dumnonii
Celts established a hill fort on the dominant hill, Hillsborough
(formerly Hele's
Barrow
). The origin of the town's name has two possible sources. The first is that it is a derivative of the Anglo-Saxon
Alfreinscoma - by which name it was noted in the Liber Exoniensis
of 1086. The translation of this name (from Walter William Skeat
of the department of Anglo Saxon
at Cambridge University
) means the "Valley of the sons of Alfred". The second origin is that the name Ilfracombe was derived from Norse illf (bad), Anglo-Saxon yfel (evil ford) and Anglo-Saxon cumb (valley or bottom), thus 'The valley with the bad ford'.
The manor house at Chambercombe
in east Ilfracombe, was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as being built by a Norman knight Champernon (from Chambernon in France) who landed with William of Normandy. It is also said to be haunted.
Ilfracombe was two distinct communities; a farming community around the parish church
called Holy Trinity, parts of which date from the 12th century, and a fishing community around the natural harbour formed between Capstone, Compass and Lantern Torrs. It is recorded that the lands by the church were part of the estate owned by Champernowne family
those by the harbour to the Bouchiers, Earls of Bath
.
Because of the natural layout of the harbour, Ilfracombe became a significant safe port (registered port of refuge) on the Bristol Channel
. It also had trade routes between Kinsale
and Tenby
, which made the port stronger. In 1208 it was listed as having provided King John
with ships and men to invade Ireland
; in 1247 it supplied a ship to the fleet that was sent to conquer the Western Isles of Scotland
; 6 ships, with 79 men were sent to support the siege of Calais
. Ilfracombe was the last disembarkation point for two large forces sent to subdue the Irish
. The building which sits on Lantern Hill by the harbour, known as St Nicholas's Chapel (built 1361) is reputed to be the oldest working lighthouse in the UK; a light/beacon has been there for over 650 years. The town was home to the Bowen family. James Bowen was master of the HMS Queen Charlotte, the flagship of Richard, Earl Howe at the 1794 "Glorious First of June
" battle. James Bowen was commissioned by Howe for his leadership in the battle, he rose through the levels - commander of the Argot, the Dreadnought, and in Georgian England titled "defender of Madeira", led the fleet which rescued the British army at Corunna in the Peninsula war, retired as a Rear Admiral, Commissioner of the Royal Navy. Captain Richard Bowen
(1761–1797) James Bowen's younger brother, a British naval commander, ship HMS Terpsichore, served under Lord Nelson, killed at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. John Bowen (1780–1827), son of James Bowen, a naval officer and colonial administrator;in 1803 founded the first settlement of Tasmania at Risdon Cove, later named Hobart. Lieutenant A E Down, was initially posted to Ilfracombe to lead a protection ship for the customs and excise, he married a local girl, rose through the levels to retire as vice Admiral, his son joined the navy aged 14 ( his first navy kit is on display at National Maritime Museum Greenwich). In 1802 James Meek married Down's daughter and settled in the town, James Meek was appointed the Comptroller of Victuals to the Royal Navy in 1832, he was knighted, and died in Ilfracombe 1852. (gentlemen's gazette)
There was a wooden fortress overlooking the harbour, of this nothing remains except contemporary records and the area designated Castle Hill off Portland Street/Montepellier Terrace.
The novelist Fanny Burney stayed in Ilfracombe in 1817. Her diary entries (31 July – 5 October) record early 19th century life in Ilfracombe: a captured Spanish ship; two ships in distress in a storm; the visit of Thomas Bowdler
; and her lucky escape after being cut-off by the tide. A few years later in the 1820s a set of four tunnels were hand carved by Welsh
miners to permit access to the beaches by horse-drawn carriage as well as by foot. Previously access was gained by climbing the cliffs, rounding the point by boat, swimming or at the lowest tides clambering around the rocks of the point. These tunnels led to a pair of tidal pools, which in accordance with Victorian
morals, were used for segregated male and female bathing. Whereas women were constrained to a strict dress code covering up the whole body, men generally swam naked. The tunnels are still viewable and are signposted as Tunnels Beaches.
In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot
) accompanied George Henry Lewes
to Ilfracombe to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The town's first lifeboat
was bought in 1828 but a permanent service was not available until the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
built a lifeboat station
at the bottom of Lantern Hill near the pier in 1866. The present station at Broad Street dates from 1996.
In 1911, the Irish nationalist Anna Catherine Parnell
(sister of Charles Stewart Parnell
) drowned at Ilfracombe.
Miss Alice Frances Louisa Phillips (b. 26 January 1891 at 85 High Street, Ilfracombe) and her father Mr Escott Robert Phillips (b. 1869 Cardiff) held 2nd Class Ticket #2 on RMS Titanic, and set sail from Southampton on 10 April 1912 heading for New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Alice was rescued in boat 12, her father was lost in the disaster.
first set foot on stage here, and the Collins sisters (Joan
and Jackie
) went to school in the town whilst evacuees
from the Blitz
. Henry Williamson
, author of Tarka the Otter, lived in Brittania Row for many years and is commemorated with a blue plaque.
The town lies within the Parliamentary constituency
of North Devon
, and the European Region of South West England
.
The three councils which govern activities in the town are Devon County Council
, North Devon District Council
, and Ilfracombe Town Council. The councils cover different areas of responsibility:
Ilfracombe is twinned
with Herxheim
in Germany
and Ifs
in France
.
Ilfracombe overlies slate
s formed from sedimentary rock
that underwent geological stress (creating faults and folds), towards the end of the Carboniferous Period, around 300 million years ago. These are known as the Ilfracombe slates.
Ilfracombe lies within the North Devon Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is renowned for its dramatic coastal cliffs and landscape. Hillsborough, lying close to the town centre is a local nature reserve, The Cairn, and around the town are many other havens for wildlife. The coast itself is part of the North Devon Voluntary Marine Conservation area because of its diverse and rare species.
and Liverpool
to allieviate this problem. At its peak over 10,000 holidaymakers used the railway each Saturday during peak season, and passenger ferries brought still more. When the tourism market faltered with the arrival of cheap foreign package holiday
s in the 1960s, and the closure of the railway, unemployment levels rose. This 'inward migration' caused social problems and friction between these people and those with a long history of residence. In 2001, Ilfracombe Central Ward was designated the most deprived super output area in Devon.
These problems are now being addressed by the implementation of local government schemes e.g. Sure Start
now known as Mystart covering the Ilfracombe Learning area - a project to help support families with young children - and, since 2004, the Neighbourhood Management Transform programme: both were the first such government sponsored social development schemes covering rural areas in England. Better policing, the use of neighbourhood wardens and CCTV
have led to a reduction in crime rates as reported monthly to the town council by the police toward the North Devon
regional average (a fraction of those nationally)..
Things have started to change - a MOSAIC Study published in mid 2007 by Devon County Council, Economic Intelligence Unit, showed within Ilfracombe parish, Ilfracombe Central, East and West wards have higher proportion of people "who live in close knit communities, majority of working age, own their own homes, cars and hold down responsible jobs than the average for the area as a whole. There are also higher proportions of pensioners who own their own homes and have some source of income beyond the state pension, and of residents who are typically in white collar occupations and predominately married, have had children and are beginning to think about retirement".
Until the mid-19th century Ilfracombe's economy was based around maritime activities: importing lime and coal
from Wales; fishing for herring; and international trade, including to West Africa and the West Indies. In George III
and the Regency period the town was home to many navy personnel – four admirals, numerous captains, and other commissioned and non-commissioned sailors.
The town gradually developed into a tourist resort served by ferries along the Bristol Channel
. The opening of the railway accelerated this development. The population grew until the First World War, then stabilised at 9,200, now 11,000. The economy suffered throughout the 1960s as UK holiday patterns changed, and suffered further through the closure of the railway line in 1970.
In the last 25 years, major investment by private 'light engineering' companies has added to the economy. These companies include: Pall Europe - a filtration manufacturers with 700 employees on site ; and the European headquarters TDK-Lambda, a subsidiary of the TDK Corporation, which manufactures industrial & medical power supplies. A number of light engineering firms provide additional employment and operate within a couple of miles of the town centre at Mullacott Cross
.
Employment Research conducted by MORI in 2005 for the Transform (UK government neighbourhood management project), and by Roger Tym & Partners for the Ilfracombe Community Alliance showed :-The service sector (includes hotel and catering) at 76% is 2 x higher than the North Devon (40.1%) or Devon average (33.7%). 51% of businesses by number are within the distribution, hotels and restaurants sector.12.8% are within the banking, finance and insurance sector.11.9% are within public administration, health and education.
The High Street continues to thrive, despite the arrival outside the area of supermarket stores by large retailers. High Street businesses in 2010 include the major banks and building societies and small branches of many national or regional shop chains, but it still has traditional hardware stores and local butcher's, baker's, and florist's shops, which to some extent maintain its traditional individual character.
Ilfracombe is at the southern end of the A361
, the longest 3-digit A-road
in England. The A361 finishes on the A5 at Kilsby on the Northamptonshire-Warwickshire border near Rugby. This road is the town's main connection with the South West England
motorway, the M5
.
that ran from Barnstaple
, but this closed in 1970. Now, the nearest National Rail
railway station is in Barnstaple and buses provide the public transport link from there to Ilfracombe. Regular bus services to Barnstaple are operated by First Devon & Cornwall
. There are several smaller routes around the town run by Roy Filer Coaches. A twice-daily national coach service operated by National Express
route 502 connects Ilfracombe to London Victoria via Heathrow Airport. Seasonal route 300 – operated by Filers – connects Ilfracombe to Lynton and there connects with a bus operated by Quantock, to Minehead
and Taunton
in Somerset
.
and between Swansea
developed.
On 16 May 1873, a wooden promenade pier was opened to allow the pleasure steamers to berth at all tides. On 23 June 1894, it was reported in the Ilfracombe Chronicle that over 2,500 people arrived in no less than seven boats, it describes them as 'commodious and well-appointed vessels with an excellent reputation for speed and comfort.' As well as holidaymakers, the boats carried workers, live and dead stock, and other merchandise to and from the town.
The PS Waverley
first arrived in Ilfracombe in 1887, after her owners Messrs P. and A. Campbell brought her to Bristol as their first pleasure steamer to work the Bristol Channel. Deterioration of the wooden pier and part demolition during World War II
mean that a new pier was required. The wood was replaced with reinforced concrete and car parking space was increased. The new pier was opened on 6 July 1952.
A seasonal passenger ferry
, operated by MS Oldenburg
, runs from the harbour to Lundy Island
. Pleasure boats, including MV Balmoral and PS Waverley
, operate cruises from Ilfracombe, including crossings to Porthcawl
. However, due to rising fuel costs these services are under threat.
A catamaran-based ferry service from Ilfracombe to Swansea
has been proposed, but this service has not commenced because adequate landing and berthing facilities in Swansea have not been forthcoming.
- Ilfracombe Arts College. Each of these schools are amongst the largest of their type in Devon
. The college serves the needs of Ilfracombe residents and those across the coastal North Devon
area as far as Lynton
and Lynmouth
on the Somerset
county border. It is a nationally recognised centre for Media Studies and was in 2004 awarded Media Arts Status. Upon completion of a new Art block in 2007, the college's specialist status became simply Arts. Further educational courses and vocational courses are run by Ilfracombe Arts College.
Ilfracombe Museum was opened in 1932 in Ilfracombe Hotel's Victorian laundry and contains attractions from around the world including pickled bats and the two-headed kitten. It also contains items and photographs of local railway interest including one of the concrete name boards from the now closed Ilfracombe railway station, which can be seen on the front wall of the museum; and a collection of pieces of Victorian wedding cake
s. It also has oak panels salvaged from the wreck of HMS Montagu
.
Ilfracombe also has a library located on the Residential Candar Retirement Development.
faith. The main Anglican church is the parish church
'Holy Trinity' which is the mother church to St Peter's on Highfield Road. Several other churches identify themselves as Evangelical
but differ in denominational background. These include: St Philip and St James Church whose background is Anglican; two free church
es - Brookdale Evangelical Church] and Ilfracombe Christian Fellowship Church, of which the latter is the more charismatic
; and Ilfracombe Baptist Church of the Baptist
tradition. There is also the Roman Catholic Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Runnacleave Road, the Methodist/United Reformed
Emmanuel Church on Wilder Road, and a Salvation Army
Corps church on Torrs Park, by Bath Place. Other faiths are represented by a Jehovah's Witness meeting place in Victoria Road, and a Christian Spiritualist meeting house on Greenclose Road .
Ilfracombe Town Football Club
, who play at Marlborough Park near Ilfracombe Arts College, compete in the Premier Division of the Western League
, having gained promotion in the 2006-07 season.
There is a high street gym, however, the rural and hilly nature of the local terrain provide plenty of opportunities to exercise. A tennis
club is based at Bicclescombe Park which contains several tennis courts, bookable for a small fee by both tourists and locals. The local swimming pool supports many activities - leisure swimming, competitive swimming, and life saving classes for all age groups.
Ilfracombe Golf Club (located just beyond Hele Bay
) was founded in 1892. Other active sport facilities include: the cricket club, formed in 1923 who play at Killacleave Playing Fields, a swimming club in the suburb of Chambercombe
; in Fore Street, a table tennis centre with teams ranging in age from junior to veteran. The tennis club operates from courts and a club house in Bicclescombe park. Naturally there are maritime activities - a popular yacht club, a thriving sub-aqua club, a growing Gig boat club ( 2 x gig boats) and a kayak and canoeing club. Other sports teams in the town include Hash Harriers Running Club and many skittles and darts teams operated by the numerous licensed premises in the town. There are during the winter a local Euchre league, and quiz leagues both vigorously contested. There is also a flat green bowling club located in Highfield Road. In 2008, the town council owned building at Slade aka the Slade Community Centre, operated by an independent community group, was renamed the "Vision", it is home to the Akido club, the kick boxing club and many activities for younger children. A boxing club is held twice weekly in the local fire station. There are active modern and traditional ( morris teams) dance clubs.
Jonathan Edwards
the World and Olympic Champion triple jump
athlete lived in the town whilst his father was the vicar of St Philip & St James Church. He is commemorated in a mosaic on the seafront near the Landmark Theatre, which demonstrates the length of his record-breaking jump. Jason Twist
, twice World Champion at 8-ball pool still lives in the town.
Despite the hilly terrain, Ilfracombe is at the northern end of National Cycle Network
route 27, known as the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route, which starts from the pier (clock-in station at the Pier Tavern) and ends in Plymouth
. There is another coastal trail suitable for cycling which starts at the pier which heads eastwards towards Minehead
(defined as 'arduous'). A new event in 2010, organised by North Devon Wheelers is a giro cycle race round the town held as a prologue to the annual carnival.In September 2011 the first Ilfracombe triathlon was held on "the mother of all short courses" 400m sea swim, 22km cycle, 5km run - described as "lumpy".
The South West Coast Path
connecting Minehead in Somerset
to Dorset
, via Land's End
, passes through the town from Hele Bay
to Lee Bay
via Ilfracombe Harbour.
Swim Ilfracombe to Swansea
The first person to swim the 30.5 nautical miles (56.5 km; 35.1 mi) from Ilfracombe to Swansea was Gethin Jones, who achieved the record on 13 September 2009, taking nearly 22 hours.[12]
Since 2001 there has been an economic regeneration programme led by the Ilfracombe & District Community Alliance MCTI, a community interest company
designed to encourage social entrepreneurship
. After community consultation this programme developed a community economic strategy for the next twenty years.
The South West of England Regional Development Agency is working with the Alliance and North Devon District Council formulating plans for the town's economic and physical structures. Proposed developments are: the enhancement of the harbour area ; the implementation of regular all year foot passenger ferry service to the Mumbles near Swansea
which is only 21 miles away across the Bristol Channel
; the re-development of the derelict bus station site based on plans developed by Terence O'Rourke
; and the creation of better youth support and recreation facilities at the Larkstone Brimland area on the eastern side of the harbour area.
The town council - working with GOSW, SWRDA and NDDC, supported by the Alliance and Transform - has developed the council offices into a community training resource in the town centre: 'The Ilfracombe Centre'. In 2006, major leisure industry developments by John Fowler, a local holiday camp operator, are expected to help shift the local economy back to tourism. This combined with investment by patrons such as Damien Hirst
(who with his partner Mia recently funded a restaurant owned by Simon Brown, No 11 The Quay, on Harbour Quay Road, is developing a boutique guest house on the Torrs, as well owning other properties within the town) and the introduction of high quality accommodation should make Ilfracombe a more attractive destination for food lovers and tourists.
Each year, the residents and school children of Ilfracombe celebrate their heritage. These celebrations include six carnivals - a May Day
walking celebration (dating from 2000, this is sometimes confused with an earlier tradition suppressed by the church in the 19th century); Ilfracombe Victorian
Celebration http://www.ilfvc.org.uk, a week-long programme of events held annually in June to celebrate a time of the town's prosperity; a large street carnival
procession
during August, organised by the St John's Ambulance service; the Lighting of the Lights held during November; and at Christmas
, a Christingle
.
A farmers' market
is held regularly in the Lantern Community Centre on High Street. By the Landmark Theatre there is a small museum, housed in the buildings of the laundry of the former Ilfracombe Hotel. For those of literary intent there is an Ilfracombe authors'/writers' group.
The town hosts eight small art galleries, including the exhibitions displayed by the Art Society in the crypt of Emmanual Church on the seafront, the foyer of the Landmark Theatre, the Quay and in "Number Eleven, The Quay" within which there are many Damien Hirst
works, including butterflies, pharmacy, small statues and wallpaper designs. The town is home to many artists who work with Damien Hirst (winner Turner Prize for contemprory art 1996), of significance the 2011 short listed Turner Prize artist, George Shaw , has a studio and now lives in the town.
Two charitable events are organised each summer by Ilfracombe Round Table http://www.ilfracomberoundtable.co.uk. Both make use of Ilfracombe Pier as a display area. The first of these is the annual "South West Birdman" contest which involves entrants seeking to 'fly' from the pier in home-made flying machines and silly costumes. The second event is "Rescue Day", an opportunity for members of the public to learn about the activities of the emergency services. The highlight of the day is a simulated air-sea rescue involving the launch of the Ilfracombe RNLI lifeboat, a Sea King
helicopter from RAF 22 Squadron, Exmoor Search and Rescue team and local Fire, Ambulance and HM Coastguard services.
Most Mondays and Thursdays the local Ilfracombe Sea Cadets
meet near the harbour, in what was the old rope making factory on Ropery Road.
.
relocated the redundant old wooden library from the Hermitage site, to 'Burnside' in the heart of the Slade Valley
estate for use as a community owned centre.
The same area of the town was struck by fire twice during the 1980s. First on December 12, 1981 Draper's paint store in the upper story of the building on the corner of Portland Street and Fore Street, this fire was contained quickly, however fumes from the burning paint meant much of the local area was evacuated during the night. The second much larger fire started at 2:30am on the night of September 2, 1983 in the shopping arcade under the Candar hotel. In this fire one life was lost. Both of these fires drew parallels to the Great Fire in the media of the time. The Candar Arcade site became the Candar sheltered residential apartments (the opening of Candar apartments wa the last public engagement performed by Charles and Diana
, as the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1992.
Other fires in Ilfracombe include: On 17 May 1985 the Beacon Castle was devastated by fire. On the 5th August 1991 the Mount Hotel was destroyed by fire. On 24 January 2001 the Hotel Cecil; 14 January 2004 the arcade on the seafront near Susan Day Residential Home was destroyed by fire. On 17 November 2004 and 13 February 2005 the Cliffe Hydro suffered from fires.
Shortly before 19:00 BST on Wednesday, 8 August 2006, a fire broke out at the derelict Montebello Hotel in Fore Street
, Ilfracombe. Twenty fire engines
were required to put out the blaze including a number rushed to the scene from Woolacombe
, Barnstaple
and the bordering county of Somerset
. Specialist equipment was brought in from as far afield as Exeter
, and according to the local radio news 85 firemen were involved at the fire. The fire spread to three neighbouring properties and showered debris over a wide area. The six-storey hotel was completely gutted, with only the front wall, chimney stacks and remains of the lift shaft frame surviving the blaze, and the fire was still being damped-down the following day. Fore Street
was closed for some period due to the difficulties of demolition.
The building was eventually demolished when it was determined that the fire had left it structurally unsound. This caused additional headaches for the emergency services as curious members of the public ignored safety barriers in an attempt to see the remains more clearly. The site is to be redeveloped as residential accommodation, although, as of August 2009, no work has been started on the site.
On the evening of 3 April 2008 the Blazing Sounds band hut in the grounds of Ilfracombe College was gutted in a blaze. The wooden structure was destroyed, along with many instruments, music and trophies. This was attributed to arson at the time, but the culprit(s) were never caught.
This history of Ilfracombe's large fires has to be taken in the context of the number and antiquity of many early Victorian jerry built hotels. A comprehensive display in the museum shows whilst the size of buildings may be large, the frequency of such conflagrations is low and the justification as to why Devon and Somerset fire and rescue authority transferred the large extension ladder from the Ilfracombe station to Barnstaple.
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
and civil parish on the North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
coast, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with a small harbour, surrounded by cliff
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
s.
The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay
Hele Bay
Hele Bay is a small village and beach just to the east of the town of Ilfracombe in North Devon, England. It is on the South West Coast Path....
toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs
The Torrs
The Torrs are a Local Nature Reserve and one of the four main hills in the North Devon coastal town of Ilfracombe.The South West Coast Path passes through the Torrs....
to Lee Bay
Lee Bay
Lee Bay is a small village on the North Devon coast near Woolacombe.The village of Lee lies at the foot of what is known locally as the Fuchsia Valley, and consists of around 100 properties, mostly old in style. The village centre is about a quarter of a mile from the sea, and is linked to the area...
toward the west. The resort is hilly and the highest point within the parish boundary is at 'Hore Down Gate', 2 miles inland and 860 feet (270 m) above sea level.
The landmark of Hillsborough
Hillsborough, Devon
Hillsborough is a Local Nature Reserve in Ilfracombe, North Devon and is known locally as the sleeping elephant. It is also the site of an Iron Age Hill fort atop the cliff on a Promontory at approx 115 metres above sea level. The fort takes the classic shape of a Promontory reinforced and cut off...
Hill dominates the harbour and is the site of an Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
fortified settlement. The architectural award-winning Landmark Theatre is either loved or hated for its unusual double-conical design; it is distinctive and, with the St Nicholas's Chapel on Lantern Hill, a major landmark in the town.
History
Ilfracombe has been settled since the Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, when the Dumnonii
Dumnonii
The Dumnonii or Dumnones were a British Celtic tribe who inhabited Dumnonia, the area now known as Devon and Cornwall in the farther parts of the South West peninsula of Britain, from at least the Iron Age up to the early Saxon period...
Celts established a hill fort on the dominant hill, Hillsborough
Hillsborough, Devon
Hillsborough is a Local Nature Reserve in Ilfracombe, North Devon and is known locally as the sleeping elephant. It is also the site of an Iron Age Hill fort atop the cliff on a Promontory at approx 115 metres above sea level. The fort takes the classic shape of a Promontory reinforced and cut off...
(formerly Hele's
Hele Bay
Hele Bay is a small village and beach just to the east of the town of Ilfracombe in North Devon, England. It is on the South West Coast Path....
Barrow
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
). The origin of the town's name has two possible sources. The first is that it is a derivative of the Anglo-Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
Alfreinscoma - by which name it was noted in the Liber Exoniensis
Liber Exoniensis
The Liber Exoniensis or Exon Domesday is a composite land and tax register associated with the Domesday Survey of 1086, covering much of Southwest England. It contains a variety of administrative materials concerning the shires of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire...
of 1086. The translation of this name (from Walter William Skeat
Walter William Skeat
Walter William Skeat , English philologist, was born in London on the 21st of November 1835, and educated at King's College School , Highgate School, and Christ's College, Cambridge, of which he became a fellow in July 1860. His grandsons include the noted palaeographer T. C...
of the department of Anglo Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
) means the "Valley of the sons of Alfred". The second origin is that the name Ilfracombe was derived from Norse illf (bad), Anglo-Saxon yfel (evil ford) and Anglo-Saxon cumb (valley or bottom), thus 'The valley with the bad ford'.
The manor house at Chambercombe
Chambercombe
Chambercombe is a hilly suburb in the North Devon town of Ilfracombe....
in east Ilfracombe, was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as being built by a Norman knight Champernon (from Chambernon in France) who landed with William of Normandy. It is also said to be haunted.
Ilfracombe was two distinct communities; a farming community around the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
called Holy Trinity, parts of which date from the 12th century, and a fishing community around the natural harbour formed between Capstone, Compass and Lantern Torrs. It is recorded that the lands by the church were part of the estate owned by Champernowne family
Arthur Champernowne
Sir Arthur Champernowne was a Vice-Admiral of the West who lived at Dartington Hall in Devon, England.-Biography:Champernowne was the second son of Sir Philip Champernowne of Modbury, Devon, whose family had lived in Devon since arriving from Cambernon in Normandy in the eleventh century as part...
those by the harbour to the Bouchiers, Earls of Bath
Earl of Bath
Earl of Bath was a title that was created five times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once Peerage of the United Kingdom...
.
Because of the natural layout of the harbour, Ilfracombe became a significant safe port (registered port of refuge) on the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. It also had trade routes between Kinsale
Kinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
and Tenby
Tenby
Tenby is a walled seaside town in Pembrokeshire, South West Wales, lying on Carmarthen Bay.Notable features of Tenby include of sandy beaches; the 13th century medieval town walls, including the Five Arches barbican gatehouse ; 15th century St...
, which made the port stronger. In 1208 it was listed as having provided King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
with ships and men to invade Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
; in 1247 it supplied a ship to the fleet that was sent to conquer the Western Isles of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
; 6 ships, with 79 men were sent to support the siege of Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
. Ilfracombe was the last disembarkation point for two large forces sent to subdue the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The building which sits on Lantern Hill by the harbour, known as St Nicholas's Chapel (built 1361) is reputed to be the oldest working lighthouse in the UK; a light/beacon has been there for over 650 years. The town was home to the Bowen family. James Bowen was master of the HMS Queen Charlotte, the flagship of Richard, Earl Howe at the 1794 "Glorious First of June
Glorious First of June
The Glorious First of June [Note A] of 1794 was the first and largest fleet action of the naval conflict between the Kingdom of Great Britain and the First French Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars...
" battle. James Bowen was commissioned by Howe for his leadership in the battle, he rose through the levels - commander of the Argot, the Dreadnought, and in Georgian England titled "defender of Madeira", led the fleet which rescued the British army at Corunna in the Peninsula war, retired as a Rear Admiral, Commissioner of the Royal Navy. Captain Richard Bowen
Richard Bowen
Richard Bowen was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary Wars...
(1761–1797) James Bowen's younger brother, a British naval commander, ship HMS Terpsichore, served under Lord Nelson, killed at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. John Bowen (1780–1827), son of James Bowen, a naval officer and colonial administrator;in 1803 founded the first settlement of Tasmania at Risdon Cove, later named Hobart. Lieutenant A E Down, was initially posted to Ilfracombe to lead a protection ship for the customs and excise, he married a local girl, rose through the levels to retire as vice Admiral, his son joined the navy aged 14 ( his first navy kit is on display at National Maritime Museum Greenwich). In 1802 James Meek married Down's daughter and settled in the town, James Meek was appointed the Comptroller of Victuals to the Royal Navy in 1832, he was knighted, and died in Ilfracombe 1852. (gentlemen's gazette)
There was a wooden fortress overlooking the harbour, of this nothing remains except contemporary records and the area designated Castle Hill off Portland Street/Montepellier Terrace.
The novelist Fanny Burney stayed in Ilfracombe in 1817. Her diary entries (31 July – 5 October) record early 19th century life in Ilfracombe: a captured Spanish ship; two ships in distress in a storm; the visit of Thomas Bowdler
Thomas Bowdler
Thomas Bowdler was an English physician who published an expurgated edition of William Shakespeare's work, edited by his sister Harriet, intended to be more appropriate for 19th century women and children than the original....
; and her lucky escape after being cut-off by the tide. A few years later in the 1820s a set of four tunnels were hand carved by Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
miners to permit access to the beaches by horse-drawn carriage as well as by foot. Previously access was gained by climbing the cliffs, rounding the point by boat, swimming or at the lowest tides clambering around the rocks of the point. These tunnels led to a pair of tidal pools, which in accordance with Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
morals, were used for segregated male and female bathing. Whereas women were constrained to a strict dress code covering up the whole body, men generally swam naked. The tunnels are still viewable and are signposted as Tunnels Beaches.
In 1856 writer Mary Ann Evans (pen-name George Eliot
George Eliot
Mary Anne Evans , better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, journalist and translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era...
) accompanied George Henry Lewes
George Henry Lewes
George Henry Lewes was an English philosopher and critic of literature and theatre. He became part of the mid-Victorian ferment of ideas which encouraged discussion of Darwinism, positivism, and religious scepticism...
to Ilfracombe to gather materials for his work Seaside Studies published in 1858.
The town's first lifeboat
Lifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
was bought in 1828 but a permanent service was not available until the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Royal National Lifeboat Institution
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
built a lifeboat station
Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station
Ilfracombe Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue operations at Ilfracombe, Devon in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1828 and the present station was opened in 1996. For 29 years a second boat was operated from...
at the bottom of Lantern Hill near the pier in 1866. The present station at Broad Street dates from 1996.
In 1911, the Irish nationalist Anna Catherine Parnell
Anna Catherine Parnell
Anna Catherine Parnell was an Irish nationalist and younger sister of Irish Nationalist leader, Charles Stewart Parnell....
(sister of Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
) drowned at Ilfracombe.
Miss Alice Frances Louisa Phillips (b. 26 January 1891 at 85 High Street, Ilfracombe) and her father Mr Escott Robert Phillips (b. 1869 Cardiff) held 2nd Class Ticket #2 on RMS Titanic, and set sail from Southampton on 10 April 1912 heading for New Brighton, Pennsylvania. Alice was rescued in boat 12, her father was lost in the disaster.
Notable people
The actor Peter SellersPeter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
first set foot on stage here, and the Collins sisters (Joan
Joan Collins
Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
and Jackie
Jackie Collins
Jacqueline Jill "Jackie" Collins is an English novelist and former actress. She is the younger sister of actress Joan Collins. She has written 28 novels, all of which have appeared on the New York Times bestsellers list. In total, her books have sold over 400 million copies and have been...
) went to school in the town whilst evacuees
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
from the Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
. Henry Williamson
Henry Williamson
Henry William Williamson was an English naturalist, farmer and prolific author known for his natural and social history novels. He won the Hawthornden Prize for literature in 1928 with his book Tarka the Otter....
, author of Tarka the Otter, lived in Brittania Row for many years and is commemorated with a blue plaque.
Governance
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
of North Devon
North Devon (UK Parliament constituency)
North Devon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....
, and the European Region of South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
.
The three councils which govern activities in the town are Devon County Council
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...
, North Devon District Council
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
, and Ilfracombe Town Council. The councils cover different areas of responsibility:
- Roads, Education, Economic Affairs, Youth Services and Social Services are covered by Devon County Council based in County Hall, Exeter to which Ilfracombe sends one elected member.
- Housing, Refuse Collection, Street Cleaning, Parks & Gardens, Harbour, Leisure & Culture, Licensing and Planning are covered by North Devon District Council, Barnstaple to which Ilfracombe elects five members (two each from West and Central Wards and one from East Ward). North Devon District Council has area offices in the Ilfracombe centre on the High Street.
- The Town Council, which has 3 wards and 18 members (7 from West and Central Wards and 4 from the East Ward) acts as the watchdog to the other two councils whilst also developing local initiatives owning and managing the Ilfracombe Centre and supporting many community associations and activities. Following the success of the town council's development of the Ilfracombe centre, the council has in 2010 developed and published a comprehensive review of the town development strategy outlined in the Strategic Action Plan created by the Ilfracombe Community Alliance. The town council's new document, available on the council's website, gives the framework within which it will lead the future regeneration of the community through to 2025.
Ilfracombe is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Herxheim
Herxheim
Herxheim is a municipality in the Südliche Weinstraße district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated approx. 10 km south-east of Landau. Herxheim is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Herxheim....
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Ifs
Ifs, Calvados
Ifs is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-Twin towns:Ifs is twinned with: Ilfracombe, Devon, England Niederwerrn, Germany-External links:**...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
s formed from sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
that underwent geological stress (creating faults and folds), towards the end of the Carboniferous Period, around 300 million years ago. These are known as the Ilfracombe slates.
Ilfracombe lies within the North Devon Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty which is renowned for its dramatic coastal cliffs and landscape. Hillsborough, lying close to the town centre is a local nature reserve, The Cairn, and around the town are many other havens for wildlife. The coast itself is part of the North Devon Voluntary Marine Conservation area because of its diverse and rare species.
Demography
During the boom times of tourism in the 1950s there was not a large enough local workforce to service the needs of the tourism industry during the summer months. Many local businesses advertised in Northern cities like ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
to allieviate this problem. At its peak over 10,000 holidaymakers used the railway each Saturday during peak season, and passenger ferries brought still more. When the tourism market faltered with the arrival of cheap foreign package holiday
Package holiday
A package holiday or package tour consists of transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided like a rental car, activities or outings during the holiday. Transport can be via charter airline to a foreign country...
s in the 1960s, and the closure of the railway, unemployment levels rose. This 'inward migration' caused social problems and friction between these people and those with a long history of residence. In 2001, Ilfracombe Central Ward was designated the most deprived super output area in Devon.
These problems are now being addressed by the implementation of local government schemes e.g. Sure Start
Sure Start
Sure Start is a UK Government initiative applying in England, originating with HM Treasury, with the aim of "giving children the best possible start in life" through improvement of childcare, early education, health and family support, with an emphasis on outreach and community development...
now known as Mystart covering the Ilfracombe Learning area - a project to help support families with young children - and, since 2004, the Neighbourhood Management Transform programme: both were the first such government sponsored social development schemes covering rural areas in England. Better policing, the use of neighbourhood wardens and CCTV
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
have led to a reduction in crime rates as reported monthly to the town council by the police toward the North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
regional average (a fraction of those nationally)..
Things have started to change - a MOSAIC Study published in mid 2007 by Devon County Council, Economic Intelligence Unit, showed within Ilfracombe parish, Ilfracombe Central, East and West wards have higher proportion of people "who live in close knit communities, majority of working age, own their own homes, cars and hold down responsible jobs than the average for the area as a whole. There are also higher proportions of pensioners who own their own homes and have some source of income beyond the state pension, and of residents who are typically in white collar occupations and predominately married, have had children and are beginning to think about retirement".
Economy
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
from Wales; fishing for herring; and international trade, including to West Africa and the West Indies. In George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
and the Regency period the town was home to many navy personnel – four admirals, numerous captains, and other commissioned and non-commissioned sailors.
The town gradually developed into a tourist resort served by ferries along the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
. The opening of the railway accelerated this development. The population grew until the First World War, then stabilised at 9,200, now 11,000. The economy suffered throughout the 1960s as UK holiday patterns changed, and suffered further through the closure of the railway line in 1970.
In the last 25 years, major investment by private 'light engineering' companies has added to the economy. These companies include: Pall Europe - a filtration manufacturers with 700 employees on site ; and the European headquarters TDK-Lambda, a subsidiary of the TDK Corporation, which manufactures industrial & medical power supplies. A number of light engineering firms provide additional employment and operate within a couple of miles of the town centre at Mullacott Cross
Mullacott
Mullacott is a small settlement on the A361 road between Ilfracombe and Barnstaple, in Devon, England. It is referred to as 'Mullacott Cross' and forms the crossroads between routes toward Woolacombe, Ilfracombe, Lynton and Braunton. There is an industrial estate, restaurant and horse riding stables....
.
Employment Research conducted by MORI in 2005 for the Transform (UK government neighbourhood management project), and by Roger Tym & Partners for the Ilfracombe Community Alliance showed :-The service sector (includes hotel and catering) at 76% is 2 x higher than the North Devon (40.1%) or Devon average (33.7%). 51% of businesses by number are within the distribution, hotels and restaurants sector.12.8% are within the banking, finance and insurance sector.11.9% are within public administration, health and education.
The High Street continues to thrive, despite the arrival outside the area of supermarket stores by large retailers. High Street businesses in 2010 include the major banks and building societies and small branches of many national or regional shop chains, but it still has traditional hardware stores and local butcher's, baker's, and florist's shops, which to some extent maintain its traditional individual character.
Road
A361 road
The A361 is a major road in England and at is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK. It runs south from Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast to Barnstaple, turning south-east to Tiverton then, after a break , north east from Taunton in Somerset through Street and Glastonbury, past Frome and then...
, the longest 3-digit A-road
Great Britain road numbering scheme
The Great Britain road numbering scheme is a numbering scheme used to classify and identify all roads in Great Britain. Each road is given a single letter, which represents the road's category, and a subsequent number, with a length of between 1 and 4 digits. Originally introduced to arrange...
in England. The A361 finishes on the A5 at Kilsby on the Northamptonshire-Warwickshire border near Rugby. This road is the town's main connection with the South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
motorway, the M5
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
.
Bus and railway
From 1874, Ilfracombe was served by the Ilfracombe railway lineIlfracombe Branch Line
The Ilfracombe Branch of the London & South Western Railway , ran between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon. The branch opened as a single-track line in 1874, but was sufficiently popular that it needed to be upgraded to double-track in 1889....
that ran from 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...
, but this closed in 1970. Now, the nearest National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
railway station is in Barnstaple and buses provide the public transport link from there to Ilfracombe. Regular bus services to Barnstaple are operated by First Devon & Cornwall
First Devon & Cornwall
First Devon & Cornwall is a bus operating company providing services within the English counties of Devon and Cornwall. It is a subsidiary of First Group which operates public transport in many parts of Great Britain. It was formed from two previous operators: Western National and Red Bus...
. There are several smaller routes around the town run by Roy Filer Coaches. A twice-daily national coach service operated by National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
route 502 connects Ilfracombe to London Victoria via Heathrow Airport. Seasonal route 300 – operated by Filers – connects Ilfracombe to Lynton and there connects with a bus operated by Quantock, to Minehead
Minehead
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park...
and Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
.
Ferry
The first steam packets arrived at Ilfracombe in 1823, and soon a regular service between BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and between Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
developed.
On 16 May 1873, a wooden promenade pier was opened to allow the pleasure steamers to berth at all tides. On 23 June 1894, it was reported in the Ilfracombe Chronicle that over 2,500 people arrived in no less than seven boats, it describes them as 'commodious and well-appointed vessels with an excellent reputation for speed and comfort.' As well as holidaymakers, the boats carried workers, live and dead stock, and other merchandise to and from the town.
The PS Waverley
PS Waverley
PS Waverley is the last seagoing passenger carrying paddle steamer in the world. Built in 1946, she sailed from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long until 1973...
first arrived in Ilfracombe in 1887, after her owners Messrs P. and A. Campbell brought her to Bristol as their first pleasure steamer to work the Bristol Channel. Deterioration of the wooden pier and part demolition during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
mean that a new pier was required. The wood was replaced with reinforced concrete and car parking space was increased. The new pier was opened on 6 July 1952.
A seasonal passenger ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
, operated by MS Oldenburg
MS Oldenburg
MS Oldenburg is a British passenger ferry serving the island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel.The Oldenburg was named after the former grand duchy of Oldenburg, Germany, and launched on the 29 March 1958 in Bremen...
, runs from the harbour to Lundy Island
Lundy
Lundy is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, lying off the coast of Devon, England, approximately one third of the distance across the channel between England and Wales. It measures about at its widest. Lundy gives its name to a British sea area and is one of the islands of England.As of...
. Pleasure boats, including MV Balmoral and PS Waverley
PS Waverley
PS Waverley is the last seagoing passenger carrying paddle steamer in the world. Built in 1946, she sailed from Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde to Arrochar on Loch Long until 1973...
, operate cruises from Ilfracombe, including crossings to Porthcawl
Porthcawl
Porthcawl is a town on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, 25 miles west of the capital city, Cardiff and 19 miles southeast of Swansea...
. However, due to rising fuel costs these services are under threat.
A catamaran-based ferry service from Ilfracombe to Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
has been proposed, but this service has not commenced because adequate landing and berthing facilities in Swansea have not been forthcoming.
Education
The town's educational needs are served by three schools: the Infants, the Junior and the Comprehensive schoolComprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
- Ilfracombe Arts College. Each of these schools are amongst the largest of their type in 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...
. The college serves the needs of Ilfracombe residents and those across the coastal North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
area as far as Lynton
Lynton
Lynton is a small town in Devon, England. It lies on the northern edge of Exmoor and is located at the top of a gorge above Lynmouth, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway...
and Lynmouth
Lynmouth
Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England, on the north edge of Exmoor.The village straddles the confluence of the West Lyn and East Lyn rivers, in a gorge below Lynton, to which it is connected by the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway....
on the Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
county border. It is a nationally recognised centre for Media Studies and was in 2004 awarded Media Arts Status. Upon completion of a new Art block in 2007, the college's specialist status became simply Arts. Further educational courses and vocational courses are run by Ilfracombe Arts College.
Ilfracombe Museum was opened in 1932 in Ilfracombe Hotel's Victorian laundry and contains attractions from around the world including pickled bats and the two-headed kitten. It also contains items and photographs of local railway interest including one of the concrete name boards from the now closed Ilfracombe railway station, which can be seen on the front wall of the museum; and a collection of pieces of Victorian wedding cake
Wedding cake
A wedding cake is the traditional cake served to the guests at a wedding reception after a wedding. In modern Western culture, it is usually a large cake, multi-layered or tiered, and heavily decorated with icing, usually over a layer of marzipan or fondant...
s. It also has oak panels salvaged from the wreck of HMS Montagu
HMS Montagu (1901)
HMS Montagu was a Pre-dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy.In May 1906 in thick fog, she was wrecked on Lundy Island, fortunately without loss of life....
.
Ilfracombe also has a library located on the Residential Candar Retirement Development.
Religious sites
There are churches in the town serving various denominations of the ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
faith. The main Anglican church is the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
'Holy Trinity' which is the mother church to St Peter's on Highfield Road. Several other churches identify themselves as Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
but differ in denominational background. These include: St Philip and St James Church whose background is Anglican; two free church
Free church
The term "free church" refers to a Christian denomination that is intrinsically separated from government . A free church does not define government policy, nor have governments define church policy or theology, nor seeks or receives government endorsement or funding for its general mission...
es - Brookdale Evangelical Church] and Ilfracombe Christian Fellowship Church, of which the latter is the more charismatic
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
; and Ilfracombe Baptist Church of the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
tradition. There is also the Roman Catholic Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Runnacleave Road, the Methodist/United Reformed
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
Emmanuel Church on Wilder Road, and a Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
Corps church on Torrs Park, by Bath Place. Other faiths are represented by a Jehovah's Witness meeting place in Victoria Road, and a Christian Spiritualist meeting house on Greenclose Road .
Sports
Ilfracombe Rugby Union Club was founded in 1877 and welcomes players from 16 to 61.Ilfracombe Town Football Club
Ilfracombe Town F.C.
Ilfracombe Town F.C. is a football club based in Ilfracombe, Devon, England. The club was founded in 1902 as Ilfracombe F.C. and became a founder member of the North Devon League in 1904. In 1920, the Town suffix was added to the club's title. In 1922, the club switched to the East Devon League...
, who play at Marlborough Park near Ilfracombe Arts College, compete in the Premier Division of the Western League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
, having gained promotion in the 2006-07 season.
There is a high street gym, however, the rural and hilly nature of the local terrain provide plenty of opportunities to exercise. A tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
club is based at Bicclescombe Park which contains several tennis courts, bookable for a small fee by both tourists and locals. The local swimming pool supports many activities - leisure swimming, competitive swimming, and life saving classes for all age groups.
Ilfracombe Golf Club (located just beyond Hele Bay
Hele Bay
Hele Bay is a small village and beach just to the east of the town of Ilfracombe in North Devon, England. It is on the South West Coast Path....
) was founded in 1892. Other active sport facilities include: the cricket club, formed in 1923 who play at Killacleave Playing Fields, a swimming club in the suburb of Chambercombe
Chambercombe
Chambercombe is a hilly suburb in the North Devon town of Ilfracombe....
; in Fore Street, a table tennis centre with teams ranging in age from junior to veteran. The tennis club operates from courts and a club house in Bicclescombe park. Naturally there are maritime activities - a popular yacht club, a thriving sub-aqua club, a growing Gig boat club ( 2 x gig boats) and a kayak and canoeing club. Other sports teams in the town include Hash Harriers Running Club and many skittles and darts teams operated by the numerous licensed premises in the town. There are during the winter a local Euchre league, and quiz leagues both vigorously contested. There is also a flat green bowling club located in Highfield Road. In 2008, the town council owned building at Slade aka the Slade Community Centre, operated by an independent community group, was renamed the "Vision", it is home to the Akido club, the kick boxing club and many activities for younger children. A boxing club is held twice weekly in the local fire station. There are active modern and traditional ( morris teams) dance clubs.
Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards (athlete)
Jonathan David Edwards, CBE, is a former British triple jumper. He is a former Olympic, Commonwealth, European and World champion, and has held the world record in the event since 1995....
the World and Olympic Champion triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
athlete lived in the town whilst his father was the vicar of St Philip & St James Church. He is commemorated in a mosaic on the seafront near the Landmark Theatre, which demonstrates the length of his record-breaking jump. Jason Twist
Jason Twist
Jason 'Tornado' Twist is a twice World Champion 8-ball pool player, winning the English Pool Association World Rules World Championship twice, in 2000 and 2002, who lives in the North Devon coastal town of Ilfracombe, England....
, twice World Champion at 8-ball pool still lives in the town.
Despite the hilly terrain, Ilfracombe is at the northern end of National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
route 27, known as the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route, which starts from the pier (clock-in station at the Pier Tavern) and ends in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
. There is another coastal trail suitable for cycling which starts at the pier which heads eastwards towards Minehead
Minehead
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park...
(defined as 'arduous'). A new event in 2010, organised by North Devon Wheelers is a giro cycle race round the town held as a prologue to the annual carnival.In September 2011 the first Ilfracombe triathlon was held on "the mother of all short courses" 400m sea swim, 22km cycle, 5km run - described as "lumpy".
The South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
connecting Minehead in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
to Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, via Land's End
Land's End
Land's End is a headland and small settlement in west Cornwall, England, within the United Kingdom. It is located on the Penwith peninsula approximately eight miles west-southwest of Penzance....
, passes through the town from Hele Bay
Hele Bay
Hele Bay is a small village and beach just to the east of the town of Ilfracombe in North Devon, England. It is on the South West Coast Path....
to Lee Bay
Lee Bay
Lee Bay is a small village on the North Devon coast near Woolacombe.The village of Lee lies at the foot of what is known locally as the Fuchsia Valley, and consists of around 100 properties, mostly old in style. The village centre is about a quarter of a mile from the sea, and is linked to the area...
via Ilfracombe Harbour.
Swim Ilfracombe to Swansea
The first person to swim the 30.5 nautical miles (56.5 km; 35.1 mi) from Ilfracombe to Swansea was Gethin Jones, who achieved the record on 13 September 2009, taking nearly 22 hours.[12]
Development
Community interest company
A community interest company is a new type of company introduced by the United Kingdom government in 2005 under the Companies Act 2004, designed for social enterprises that want to use their profits and assets for the public good...
designed to encourage social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship
Social entrepreneurship is the work of social entrepreneurs. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change . While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a...
. After community consultation this programme developed a community economic strategy for the next twenty years.
The South West of England Regional Development Agency is working with the Alliance and North Devon District Council formulating plans for the town's economic and physical structures. Proposed developments are: the enhancement of the harbour area ; the implementation of regular all year foot passenger ferry service to the Mumbles near Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
which is only 21 miles away across the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
; the re-development of the derelict bus station site based on plans developed by Terence O'Rourke
Terence O'Rourke
Terence O'Rourke is an award winning town planner.-External links:*...
; and the creation of better youth support and recreation facilities at the Larkstone Brimland area on the eastern side of the harbour area.
The town council - working with GOSW, SWRDA and NDDC, supported by the Alliance and Transform - has developed the council offices into a community training resource in the town centre: 'The Ilfracombe Centre'. In 2006, major leisure industry developments by John Fowler, a local holiday camp operator, are expected to help shift the local economy back to tourism. This combined with investment by patrons such as Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...
(who with his partner Mia recently funded a restaurant owned by Simon Brown, No 11 The Quay, on Harbour Quay Road, is developing a boutique guest house on the Torrs, as well owning other properties within the town) and the introduction of high quality accommodation should make Ilfracombe a more attractive destination for food lovers and tourists.
Culture
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
walking celebration (dating from 2000, this is sometimes confused with an earlier tradition suppressed by the church in the 19th century); Ilfracombe Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
Celebration http://www.ilfvc.org.uk, a week-long programme of events held annually in June to celebrate a time of the town's prosperity; a large street carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
during August, organised by the St John's Ambulance service; the Lighting of the Lights held during November; and at Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, a Christingle
Christingle
A Christingle is a symbolic object, related to the pomander, used in the advent services of many Christian denominations. It has its origins in the Moravian Church....
.
A farmers' market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
is held regularly in the Lantern Community Centre on High Street. By the Landmark Theatre there is a small museum, housed in the buildings of the laundry of the former Ilfracombe Hotel. For those of literary intent there is an Ilfracombe authors'/writers' group.
The town hosts eight small art galleries, including the exhibitions displayed by the Art Society in the crypt of Emmanual Church on the seafront, the foyer of the Landmark Theatre, the Quay and in "Number Eleven, The Quay" within which there are many Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...
works, including butterflies, pharmacy, small statues and wallpaper designs. The town is home to many artists who work with Damien Hirst (winner Turner Prize for contemprory art 1996), of significance the 2011 short listed Turner Prize artist, George Shaw , has a studio and now lives in the town.
Two charitable events are organised each summer by Ilfracombe Round Table http://www.ilfracomberoundtable.co.uk. Both make use of Ilfracombe Pier as a display area. The first of these is the annual "South West Birdman" contest which involves entrants seeking to 'fly' from the pier in home-made flying machines and silly costumes. The second event is "Rescue Day", an opportunity for members of the public to learn about the activities of the emergency services. The highlight of the day is a simulated air-sea rescue involving the launch of the Ilfracombe RNLI lifeboat, a Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
helicopter from RAF 22 Squadron, Exmoor Search and Rescue team and local Fire, Ambulance and HM Coastguard services.
Most Mondays and Thursdays the local Ilfracombe Sea Cadets
Sea Cadet Corps (United Kingdom)
The Sea Cadet Corps is a UK national youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Navy and open to young people between the ages of 10-18 years old. The SCC is the UK's largest Naval Cadet Force with over 30,000 cadets and adult volunteers...
meet near the harbour, in what was the old rope making factory on Ropery Road.
Performing arts
Studio Theatre is a community theatre group, established in 1984, which stages a wide variety of classic, musical, comedy and variety theatrical productions throughout the year at venues in Ilfracombe, including the Landmark Theatre, and throughout North Devon. Studio Theatre staged its 100th production, The Heiress, in May 2008. Through the 1990s, the town was also host to the now defunct National Youth Arts FestivalNational Youth Arts Festival
The National Youth Arts Festival was the United Kingdoms leading participatory non-competitive arts event for young people. In 1995 over 1500 young people took part, involving 56 groups from all over the UK...
.
Other
During the early 1990s, the team of the popular English reality TV show Challenge AnnekaChallenge Anneka
Challenge Anneka is a British television programme, produced by the independent production company Mentorn for the BBC, which aired on Friday, later Saturday evenings on BBC One between 8 September 1989 and 15 October 1995. It was announced in 2006 that the series is returning, but this time on...
relocated the redundant old wooden library from the Hermitage site, to 'Burnside' in the heart of the Slade Valley
Slade Valley
Slade Valley is a council estate in the North Devon coastal town of Ilfracombe....
estate for use as a community owned centre.
The history of Ilfracombe's fires
The Great Fire of Ilfracombe started at 12:40am on the night of 28 July 1896 in the basement of Mr William Cole's ironmongers and furniture shop on the corner of Portland Street and Fore Street. The local volunteer fire brigade had it under control by the following morning. The firebrigade's entire equipment was a manual Merryweather engine, a hose-reel cart and one telescopic ladder on wheels. In total thirty five houses and business premises and their contents were destroyed. Later that year the fire brigade crew were presented with medals and £2 each at a dinner in their honour at the Royal Clarence Hotel. The damage was estimated at the times at between £80,000 and £100,000.The same area of the town was struck by fire twice during the 1980s. First on December 12, 1981 Draper's paint store in the upper story of the building on the corner of Portland Street and Fore Street, this fire was contained quickly, however fumes from the burning paint meant much of the local area was evacuated during the night. The second much larger fire started at 2:30am on the night of September 2, 1983 in the shopping arcade under the Candar hotel. In this fire one life was lost. Both of these fires drew parallels to the Great Fire in the media of the time. The Candar Arcade site became the Candar sheltered residential apartments (the opening of Candar apartments wa the last public engagement performed by Charles and Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
, as the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1992.
Other fires in Ilfracombe include: On 17 May 1985 the Beacon Castle was devastated by fire. On the 5th August 1991 the Mount Hotel was destroyed by fire. On 24 January 2001 the Hotel Cecil; 14 January 2004 the arcade on the seafront near Susan Day Residential Home was destroyed by fire. On 17 November 2004 and 13 February 2005 the Cliffe Hydro suffered from fires.
Shortly before 19:00 BST on Wednesday, 8 August 2006, a fire broke out at the derelict Montebello Hotel in Fore Street
Fore Street
"Fore Street": a name often used for the main street of a town. It is commonly found in some parts of England and the United States.There are over seventy "Fore Streets" in Cornwall and about twenty-five in Devon....
, Ilfracombe. Twenty fire engines
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
were required to put out the blaze including a number rushed to the scene from Woolacombe
Woolacombe
Woolacombe is a seaside resort on the coast of North Devon, England, which lies at the mouth of a valley . The beach, which has Blue Flag and Premier Seaside Beach awards for its cleanliness, water quality and facilities, is long, sandy, gently sloping and faces the Atlantic Ocean near the...
, 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...
and the bordering county of Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. Specialist equipment was brought in from as far afield as Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, and according to the local radio news 85 firemen were involved at the fire. The fire spread to three neighbouring properties and showered debris over a wide area. The six-storey hotel was completely gutted, with only the front wall, chimney stacks and remains of the lift shaft frame surviving the blaze, and the fire was still being damped-down the following day. Fore Street
Fore Street
"Fore Street": a name often used for the main street of a town. It is commonly found in some parts of England and the United States.There are over seventy "Fore Streets" in Cornwall and about twenty-five in Devon....
was closed for some period due to the difficulties of demolition.
The building was eventually demolished when it was determined that the fire had left it structurally unsound. This caused additional headaches for the emergency services as curious members of the public ignored safety barriers in an attempt to see the remains more clearly. The site is to be redeveloped as residential accommodation, although, as of August 2009, no work has been started on the site.
On the evening of 3 April 2008 the Blazing Sounds band hut in the grounds of Ilfracombe College was gutted in a blaze. The wooden structure was destroyed, along with many instruments, music and trophies. This was attributed to arson at the time, but the culprit(s) were never caught.
This history of Ilfracombe's large fires has to be taken in the context of the number and antiquity of many early Victorian jerry built hotels. A comprehensive display in the museum shows whilst the size of buildings may be large, the frequency of such conflagrations is low and the justification as to why Devon and Somerset fire and rescue authority transferred the large extension ladder from the Ilfracombe station to Barnstaple.
See also
- Ilfracombe Branch LineIlfracombe Branch LineThe Ilfracombe Branch of the London & South Western Railway , ran between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe in North Devon. The branch opened as a single-track line in 1874, but was sufficiently popular that it needed to be upgraded to double-track in 1889....
- Architecture of IlfracombeArchitecture of IlfracombeThe architecture of Ilfracombe has a strong Victorian heritage, visible in many buildings.The street facade, built in 1884 to designs by W H Gould, of the former Congregationalist Church is now 'The Lantern' community center, home of the Ilfracombe Farmers' Market.To the left is the view through...
- List of Ilfracombe people
- History of IlfracombeHistory of IlfracombeIlfracombe has a long history, it has been settled since the iron age, its name is a derivative of the Anglo-Saxon Alfreincoma - by which name it was noted in the Exeter Domesday Book. The translation of this name means the "Valley of the sons of Alfred"...