This page is the first set of miscellaneous local history topics. See also the Miscellaneous Topics Home Page
Charabancs
This picture is from an old postcard and shows horse-drawn charabancs having arrived in Widecombe presumably from Bovey Tracey. Interesting to think of the journey up from Bovey via Haytor (and down Widecombe Hill) being pulled by horse. Note the finery and the fact that everyone is fairly well exposed to the elements. But what a fun trip – someone should start one up today.
You can see how organised such trips were by this extract from Robert Dymond’s book ‘Things New and Old Concerning the Parish of Widecombe-in-the-Moor’, produced to raise money for the restoration of Widecombe Church, which had become rather badly in need of repair: ‘For the information of those who are desirous of seeing this magnificent old church, or visiting a very characteristic specimen of the beautiful valleys which may be found on the skirts of Dartmoor, we may state that the Widecombe valley can be easily got at from Torquay, and affords many charming sites for picnics during the ensuing summer. Parties can reach it, either by taking the 11 o’clock train from Torquay for Bovey, where carriages may be bespoken at the “Dolphin” or “Union” Hotels, to convey them by Haytor, Rippon Tor, and Hound Tor, to Widecombe, returning by Manaton and Becky Fall to the train which leaves Bovey at half-past seven. Or they can go to Ashburton by the train leaving Torquay at 9.15, and, obtaining carriages at the “Golden Lion,” drive through the Buckland and Webburn drives, better known as Holne Chase, to Widecombe, varying the route home by returning, either by Bovey Tracey, or by driving up the Widecombe Valley to Heatree Down, and so by Hound Tor and Rippon Tor, back to the train leaving Ashburton at 6.40. These routes may, of course, be varied or curtailed, but a journey to Widecombe will, we are sure, form a necessary sequence to the kindly efforts of many of those who have volunteered their assistance towards restoring its beautiful church.‘ This piece was reprinted from the “Torquay Directory” of April 7th, 1875.
The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour
September 12th 2017 marked the 50th anniversary of the attempt by the Beatles to reach Widecombe Fair as part of their Magical Mystery Tour (MMT). They climbed into their coach and left Teignmouth on the morning of the 12th to head for Widecombe and approached via Holne Bridge (which they negotiated OK) and Newbridge, where the coach got stuck. After various attempts to get across they gave up, managed to reverse (or be pulled) back to the Ashburton side of the bridge and decided to go to Plymouth instead.
Thanks to the Magical Mystery Tour Revival Project (Newquay) for the images. Also thanks to Simon Mitchell who was organising a trip to celebrate 50 years of the MMT and emailed us for a bit more information.
Boundary Stones
The Hennafoot or Hinds Foot Stone, like the Rugglestone, is a manor boundary stone, marking the boundary between Blackslade Manor and Widecombe Town Manor. This stone is marked on Ordnance Survey maps, although its precise location on those maps is hard to determine. The stone appears to be located in the East Webburn and, according to the grid reference, in or close to the garden at Riverside, the home of one of our members. However, it is not there! So, the mystery is to work out what has happened to it or if it is really located somewhere else. Watch this space! Update: we now believe the photograph shows what is left of the clapper bridge that crosses the East Webburn and is shown on the Ordnance Survey map of 1885, and not the boundary stone, which we think is in the field to the south of Riverside. We will investigate this further to precisely locate it – see below for a further update
The photo on the left shows the correct Hennafoot stone which is located close to the southern boundary wall of ‘Riverside’, in the adjacent field. The manor boundary map, showing all the points on the eastern half of the manor boundary is shown on the right. This is taken from the Manor Minute Book in which are recorded the various ‘Beating of the Bounds’ around this boundary that have been conducted over the years, amongst other things.
The photo on the left shows the clapper bridge that goes part way across the Webburn – the rest has been washed away.
The photo on the right shows the Dunstone and Blackslade Manor boundary stone known as the Shovelstone. It is located about two-thirds of the way up Widecombe Hill on the south side, below Top Tor. You can see its precise location on the map above.
Wind Tor
In our Artefact Hunt, the markings on Wind Tor are included (see image on the left). These appear to be holes, not very deep, that are deliberately cut into the stone. They do not appear to be cut marks preparatory to splitting the stone. Rather, they are thought to be boundary markers of some sort. If you walk north, past the Two Crosses car park, and after a while (before you get to the D-stone and the finger post pointing down Church Lane to Widecombe), head up to the ridge on the left (west) side, there is what remains of a tor (with most stone appearing to have been removed). On one of the few remaining stones there are some very similar cut marks to those at Wind Tor – and both sets of cut marks are in-line and inter-visible (see image on right). Note that the more modern boundary (between Jordan – or Dewdon – Manor and Widecombe Town Manor), runs along the track you followed from the car park, so these marks may be very old or may be a relatively recent attempt by a farmer to mark out his land.
Brook Lane
The photo on the left shows the Radcliffe girls with their pony and dogs walking along Brook Lane in Widecombe Village in 1903 and on the right Brook Lane as it is in 2017. Note the buildings in the foreground in 2017 have mostly been erected since 1903 and the stream on the left has been redirected out of view. Perhaps the most interesting part of the photo is the large tree in front of the church, which is recognisably the same shape today and with some very closely matching limbs. So, it was mature in 1903 and it is still going strong. (Sadly, it has now been cut down – 2023 – due to disease and falling branches).
A History Group member has an oil painting that on close inspection, and allowing for some artistic license, looks very much like Brook Lane. There are a number of postcards available on eBay that show a very similar view, again painted.