Mortehoe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mortehoe is a village on the north coast of Devon near Woolacombe, sited on the hilly land behind Morte Point. Other nearby villages are Higher Walcombe and Lee Bay.
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Mortehoe can trace its origins back to the Domesday Book, and beyond. In former years it was the haunt of smugglers and wreckers, but was more recently a farming community.
Since the coming of the railway (the Ilfracombe Branch Line), Mortehoe has become much more dependent on tourism, with numerous camp sites in the viciinity.
Despite this, the remoteness of the village has ensured it has retained much of its country charm.
[edit] Churches
The oldest parts of the Anglican church of St Mary's date back to Norman times, but it has been added to in subsequent years. The bell tower, carved pews and the de Tracy tomb are medieval. The chancel-arch mosaic and the 'archangel' window were designed by Selwyn Image.
[edit] Transport links
Mortehoe may be reached by road from two directions: either a steep, narrow lane that follows the hilly coast north from Woolacombe; or else a twisty, narrow road from the east.
There are regular bus services from Woolacombe and Ilfracombe.
The popularity of this remote corner of Devon was boosted by the coming of the railway, in 1874. Unfortunately for visitors, Mortehoe station was nearly two miles inland from the village, so Mortehoe was rather less affected by the additional population than its now much larger neighbour, Woolacombe. The Ilfracombe Branch Line railway closed in 1970, so this is no longer an option for tourists wishing to visit the area.
[edit] Places of interest
The Mortehoe Heritage Centre, based in the Cart Linhay building, also acts as the local tourist information office. On the upper floor is a museum of the history of the most north-westerly tip of North Devon. The museum has displays about the local farming communities, the railway, and the numerous shipwrecks that occurred off the treacherous rocks around the nearby coast.
Bull Point lighthouse is a short walk along the South West Coast Path from the centre of the village.
[edit] External Links
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