Bickleigh
Bickleigh photos
Displaying the first of 11 old photos of Bickleigh. View all Bickleigh photos
Bickleigh maps
Historic maps of Bickleigh and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Bickleigh maps
Bickleigh area books
Displaying 1 of 26 books about Bickleigh and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Bickleigh
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Bickleigh.
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Looking Down on The Fisherman's Cot From Yearlstone Vineyard
Although I have visited this pub for drinks and meals on many occasions, my most recent view of it was unusual!
I took the 55 bus from Tiverton towards Bickleigh and then climbed the steep lane uphill to the nearby Yearlstone Vineyard. My wife Elizabeth, sister-in-law Margaret, and I rewarded ourselves for the steep hike with coffee and cake in the vineyard bistro and sat on their terrace looking south down the Exe Valley.
And down far below us was the Fisherman's Cot - it looked so tiny down below us that it was like looking down on a toy train set with miniature buildings!
Devon memories
Childhood Holidays
My grandparents lived at Clearbrook, and as a child I used to spend nearly all of my summer holidays with them. I used to love going for rides on the train to Tavistock and Princetown. My gran took me on a train to Princetown just before the line closed. Other times I used to wander for miles over the moors and down the meadows by the River Plym. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of Clearbrook, it's a place that I have always promised myself that I would visit again, but have not seen it since the early 1960s. My gran had to move into a care home in Plymouth after the railway closed as she could no longer get her own shopping and provisions.
Your photos brought back many memories, especially the first one showing the entrance to Arch Lynn, so close to my grandparents' home. Tears in my eyes time. Thank You.
Clotted Cream
I remember moving to Milton Combe from Plymouth. It was in the middle of no where - how was I ever to survive - the last bus left Plymouth at tea time and took a tedious hour or so travelling through Clearbrook, Yelverton, Crapstone and Buckland, finally arriving at Milton Combe. The walk down the very steep hill to home!
I remember motor bikes and leather jackets and the joy of getting my first bike - independance at last; no more taxiing by Mum, to and fro.
I remember the school coach to Tavistock Comprehensive - the even longer walk back up the hill. I especially remember the day my sister decided to mitch off school to meet her boyfriend and got chased through the hedge by the cows.
I remember my little sister asking why some of the cows in the field had collars on and then exclaiming that it was so the farmer could tell the black and white ones from the brown ones!
Most of... Read more
Great Grandfather Finemore
I have just discovered that my great grandfather William L Finemore was born in Knacker's knowle, Egg Buckland in 1841. He later moved to Gosport in Hampshire where he married Mary and had 5 children, one of which was my paternal grandmother.
I'm interested to know if there are any Finemore's still living in the area who could be possible relatives?
Trevethan
There doesn't seem to be many memories of the Trevethans - anyone help?
Bubbles up Your Bum!
Just look closely at the picture, sitting on top of the fountain was half the fun & excitement of coming to the pool. Water wings under my arms and the supervision of Granddad Russell I made my first attempt at learning to swim. Getting really daring swimming to the back of the pool, climbing out would lead to the open sea where only the brave would swim. The pool was accessed by steps from the road at the front of the Hoe. Walking down the damp steps we then divided into boys and girls changing rooms from where we emerged into the circular concrete pool. There were 2 four layer fountains to climb and sit on and a central taller fountain where the 'teenagers' hung out. Without the luxury of an indoor swimming pool we went from Sailsbury Road, Primary School, I can only think by pd2 Bristol bus, for our swimming lessons. After the time in the pool we dressed and walked through the passage way by the pool... Read more
Ford Park Cemetery
The Cemetery, popularly known as Ford Park Cemetery, and owned by the Plymouth, Devonport & Stonehouse Cemetery Company finally went into liquidation in 1999 owing to the decline in burials following the opening of the two Council run cemeteries at Weston Mill and Efford and also in part due to the increasing popularity of cremation. At that time there had been upwards of 250,000 pesons interred in the Cemetery but there was still room for some 10,000 more.
A charity - The Ford Park Cemetery Trust - was formed in 2000 to run the over-grown and vandal damaged cemetery and has now, with the help of a very willing team of volunteers and a dedicated ground staff, completely cleared the grounds, replanted trees, restored many of the graves and turned this once ailing eyesore into a fully functioning cemetery with annual burials numbering some 50. There is also a fund-raising drive underway to restore the old Victorian Chapel and turn the new chapel into a heritage centre.
