Haytor memories
Here are memories of Haytor and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Haytor or a Haytor photo.
Haytor, Moorland Hotel Fire 1970
I was the manager of the Moorland Hotel from July, 1967 until March, 6th 1970 when it burned down. The manager from whom I took over was called Brown and he before him was called Maurice Trew. The writer before me who said he worked there under Trew was quite correct and another writer was also correct in saying our chef was Freddy Davis. During my time there I felt we needed to compliment the excellent cooking of Freddy, so I engaged a wonderful Irish Pattiseur called Tom Ryan, who created marvellous puddings for our trolley. Everything went smoothly until the terrible fire at midnight during the policemen's yearly ball. David Smith 4 November 2011.
Comment from David Smith on Friday, 4th November 2011.
Horses by Name
Yes, I remember I holidayed there in I think 1969? I used to miss the fabulous afternoon cream teas to ride Mr Klinkenberg's horses from the stables beside the hotel to his farm in the vale for overnight grazing. Horses I remember Secret Sign, Venture, Proper Twerp and Cypher (with dreadful warts), these were his ex point to pointers, there were also others, Honey, Mohawk (one of the ride leader's horses) and a grey with a fixed neck (Poly/Maggie or similar?). I can remember the names of the horses but not the people! Great times.
The Fire at Pinchaford Farm
This has been writen by my 90 year old mother Amber Lloyd who stayed several times at Pinchaford farm in the 1930-40s: I was at Pinchaford Farm in 1944 when it burnt down. We were having lunch when someone said "the thatch is on fire!" This was later blamed on an electrical fault in the roof. Beacause of the strains of the Blitz, the London Fire Brigade was being sent to the country for respite and the local brigades sent to London. Unfortunately, the Londoners were confused by the narrow, twisting country lanes and took a while to find the farm, then the only water available was from the swimming pool. Pinchaford was owned then by the Bradford family. The male members were away fighting and it was being run by Mrs Peta Bradford. Her husband was in the army and posted missing on D.Day. This was one of the cruelest things to bear as one is torn between grief and hope. In fact he was killed in the invasion and... Read more
Heather And Gorse Clog Morris Entertain at Haytor And Christow
It was the weekend of the Royal Wedding and on Sunday, the day before the May Bank Holiday, our friends in Grimspound Border Morris were in a party mood.
Our own group of dancers and musicians from Heather and Gorse Clog Morris joined the party at the Teign House Inn which is a delightful country pub several miles north along the lanes from Christow. The jolly landlord provided a camping field for some folks to to stay for the entire long weekend as there is a tradition among Morris Dancers to rise at dawn on May Day to greet the sun at the start of summer on Haytor! On this particular Sunday we had more than fifty dancers and a lot of musicians too.
We came from many different "sides" around Devon and also Tinners Morris from Cornwall. I brought along my small piano accordian and played along with the band for the Heather and Gorse Clog Dancers. They looked splendid in their... Read more
HONEYMOON HAYTOR
We spent part of our honeymoon here in April 1968. I had a tummy bug and used to go down to dinner not daring to look at my husband's plate full of food. All I had was a cup of coffee. He had saved up for a long time to take me to a nice hotel where we could ride. We had met at a Trust House in Hertfordshire where I was receptionist. We did ride one day in the pouring rain.
We went back many years later to discover it had burnt down. We have been back since after it had been rebuilt and hope to stay there one day.
Kitchen Staff
I worked at Moorlands with Chef Freddie Davis, a Basque Chef, great man, brandy and a garlic clove before we started the day, had a pastry cook who drove an Austin Champ.
I believe the manager was called Smith.
Freddie gave me a Chefs recommendation to the Kitchens of the Dorchester, where i spent several great years under Chef Eugene Kauffman.
Klinkenberg i seem to remember was the name of the stable owner, we used to ride down to his stables with the horses every night we could, great days.
I Worked There!
It was a Trust House Hotel when I worked there in the bar for a few years up to 1964. By that time it was very much larger than the photograph shows. The manager was Mr. Trew. It never made any money due to the short season. When it burnt down about 1967/8 it was left almost derelict for many years until purchased by a wealthy businessman from Torbay who restored part of it and ran it more or less as a hobby.
The stables in the grounds were in use as a separate business most of this time until the buildings were converted to a Craft Centre about 1980.
Memories of Devon
Rock Inn
This was always known as Rock Inn, Haytor when I visited. I got to know a few of the local families, most of which are long gone. Courtier, Clifton, Morrish, Middleweek, Ford to name but a few. The Rock Inn was always very popular in the summer, cars often parked more than half-way up Inverness Hill at Sunday lunchtime.
There used to be a tennis court at the top of the garden opposite, never used as far as I know. I left Devon in 1975 and have never been back to The Rock Inn.
Pinchaford Stables
Just wondering if anyone knows what happened to Pinchaford riding stables in Haytor? I seem to remember heading up to the Rock Hotel circa 1973/74/75 for a shandy! Some of the very best times... Ii remember Caroline (Scoular) and Emma (Ginnett) - fan of Beau Bob/Bandit/Apollo and Bright Eyes as well as (of course!) as Bob (RIP) & Rosie, Jane, Nicky, Polly and Simon and George.
Bovey Tracey
I was born in Bovey at what is now the Old Library in East Street, but in 1937 was the Liberal Club. My Godfather Dick Smaridge lived just down the street at Number 14. After his son Eric was shot down in the War I mostly lived with him, as a sort of replacement son. He'd attended the old school at Edgemoor as a boy and had ridden there on a pony each day. We used to listen to Children's Hour on the BBC each day. He taught me to play chess and appreciate classical music, I sang in the Church choir from 1946-55 when Rev Duxbury was the much-loved Vicar. Many of the folk in Bovey were related to me, and I've always felt I 'belonged' to Bovey. Our earliest recorded ancestor was Robert Sture, who purchased a tenement in Bovey in 1541 and was a 'colyer' - presumably had a lignite-coal business. The tax and lay subsidy rolls show that he paid a lot of tax. In the... Read more
Watching The Coronation in The Rock Inn Haytor Vale.
We moved into Gorse Cottage, next door to the Rock Inn. Our cottage clearly shows on the left of the Rock Inn. The cottage was for sale for £500 but my mother, who was separated from my father, had no money. We watched the Coronation in the lounge of the Rock Inn. I was aged seven and had to sit still for hours, I was bored. My nanny was on holiday, and my mother wanted to watch the whole Coronation, so I had to as well. I have a photo of my mother and myself on the doorstep of Gorse Cottage. We lived there for the summer and it was fun, with lots of children for me to play with.
Lemnos
I was born in Bovey Tracey in 1952, on a Wednesday afternoon, the eleventh of June. I arrived in the middle of a garden party being held at 'Grey Gables' a house owned by a Mrs Pedrick (I do not remember her husband, but we children called her Aunty Lottie). My parents, my older sister and I lived in a house called Lemnos. I do not remember the name of the street it was on but I do remember that from our front door if you turned right and started walking down the hill you crossed a river and the road did a sharp turn to the left. A white pub was on the outside corner of the bend. I left Bovey Tracey in 1955 and went to live in Letchworth (Herts) and then migrated to Australia in 1968.
One day, I don't know which year, I remember looking out of our front room bay window, with my sister, and watching a May Day procession.
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