Ilfracombe memories
Here are memories of Ilfracombe and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Ilfracombe or a Ilfracombe photo.
1970's in The Carlton
My family ran the Carlton from the early 1970s. We lived there for a year or two in the flat which was on the right where the garage is in the picture here. I remember cycling around the place on my blue plastic tractor (I was born in 1971 was I wasn't old). We found that some guests came into the flat and used our bathroom so we hid a fake rubber severed hand poking out of the toilet. They never came in again. Mike Ward used to play the Hammond Organ in the Caribbean Lounge (which was once a snooker room). The Lions Club would come in and I would try to win a huge lion every week but never did. After years of trying they presented me with a small one which I still have!
The Belgrave Hotel
I thought you would like to know that this hotel belonged to my father's side of the family, as well as the St Agness which was next door. My grandfather, Frank Price, was also a member of the life boat. My great auntie also ran a dance studio and was a known artist. After moving to Bristol, we used to spend a lot of holidays in Ilfracombe. Also my grandfather had a builders yard and built his own house for him and the family. A member of my dad's uncles died falling off some scaffolding while working in Ilfracombe. I love visiting and finding out about my family, my mum tells me a lot about my dad and his family and also about their honeymoon when they stayed in the hotel free of charge.
WHY DID THEY KNOCK IT DOWN
I remember the last days of the Ilfracombe Hotel. It was a beautiful building but after years of neglect and then under council ownership it fell into disrepair (plus a certain hotelier/councillor didn't like it as it spoilt the view from his hotel) so despite thousands of signatures in protest it was knocked down the year we moved back to Ilfracombe after a year away. I remember seing the remains of the swimming baths as the sea washed into them before it was made into a car park. The hotel was made into…nothing. Just an expanse of shingle with the old concrete railings and posts left leaving some signs of what used to be there. I remember cycling along there and being told off by a council worker on his motor scooter (it's not ok to cycle along there with no one around but it's find if you drive there on a motorised vehicle apparently!). I used to love going to the museum which was the laundry of the hotel.... Read more
A Coastal Walk in North Devon
Last weekend I had a glorious gentle walk from Hunters Inn down the track to Heddons Mouth with my wife Elizabeth and two friends, Valerie and Jim.
We parked our car by the National Trust buildings up the lane from Hunters Inn, then put on some stout shoes, made sure our picnics were in our back packs and strolled down the track for twenty minutes or so to the rocky cove at Heddons Mouth. The river runs over the pebbly beach making a lot of noise and also the waves were coming crashing in on big boulders so it was quite exciting. We found some large flat rocks to sit on and enjoyed our picnic. Considering it was a mid-November day it was surprisingly mild.
After lunch we went back up the path and took the short stretch of coastal path to Trentishoe Church where we sat down on a bench in their peaceful churchyard for a well earned rest. From there it was an easy downhill walk... Read more
Ilfracombe Holidays
My family started having holidays in Ilfracombe in 1964 and I've been back every year since, for at least a few days. We started off in a flat in Oxford Grove and after two years there, found a lovely flat in 19 Montpelier Terrace that was owned by Mr and Mrs Perry, who lived at the other end of the terrace, in No 5. Before going to Ilfracombe all our holidays had been on the south coast, so North Devon was a real revelation, with all the rocks and surf. In those days, the journey from Surrey seemed almost endless, but it was well worth it.
A Step Back Into Timeless Tranquility
I grew up in a northern city never realising that my grandmother was born in Ilfracombe in 1905. I knew she spoke differently but was only when I was 10 did I start to truly listen to the beautiful accent of my grandmother and the stories she told of her childhood in Ilfracombe. Sadly it was only after the death of close family that I started to research my beautiful family and retraced steps to my grandmother's home town. What a beautiful town. I spent 4 days searching for the old homes and amazingly found the public house owned by my x3 great grandfather George Coats was still standing. It was The Crown back in the 1840s but it was there. Sadly Compass Hill was no longer there. I read that one of the oldest of Ilfracombe's residents lived in Compass Hill. I believe she was my X4 great grandmother. I took my son with me as I believe it is important that he realises his family was not steeped... Read more
Runnacleave Hotel
I started work as an Hotel Receptionist at the Runnacleave Hotel on the 16th May 1970 and spent four wonderful summers there. It was my first time away from home and a bit daunting at first, but with the kindness and help of Anita Roberts, the owner, it became my home for the nest four seasons. I have so many memories of that lovely hotel, all the people I met and all the fun we had. Just a pity it is now a shadow of it's former self. I am putting together a history of the Hotel, so if anyone has any speical memories of their own, I would be glad to see them posted here.
Woolacombe Bay Hotel
I was a boarder at Adelaide College, while my father lived in London, my mother worked at Montebello Hotel. I recall the town then was crowded with American service people, who as I can remember were very generous with their gum and loose change! I also lived for a while at the Woolacombe Bay Hotel, the owners then were I think the Johnsons. I wonder if there are any photos out there of the College? I believe it was pulled down in the 1960s. Ilfracombe, what a lovely little town!
Memories of Devon
Sterridge Valley
This shows Sterridge Valley and I lived there, at Woodlands House, between 1964 and 1970. It is a beautiful sheltered valley only 2 miles from the coast.
In winter it was often wet and miserable but in summer it was wonderful!
Marilyn Pringle Who Lived at Woodlands in Sterridge Valley Wrote This
We moved to Berrynarbor in 1964, and I left to go to university in 1970. My mum stayed in Sterridge Valley until about 1983 - I can't remember the exact dates.
I love this photo because you can clearly see Hagginton Hill. My friend and her family lived there. They had no mains drains and a lovely outside toilet. Outside toilet means no smells in the house! They had a hillside garden and I especially remember the gooseberries. I also remember the turkeys, and at this time of year (Christmas) the house smelt of singed turkey feathers.
I remember having a desire to swim every day in each summer holiday. We used to go to Watermouth and swim aross the cove if the tide was in or swim out of the cove if the tide was out. I particularly remember the year of the SPIDER CRABS! You couldn't put your foot down in case you stepped on a spider crab shell - I think this may have been... Read more
Still Going Strong
As the current landlady of Ye Olde Globe I am pleased to say that our lovely village pub still retains character. From what I have been told it became a pub in 1675, being converted from 3 cottages that were built in 13th century to house the mason workers building the church tower. If anyone has memories, or facts or photos I would love to hear from you. 01271 882465. Karen
The Richards Family
My Grandfather, James William Henry Richards, was born in Berrynarbor 15, Sept. 1866 to William Richards and Ann (Boyant) Richards. He immigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah some time in the 1880's or early 1890's. I think I was named for one of his brothers and have always wondered if I still have family living in Berrynarbor?
Childhood Holidays
My family started to have our annual holiday in Ilfracombe in 1964, and virtually every day we made the trip to Woolacombe to sit on the beach and have a go at surfing. After years of south coast beaches, Woolacombe was a revelation and everything was so clean. The beach was owned by Parkins Entertainments, and I believe it was Mr Moon who used to go round in a land rover, trying to re-unite lost children with their parents. There was one occasion in the late 60s when someone was taken ill on the beach and a surgeon who happened to be on holiday, performed some sort of operation with a pen knife before the helicopter arrived from Chivenor to take the person to the North Devon Infirmary (as it was then called). Many happy memories, and not a year has gone past since 1964 when I haven't visited again. Wonderful place!
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