78-549: The River Caen is a short river running through Braunton in north Devon . It flows into the estuary of the River Taw . It was formerly improved to make it more navigable as the Braunton Canal . The river is considered a flood risk due to several damaging flash floods in history. 51°04′52″N 4°09′56″W / 51.08105°N 4.16544°W / 51.08105; -4.16544 Braunton Braunton
156-455: A Links Golf Course . Braunton was half-surrounded by an extensive brackish salt-water marsh restricting available agricultural land. In 1808 this was surveyed by Charles Vancouver , for the Board of Agriculture , who recommended that the marsh should be enclosed and reclaimed. This met with local approval and James Green was appointed as engineer for the drainage scheme. An Act of Parliament
234-466: A Town carnival each year near the end of May. There are a range of surfing shops located in Braunton. The town has a few hotels and guesthouses and numerous shops (including a large Supermarket) and pubs. The town also boasts a secondary school and three primary schools. It also has multiple skating areas, one with a skating bowl and the other featuring several small ramps. Since the closing years of
312-477: A cleft (lowland half-bowl) of the Saunton Down upland ridge is a similar cluster, North Lobb with no road access from these places other than to Braunton but a footpath (Milkaway Lane) to Croyde and a similarly downhill branch to the south, Hannaborrow Lane to Saunton Sands . Fullabrook was the home of Sir Nicholas Hooper (1654–1731), Member of Parliament for Barnstaple 1695–1715. The village holds
390-460: A climb right from the buffer stops at Ilfracombe station, and the ascent was at 1 in 36 for three miles to Mortehoe with only a slight slackening for the last three quarters of a mile. All but the lightest trains were assisted by banking engines, and on summer Saturdays there were several occasions when up and down trains passed at Mortehoe, both trains being assisted and requiring the banking engines were return downhill to their respective positions for
468-506: A daughter of John Bourchier, 1st Earl of Bath of Tawstock Court , feudal baron of Bampton , Devon, and the wife of Edward Chichester (d.1522) of Raleigh in the nearby parish of Pilton . Her husband inherited the estate of Saunton, in the parish of Braunton, from his mother Margaret Beaumont, daughter and heiress of Hugh Beaumont of Shirwell , and her 3rd son Philip Chichester was seated at Saunton, where his mother may have spent her widowhood. Alternatively she may have lived at Ash , in
546-601: A further attempt to get an Act, in the 1864 session of Parliament. To fend off the possibility of the Devon and Somerset Railway getting authorisation for its line to Ilfracombe instead of the Ilfracombe Railway, the promoters of the IR decided to propose the eastern route themselves, knowing it to be inferior. The Ilfracombe Railway was accordingly authorised by Act of 25 July 1864. The rival Devon and Somerset Railway
624-485: A holiday destination was such that the Barry Railway operated an Ilfracombe Boat Express from Cardiff Riverside to Barry Pier , between 1905 and 1909 in summer only, at 09:35 from Cardiff to connect with a 10:10 steamer sailing from Barry to Ilfracombe. For residents of Cardiff and south east Wales this was a competitive means of reaching Ilfracombe as compared with the rail transit via Bristol. From 10 July 1926
702-467: A light railway on 4 July 1870, with share capital of £105,000. At first the take-up of share subscriptions locally was extremely slow, and the LSWR had to relax some of its financial conditions for working the line to encourage investors. This was successful and construction continued, and on 13 July 1874 Col C S Hutchinson carried out an inspection of the line for the Board of Trade . He observed that
780-462: A light railway, axle weights on the Ilfracombe line were limited, while the gradients were formidable. In 1873, three locomotives were delivered from Beyer, Peacock and Company ; they were 0-6-0 tender engines, and they were known as Ilfracombe Goods engines. They were restricted to four passenger vehicles with two brake vans, and on goods trains to eight wagons and a van. From the first years of
858-529: A more conventional technical specification later, the added weight resulted in the affected locomotives being too heavy for the line and unable to be used there. After nationalisation, Ivatt 2-6-2 tank engines of the former London, Midland and Scottish Railway were employed as the old M7 class were phased out. Although summer weekend holiday traffic was extremely busy, the branch was very little used outside those times and financial losses were built up. Goods services were withdrawn on 7 September 1964. The line
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#1732779892473936-412: A passenger stop, and divided at Exeter Central . The Wilton stop was necessitated by tender capacity; at the time there was consideration of providing a larger tender to avoid the stop, but this was not acted upon. The Ilfracombe portion then called at Barnstaple Town, Braunton and Mortehoe and Ilfracombe. At first the train ran Fridays to Mondays only (down Friday to Sunday, up Saturday to Monday) but this
1014-414: A raft on the sand. The sand was understood to have been examined by Exeter University, who considered it to have been a pocket pushed up by a glacier during the last ice age. At similar time in the flat area of the village, excavations for foundations revealed large sooth, rounded stones which were put down to a wide water course having been present at some time, rather than the small river that flows through
1092-429: A railway connection to the national network. The track was soon converted to mixed gauge, to enable the operation of narrow (standard) gauge trains. An Exeter solicitor, Thomas Wreford, was active in promoting the idea of a railway connecting Barnstaple and Ilfracombe, but after considerable effort and expenditure was unable to get sufficient support. Wreford's work was reopened when J E Errington, consulting engineer to
1170-662: A railway nearby. Nevertheless, the Braunton route was selected, and the River Taw was to be crossed directly by a long bridge at Barnstaple itself. The LSWR had noted that the Regulation of Railways Act 1868 authorised the approval of Light Railways, and proposed that the Ilfracombe line be built as such. The configuration of a light railway was vague, and section 28 of the Act merely specified: A light Railway shall be constructed and worked subject to such Conditions and Regulations as
1248-542: A very considerable time, with the IR eventually taking legal action against the D&;SR. Although judgment in court was given against the D&SR in the sum of £11,492, the Ilfracombe Railway was unable to proceed with construction as it had no funds, and in fact it was not until 26 July 1901 when the Great Western Railway absorbed the D&SR that the debt was paid, and the impotent Ilfracombe Railway Company
1326-489: Is a large village, civil parish , ecclesiastical parish and former manor in Devon . The village is situated 5 miles (8 km) west of Barnstaple . It is one of the largest villages in Devon with a population at the 2021 census of 10,217 people. There are two electoral wards (East and West). Their joint population at the above census was 8,218. Within the parish is the fertile, low-lying Braunton Great Field, which adjoins
1404-401: Is almost entirely 15th century, excepting the 13th century chancel with its arch and three lancet windows . The advowson of the parish church was historically a possession of Exeter Cathedral ("St Mary and St Peter"). In the floor of the choir is an unusual monumental brass which is a palimpsest , i.e. it has been re-used. It depicts on its uppermost side Elizabeth Bourchier (d.1548),
1482-597: Is heavily moderated by the proximity to the Atlantic. Although Braunton is not a coast town. Braunton was the chief manor of Braunton Hundred , and had been held by Saxon kings. Between 855 and 860 ten hides in Brannocminster were granted by King Æthelbald of Wessex to Glastonbury Abbey . After the Norman Conquest of 1066 the manor continued as a royal possession, in the demesne of King William
1560-445: Is that the name comes from the common name Brampton, derived from "a town where broom grew". The other explanation is that it could be named after St Brannock . Neither of these explanations fit perfectly, and the origin of this name will likely remain a mystery. The South West Coast Path National Trail passes through the village and gives access for walkers to the spectacular North Devon coast. The Tarka Trail also passes through
1638-556: The Atlantic Coast Express started to be run, with multiple portions. At Barnstaple Junction a through coach from Paddington that had been slipped at Taunton, was attached. The Atlantic Coast Express ceased to run after 5 September 1964. From 20 June 1947 the Devon Belle was run, with four coaches for Plymouth and eight for Ilfracombe, occasionally strengthened to ten. The train changed engines at Wilton , not
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#17327798924731716-500: The Devon Belle operated; it was a limited stop train service from London to Ilfracombe and back, using observation cars. In the 1950s holiday travel to Ilfracombe by rail declined steeply as road travel took over; outside the peak holiday times local usage was very limited and the line was closed in 1970. Ilfracombe began to be recognised as a watering place from the 1830s, and in following decades its attraction became more widely known and visitor numbers increased considerably. Access
1794-470: The River Taw was crossed by a curving viaduct of 17 spans on a 7.5 chain curve there was next a swing bridge over the River Yeo . The line passed its inspection. The line opened to the public on 20 July 1874. At first the passenger train service was five down and four up trains daily except Sundays, between Barnstaple Junction and Ilfracombe. By August 1880 there were six trains in each direction;
1872-580: The 20th century, the village has become a hub for surfing as it is on the main road gateway to three of the South West 's surf beaches of Saunton , Croyde and Putsborough , all with fine powdery sand, and to a lesser extent a road to Woolacombe ). The Museum of British Surfing opened in 2012 in the old goods shed of the old Braunton Railway Station on the Ilfracombe Branch Line . A number of major surf brands are associated with
1950-774: The Board of Trade may from Time to Time impose or make : Provided, that (1) the Regulations respecting the Weight of Locomotive Engines, Carriages, and Vehicles to be used on such Railway shall not authorize a greater Weight than Eight Tons to be brought upon the Rails by any One Pair of Wheels; (2) the Regulations respecting the Speed of Trains shall not authorise a Rate of Speed exceeding at any Time Twenty-five Miles an Hour. The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway got its authorising Act as
2028-641: The Conqueror . In the Domesday Book of 1086 (Exon Version) it is recorded as held at farm by Baldwin the Sheriff , Sheriff of Devon , whose fiefdom of 176 landholdings as recorded in Domesday Book was the largest in Devon. As recorded in the Domesday Book one virgate of land had been administratively transferred from the manor of Braunton to the tenure of Robert de Pont Chardon , lord of
2106-482: The D&SR opened a connecting loop from its Barnstaple station to Barnstaple Junction station, and trains could run through, albeit with a reversal. Through GWR trains from Taunton over the Devon and Somerset line operated; it was stipulated by the LSWR that only through journeys to Ilfracombe were permitted on the line; journeys to other LSWR stations had to be made using the D&SR terminus and road transfer to Barnstaple Junction or Town stations. An eastern arm of
2184-473: The D&SR triangle was opened on 1 July 1905 permitting through running from Taunton to Barnstaple Junction without reversal in Victoria Road. The GWR station was named Victoria Road in 1949. The Great Western Railway took a great interest in the Ilfracombe service; from July 1889 a train named "The Ilfracombe Express" ran from Paddington to Ilfracombe in 6 hours 55 minutes, while through coaches of
2262-571: The GWR train named Zulu did the journey in 6hrs 2 minutes, faster than the LSWR transit from Waterloo, which was 6 hours 22 minutes. A "Liverpool Express" ran to Ilfracombe and the Midland Railway ran a train from Bradford via Bath and Templecombe , partly over the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway . Sunday journeys on the Ilfracombe line were started on 1 June 1890.By the summer of 1905
2340-576: The LSWR affiliated lines. In 1875 the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway was amalgamated with the LSWR, following an authorising Act of 16 July 1874. In 1887 the status of the line as a light railway was altered to normal operation. It was decided to double the line, except for the section from Barnstaple Junction to Pottington, because of the expense of doubling the Taw viaduct and the Yeo swing bridge. When
2418-462: The LSWR would work the line for 45% of gross receipts were agreed. A Parliamentary Bill for the Ilfracombe Railway went to Parliament in the 1863 session, but it was opposed by Sir William Williams, and an engineer Sir John Fowler spoke against the safety aspect of the Braunton route, and asserted that the eastern route would be cheaper. Fowler was a consulting engineer to the Great Western Railway and accordingly had some personal authority. The Bill
River Caen - Misplaced Pages Continue
2496-416: The LSWR, examined possible routes, probably in 1861. The terrain was difficult, with a ridge rising to 800 feet above sea level barring the way. Errington favoured a western route through Braunton , but there was opposition from an absentee landowner, Sir William Williams, and misjudgements elsewhere by Wreford weakened confidence in the scheme, and it was not carried forward. In 1861 a slightly altered route
2574-484: The branch, although for through journeys to Exeter the N class was more suited. The more modern King Arthur , Schools and Lord Nelson classes were too heavy for use on the line, but the air-smoothed West Country pacifics, introduced from 1945, were allowed and could handle heavier loads. They were often used to assist the N class engines on heavy trains. When some of the West Country class were later modified to
2652-411: The church on the hill overlooking the settlement but it kept being damaged by the weather and in a dream he saw a pigsty with piglets. At the foot of the hill he built the current church over the sty where it still remains, and the central wooden boss in the church depicts a sow and piglets. The remains of the original church remain on the hill. The population of Braunton, according to the census of 1801,
2730-427: The company with the LSWR and the D&SR being the only shareholders, save for 77 shares out of 5,250. The Ilfracombe Company now made a call of £2 per share towards land acquisition and construction, but the D&SR found itself unable to raise money to pay its call. From the point of view of the Great Western Railway, "the chance of extending the broad gauge to Ilfracombe was missed". This impasse dragged on for
2808-459: The development of the town in that direction. During building works in the end of the 20th century, two strange findings revealed something of the areas geology. In one area of the village high on the side of the hill and about 100 feet (30 metres) above the flat area of the village, excavations for 1 m deep foundations of a house broke in to a pocket of sand which was found to extend greater than 5 m. The subsequent house had to be built on
2886-550: The early 60's for the purposes of bleaching and processing imported raw cotton wool from the US into various products such as cotton wool balls, and rolls of perfectly white cotton for other companies to make such products as tampons and other medical/surgical products. Despite being in operation for about 40 years, the softness of the water and minimal [resin] 'ion exchange' meant that the 'Steambloc' boilers needed no treatment or aggressive cleaning. Braunton has an oceanic climate that
2964-609: The fealty of the said Thomas, and cause him to have full seisin of the said two-thirds and reversion". Sir Theobald de Gorges (d. 1381) died seized of this estate and was succeeded by his son Ralph de Gorges, succeeded by his son Bartholomew de Gorges. In 1810 it was owned, together with Ash, Fullabrook and Braunton Park, by Joseph Davie Basset (1764–1846), later of Watermouth Castle , near Lynmouth , son of John Davie of Orleigh Court , near Bideford , by his wife Eleanora Basset, sister and heiress of Francis Basset (c. 1740–1802) of Heanton Punchardon and Umberleigh . In accordance with
3042-403: The journey time was less than 50 minutes. In fact the Devon and Somerset Railway had opened its line between Taunton (actually Norton Fitzwarren ) and its own Barnstaple station on 1 November 1873; affiliated to the Great Western Railway it had a shorter route to London, via Bristol, and operated a coach service from its Barnstaple station to Ilfracombe. It did not yet make a physical connection to
3120-413: The line was originally built, the single line was laid in the centre of the double track formation, and the doubling was carried out by the acquisition of additional land. The line between Braunton and Mortehoe was commissioned as a double line on 1 July 1889, followed by Braunton to Pottington on 4 August 1890. Finally Mortehoe to Ilfracombe was opened as double track on 1 July 1891. Ilfracombe station
3198-535: The locomotive turntable at Ilfracombe and in London. They were the only observation cars ever run on the Southern Railway and its British Railways Southern Region successor. The signwriting on the rear read "Devon Belle" although the locomotive headboard read “The Devon Belle” until it was changed to omit the definite article in what proved to be its final year of operation. In the 1950s patronage declined and
River Caen - Misplaced Pages Continue
3276-566: The manor adjoining of Heanton Punchardon . The royal manor was eventually split into three parts: Braunton Dean, which probably represented the land granted by King William the Conqueror to Algar the Priest at some time before the compilation of the Domesday Book of 1086. Together with the Rectory of Braunton, it shortly afterwards came into the possession of the Dean of Exeter . In 1810 it
3354-460: The manor as his son and heir male, and died seised of the two-thirds aforesaid without leaving an heir male of his body, so that the two-thirds and reversion ought to remain to the said Thomas, who is of full age, as brother and heir male of Bartholomew, and that the manor is held of the king by the service of rendering to the king a barbed arrow whenever he hunts in the Forest of Exemore , "to take
3432-573: The mouth of the River Taw . Brannock settled among a tribe of local Britons and soon established a strong Christian community. A church, the first in North Devon, was built near where the Caen Stream began to spread its waters on the alluvial lands around the River Taw. Brannockstood , the township that grew up around this church, later became Brantone and at the end of the 19th century, Braunton. The story has it that Brannock tried to build
3510-656: The next duty. The trackbed between Mortehoe Station and Ilfracombe has been restored as the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route and forms part of the Tarka Trail . It is possible to walk or cycle from the north road bridge parapet by Mortehoe Station to Ilfracombe. Frank E Box, The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway , in the Railway Magazine, December 1919, January 1920 and March 1920. The text in Maggs’ book
3588-441: The only occasion when a restaurant car was slipped. The portion was attached to a stopping train over the Devon and Somerset line to Barnstaple and was attached to an LSWR train to Ilfracombe. In the 1930s and then immediately after 1945 holiday traffic took on an even more important role, and through trains were run to and from London (both Waterloo and Paddington) and numerous other destinations. The popularity of Ilfracombe as
3666-619: The parish of Braunton, which in the 16th century the Bourchiers purchased from the Bellew family, whilst the Bourchiers also owned the estate of Beare in the parish of Braunton. A 16th-century wooden chest survives, with engravings of Portuguese men who may have come to England with the Spanish Armada of 1588. In 550 the missionary St. Brannock sailed from South Wales and converted the native Britons to Christianity. Brannock
3744-412: The said William and the heirs male of his body, and that the said Ralph and William died without heirs male of their bodies, and that Theobald brother of William entered the premises by virtue of the said fine, took to wife Agnes late the wife of Theobald Gorges, " chivaler," had issue by her Bartholomew Gorges and Thomas Gorges, and died seised of the premises, after whose death the said Bartholomew entered
3822-447: The same town of Braunton, together with the reversion of the third part thereof which John Pecche and Eleanor, his wife, both now deceased, held as dower of the said Eleanor of the inheritance of the aforesaid Walter, to hold the same to himself and the heirs male of his body, with remainder in default of such heirs to William son of Theobald Russell and the heirs male of his body, and remainder in default of such heirs to Theobald brother of
3900-461: The sand dune system but bordering the village is what is reputed to be the largest remaining 'strip' farming area in the UK and which known as the 'Great Field' . Probably from medieval times and continuing today, this large area has been opened tilled without formal boundaries, with at least 3 families still involved in production. This boundary effect by the 'Great Field' now acts as a 'natural' barrier to
3978-590: The service had much improved, with thirteen down trains and fifteen up trains, including a luncheon car corridor express to and from Waterloo; the up train made the journey in 5 hours 15 minutes. A pooling agreement was concluded for the London traffic in May 1910. Before the First World War the Torbay Express slipped a portion for Ilfracombe at Taunton; the four coach slip included a restaurant car,
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#17327798924734056-401: The terms of the inheritance, as was then usual in such cases, Joseph Davie and his descendants adopted the arms and surname of Basset in lieu of their patronymic. The grade I listed parish church, dedicated to St. Brannock , is large and has a Norman tower topped by a spire. A fine series of richly carved 16th century bench-ends survive with other interesting carved woodwork. The building
4134-495: The town was needed. The hilly terrain was very difficult, but an Ilfracombe Railway was authorised in 1864 but failed when a major shareholder was unable to respond to a subscription call. After several false starts the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway, soon taken over by the London and South Western Railway , opened in 1870. The gradients on the line were exceptionally difficult and train loads were curtailed accordingly, although in
4212-411: The train was discontinued at the end of the 1954 season. The final day of regular steam working was 5 September 1964, from which time most ordinary trains were operated by diesel multiple units, although on summer Saturdays diesel locomotive hauled through trains operated in addition. The dmu services ran to destinations local to Exeter, including Exmouth and Honiton , and later Paignton . As
4290-514: The twentieth century they were replaced by Adams T1 0-4-4 tank engines , and from about 1914 the M7 class of 0-4-4 tank engines were brought into use. In the summer of 1925 the N class of moguls were first used on the line; on 3 March 1925 one of the class took 7 coaches from Exeter to Ilfracombe, but it nearly stalled on Braunton bank. Comparative runs showed that the M7 locomotives were better suited to work
4368-471: The twentieth century, extensive use of assisting engines enabled ten coach trains to be operated at the busiest summer Saturdays. The Great Western Railway made a connection from Taunton to a separate station in Barnstaple in 1873 through an associated company, the Devon and Somerset Railway . The two lines at Barnstaple were connected in 1887, and some GWR trains ran through, or passed through coaches on to LSWR trains. From 1947 to 1954 an express train named
4446-669: The undulating Braunton Burrows , the Core Area in North Devon Biosphere Reserve , the largest psammosere (sand dune system) in England. It confronts the Atlantic Ocean at the west of the parish at the large beach of Saunton Sands , one of the South West 's international-standard surfing beaches. The origin of the name Braunton is unclear; there are two likely explanations for the name. The first
4524-400: The village including Tiki , Board Barn , Tokyo , Demons Of Doom Killers , Rusty Peach , Modern Foam Designs and Salt Rock . Braunton is served by the following bus services: Braunton railway station The North Devon Railway connected Barnstaple to the growing railway network in 1854 and as Ilfracombe developed as a watering place, it was obvious a railway connection to
4602-457: The village is Knowle commencing within 1 mile (1.6 km) to the northwest. Wrafton almost adjoins to the south and some of its affinity, particularly economic, is with Braunton instead of its civil parish, Heanton Punchardon further along the straight, semi-coastal road towards Barnstaple . WNW of the village centre is a modest farm, Fairlynch, followed by a farm-courtyard cluster of buildings, Lobb and then north, by three springs in
4680-412: The village now. Braunton railway station formerly existed on the now closed Ilfracombe Branch Line two stations from Barnstaple railway station on the 'Tarka' or North Devon Line from Exeter, which currently operate regular and heritage trains. The presence of the river, the 'soft' water and permission for abstraction, encouraged an American company, 'Curity' to set up business in the village in
4758-647: The village. Braunton Burrows marsh on the west side of the parish is a designated biosphere reserve , the first place in Great Britain to have gained such status. The coastal part of the parish lies within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , and comprises Saunton Sands to the west, a beach of finely-grained sand, and to the south the estuary of the River Taw , of mixed mud and sand. The north of Braunton Burrows are open to light public access and have been converted into
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#17327798924734836-409: The village. The settlement's population in 2011 were living in 3,552 households. Several of the historic estates within the parish of Braunton have expanded into larger settlements. They include: The civil parish includes the linear , hill-foot coastal settlement of Saunton , chiefly with holiday homes a small holiday village and a stand-alone luxury hotel with private beach areas. Higher above
4914-509: Was 1,296. This number increased quite rapidly in the thirty years to 1831, to 2,047 however the rate of increase slowed during the next 10 years and coinciding with the arrival of the railway fell from 2,364 in 1851 to 2,089 in 1881. Population growth resumed and saw almost a doubling between 1961 and 2011, to 8,128 people. Data for 1801–1961 is available at Britain Through Time. The 2001 and 2011 Censuses give detailed information about
4992-462: Was 225 feet above sea level. As holiday peak traffic developed, Ilfracombe station was successively extended and improved, in 1901, 1917 and 1929. On 1 November 1873 the Devon and Somerset Railway had opened its line throughout from Taunton to its own Barnstaple station ; a coach connection was operated to Ilfracombe. At this time the D&SR Was a broad gauge railway, but it was converted to narrow (standard) gauge on 18 May 1881. On 1 June 1887
5070-583: Was a priest in the household of Brychan , King of Brecknock. He married one of the king's daughters, but due to family troubles left his royal home. At that time the Welsh Britons often raided their Dumnonian neighbours in North Devon, on the south side of the Bristol Channel . Brannock probably came to North Devon with one such raid and is said to have landed at Saunton Sands , then dense woodland before later wind-erosion into sand-dunes, at
5148-408: Was able to be dissolved. At the end of 1867 the IR company had decided not to proceed with construction, even though £46,370 had been expended without any construction taking place. The authorised but unbuilt Ilfracombe Railway was abandoned by Acy of 25 July 1868. In 1869 pressure mounted further for a line, this time under the aegis of the LSWR; but still the question of the route to be adopted
5226-417: Was authorised in the same session, on 29 July 1864, but only between Taunton and Barnstaple. Parliament required the Ilfracombe Railway to build all bridges and structures in such a way that broad gauge trains off the D&SR might pass over the line. Share capital of the Ilfracombe Railway was to be £210,000 and the D&SR were permitted to be major subscribers for shares. An Act of 2 July 1865 reincorporated
5304-417: Was controversial; this included the choice of how the line would join the existing North Devon line, and where it would cross the river. The western route via Braunton was eventually seen to the better option and in the 1870 session of Parliament the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway's bill was considered. There was much opposition, including from residents near the proposed northern route, who would now not have
5382-477: Was decided upon, and the LSWR was approached for support. It had not yet established its ability to reach Barnstaple, and it indicated that negotiations with the North Devon company for its acquisition were dominating its attention at the time. In July 1862 the LSWR finalised its talks with the North Devon company, and the LSWR acquired that line outright on 1 January 1865. Now that it had certainty of its narrow (standard) gauge access to Barnstaple, it indicated that it
5460-401: Was difficult as the roads approaching the town were steep and inconvenient, and most visitors arrived by steamer, from Bristol and elsewhere. The North Devon Railway and Docks company opened its line from Crediton to Barnstaple in 1854. It was a single broad gauge line at first, but after certain dubious procedures, it was taken over (on lease) by the London and South Western Railway, making
5538-526: Was extended to Thursday to Tuesday in the summer of 1949; in both cases it ran in the summer season only. The up trains often had a Bulleid pacific assisting in rear as well as a pacific as the train engine to climb out of Ilfracombe. The two observation cars for the Devon Belle were converted from existing Pullman cars by the Pullman Company at Brighton . The observation cars were turned on
5616-528: Was granted lands at Braunton including 1 acre at 'La Crofta', two acres at 'Myddelforlong', and half an acre at 'Longeland', which names (if not spellings) are still in use today. In 1330 as is recorded in the Calendar of Fine Rolls: Waleys, by a fine levied at Westminster in the octave of Michaelmas, 4 Edward III, granted to Ralph Gorges two-thirds of the manor of Braunton Gorges by the name of two-thirds of 3 messuages, 2 carucates of land and 100s. of rent in
5694-457: Was held by the de Sachville family. Robert de Sachville ( Latinized to de Siccavilla ("from the dry town")) had been granted this part in 1202. Their successors were the Gorges family of Wraxall, Somerset . As is recorded in a surviving document, in 1324 Eleanor Ferre, wife of Ralph de Gorges (d.1323), Baron Gorges , Sheriff of Devon , and daughter of Sir John Ferre of Tothill, Lincolnshire,
5772-589: Was held, as a tenant of the Dean and Chapter, by Charles Trelwany of Coldrenick in Cornwall. Braunton Abbots, which extended also over part of the adjoining parish of Marwood . It was created by a grant from the remnant of the royal manor of Braunton by King Henry III (1216–1272) to Cleeve Abbey in Somerset. In 1810 it belonged to William Courtenay, 9th Earl of Devon (1768–1835) of Powderham Braunton Gorges,
5850-510: Was obtained for the purpose on 25 May 1811. On completion, responsibility for the marsh passed Marsh Inspectors, who sanctioned further work in 1854, involving the straightening and embanking of the River Caen , or Braunton Pill, to form the Braunton Canal . The scheme was completed by the addition of a new quay at Velator in the 1870s. To the West of Braunton is Saunton and its beach and
5928-412: Was prepared to consider an Ilfracombe line. The proposed Braunton route to Ilfracombe had steep gradients and sharp curves, and the LSWR arranged for a new survey of an alternative, eastern route. When the survey was complete it was obvious that this route was much more expensive due to the heavy engineering works that would be necessary, so the Braunton route was settled on, and working arrangements whereby
6006-426: Was singled on 17 December 1967. Road-based competition – motor coaches and private cars – accelerated the decline in usage of the line, and the train service was discontinued on 5 October 1970 Gradients on the northern part of the line were severe; down trains started to climb in earnest from Braunton station and faced six miles of ascent, stiffening to 1 in 40 to the summit at Mortehoe station. Up trains experienced
6084-467: Was thrown out. When the bad news was brought to Braunton and Ilfracombe, violent disquiet was in evidence, and the Riot Act was read at 02:00 on Sunday 26 April. The water was further muddied by the revival now of an earlier scheme for a Devon and Somerset Railway, affiliated to the Great Western Railway, connecting Taunton to Ilfracombe through Barnstaple. The Ilfracombe Railway promoters decided on
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