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Thursday 24 December 2015

ILFRACOMBE



I am a big fan of the Ward Lock Red Guides, a series of vintage guidebooks which give a fascinating insight into what tourism was like in Britain in past decades.  Looking at the entry for Ilfracombe in the 1966 edition of the North West Devon guide, I was astonished at the range of ‘steamer’ services available in those days.  The guide lists the following: “Steamer services and excursions to Lynmouth, Clovelly, Minehead, Bristol, Cardiff, Barry and Swansea etc., also channel cruises and trips to Lundy, Mumbles, Tenby, etc.”  Today, the only regular crossing still available is to Lundy during the summer months, and Ilfracombe is also one of the departure points for trips on the Waverley paddle steamer.  Ilfracombe also had a railway station in 1966, and there was a rail booking office in the High Street.  Those were the days.

The first thing that strikes the visitor to Ilfracombe is the stunning coastal scenery all around it.  Seen from an elevated position the harbour area of the town looks a lot like St Ives, complete with a little chapel on a crag at the harbour entrance.  St Nicholas Chapel, dating from 1321, once housed a lighthouse keeper and his family including 14 children, but fell into neglect.  It was restored in 1962 by the local Rotary Club, who still look after it today, welcoming visitors who want to have a look around  inside where there is a small local history museum – free to enter though donations are welcome.  Another feature of Ilfracombe which makes an interesting, and quite unique, destination for visitors is Tunnels Beaches, where there are two large tide-filled pools originally built in Victorian times for single-sex bathing.  As the name suggests, the pools are accessible via tunnels for an entrance fee; nowadays there are many more additions to the original attraction, such as a cafe bar, a shop and a play hut. 

During recent years, the controversial artist Damian Hurst has started to make his mark in  Ilfracombe.  First he opened a restaurant there, but this has since closed.  What does still remain, though is a sculpture named Verity, depicting a naked pregnant woman brandishing a sword while carrying the scales of justice.  Not surprisingly, the sculpture has split the local populace right down the middle, with many decrying the grotesque nature of the sculpture.  The official webpage for the sculpture claims that Verity is an”allegory for truth and justice”. Back on more normal ground, the Ilfracombe Museum on the promenade is in Runnymede Gardens, and offers displays for all the family, and there is an Aquarium on the Harbourside.  The Landmark Theatre occupies a cliff-top position, making its cafe bar a lively lunchtime venue during rough seas.   

For a list of events in Ilfracombe, follow this link.

Live streaming webcam view of Ilfracombe Bay.

Map of the area. 

Boats in the harbour at low tide

File:Beacon Point Ilfracombe, from Capstone - geograph.org.uk - 1495423.jpg
Beacon Point Ilfracombe, from Capstone - geograph.org.uk - 1495423.  Photo by Barrie Cann, via Wikimedia Commons.