Mortehoe

Mortehoe, Devon - the main street, looking south

Mortehoe is a village on the north coast of Devon near Woolacombe, sited on the hilly land behind Morte Point. A nearby village is Lee Bay.

Mortehoe can trace its origins back to the Domesday Book, and beyond. In former years it was the haunt of smugglers and wreckers, but was more recently a farming community. Since the coming of the railway (the Ilfracombe Branch Line), Mortehoe has become much more dependent on tourism, with numerous camp sites in the vicinity. Despite this, the remoteness of the village has ensured it has retained much of its country charm.

Mortehoe and the surrounding area is used for the location of the 2007 film The Mist.^{[citation needed]}

Churches

St Mary's Church, Mortehoe

The oldest parts of the Anglican church of St Mary date back to Norman times, but it has been added to in subsequent years. The bell tower, carved pews and the William de Tracey tomb are medieval. The chancel-arch mosaic and the 'archangel' window were designed by Selwyn Image. The later parts of the building are of the 14th and 16th centuries. The carved benchends are 13th century, the wagon roof of the nave 15th century and the table-tomb of William de Tracey, Rector of Mortehoe is dated 1322.^[1]

Transport links

Mortehoe may be reached by road from two directions: either a steep, narrow lane that follows the hilly coast north from Woolacombe; or else a twisty, narrow road from the east.

There are regular bus services from Woolacombe and Ilfracombe.

The popularity of this remote corner of Devon was boosted by the coming of the railway, in 1874. Unfortunately for visitors, Mortehoe station was nearly two miles inland from the village, so Mortehoe was rather less affected by the additional population than its now much larger neighbour, Woolacombe. The Ilfracombe Branch Line railway closed in 1970, so this is no longer an option for tourists wishing to visit the area.

Places of interest

Mortehoe Beach

The Mortehoe Heritage Centre, based in the Cart Linhay building, also acts as the local tourist information office. On the upper floor is a museum of the history of the most north-westerly tip of North Devon. The museum has displays about the local farming communities, the railway, and the numerous shipwrecks that occurred off the treacherous rocks around the nearby coast. The rebuilding of the heritage site was managed by surveyor, and later landlord, Douglas Victor Watkins.

Bull Point Lighthouse is a short walk along the South West Coast Path from the centre of the village. Walks around Morte Point offer spectacular coastal scenery.

See also

• North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

References

1. ^ Betjeman, John, ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches; the South. London: Collins; p. 164

External links

• Woolacombe and Mortehoe Residents Association
• mortehoe.org - what's on when, and other Mortehoe news and information
• Images and descriptions at West Country Walks

Coordinates: 51°11′N 4°12′W / 51.183°N 4.2°W / 51.183; -4.2