Lynton

The spectacular combination of sweeping moorland with high, rugged, tree-clad cliffs and enticing sheltered bays make Lynton and Lynmouth almost unique. The tiny village of Lynton in Devon is separated from its sister village, Lynmouth, by a small railway that travels up the steep cliffs to Lynton only 500 feet above. This quaint Victorian village is located in some of the most beautiful countryside in Devon. Moors, cliffs, woods, waterfalls and a view of Lynmouth Harbour below make Lynton truly spectacular. For nature lovers, The Exmoor National Park with its hiking trails, rivers and ancient stone circles is nearby. Lynton itself is full of lovely little shops and cafes, as well as some first-rate hotels.

Lynmouth was described by Thomas Gainsborough, who honeymooned there with his bride Margaret Burr, as "the most delightful place for a landscape painter this country can boast".

Named the 'Switzerland of England' by the Victorians the picturesque coastal town of Lynmouth is linked to its sister village of Lynton by a water operated cliff railway, which has been in service since 1888. It offers stunning views of the North Devon Coastline as it rises the 500 feet from Lynmouth to Lynton.

In August 1952 Lynmouth became known throughout the world due to its devastating flood. During the night on August 15th, following exceptional rainfall over parts of Exmoor the East and West Lyn rivers rose suddenly and flooded the town with 90 million tonnes of water, the waters reaching a height of 9 metres. As a result of the disaster 34 people lost their lives, 93 houses and 28 bridges were destroyed.
www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk

Lynton and Lynmouth grew up slowly around two splendid deep and wooded river valleys, those of the East and West Lyn river which have their origins in a maze of tiny streams high up on Exmoor and meet as they reach the sea at Lynmouth. It was the Victorians who made these twin towns holiday centres, the quiet charm of which lead them to name it 'The Little Switzerland of England'.

Castle Rock above Lynton

Hollerday Hill. Dominating the valley is Castle Rock, while other strangely weathered formations bear names such as Ragged Jack and the Devil's Cheesewring.  The Cliff Railway was officially opened in 1890 and operates at a gradient of 1:1¾ covering a vertical height of approximately 500 feet. The gauge is 45 inches and each car has a 700 gallon water tank which is filled at the top and emptied at the bottom, thus causing the lower car to be pulled up to Lynton, while the heavier car from the top descends to Lynmouth.

Lynton is a Victorian resort perched above a lofty gorge with splendid views over the sea. Almost completely cut off from the rest of the country for most of its history, the village struck lucky during the Napoleonic Wars, when frustrated Grand Tourists - unable to visit their usual continental haunts - discovered in Lynton a domestic piece of Swiss landscape. The greatest spur to the village's popularity came with the publication in 1869 of R D Blackmore's Exmoor melodrama Lorna Doone, a book based on the outlaw clans who inhabited these parts in the 17th century.

Lynton Harbour

The imposing Town Hall epitomises the Victorian-Edwardian accent of Lynton. It was the gift of publisher George Newnes, who also donated the Cliff Railway connecting Lynton with Lynmouth. The device is an ingenious hydraulic system, its two carriages counter-balanced by water tanks which fill up at the top, descend and empty their load at the bottom.

The Tower Lynton Harbour

Lynmouth lies at the junction and estuary of the East and West Lyn rivers, in a spot described by Gainsborough as "the most delightful place for a landscape painter this country can boast". The picturesque scene was shattered in August 1952 when Lynmouth was almost washed away by floodwaters coming off Exmoor, a disaster of which there are many reminders around the village. Nearly 100 houses and 28 bridges were destroyed or damaged and 31 lives were lost.

Lynton Harbour

In Lynton a restored 16th century house, St Vincent's Cottage, is now a small museum displaying the tools and products of past craftsmen. Take a look at the town hall with its attractive architecture, built by Sir George Newnes, who also built the cliff "railway".

Lynmouth harbour

Exmoor National Park

Lynton and Lynmouth are linked by a steep but well-made road and also by the Cliff Railway, an absolute must for most newcomers to see. Blasting for the route was begun in 1887 and the railway opened in 1890. The two carriages run on an endless cable and are gravity pulled. A tank in the top carriage is filled with spring water whilst the bottom carriage is emptied. When the brake is released the carriages move smoothly up and down the rails, taking about 90 seconds to complete the journey of 900feet (275 metres). There has never been an accident on this railway in its whole history, which is a remarkable achievement of safety.

Valley of The Rocks, near Lynton

A popular holiday centre known with it's neighbour Lynmouth as 'Little Switzerland' due to it's magnificent wooded hills. The town is Victorian in character with many amenities for visitors including cinema, live theatre and a Tourist Information Centre in the imposing Town Hall. There are superb coastal walks to the nearby Valley of Rocks where wild goats may be seen perched on the cliffs. See the Lyn and Exmoor Museum and ride the cliff to Lynmouth. To the east of Lynton at the confluence of Oak Hoar Water and the East Lyn River is Watersmeet, a former fishing lodge owned by the National Trust. Now a tea room, open between 31 March and 31 October, it is the focal point for a number of spectacular walks.

Lynton and Lynmouth are like twins, one village complementing the other. Lynmouth is wedged between a steep cliff and the ocean on North Devon's coast, while Lynton looks down from the 500ft (152m) high clifftop on her twin. The views from either are glorious. You can see, on a clear day, across to the Welsh coast. But proximity is about all these twins have in common. Lynmouth is a traditional fishing village with stone houses, and Lynton is a Victorian-Edwardian village, many of its homes turned into seaside villas and hotels.

An unusual Cliff Railway connects the two villages. Two passenger carrying "cars", connected by a cable, chug up and down the hill, each with a water tank capable of holding 700 gallons. At the top of the cliff one car's tank is filled, causing it to descend the cliff, while the car with a lighter, empty tank rises to the top. The full tank is emptied once the car reaches the bottom of the cliff, and then the process starts all over again. This "railway" has a gradient of 1 to 1¾--pretty steep. But not to fear. Since its opening in 1890 no accidents have occurred. And it's definitely the easiest way to travel between the two villages.

Lynton Tourist Information

In Lynton a restored 16th century house, St Vincent's Cottage, is now a small museum displaying the tools and products of past craftsmen. Take a look at the town hall with its attractive architecture, built by Sir George Newnes, who also built the cliff "railway". Lynmouth's 14th century thatched smuggler's inn is now a hotel as is Tregonwell, a Victorian stone house built for a sea captain. Nearby an 1832 fishing lodge, Watersmeet House, nestles in a beautiful tree-lined gorge at the confluence of the East Lyn and Hoar Oak Water. Have a cup of tea at the National Trust teashop here, and amble on paths under green canopied skies

Looking down from Lynton to Lynmouth

The villages owe their popularity as tourist destinations to Napoleon. Denied their usual continental holiday haunts because of the Napoleonic Wars, Britains sought out homegrown spots and found dramatic cliffs and coastlines here. The poet, Shelley, stayed here for several months with his bride and named the area, "Little Switzerland". Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge are other literary figures who found the area amenable for writing. It is said Samuel Taylor Coleridge was inspired to write "The Ancient Mariner" after viewing Lynmouth's harbour.

Lynmouth's men performed a heroic task in 1899 when they hauled a lifeboat 13 miles over land to Porlock to rescue the crew of The Forrest Hall, a ship foundering in the bad weather and stormy seas that prohibited the lifeboat launch at Lynmouth. Tragedy struck Lynmouth in 1952. The rivers East and West Lyn flow to the sea in a deep cleft between the cliffs, and that was the starting point for disaster when flood swollen waters swept through the village of Lynmouth, hurtling mud and 40,000 tons of boulders and tree trunks on the unsuspecting inhabitants. Homes, roads and bridges were destroyed. Thirty-four people met a sad end.

Lynmouth and Lynton, on a heritage coast, are part of Exmoor National Park. Hikers can walk the Southwest Coast Path-which passes through the villages-from Minehead in the east to Combe Martin in the west. Dramatic moorland covered with purple heather and yellow gorse vies for attention with rugged rocky coves demanding exploration. Nearby, buzzards and red deer hint at the wildness of the area. And stories such as Lorna Doone, of infamous fictional fame, set amidst the countryside, add to the legends of this land.

One mile (2km) to the west (you can walk it along the North Cliff Walk) is the Valley of The Rocks, a natural gorge between two ridges of hills. Here sandstone and shale fought unsuccessfully with the wind, and the result is such aptly named rocks as "Devil's Cheeswring" and "Ragged Jack". The rocks are playthings for wild mountain goats. This wild and beautiful land of surging seas, towering cliffs, rocky headlands and wooded ravines plays reluctant host to man in scenic settings like Lynmouth and Lynton.

St.Mary, Lynton

Often described as 'an ancient church' St.Mary's is little more than 100 years old and has undergone three major re-building projects. The exception to this being the tower which dates from the 13th century and houses two bells both 400 years old. The earliest memorial can be found in the graveyard and is dated 1645 and remembers Elizabeth & Peter Squier of Parracombe.

Tourist Information Lynton

View from Lynton down to Lynmouth Beach

To the west of Lynton is the spectacular Valley of the Rocks. These strange rock formations have given rise to local legends and some have names such as White Lady and Ragged Jack. It is also the home of a herd of wild goats that can be seen grazing on the rocky outcrops. The National Park's main town (pop with Lynmouth, 1,658) and service centre with a variety of facilities including plenty of car parking. The buildings are mainly Victorian, of local stone and terracotta roof tiles and a variety of architectural designs, including Swiss-style balconies and carved barge boards. The Lyn and Exmoor Museum has a collection devoted to Exmoor's social history.

Lynton: small cliff-top town/Edwardian resort in stunning scenery. Below – winding road and funicular railway connect – is Lynmouth (famous harbour village, boat trips) where two rivers pour from steep oak-wooded valleys. On Lynton’s edge begins the very spectacular Valley of The Rocks. Marvellous walking country, valley or hill-top. Woolacombe (superb sand/surf beaches), about 20 miles (decent road). John Arbon Textiles, known as the 'Alpaca shop', was set up in Lynton by textile designer John Arbon. Full of imaginative textiles made from UK Alpaca yarns, the majority are designed by John himself and many handmade by local craftspeople. John has developed a range of tried and tested alpaca socks (from comfy walking socks to cosy bed socks). Alongside are beautiful handmade garments (from baby bootees to scarves); a fine collection of home interior textiles (from blankets to tea cosies), plus a selection of hand knit yarn (including UK Alpaca double knit), knitting patterns and a be-spoke rug making service.

A water-powered funicular railway links the twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth amongst magnificent scenery. Both have delightful shops and many places to eat. You should not miss the opportunity to try the delicious locally produced ice cream.
In Lynmouth there is a commemorative display to the victims of the flash flood in 1952 that caused so much devastation and loss of life to this town. The small coastal town of Lynmouth became known throughout the world for the disaster which struck in August 1952. On the night of the 15th, after continuous rain throughout the day, the East and West Lyn Rivers rose suddenly and filled with the waters from their Exmoor catchment. Large boulders and rocks were carried in the flow towards the village, destroying houses, roads and bridges. Many lost their lives during that dark and terrifying night.

You can find 'Fish on the Harbour' in the beautiful village of Lynmouth just opposite the River Lyn. In addition to traditionally prepared fish and chips - maybe with some home-made mushy peas and tartar sauce - you will find local lobster, crab and the exclusive, very famous steak and seaweed pie. Fish on the Harbour offers a 'catch of the day' - anything from skate to shark - whatever the fishmonger has to offer on the day. Bouillabaisse made with locally caught fish is a popular dish along with alternatives to fried fish - salmon grilled with a lemon butter for example. Cockles and mussels are sold from a seafood stall in the garden. Fresh crab and lobster are available to take away as is a cone of whitebait or squid rings. The garden is a great place to sit with a bottle of wine watching the world go by.
Really good food in a totally relaxed atmosphere - that's Fish on the Harbour. There is some evidence that many areas around Lynton were settled in prehistoric times, but it appears that Lynton itself was originally a Celtic settlement.

Until the 18th century, Lynton was a small isolated farming settlement. Later on in the century, as a result of improved roads, increased leisure and wealth, Lynton and Lynmouth were transformed into tourist resorts. Among the earliest visitors were Gainsborough, Coutts the banker and the poets Coleridge, Wordsworth and Shelley. During the latter half of the 19th century development was rapid, with many new hotels and houses being built. The original hydroelectric power station was one of the first in the country, supplying both villages with electricity before many major cities had street lighting. Electricity, the installation of a pure water supply, the completion of the Cliff Railway and Lynton to Barnstaple Railway made life easier.

Sir George Newnes, the magazine magnate who was responsible for the publishing of "Tit-Bits" and "Country Life", was a great benefactor to both villages. He financed most of the Cliff Railway and was behind construction of the Lynton to Barnstaple narrow gauge railway, which was in service from 1898 to 1935. He built the Town Hall to celebrate his son's coming of age; this was opened by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of Sherlock Holmes fame. Sir George built and lived in Hollerday House, which was on the hill behind the Town Hall. The remains can still be seen, the house having been destroyed by fire at the beginning of this century.

Castle Rock Lynton - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com

Lynton and Lynmouth - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com

River Lyn Bridge Mill Lynton - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com

Lyndale Mill Lynton - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com

The South West Coast Path at Lynton

Local builder, Bob Jones built the Tower Hotel house in 1889 for a Baronets son as a country retreat, built many of the new buildings and the Cliff Railway with which Sir George was associated. Lynmouth was a small port until the late 18th century, importing coal and limestone from South Wales and exporting farm produce and oysters. The restored limekilns can still be seen by the Cliff Railway in Lynmouth. Most of the traffic to and from the area was by sea, as tourism grew, access by horse and stagecoach became readily available. The last coach ran in 1920. On the 15th August 1952 disaster struck the valley after a terrible storm. Lynmouth bore the full force of the flash flood when millions of tons of water poured through the village destroying it and killing 34 (including childreThe Lyton and Lynmouth area on the beautiful coast of Exmoor National Park is home to a number of fascinating geological features. To the west of Lynton is the famous Valley of the Rocks. The site has excellent exposures of the Lynton Beds that are rich in fossils and are some of the oldest Devonian rocks in the north Devon -Somerset area. However, it is perhaps the topography of the site that is most dramatic, with many classic landforms on show. These include a dry valley and a number of periglacial features demonstrating the effects of the freezing temperatures present here during the Ice Age when glaciers reached as far south as the north Devon coast.

Lynton and Lynmouth Devon - photo presented with the kind permisssion of www.grumpystumpy.com

To the east, at Lynmouth, a large boulder fan can be seen extending into the Bristol Channel from the mouth of the East Lyn and West Lyn rivers. This bears witness to major flooding over thousands of For further details on the geology of this area geo-WEC.pdf and geo-RLL.pdf produced by Devon County Council

Local walks include:

• Wonderful Watersmeet is reached by following the banks of the East Lyn river from Lynmouth, through one of Britain's deepest wooded gorges. The National Trust tearooms, originally built as a fishing lodge in 1832, provide refreshments in a beautiful glade, on reaching famous Watersmeet.
• The Awesome Valley of Rocks, minutes from Lynton, is where you can explore this strange and unique pre-historic outcrop of rocks, or spot some of Exmoor's unique wildlife, including the valley's own feral goats and the Exmpor ponies. Buzzards and peregrine falcons are occasionally seen too.
• North Walk Cliff Path, direct from Lynton, is a spectacular part of the South West Coast Path, with wonderful views across the Bristol Channel, and leads to the Valley of Rocks around Hollerday Hill. There are paths that lead up to Hollerday Hill, first to the ruins of Sir George Newnes' mansion and tennis courts and then on to the summit and the iron-age Hill Fort.

On the night of 15 August 1952 heavy rain fell on an already saturated Exmoor. Several inches of rainfall across the moors resulted in a torrent of water in every stream, brook and river in the area. Worst affected was Lynmouth, a small seaside resort with hotels and guest houses full of visitors. The East and West Lyn rivers and their many tributaries united at Lynmouth and carved a swathe of destruction through the little town. Buildings were reduced to rubble and 34 people were killed. The bodies of 4, presumably swept out to sea, were never found.

It is often forgotten that southern Exmoor also suffered, although mercifuly without the heavy death toll. The Barle and Exe rivers tore their way southwards. Most of the Tarr Steps clapper bridge was washed away. A wall of water carrying timber and other debris swept down the Exe valley through Exford and Winsford. Floodwaters damaged the hotel at Simonsbath and premises in Withypool. There were many stories of narrow escapes from drowning. At Dulverton the river Barle destroyed several buildings and people were rescued from bedroom windows. Ten road bridges were destroyed or seriously damaged.

MEMORIES OF THE 1952 FLOOD

Although Lynmouth suffered the greatest loss of life and property in the 1952 flood, southern Exmoor also suffered badly, especially the settlements in the Barle and Exe valleys. As many people had no access to radio and news travelled more slowly, people were taken unawares. Those who did not live near the river only gradually learnt what had happened. There were fierce flashes of lightening from a storm towards Exford. Most of the ensuing rain that fell on the Chains went north and west but a lot of water entered the Exe and Barle rivers. The rain started to fall on Friday 14 August and by the early hours of Saturday morning 15 August Lynmouth had been hit and some parts of central Exmoor but only after sunrise did the walls of water reach southern Exmoor. Within 24 hours the river valleys looked like a battleground, three road bridges were destroyed and seven others were badly damaged, several houses were reduced to rubble and the contents of others were ruined. The army was brought in to help clear up and an international appeal for relief brought in funds to compensate for damage.

Ironically it had been a dry year on Exmoor and the Honeymead estate was short of water. An official had come to advise on improving the supply when the rain started. It continued to rain very heavily. At Pitsworthy the stable yard flooded which it had never done before but people went to bed as usual. Only in the morning did they hear that Exford was flooded. The Exford postman brought the mail to the farm and asked if he could sort it in the kitchen as the post office was flooded out. As most Exmoor farms were high up they had less damage.

The Exe

By 10 o clock on Saturday morning the centre of Exford village was swamped. Cottages there were under about eight foot of water. Two men tried to get to the Exmoor Stores but the water came up to their shoulders. The water pressure drove trees and timber through the shop and its back wall.  The White Horse pub was on the river and very vulnerable. A barman who went out to investigate was forced to take refuge in a tree for two or three hours. The pub was badly damaged. There were twenty horses in the yard, because it was the middle of the hunting season. They were released at the first sign of flooding to fend for themselves otherwise they would have drowned as most of the stables were washed away. They were rounded up unharmed the next day. Ladders from the White Horse were washed out of the yard and later found in trees downriver.

The pressure of the water that went through the carpenter’s workshop tipped benches on their ends and gouged a large pit out of the dirt floor, which filled with debris from the Crown inn including the bar book. The tools in their racks were undamaged. The water was deep in the Crown and it had to close for months. The barman was said to have stood on the bar all night.

The old blacksmith, who slept down stairs because of arthritis, was found under his ceiling afloat on his mattress, which was wedged on top of other furniture. The house had to be rebuilt and the office was washed away with the account books. People had to remember what they owed. A shoe repair shop and the billiard room at the men’s club were destroyed. Householders were forced upstairs and the water did not go down until about four in the afternoon. The pressure of the water burst locks and the doors and split doorframes. There was thick mud everywhere and after the water had subsided everything had to be sprayed with disinfectant including carpets and furniture. The flood wrecked gardens but ten days later they put on the village the flower show. There was a bit of looting and villagers set up a night patrol taking it in turns to sit in a vehicle and walk around periodically.

Winsford also suffered and many of the houses there were flooded. The Exe bridge, an old stone arched bridge, was destroyed. The parish records were said to have been badly damaged. Below Winsford there was less damage from the river but police issued a warning for Tiverton. It was said no-one believed it would come and no preparations were made. It was not until midday on Saturday that the wall of water reached Tiverton and the lower houses were flooded out.

The Barle
The swollen Barle and its tributaries hit Simonsbath late Friday night and washed the top of the bridge away. The road was impassable outside the Exmoor Forest Hotel. Water from Ashcombe had rushed into the hotel, which had rapidly filled with water to the top of the dining room windows. The place was full of guests who were trapped upstairs with no light. Two local men broke the windows to release the water. The floors were covered in debris including beehives and dead poultry. Cars were damaged in the garages and the ground floor of the hotel had to be virtually rebuilt.  At Honeymead the houses had water in the back door and out the front but not as badly as in Simonsbath where the post office flooded and everything was washed away. A butcher from North Molton couldn't get home because the bridge had been washed away at Simonsbath.

The villagers at Withypool were preparing for their local races at Comers Gate, in Bradley Ham when they heard a terrible noise. Six garages were destroyed and the cars washed into the river.  Alfred Vowles, the photographer, who used to stay at Withypool, had written in one of the garages - snow fell here 17 May 1935, a good fall, 18 inches deep. Most people in the village were affected by the flood, one man at Bradley had a pig washed away. 

At Dulverton that night life went on as usual. It was the night when they opened the Wenvoe transmitting station. The shop next to the surgery in the town had a television in the window. People stopped to look when they came out of the pictures at the Town Hall. There was a flash of lightening, which put the set out, so people went home. The fire brigade was called out to Exford to assist there but many people remained unaware of the flood until the early hours of Saturday morning. A fifteen-foot high wall of water full of trees hit Dulverton bridge and the surging waters raged up Bridge Street where a plaque marks the highest point of the flood. There were boys on the bridge who had to run for their lives. Men roped themselves together to reach people who were trapped. Several people made holes in their roofs to escape. Many lost the contents of their homes and businesses.

At Pixton Park news only arrived late Saturday morning when workmen from Tiverton arrived three hours late because of trees across the road and floods. They also said Dulverton was in a bad way. One of the staff went to a house by the Barle and found the water up to the electric light switches. The occupants had climbed out of the bedroom window, on to the roof at the back of the adjoining house. They got down a ladder, which was stored on the roof, and were up to their waists in water. They were taken in at another cottage.

One man drove into Dulverton and found a great deal of damage and many sightseers despite the danger. A large tree across the river by the bridge had acted as a dam and turned the water to either side. Two cottages had been washed away on the west bank and other buildings were damaged. The streets were full of debris. On Sunday people went sightseeing at Exebridge, hundreds of cars were said to have descended on the area. The army was brought in from Yeovil and for a couple of weeks soldiers were camped at Brushford helping to clear the debris especially trees and boulders

Wringcliff is a secluded bay surrounded by high cliffs with a steep access path. Not suitable for disabled visitors or young children.

See also:

• www.lyntonandlynmouth.org.uk
• www.lyntoncinema.co.uk
• www.cliffrailwaylynton.co.uk
• www.lyntonandlynmouthscene.co.uk
• www.lynton-lynmouth.com
• Lynton Tourist Information Centre 0845 660 3232 www.lynton-lynmouth-tourism.co.uk

Contributed by: George Townsend, Mark Jay, Howard Tom, Keith Yandle