GET off the beaten track and explore some of Devon?s lesser-known nooks and crannies, with a new book by Exmouth author Tricia Gerrish.
An abundance of treasures from the past survive in and around the towns, villages and hamlets throughout the county. However, tucked away from our gaze lie many minor gems of architecture and curiosities of history and folklore. This book uncovers these secrets and the fascinating stories they tell.
Devon: Off the Beaten Track by Tricia Gerrish, takes the reader to smugglers? caves, ancient mills, quiet estuaries and castles. The book devotes around a page to each town or village and its secrets, including several in West Devon.
For example, Mrs Gerrish explores a devilish tale about Brentor and the building of its remote 12th century church. According to old folklore it was intended to build the St Michael de la Rupe Church at the foot of Brentor hill, but one morning all the stones had been shifted to its summit. Several men kept watch when this was repeated and a dark figure was spotted at midnight kicking down walls before removing the stones uphill. Eventually the people of Brentor decided to let Lucifer have his way, his power couldn?t stop them having a church, but he had made it relatively inaccessible.
?A grazing place for lambs beside a river? is how the Doomesday Book described Lamerton. The area survived through mining in the 18th and 19th centuries. The church at Lamerton burned down in 1877, leaving only the tower, and had to be rebuilt in 15th century style. Mrs Gerrish says the fire was started by a draught from a broken window causing an oil lamp ? kept alight to stop the organ becoming damp, making it?s keys stick ? to flare.
The author also acknowledges the contention about Chagford?s origins as a stannary town. Some historians record the official date when tin was first brought to the town from the mines for assaying and grading as 1305, others believe it was 1328. The old ?pepperpot? market house in The Square dates from 1862 and is one of the most photographed buildings on Dartmoor.
The literary claims of South Zeal are also explored. Charles Dickens is said to have written Pickwick Papers, in the Oxenham Arms inn ? which dates back to the 16th century ? when he was caught in a snowstorm there in 1836. South Zeal is also the setting for Eden Philpott?s novel The Beacon (1928), St Mary?s Church clock and bells are romantically praised: ?A shining clock beamed from the chapel...two exposed bells hung together in a tiny turret and at times twittered together thinly like birds.?
Tricia and her husband Michael travelled all over the county gathering material and carrying out research. ?It has greatly enlarged our appreciation of just how much the county has to offer,? she said, ?to us Devon is very special.?
The book is illustrated by Kenn artist Angela Brown, who has previously worked for Devon Life magazine.
Devon: Off the Beaten Track by Tricia Gerrish is published by Countryside Books at £8.95.
RICHARD WEVILL