OKEHAMPTON and Lifton will play their part in events to mark next year?s 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

One of the many events being organised as part of the Trafalgar Festival is the New Trafalgar Dispatch, a reconstruction of the journey of Lieutenant John Richard Lapenotiere by post chaise from Falmouth to the Admiralty in London, that will take place next August.

Lapenotiere was a Devon man, born in Ilfracombe, a third generation descendant of French Huguenot refugees. His father and son also served in the Royal Navy.

He was ordered by Admiral Collingwood, who had assumed command of the British fleet on the death of Admiral Lord Nelson, to sail in the schooner HMS Pickle with all possible speed to carry the news of the victory over the combined Spanish and French fleets to London.

The battle took place on October 21, 1805, and Lapenotiere sailed from Trafalgar on October 26, and landed at Falmouth at about 10am on Monday, November 4.

He then proceeded by post chaise through Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and Surrey to London arriving at 1am on Wednesday, November 6. The post chaise was the taxi of its time and the cost of his journey was £49.19s.1d, five months? pay for Lapenotiere and several times the cost of travel on the same route by the slightly slower stage coach.

The replica post chaise with Lapenotiere and the New Dispatch will cross the Devon border on Monday, August 15 and be greeted by the Lord Lieutenant for Devon at Lifton.

It will then visit the five places in Devon where Lapenotiere changed horses, Okehampton and Crockernwell on August 16, Exeter on August 17, Honiton on August 18 and Axminster on August 19.

A variety of events will be held at each of these stops and it is planned to erect a bronze commemorative plaque.

The aim is to create a permanent record of the route taken, to be called the Trafalgar Way and to feature on future editions of Ordnance Survey maps.

The New Trafalgar Dispatch is based on contemporary source documents that reflect the courage and humanity of all those involved in the battle on both sides and the brotherhood of the sea which crosses all boundaries of colour, race and creed.

Copies of the New Dispatch in Spanish and French will be taken by the sail trimming ship the Lord Nelson, whose crew will include Spanish and French members, to Cadiz and Brest for presentation to their respective Navies.