West Country Tour … a brief call in at Minehead … part 18 …

Minehead’s situation as a port is slightly different from the others along the coast of north Devon or Cornwall – in that it sits in a wide bay … yet over the centuries has nestled up close to its western land neighbour – Exmoor – hiding from the storms in the Bristol Channel.

 

Looking east across Minehead
from Exmoor

There aren’t the harsh boat-wrecking rock-combs of Hartland turbidites, or the tiny coves making a hiding place for early fishermen, or marauders … the quay and thus harbour were tucked right into the protection of rising land …

… which gave Minehead an advantage for a while – and by Good Queen Bess’ reign (1558 – 1603) was ‘ennobled’ as a Royal port, similar in standing to Bristol.

Plaque depiction of boats sheltering from
a major storm in the 1700s

In spite of constant problems with the harbour walls and silting – requiring the harbour ‘to often be moved’ - trade developed rapidly during the 16^th and 17^th centuries … with some forty vessels plying their way between Minehead and Ireland, South Wales, Bristol and Bridgwater (further up the coast).

And once the trade routes with Virginia and the West Indies opened up … the cargoes included wool (an important export), linen, yarn, coal, salt, hides and livestock, as well as wines from France and Spain.

Daniel Defoe

By the 18^th century … Minehead, as with other small harbours, could not compete with the expansion in size of ships, cargoes, and developing world markets.

Just before the Age of the Romantics came in … and ‘tourism’ commenced – an early traveller was Daniel Defoe (of Robinson Crusoe fame) in 1722 he stayed at the Plume of Feathers Inn a much loved beautiful old coaching inn … 

Plume of Feathers hotel at
the turn of the century

… then a couple of years later returned to Watchet up the coast a little, and was impressed by the fossils he found.  The Plume of Feathers was demolished in 1965 – to the disgust of the town.  

As a side note: It’s interesting in the 1960s there was little control as to destruction – we’ve lost quite a lot of archaeology here in Eastbourne due to the 1960s ‘demolishers’!

From the harbour side - Exmoor rising behind, with
The Ship Aground  hugging the harbour ... before the lane
along Exmoor waned, with the Coastal Path continuing on

The creatives … poets came to be inspired, authors to be entrapped by the scenery with its hidden bowers, artists to draw and paint landscapes only heard of, scientists to explore and learn … medical doctors were soon advocating sea-bathing as a remedy for ailments … tourism really settled in …

Quay cottages at the turn of the 1900s

... gradually the image changed, here as elsewhere … and with the growth of transport links, visitors increased during the 19^th century, as did their desire for new places to visit and things to do … 

Early morning sun lighting up
The Old Ship Aground

Tourism as we know it today had started in the late 1800s … and would have called Emily to check the area out in the first years of the 1900s.  Jenny thinks she stayed in the cottages near the harbour, where our hotel was situated … 

The Old Ship Aground – now an inn – originally The Pier Hotel of Edwardian times (1901 – 1911) … has given the refurbished building in the historic quarter of The Quay a new lease of life.

Rabbit faggots, with bubble and squeak with bacon,
fresh savoy cabbage and a cider jus - my choice

The hotel/pub/inn has taken advantage of today's market - they have a farm nearby and locally source other produce ... so offer good pub grub, often with entertainment, local beers, ciders etc.  It is frequented by locals and is perfectly positioned at the start of the South Coast Path

Jenny's desert choice - treacle tart with custard

At the harbour are some plaques – but unfortunately I didn’t take photos of them all, as I’d assumed (wrongly!) I’d be able to find out once I got home … 

Since the Millennium, the Minehead community have been creating ways of telling the town’s story to visitors and locals alike … there are various walks with audio accompaniment …

… six hidden histories and secret stories about the town – tales that are designed to be read out loud to families and groups and … then these historical plaques covering the 7 eras of maritime history: I regret not taking photos of them all …

Detail re this plaque - in italics within the post:
it is believed to be Saint Carantoc from South Wales

The First Millennium and the Currach – it was a light and durable sea going vessel much favoured by the Celts.  A construction of hide and wicker made repair simple no matter where it was landed and vessels of up to 60 feet with a beam of 15 feet were capable of ocean voyages.

This plaque depicts a wandering saint landing here in such a vessel searching for an unspoilt, secluded location in which to devote his life to solitude, prayer and learning.  His final destination is where St Michael’s Church now stands.  It is believed to be St Carantoc from South Wales.

Minehead after World War Two - showing the harbour and
the Lifeboat Station - under the lea of the hill.  The Ship
Aground is on the corner of the harbour - about where the
black splodge is!  St Michael's Church is marked with the
Ordinance Survey church symbol (between Higher Town
and the shoreline).

Then there’s:

 the quaint chapel in a cellar, 

an 'obby ’orse  

and the ghost … a whistling ghost … 

then the start or finish of the South West Coastal Path – 

these await you in the next post!

… all this set on a bay, perfect for a family seaside holiday, with its long flat sandy beach, great for picnics, games, paddling, or swimming, while the sand of the Strand is wonderful for sandcastle building …

One of the few Butlin's Holiday Camps
left in Britain

… life has developed since Emily’s day (1860 – 1926) [that post really is coming!] … but our ability and ease of reference now to moving around, to learning about the area has only been facilitated since the turn of the 20^th Century.

Now we have the opportunity to vicariously travel as we wish … to be tempted to areas unknown, to be beguiled by photos of those places … and then to be left up in the air!:  tomorrow I will wrap up Minehead with those remaining tales before we head off to the Vale of Taunton on our last leg.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

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