Modified on October 24, 2025

Explore Combe Martin Village History Project’s collection of in-depth blogs—uncovering the people, places, and events that shaped our North Devon parish.

Introduction

We've posted a QR Code, shareable Timelines, and PDFs including our Newsletter below. Our downloadable files are regularly reviewed, and updated, for accuracy and accessibility.

These make Combe Martin's complex history easier to follow, accessible, and portable.

A timeline presents events in clear chronological order, helping users understand how a place like Combe Martin evolved—from mining and market gardening to tourism and festivals.

PDFs offer a portable, printable format that preserves layout and licensing, making them ideal for schools, museums, and outreach.

Together, they support education, accessibility, and public engagement across digital and offline platforms.

Downloadable Files updated on October 21, 2025

License Terms: The CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license and CMVHP 2025 copyright:

Find more downloadable PDFs on our page footer menu ↓

Living History: Share Your Combe Martin Story

Send us your short Combe Martin history blog↗ and join the club.

Everyone is welcome. 

Combe Martin Chronicles

From the dramatic Battle of Cynwit – Vikings vs. West Saxons (878 AD), to the daring exploits in Smuggling around Combe Martin and the Bristol Channel.

Each article is built on meticulous research from archival records, maps, and oral histories.

Delve into our industrial heritage with Combe Martin: Six Centuries of Silver Mining, and uncover local craftsmanship behind Shipbuilding in the 19th Century (Dovell, Partridge & Co.).

Read about  The Combe Martin Fraternal Buffaloes (R.A.O.B.), or step into wartime life in Combe Martin During World War 2.

We also celebrate the traditions and landmarks that make Combe Martin entirely unique, from the Hunting the Earl of ’Rone Festival to the famous and quirky Pack o’ Cards Inn (a national monument dated to 1690).

Whether you’re a local resident, a visitor, or a history enthusiast, our blogs offer an accessible, engaging way to experience Combe Martin’s rich past.

Start exploring below and uncover the stories from our “little parish with a big story”.

About the Project

This Combe Martin Village History Project (CMVHP) was launched in 2023, as a response to the loss of many of the village’s historians and senior locals known as 'Shammickites'.

With their passing, much of Combe Martin’s rich oral tradition and local knowledge risked being forgotten. To preserve this heritage, the project began digitising historical records, and collecting materials from a wide range of sources.

Records include customs logs, court documents, parish records, old maps, and photographs, as well as antique topographies, academic studies, and Combe Martin history books.

Volunteers also conducted site visits to historic locations, and cross-referenced oral histories with documented evidence. Combe Martin Museum proved an invaluable treasure trove, and our volunteers built the museum's new modern and accessible website.

Our voluntary team is currently developing a Glossary of Combe Martin, which acts as a quick-reference guide, helping readers understand terms like adits, Bideford Black, Shammickite, or Earl of Rone without needing to search through multiple articles.

The result is a growing digital archive that makes Combe Martin’s history accessible to everyone — from educators to researchers, visitors and local residents.

Blog Post: October 16, 2025

From Canterbury to Combe Martin:

Tracing the Legacy of Thomas Becket in a Tudor Parish

Thomas Becket (c. 1119–1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury and a key advisor to King Henry II (1154–89).

Although he never visited Combe Martin, Becket's death as a church martyr in 1170, and his stand against royal control, had a lasting impact across England—even in small parishes like Combe Martin in North Devon.

The Combe Martin Village History Project (CMVHP) explores how Becket’s defiance of royal authority helped shape the religious and political climate. It arguably transformed Combe Martin’s landholding, governance, and parish life.

Becket’s Martyrdom and the Church Vs. State Struggle: Becket’s assassination in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170 marked a turning point in English church-state relations.

His refusal to subordinate ecclesiastical authority to King Henry II became a rallying point for defenders of the Church.

Following his canonisation in 1173, Becket’s cult of martyrdom elevated the symbolic prestige of parish churches, and strengthened clerical claims to spiritual authority throughout England

As noted by Frank Barlow in Thomas Becket (University of California Press, 1986), Becket’s legacy endured not only in liturgical reverence but in the ideological tension between the Crown and the church that persisted into the Tudor era.

Tudor Reforms and the Dissolution of the Monasteries: By the 1530s, Henry VIII’s break with Rome, and the ensuing Dissolution of the Monasteries, dismantled many of the institutions Becket had symbolised.

Combe Martin’s own transformation was overseen by Sir Richard Pollard, a legal agent of Thomas Cromwell and one of the architects of the Dissolution.

In 1537, Pollard was granted the manor of Combe Martin, with its silver mines reserved to the Crown—a direct outcome of the centralising reforms Becket had resisted.

As G.W. Bernard argues in The King's Reformation (Yale University Press, 2005), the Dissolution was not merely a financial or political manoeuvre—it was a redefinition of ecclesiastical jurisdiction and local governance.

Combe Martin’s shift from feudal lordship to tenant-based landholding reflects this broader national upheaval.

Parish Continuity and Ecclesiastical Memory: Despite these reforms, Combe Martin’s Anglican parish church of St Peter ad Vincula retained its spiritual and architectural significance.

Combe Martin church’s dedication to “St Peter in Chains” evokes themes of captivity and liberation, resonant with Becket’s own struggle.

Combe Martin Church's 15th-century oak chancel screen, and Gothic structure, stand as testaments to the enduring ecclesiastical heritage that Becket’s martyrdom helped preserve.

CMVHP’s archival research, including references to Magna Britannia: Volume 6, Devonshire (Lysons & Lysons, 1822), documents Combe Martin’s evolution from a feudal manor to a community-led parish.

Takeaway:

Becket's Core Conflict: Becket died defending the principle of ecclesiastical autonomy (Church power) from royal authority (King's power).

Tudor Transformation: The Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII, which Combe Martin Manor Lord Sir Richard Pollard helped execute, was the final, total assertion of royal supremacy over the Church in England.

Henry VIII was essentially succeeding where Henry II failed.

Reference:

Anne Duggan, Thomas Becket: A Textual History of His Letters (Oxford University Press, 1980).

Blog Post: October 10, 2025

📱 Making the Site Easier for Everyone to Use

We’ve made a series of improvements today to help all visitors—especially those using phones, screen readers, or assistive tools—have a smoother, clearer experience.

• Dropdown menus now work better on phones and tablets - We fixed how they behave across different devices so they’re easier to open, read, and use—especially for mobile visitors.

• Our contrast toggle is now fully accessible - Visitors who need high-contrast viewing (like those with low vision or light sensitivity) can switch modes easily, with clear labels and reliable performance across platforms.

• Tooltips are now easier to see and hear - We improved how tooltips show up and how they’re read aloud by screen readers, so users on touchscreens or keyboards get the help they need without confusion.

• Important buttons are now easier to find and tap - We moved and resized key buttons like the site index and glossary, to make them more visible and easier to use for everyone.

Blog Post: October 06, 2025

📰 The Shammick Chronicle - Launched in October 2025

From Feudal Manor to Coastal Heritage—Combe Martin’s Story Comes Alive

We’ve released the October 2025 edition of The Shammick Chronicle, our community’s new heritage newsletter that brings Combe Martin’s layered past into vivid focus.

This October issue tells a story of transformation—from medieval landholding to modern coastal resilience—and it’s packed with stories that inform, inspire, and invite reflection.

🏰 Sir John Pollard: Reform, Redistribution, and Local Legacy

Our October Newsletter posted on this page dives into the life and legacy of Sir John Pollard, a Tudor reformer, whose legal work helped dismantle feudal land structures. His connection to Combe Martin offers a rare glimpse into how national upheaval reshaped local identity.

Blog Post: 30 September 2025

Silver Stories and Visitor Surges: What Our Stats Are Telling Us

We’ve been keeping a close eye on our visitor stats lately—and it’s safe to say Combe Martin’s industrial past is striking silver once again.

Over the past 30 days, our Early Silver Mining in Combe Martin page drew more visitors, making it the most explored history topic after the homepage itself.

That’s more than the Pack o’ Cards Inn page, more than our Earl of Rone article, and even more than our Combe Martin Festival listings. Clearly, the story of Combe Martin’s underground riches is captivating readers.

Other mining pages are also seeing a lift:
• Silver Mining in Devon and Cornwall
• Combe Martin Ores and Smelting
• Mining at Exmoor National Park
• Culm – Plant or Coal?

It’s fascinating to see how these technical and historical pages are resonating. Whether it’s curiosity about smelting techniques or the mystery of culm, our readers are digging deep.

If you’ve recently explored these pages, thank you! Your interest helps us shape what comes next. And if you haven’t yet, there’s a whole seam of stories waiting to be uncovered.

Checkpoint: v2.5.1 (28 September 2025)

We’ve made meaningful refinements to the Combe Martin Village History Project today:

• Refined PDF section with historically precise Tudor framing

• Improved glossary phrasing and symbolic manor transitions

• Streamlined footer and download links with semantic clarity

• Strengthened educational tone and accessibility polish

Blog Post: 24 September 2025

Today we’ve updated our feature on one of Combe Martin’s most iconic landmarks—the Pack o’ Cards Inn. This whimsical, architecturally unique tourist attraction has long captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike.

✨ What’s New?

• Heritage Badge Added: We’ve introduced a bold new Heritage Landmark – Est. 1690s badge, styled after a British blue plaque, to highlight the inn’s cultural significance.

• Improved Accessibility: The article now includes clearer formatting, mobile-friendly layout, and screen-reader support.

• Expanded Historical Context: We’ve deepened the narrative around the inn’s role as “the focus of village life,” exploring its social, cultural, and community importance through the centuries.

📚 Explore the Update

Read the refreshed article, and discover how this eccentric inn became a cornerstone of local heritage and village life.

Blog Post: September 09, 2025

Combe Martin, North Devon, is known today for its peaceful charm and dramatic cliffs. Yet two centuries ago it was a different story.

Besides veins of silver ore, beneath the surface of this sleepy village lay a thriving underground smugglers' world.

Barrels rolled ashore under cover of darkness, secret tunnels and sunken lanes echoed with whispered deals.

Free-traders defied the Crown to become legends.

This isn’t just legend or myth—it’s a tapestry woven from archival records, folklore, and the people in a coastal town who kept their secrets well.

We didn’t just write our article on smuggling—we unearthed it.

The Combe Martin Village History Project spent months combing through customs logs, court records, local memoirs, and academic studies.

We bring you stories as rich as the illict spirits that once sloshed in hidden casks.

Blog Date: 08 September, 2025

The Golden Age of Smuggling

Picture the 18th century: Britain’s taxes on imported goods were sky-high.

Tea, tobacco, spirits—luxuries for some, necessities for many—were priced out of reach.

So the people of North Devon took matters into their own hands.

Combe Martin’s rugged coastline was a smuggler’s playground.

Hidden beaches, tidal caves, and winding paths made it nearly impossible for customs officers to keep up.

From Lundy Island to Watermouth Cove, the Bristol Channel became a highway for contraband.

In 1786, at Heddon’s Mouth just a few miles from Combe Martin, customs men seized 20 barrels of spirits and 13 bales of tobacco.

Yet that was a rare win, because most nights the smugglers won.

Caves, Kilns, and Clever Caches

The ingenuity of these free-traders was something to behold:

• Caves at Lester Point and Samson’s Bay: Accessible only at low tide, perfect for stashing goods.

• Napps Quarry tunnels: Discovered in the early 1900s, likely used for hiding contraband.

• Lime kilns and graveyard tombs: Yes, even the dead played host to smuggled goods.

• Floating barrels in rock pools: Hidden in plain sight, waiting for the right tide.

And let’s not forget the millers who weren’t just grinding grain for communities—they were part of the local network of trade, gossip, and sometimes smuggling.

Millers were trusted intermediaries who could quietly move goods under the radar, especially in tight-knit communities like Combe Martin.

As George Long wrote in The Mills of Man (1931), millers were key players—hiding goods beneath sacks of flour, passing them off to customers with a wink and a nod.

Folk Heroes or Criminals?

To the Crown, smugglers or freetraders were lawbreakers. To the locals, they were lifelines.

Take John Dovell of Combe Martin. In 1825, he was fined for hiding smuggled goods—a year’s wages gone in a flash.

John Dovell wasn’t just a smuggler; he was a wealthy and respected Combe Martin businessman and entrepreneur. A shipbuilder, and a pillar of the community.

John's grave and monument can be found on the north side of St. Peter ad Vincula Church graveyard.

It's a quiet yet fitting reminder of a man who walked both sides of the law.

Rudyard Kipling captured the mood best in A Smuggler’s Song:

“Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by.”

Published in 1906 as part of Kipling's story collection Puck of Pook’s Hill.

How We Researched Local Smuggling History

This isn’t folklore dressed up as fact. It’s a comprehensive study built from:

• Customs records and court documents: Including the 1825 prosecution of Dovell and Low.

• Academic sources: Bree Rosenberger, Richard Platt, and Robert Hesketh among others.

• Local histories and oral tradition: Stories passed down, cross-checked, and preserved.

• Site visits and geographic mapping: We walked the paths, studied the caves, and traced the routes.

Every detail has been verified, every tale grounded in evidence. 

The Decline of Smuggling

By the mid-19th century, the tide turned. Tax reforms like the Commutation Act of 1784 made legal imports cheaper.

The risk no longer matched the reward. The smugglers faded into legend—but their footprints remain.

Walk the cliffs. Peer into the caves. You’re not just sightseeing—you’re tracing the echoes of a world that once thrived in the shadows.

Why This Story Still Echoes

Smuggling wasn’t just a crime—it was a culture. It shaped Combe Martin’s economy, its identity, and its folklore. By telling this story, we’re not just preserving the past—we’re breathing life into it.

For full references and further reading, visit the Combe Martin Village History Project : Smuggling archive↗

Owlers of North Devon: Smugglers in the Shadows

During the 18th and early 19th centuries, North Devon’s rugged coastline became a haven for Owlers—local smugglers who trafficked sheep, wool, brandy, tobacco, and other contraband.

The term “Owler” originally referred to a 'Night Owl' who illegally exported sheep, and English wool, to France. Yet Owling evolved to encompass broader smuggling activities. 

France and the Low Countries had advanced weaving industries that craved English fleece. English Laws dating back to 1367 banned wool exports, to protect domestic manufacturers.

England had an abundance of wool but a struggling textile industry. English wool was one of the most valuable commodities in Europe, especially prized by textile manufacturers in France and the Low Countries.

Instead of encouraging trade, the British government imposed strict export bans to protect its fledgling domestic textile industry. That’s where the Owlers came in. 

In this lucrative Black Market: Owlers, working under cover of darkness, could earn far more selling wool illegally to French merchants than through legal domestic channels.

Key features of Owler activity in North Devon:

Coastal Villages as Hubs: Places like Combe Martin, Ilfracombe, and Clovelly were ideal for smuggling due to their hidden coves and tight-knit communities.

• Night Operations: Owlers often moved goods under moonlight, using small boats and secret paths to avoid customs officers.

• Community Involvement: Smuggling was rarely a solo affair. Entire villages could be complicit, with local inns and farms serving as stash points.

• Conflict with Authorities: The rise of the Coastguard in the early 19th century led to dramatic chases and occasional shootouts along the cliffs and beaches.

Owling wasn’t just about profit—it was also a form of resistance against high taxes and trade restrictions.

Reference: 

Raven, Matt (2022). "Wool smuggling from England's eastern seaboard, c. 1337–45: An illicit economy in the late Middle Ages". The Economic History Review. 75 (4): 1182–1213. doi:10.1111/ehr.13141. ISSN 1468-0289.

In many ways, these smugglers became folk heroes, their exploits whispered in taverns and passed down through generations.