Combe Martin History Glossary

Adits

Horizontal mining tunnels dug into hillsides to reach mineral veins. Many are still visible around Combe Martin from the days of silver and lead mining.

Anglican Parish Church (St Peter ad Vincula)

The oldest building in the village, dating from medieval times, famous for its 15th-century oak chancel screen and historic churchyard.

Bideford Black

A rare black pigment (culm) mined in North Devon, with seams extending into the Combe Martin area.

Blackmore Country

The region of North Devon and Exmoor featured in R.D. Blackmore’s novel Lorna Doone, with connections to Combe Martin.

Borough Road

A road leading to Combe Martin Seaside. Built over the former steam sawmills and shipyards beside the River Umber, central to 19th-century industry.

Borough Road Shipyard

Site of Combe Martin’s main 19th-century shipbuilding, where schooners and other vessels were constructed.

Coal Trade

The industry of importing and exporting coal by sea, significant in Combe Martin’s 19th-century economy.

Coal Vessels

Ships that transported coal to and from Combe Martin Cove.

Combe Martin

A historic North Devon village famed for its silver mines, long main street, and vibrant maritime heritage.

Combe Martin Bay

The village’s scenic bay, known for its geology, fossil finds, and as a landing place for ships and smugglers.

Combe Martin Cove

The small harbour area used by fishing boats, coal vessels, and pilot boats.

Combe Martin Museum

The local museum on Cross Street, preserving and displaying the village’s social, industrial, and maritime history.

Combe Martin Silver Mines

Extensive underground mines extracting silver and lead from medieval times through the 19th century.

Devonian Period

A geological era about 416–359 million years ago, when Combe Martin’s distinctive rock formations were created.

Dovell, John

A 19th-century shipbuilder and sawmill owner, central to Combe Martin’s maritime industry.

Earl of Rone Festival

A unique annual festival held in May, featuring a costumed procession and reenactment based on local legend.

Earl of Tyrone

Hugh O’Neill, Irish nobleman and political refugee, whose legendary capture is the basis for the Earl of Rone folklore.

Edwardian Era

The period (1901–1910) following the Victorian era, during which Combe Martin’s maritime and social traditions continued.

Fishing Smacks

Traditional sailing fishing boats, common in Victorian Combe Martin and used for inshore fishing.

Free-Traders

Local term for smugglers who operated along the North Devon coast, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Galena

A silver-rich lead ore, the main mineral extracted from Combe Martin’s mines.

Golden Age of Smuggling

The period during the 18th and 19th centuries when smuggling was widespread along the North Devon coast.

Great Hangman

England’s highest sea cliff (over 1,000 feet), forming a dramatic backdrop to Combe Martin.

Grenadiers

Soldiers in local legend, said to have captured the Earl of Tyrone in the woods near Combe Martin.

Hangman Hills

The twin sea cliffs-Great Hangman and Little Hangman-overlooking the village and bay.

Hele Bay

Nearby bay with historical connections to boatbuilding and fishing, just west of Combe Martin.

John Dovell

See “Dovell, John.”

Limekiln

A kiln for burning limestone to produce lime, several historic examples remain in Combe Martin.

Little Hangman

The smaller of the two Hangman cliffs, located near Great Hangman Hill at Combe Martin.

Longest Street Party Record

Combe Martin’s 2002 entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for the UK’s longest street party.

Market Gardeners

Farmers who grew fruit, vegetables, and flowers for sale in local and regional markets.

Marie Corelli

Bestselling Victorian novelist who visited and wrote about Combe Martin.

Newberry Beach

A beach in Combe Martin, historically associated with small boatbuilding and fishing.

Operation PLUTO

The secret WWII pipeline project tested near Combe Martin, designed to supply fuel to Allied forces in France via undersea pipes.

Oral History

Stories and traditions passed down by residents, preserving local memory and folklore.

Pilot Boats

Small, fast boats used to guide larger vessels safely through the Bristol Channel.

Pilot Cutters

Specialized sailing boats designed for carrying pilots out to incoming ships.

River Umber

The river running through Combe Martin, vital for milling, shipbuilding, and as a local trout stream.

Schooner

A type of two-masted sailing vessel, several of which were built in Combe Martin during the 19th century.

Seaside Quarter

The area near the harbour and beaches, historically important for fishing, shipbuilding, and trade.

Seine Net Fishing

A traditional fishing method using large nets, practiced by Combe Martin fishermen.

Shammickite

A traditional nickname for a native or resident of Combe Martin.

Shamwick

An old dialect name for Combe Martin, used in local oral tradition.

Silver Mining

The extraction of silver-bearing ore-a defining industry in Combe Martin from medieval times to the 19th century.

Smack

A small, single-masted sailing vessel used for fishing or cargo.

Smuggling Coves

Hidden inlets and beaches used for landing contraband goods.

South West Coast Path

A long-distance walking trail that passes through Combe Martin, linking it to other coastal communities.

Steam Sawmills

19th-century sawmills powered by steam, supporting local shipbuilding and carpentry.

Steam Shipyard

Industrial shipyard using steam-powered equipment for building and repairing vessels.

Turner, J.M.W.

Famous artist who sketched and painted scenes of Combe Martin in the early 19th century.

Umber Valley

The fertile valley through which the River Umber flows, central to Combe Martin’s geography and industry.

Victorian Era

The period of Queen Victoria’s reign (1837–1901), a time of industrial growth and change in Combe Martin.

William Lewis

A 19th-century carpenter and fisherman, known for building boats on Hele Bay beach.