Introduction

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Combe Martin is a picturesque village on the western edge of Exmoor, on the Bristol Channel, within the famous Blackmore country. It sits in a sheltered valley and has evolved from a Saxon settlement into a vibrant seaside resort.

Nowadays, our coastal village with a quirky museum is a thriving centre of year-round events, clubs and sports. Combe Martin even has its own Village Hall Theatre.

Industrial Heritage

Combe Martin, once famous for its superior strawberries exported across Britain, also has a legacy of silver mining over six centuries, and polymetallic extractive industries.

Today, this rural agricultural parish offers seaside hospitality combined with a unique Devon heritage.

The village once carried out lime quarrying and lime burning in nineteen lime kilns. Schooners were built here on the River Umber. The local economy included market gardening, corn milling, hemp cultivation, ropemaking, and maritime trade.

Additional History & Heritage

The Little Village with a Big History

Combe Martin’s legacy goes beyond industry. The village and Exmoor appear in literature, poetry, and famous artworks.

Exporting Excellence

Local produce —fruits, vegetables, and flowers— was shipped far and wide, across the Bristol Channel by Combe Martin's little Clyde Puffer called "Snowflake", and by commercial steamships. Entrepreneurs, Cottage industries and artisan shops thrived here.

Shipbuilding & Silver Mining

Schooners were built here for coastal trade in the 19th century. In medieval times, Combe Martin silver mining financed the English monarchy.

Historic Evolution

From Anglo-Norman manor to industrial hub, Combe Martin’s history is reflected in its buildings and culture.

Living Traditions

Combe Martin’s annual May bank holiday Earl of Rone Festival is a celebrated historic tradition. The Shammickite dialect and associated folklore remain vibrant parts of village life.

Combe Martin’s historic summer carnival is an annual celebration, featuring colourful floats, music, costumes, and seaside festivities.

Artistic Legacy

The artist J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) painted famous scenes from Combe Martin. Today, the museum and local historians keep this vibrant history alive.

Glossary

Saxon settlement

A settlement established during the early medieval period by the Saxons, a Germanic people who migrated to Britain.

Polymetallic extractive industries

Industries that extract multiple types of metals from the earth, such as silver, lead, and zinc.

Anglo-Norman manor

A type of feudal estate established after the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

Combe Martin's celebrated annual Earl of Rone Festival

A May bank holiday festival unique to Combe Martin, involving a costumed procession and local folklore.

Shammickite dialect

A local dialect historically spoken in Combe Martin, reflecting regional vocabulary and pronunciation.

Blackmore country

A literary and geographic term referring to this Exmoor region, popularised by R.D. Blackmore’s 1869 novel “Lorna Doone,” known for its romantic landscapes and moorland scenery.

J.M.W. Turner (artist)

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), a renowned English Romantic painter celebrated for his expressive landscapes and seascapes, including depictions of the North Devon coast.

River Umber

A small river running through Combe Martin, historically used for shipbuilding and maritime trade.

Market gardening

The small-scale production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers for local and regional sale, often associated with cottage industries.

All along the valley

In its heyday, small farms, gardens and fields stretched for two miles through Combe Martin Vale, and for 400 yards up the valley slopes.

Shipbuilding

The construction of vessels, particularly schooners in Combe Martin’s case, for coastal and regional trade during the 19th century.

Silver mining

The extraction of silver ore, historically significant in Combe Martin, with documented links to royal patronage in medieval England.

Exmoor

A national park and upland area in southwest England, known for its dramatic moorland, coastal cliffs, and literary associations.