| Population | 10,840 |
|---|---|
| Population ref | (2001 parish census) |
Ilfracombe () is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.
The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west. The resort is hilly and the highest point within the parish boundary is at 'Hore Down Gate', 2 miles inland and 860 feet (270 m) above sea level.
The landmark of Hillsborough Hill dominates the harbour and is the site of an Iron Age fortified settlement. The architectural award-winning Landmark Theatre is either loved or hated for its unusual double-conical design; it is distinctive and, with the St Nicholas's Chapel on Lantern Hill, a major landmark in the town.
Ilfracombe was two distinct communities; a farming community around the parish church called Holy Trinity, parts of which date from the 12th century, and a fishing community around the natural harbour formed between Capstone, Compass and Lantern Torrs. It is recorded that the lands by the church were part of the estate owned by Champernowne family those by the harbour to the Bouchiers, Earls of Bath.
Ilfracombe was a significant port on the Bristol Channel. This is because of the natural layout of the harbour, which provides a safe port on a stormy Bristol Channel. It also had trade routes between Kinsale and Tenby, which made the port stronger. In 1208 it was listed as having provided King John with ships and men to invade Ireland; in 1247 it supplied a ship to the fleet that was sent to conquer the Western Isles of Scotland; 6 ships, with 79 men were sent to support the siege of Calais. Ilfracombe was the last disembarkation point for two large forces sent to subdue the Irish. The building which sits on Lantern Hill by the harbour, known as St Nicholas's Chapel (built 1361) is reputed to be the oldest working lighthouse in the UK; a light/beacon has been there for over 650 years. The town was home to the Bowen family. James Bowen was master of the HMS Queen Charlotte, the flagship of Richard, Earl Howe at the Glorious First of June, 1794. James Bowen was commissioned by Howe for his leadership in the battle, he rose through the levels and retired as a Rear Admiral, Commissioner of the Royal Navy. Captain Richard Bowen (1761–1797) James Bowen's younger brother, a British naval commander, ship HMS Terpsichore, served under Lord Nelson, killed at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. John Bowen (1780–1827), son of James Bowen, a naval officer and colonial administrator;in 1803 founded the first settlement of Tasmania at Risdon Cove, later named Hobart. Lieutenant A E Down, was initially posted to Ilfracombe to lead a protection ship for the customs and excise, he married a local girl, rose through the levels to retire as vice Admiral, his son joined the navy aged 14 ( his first navy kit is on display at National Maritime Museum Greenwich). In 1802 James Meek married Down's daughter and settled in the town, James Meek was appointed the Comptroller of Victuals to the Royal Navy in 1832, he was knighted, and died in Ilfracombe 1852. (gentlemen's gazette)
There was a wooden fortress overlooking the harbour, of this nothing remains except contemporary records and the area designated Castle Hill off Portland Street/Montepellier Terrace.
of Ilfracombe, 1890s]] The novelist Fanny Burney stayed in Ilfracombe in 1817. Her diary entries (31 July – 5 October) record early 19th century life in Ilfracombe: a captured Spanish ship; two ships in distress in a storm; the visit of Thomas Bowdler; and her lucky escape after being cut-off by the tide. A few years later in the 1820s a set of four tunnels were hand carved by Welsh miners to permit access to the beaches by horse-drawn carriage as well as by foot. Previously access was gained by climbing the cliffs, rounding the point by boat, swimming or at the lowest tides clambering around the rocks of the point. These tunnels led to a pair of tidal pools, which in accordance with Victorian morals, were used for segregated male and female bathing. Whereas women were constrained to a strict dress code covering up the whole body, men generally swam naked. The tunnels are still viewable and are signposted as Tunnels Beaches.
The town's first lifeboat was bought in 1828 but a permanent service was not available until the Royal National Lifeboat Institution built a lifeboat station at the bottom of Lantern Hill near the pier in 1866. The present station at Broad Street dates from 1996.
In 1911, the Irish nationalist Anna Catherine Parnell (sister of Charles Stewart Parnell) drowned at Ilfracombe.
The three councils which govern activities in the town are Devon County Council, North Devon District Council, and Ilfracombe Town Council. The councils cover different areas of responsibility:
*Roads, Education, Economic Affairs, Youth Services and Social Services are covered by Devon County Council based in County Hall, Exeter to which Ilfracombe sends one elected member.
Ilfracombe is twinned with Herxheim in Germany and Ifs in France.
These problems are now being addressed by the implementation of local government schemes e.g. Sure Start now known as Mystart covering the Ilfracombe Learning area - a project to help support families with young children - and, since 2004, the Neighbourhood Management Transform programme: both were the first such government sponsored social development schemes covering rural areas in England. Better policing, the use of neighbourhood wardens and CCTV have led to a reduction in crime rates as reported monthly to the town council by the police toward the North Devon regional average (a fraction of those nationally)..
Things have started to change - a MOSAIC Study published in mid 2007 by Devon County Council, Economic Intelligence Unit, showed within Ilfracombe parish, Ilfracombe Central, East and West wards have higher proportion of people "who live in close knit communities, majority of working age, own their own homes, cars and hold down responsible jobs than the average for the area as a whole. There are also higher proportions of pensioners who own their own homes and have some source of income beyond the state pension, and of residents who are typically in white collar occupations and predominately married, have had children and are beginning to think about retirement".
In the last 25 years, major investment by private 'light engineering' companies has added to the economy. These companies include: Pall Europe - a filtration manufacturers with 700 employees on site ; and TDK-Lambda UK Ltd. - a manufacturer of industrial & medical power supplies a subsidiary of the TDK Corporation. The Ilfracombe site is European HQ of TDK-Lambda EMEA with almost 300 employees. A number of light engineering firms provide additional employment and operate within a couple of miles of the town centre at Mullacott Cross.
Employment Research conducted by MORI in 2005 for the Transform (UK government neighbourhood management project), and by Roger Tym & Partners for the Ilfracombe Community Alliance showed :-The service sector (includes hotel and catering) at 76% is 2 x higher than the North Devon (40.1%) or Devon average (33.7%). 51% of businesses by number are within the distribution, hotels and restaurants sector.12.8% are within the banking, finance and insurance sector.11.9% are within public administration, health and education.
The High Street continues to thrive, despite the arrival outside the area of supermarket stores by large retailers. High Street businesses in 2010 include the major banks and building societies and small branches of many national or regional shop chains, but it still has traditional hardware stores and local butcher's, baker's, and florist's shops, which to some extent maintain its traditional individual character.
Ilfracombe Museum was opened in 1932 in Ilfracombe Hotel's Victorian laundry and contains attractions from around the world including pickled bats and the two-headed kitten. It also contains items and photographs of local railway interest including one of the concrete name boards from the now closed Ilfracombe railway station, which can be seen on the front wall of the museum; and a collection of pieces of Victorian wedding cakes. It also has oak panels salvaged from the wreck of HMS Montagu.
Ilfracombe also has a library located on the Residential Candar Retirement Development.
Ilfracombe Town Football Club, who play at Marlborough Park near Ilfracombe Arts College, compete in the Premier Division of the Western League, having gained promotion in the 2006-07 season.
There is a high street gym, however, the rural and hilly nature of the local terrain provide plenty of opportunities to exercise. A tennis club is based at Bicclescombe Park which contains several tennis courts, bookable for a small fee by both tourists and locals.
Ilfracombe Golf Club (located just beyond Hele Bay) was founded in 1892. Other active sport facilities include: the cricket club, formed in 1923 who play at Killacleave Playing Fields, a swimming club in the suburb of Chambercombe; in Fore Street, a table tennis centre with teams ranging in age from junior to veteran. The tennis club operates from courts and a club house in Bicclescombe park. There are maritime activities - a yacht club, a sub-aqua club, a Gig boat club ( 2 x gig boats) and a kayak and canoeing club. Other sports teams in the town include Hash Harriers Running Club and many skittles and darts teams operated by the numerous licensed premises in the town. There are during the winter a local Euchre league, and quiz leagues both vigorously contested. There is also a flat green bowling club located in Highfield Road. In 2008, the town council owned building at Slade aka the Slade Community Centre, operated by an independent community group, was renamed the "Vision", it is home to the Akido club, the kick boxing club and many activities for younger children. A boxing club is held twice weekly in the local fire station. There are active modern and traditional ( morris teams) dance clubs. Jonathan Edwards the World and Olympic Champion triple jump athlete lived in the town whilst his father was the vicar of St Philip & St James Church. He is commemorated in a mosaic on the seafront near the Landmark Theatre, which demonstrates the length of his record-breaking jump. Jason Twist, twice World Champion at 8-ball pool still lives in the town.
Despite the hilly terrain, Ilfracombe is at the northern end of National Cycle Network route 27, known as the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle Route, which starts from the pier (clock-in station at the Pier Tavern) and ends in Plymouth. There is another coastal trail suitable for cycling which starts at the pier which heads eastwards towards Minehead (defined as 'arduous'). A new event in 2010 , organised by North Devon Wheelers is a giro cycle race round the town held as a prologue to the annual carnival.
The South West Coast Path connecting Minehead in Somerset to Dorset, via Land's End, passes through the town from Hele Bay to Lee Bay via Ilfracombe Harbour.
The South West of England Regional Development Agency is working with the Alliance and North Devon District Council formulating plans for the town's economic and physical structures. Proposed developments are: the enhancement of the harbour area ; the implementation of regular all year foot passenger ferry service to the Mumbles near Swansea which is only 21 miles away across the Bristol Channel; the re-development of the derelict bus station site based on plans developed by Terence O'Rourke; and the creation of better youth support and recreation facilities at the Larkstone Brimland area on the eastern side of the harbour area.
The town council - working with GOSW, SWRDA and NDDC, supported by the Alliance and Transform - has developed the council offices into a community training resource in the town centre: 'The Ilfracombe Centre'. In 2006, major leisure industry developments by John Fowler, a local holiday camp operator, are expected to help shift the local economy back to tourism. This combined with investment by patrons such as Damien Hirst (who with his partner Mia recently funded a restaurant owned by Simon Brown, No 11 The Quay, on Harbour Quay Road, is developing a boutique guest house on the Torrs, as well owning other properties within the town) and the introduction of high quality accommodation should make Ilfracombe a more attractive destination for food lovers and tourists.
Each year, the residents and school children of Ilfracombe celebrate their heritage. These celebrations include six carnivals - a May Day walking celebration (dating from 2000, this is sometimes confused with an earlier tradition suppressed by the church in the 19th century); Ilfracombe Victorian Celebration , a week-long programme of events held annually in June to celebrate a time of the town's prosperity; a large street carnival procession during August, organised by the St John's Ambulance service; the Lighting of the Lights held during November; and at Christmas, a Christingle.
A farmers' market is held regularly in the Lantern Community Centre on High Street. By the Landmark Theatre there is a small museum, housed in the buildings of the laundry of the former Ilfracombe Hotel. For those of literary intent there is an Ilfracombe authors'/writers' group.
The town hosts eight small art galleries, including the exhibitions displayed by the Art Society in the crypt of Emmanual Church on the seafront, the foyer of the Landmark Theatre, the Quay and in "Number Eleven, The Quay" within which there are many Damien Hirst works, including butterflies, pharmacy, small statues and wallpaper designs.
Two charitable events are organised each summer by Ilfracombe Round Table . Both make use of Ilfracombe Pier as a display area. The first of these is the annual "South West Birdman" contest which involves entrants seeking to 'fly' from the pier in home-made flying machines and silly costumes. This event has grown to become a music festival and, in 2009, had the headline act the Wurzels. The second event is "Rescue Day", an opportunity for members of the public to learn about the activities of the emergency services. The highlight of the day is a simulated air-sea rescue involving the launch of the Ilfracombe RNLI lifeboat, a Sea King helicopter from RAF 22 Squadron, Exmoor Search and Rescue team and local Fire, Ambulance and HM Coastguard services.
Most Mondays and Thursdays the local Ilfracombe Sea Cadets meet near the harbour, in what was the old rope making factory on Ropery Road.
Other major conflagrations include the former Mount, Castle, Cliffe Hydro (several times), Arcade and the Montebello Hotels as well as a sizeable part of the Grade 2* listed Hillsborough Terrace. In all these only one life was reported as lost, that in the Arcade.
Shortly before 19:00 BST on Wednesday, 8 August 2006, a fire broke out at the derelict Montebello Hotel in Fore Street, Ilfracombe. Twenty fire engines were required to put out the blaze including a number rushed to the scene from Woolacombe, Barnstaple and the bordering county of Somerset. Specialist equipment was brought in from as far afield as Exeter, and according to the local radio news 85 firemen were involved at the fire.
The fire spread to three neighbouring properties and showered debris over a wide area. The six-storey hotel was completely gutted, with only the front wall, chimney stacks and remains of the lift shaft frame surviving the blaze, and the fire was still being damped-down the following day. Fore Street was closed for some period due to the difficulties of demolition.
The building was eventually demolished when it was determined that the fire had left it structurally unsound. This caused additional headaches for the emergency services as curious members of the public ignored safety barriers in an attempt to see the remains more clearly. The site is to be redeveloped as residential accommodation, although, as of August 2009, no work has been started on the site.
On the evening of 3 April 2008 the Blazing Sounds band hut in the grounds of Ilfracombe College was gutted in a blaze. The wooden structure was destroyed, along with many instruments, music and trophies. This was attributed to arson at the time, but the culprit(s) were never caught.
This history of Ilfracombe's large fires has to be taken in the context of the number and antiquity of many early Victorian jerry built hotels. A comprehensive display in the museum shows whilst the size of buildings may be large, the frequency of such conflagrations is low and the justification as to why Devon and Somerset fire and rescue authority transferred the large extension ladder from the Ilfracombe station to Barnstaple.
Category:Seaside resorts in England Category:Towns in Devon Category:Ports and harbours of Devon
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