Synopsis: My first visit to Loughwood Meeting House (NT). Also includes a visit to the village of Dalwood, part of the River Yarty, a stretch of Corry Brook, an old packhorse bridge, and a section of Roman road.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
Walks in Historic Devon
This walk is walk 13 (p.81) from Walks in Historic Devon by Michael Bennie: The Secret Chapel - Loughwood Meeting House. This is my first walk from this book, which I borrowed from Exeter Central Library. I believe this book may no longer be in print, therefore the only opportunity to examine this walk will be either to borrow from a local library, or possibly obtain a second-hand copy. Each walk in the book is described in some detail both from an historic perspective and also as a route guide. A rough sketch map is provided for each walk to aid navigation.
Well, after looking at the synopsis for this walk given above one might conclude this has something for everyone, and you wouldn’t be far wrong either. There was plenty of variety, interest and beautiful scenery to be found on this walk. Plus an ulterior motive for me walking this way in that my great-great-grandfather, Eli Rockett, was born in Dalwood, so I was keen to take my first look around this village of my roots.
I was dropped from my bus on schedule at the ‘Kilmington – The Hill’ bus stop at 10:30 am. The sun was shining and the day warming nicely. I walked down a track, through a farmyard and over a footbridge across the Corry Brook. I then picked up a green lane for a short distance which took me down to the River Yarty at Higher Westwater. I crossed the footbridge and walked in front of the attractive farm buildings, picking up my trail which led me up stream along the banks of the river.
Following the course of the River Yarty my way was easy, dry and very pleasant walking. The soil underfoot was very different to the core Devon red clay which is to be found across much of the county. Here it was a dry whitish mix of sand and pebbles, the fast draining qualities of which might well explain why it was so dry.
A little further up river I approached Beckford Bridge, Dalwood Lane, which is a fine example of an early packhorse bridge (Grade II listed) and quite sturdy enough to take my weight. Sadly the modern bridge which now carries the majority of traffic that comes this way had none of the charm of this fine old bridge.
I crossed a lane and then picked up a footpath sign pointing across a field. Unfortunately however I chose to follow the field boundary which skirts a track leading up the hillside, which was a case of stupid indecision on my part. I should have either followed the track or the footpath, but wound up doing neither. Part way up the hill I corrected my navigation by dropping down onto the track from the field I was in. It was a quite considerable climb to get to the top of Danes Hill, my biggest climb of the day.
The views from the top of Danes Hill were worth the effort of the climb. I looked right across the valley in which the little village of Dalwood, my next destination, was to be found. The village looked wonderfully picturesque with the Corry Brook flowing gently through the centre of the village.
The village of Dalwood I found to be a quaint and peaceful place, described as being ‘in the heart of the Blackdown Hills’. I found a lovely bench in the sun under a willow tree, by the banks of the Corry Brook, which is where I sat to eat my picnic lunch.
After lunch I made my way along a footpath to the Church of St Peter’s (Grade I listed). The tower with polygonal stair turret has wonderfully grotesque gargoyles on it. I quickly wandered around the churchyard for a while, perusing the gravestones, wondering if I’d come across any Rockett ancestors of mine, but none were to be found. I did however have a little better luck upon entering the church, where I came across a transcription of the parish burial register. A quick perusal of this and, as might be expected in this Rockett hotspot, I discovered 5 Rockett entries, from the neighbouring village of Stockland. Digital versions of the Dalwood Parish Registers are available from Dalwood History.
I also discovered a little booklet in the church, ‘Dalwood – A Short History of an East Devon Village’, by G. M. Chapman (mentioned on Genuki). Flicking through the (52) pages of this booklet I stumbled upon a brief mention of a Rope Factory. I recalled seeing my great, great, grandfather, Eli Rockett, making mention of being a Rope Maker in the census of 1851. I was delighted to find a reference of the place where he must have worked.
Later in the evening I traced the location of the rope factory, which is clearly shown on an old map of 1889 as the ‘Corry Factory (Disused)’. Needless to say I popped a copy of this book in my rucksack after appropriate remuneration (£2.50) was placed in the box for offerings by the door.
Just prior to leaving the village of Dalwood I took a moment out to pop into The Tucker’s Arms to pick up additional drink in the shape of a bottle of ginger beer. The day was quite warm and I was becoming rather parched. I then left the village by way of Lower Lane, which promised to take me to the Rising Sun (a cul-de-sac one passes on the way out of the village).
Loughwood Meeting House (NT), or Loughwood Chapel (Grade II* Listed) was to be found part way up the hill, with expansive views across the valley of the Corry Brook. A tranquil, and perhaps inspirational, site, a short distance from emblems of the modern world, and yet resonant of an older world of peaceful meditation. Baptised members of Loughwood travelled from as far afield as Shebbear, which is 65 miles from the chapel. The dense woodland surrounding the original meeting place has long since been cleared so that the clandestine nature of its setting can only be appreciated in the imagination today.
I was glad I had visited Loughwood Meeting House. To my mind it has the very rare and special quality to still represent the devout beliefs of those people that once, though risking persecution, were prepared to go to extreme lengths to follow their faith. The very sparse and simple interior leaves one in no doubt that the people who came to this chapel needed no ornament to go about their worship. I believe whatever one’s religious inclinations, that to be something one can approach with admiration. The picture of Loughwood Meeting House below is a panorama taken from within the chapel graveyard.
I climbed up through the woods on Kilmington Hill and picked up the old Roman road that would take me back to my bus stop. This walk on the eastern extremes of Devon proved a delight. And discovering the place at which one of my forefathers once worked was a superb bonus. A splendid way to spend the day.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 8.5 miles
Moving Time: 3hrs 12min
Stopped Time: 49min
Total Ascent: 372 metres
Maximum Elevation: 164 metres
Buses: 4
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