Synopsis: Back on the family history trail again, with a primary objective of visiting Lower Twitchen, Burrington, one-time home of my great-grandmother. Travel courtesy of trains on the Tarka Line.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
The main driver for this walk was my intention to explore the home where my great grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth England (nÊe Rockett) lived in 1911, as recorded in the census of that year. This area of north Devon is largely unspoilt and quiet, with today’s planned walk reachable on the rustic Tarka Line railway. I’ve completed several walks using this rail service, a number from the book More Tarka Line Walks. This walk differed from previous walks in that I intended to use the Portsmouth Arms rail halt, at which very few trains stop in any day. This meant I had to rise at the unearthly hour of 4:30am, so as to be at Digby Sowton for the 6:29 train. There’s dedication for you.
Purchasing my ticket on the train, the conductor told me she’d have to look up the fare to Portsmouth Arms, clear indication of how often trains are requested to stop at that halt. I said to the conductor as I left the train, “I seem to be in the middle of nowhere.” This was exactly how it felt. She smiled, as she wished me a good day’s walking.
The Portsmouth Arms Hotel seems to be the only property in the vicinity of the ‘station’ (or is that platform?). I’ve always thought it an odd location for a hotel. The only other visible activity nearby is that of the quite substantial saw mill. I glanced into the timber yard of the saw mill as I made my way up the lane away from the main road and railway line. There was little life to be seen, hardly surprising as it was only just approaching 8:00am.
My first hour of walking was a steady climb towards the village of Burrington. The sky was a little overcast, with a forecast of brighter weather later. This was my first visit to Burrington, which I thought I’d explore, being the nearest community to where Sarah Elizabeth and her family lived. Approaching the village just a little before 9:00 there was just the suggestion its inhabitants were beginning to stir. The village school must date from the time when Sarah Elizabeth’s children, Florence and Susan, would have gone to school here. It was nice to see this old school building still in use today, as so many have been lost.
The school is not listed (schools rarely are, which I think is a shame), but the Church of Holy Trinity (Listed Grade I) is. Unfortunately, and I knew this would be the case, the church was locked, possibly because it was still so early in the day. After wandering around the church I regained the village square with its large oak tree, and walked up the main street, past the post office (Grade II Listed) and the adjoining K6 telephone kiosk (Grade II Listed). I then picked up a path that would loop me back to Twitchen Lane, which just might take me to my primary objective.
Burrington village is a pretty and unspoilt place. The main street through the village shows little regard for the coming of the motor car, as it curves sharply around the post office. Even the village water pump has been preserved, looking as if it remains fit for use today.
A I walked down this narrow lane I stepped aside to allow a farmer to pass. He was carrying in his vehicle feed for his rams. At the far end of the lane, the first property I reached was Higher Twitchen including lofted shippon (Grade II Listed). This is an attractive cottage, quite large in size, the courtyard of which the footpath traverses. Confession: ‘shippon’ came from the property’s listing, which, not knowing the meaning of this word, I had to look-up in a dictionary. Apparently it means cattle shed.
Climbing a stile out of the courtyard of Higher Twitchen I came upon the farmer who’d just past me. He was filling a feed trough for three rams that were fast advancing in his direction. I stopped to speak with this gentleman, explaining my historical family interest in the property hereby. By a stroke of luck, I learned he now lived in Lower Twitchen (Grade II Listed). I asked, perhaps rather audaciously, if I might take a closer look at the building, and capture a photo. He said he was happy for me to do that, and kindly showed me down to the courtyard of Lower Twitchen.
The property was larger than I had expected. It nestles snuggly in the neck of the valley, looking towards the valley of the River Taw in the distance. I thought it a beautiful property in a wonderful location. The quintessence of a Devon cottage. How charming it was to think that my ancestor, Sarah Elizabeth, had lived in such an idyllic place. Working as a farm servant away from home at age fourteen, she could have had little expectation that she might one day find herself living in such a place as this.
As I stood with the current owner looking out across the countryside, we spoke of the view, and he introduced me to a saying that was new to me: Ash before oak, in for a soak; Oak before ash, in for a splash. A north Devon saying meaning we in for a poor summer if the ash leafs up before the oak, and in for a good summer if the oak leafs up before the ash. As the ash was late this year, perhaps we’re in for a scorcher. But time will tell just how much truth there will prove to be in the promise of this old saying.
Having taken up more than enough of this gentleman’s time, I once again thanked him for his cordiality, and said my goodbyes. A entered into a field that dropped steeply, almost scrambling up the opposite side. Where the path connected with a lane there was a collapsed bench, and prompted by the hint of respite, I sat on the grass nearby to rest a little and take a snack. The friendly locals waved and smiled as they drove by. It struck me how different country life is to that of our cities. I suspect at heart, despite my living in a city, I am by nature a countryman.
A little way along the lane I picked up a track, soon to become a path, which took me down the hillside to Mully Brook near to some old mill buildings. My path then followed the course of the tributary in an easterly direction towards the River Tavy. The path entered a forest where the track was very muddy in places. Still, mud is very much part of a walker’s lot, although I did wonder if Mully Brook could have been more appropriately named Muddy Brook.
Joining a lane, as the sun began to shine, my speed picked up as I walked parallel with the River Taw on my approach to small hamlet of Bridge Reeve. Here I branched right and once again began a slow gradual ascent till I reached the point where my path branched left away from the lane. It was by now 12:30, and after a long morning’s walking, I was feeling quite hungry. I saw a spot in the corner of field beneath the shade of a tree, with a view of the Taw Valley, I set up my lunch camp.
After lunch I crossed the lane to join what was evidently a quite overgrown footpath. A gentleman had arrived with a strimmer and explained he was employed to clear the path, but I’d arrived too early. I struggled at first to find the gate I required into the next field, but after a quick correction to my route, I was back on route, gradually dropping to a footbridge over a steam.
I then ascended yet another hill before once again dropping to a ford over another stream. My path then skirted the North Down Plantation, gradually rising (my last climb of the day – phew!) to pass near to an outdoor education centre. I knew by now that all I needed to do to complete my walk was take the easy stroll down the lane towards Eggesford Railway Station from where I was to catch my train home.
Another ‘family history’ themed walk completed, I was so pleased with my day. The link to my family’s past gave the day an added significance to me, that heightened my pleasure in the hike. But a good walk through beautiful countryside, whatever your motives might be.
As in addition to the family history theme of this walk, I also wanted to make the day something of an exercise in wildflower recognition. The months of May and June I always think are the best for wildflowers in the hedgerows of Devon. Mostly the ones shown here were new to me (although the list contains a few old favourites), and I’ve attempted to identify them as best I can. I’m more than fallible, so I’ll be grateful to receive any corrections to errors in identification that I may have made.
Wildflowers seen on this walk
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 11.1 miles
Moving Time: 4hrs 42min
Stopped Time: 1hr 33min
Total Ascent: 471 metres
Maximum Elevation: 181 metres
Buses: (none)
Trains: (Outward: Digby & Sowton to Portsmouth Arms / Return: Eggesford to Digby & Sowton)
… Off peak day return: £9.80
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