Synopsis: Walk with ex-colleagues from work. Train out to Yeoford from where we climbed steadily till we reached Colebrooke for a lunch stop. After exploring Colebrooke onto Copplestone for ice creams.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
More Tarka Line Walks
This walk is walk ‘Yeoford’ (p.14) in the book More Tarka Line Walks by Peter Craske. This book followed upon an earlier publication, not surprisingly titled Tarka Line Walks. I believe that both of these books are now superseded by one bumper book called Tarka Line Walks. I don’t have a copy of this new book, but I do know that this walk today can be found in this new edition. The walks from this book are intended to be accessed from the Tarka Line that connects Barnstaple and Exeter. To see other walks from this book that I have completed, use the link under Tags to the right.
The walks described in More Tarka Line Walks are well written up, with an interesting narrative describing what will be seen during the walk, and adequate walking directions to navigate the route. An Ordnance Survey 1/25k map showing the walk route is printed for each of the walks, making it possible to navigate the route without a separate map, although having one’s own map is always advisable.
Today, a group of ex-colleagues of mine, planned to get together for a walk. The idea put forward was a train-based walk. Some of us boarded the train at the Digby and Sowton railway station, some at Exeter Central, and one person drove and met us at Yeoford Railway Station, where we were due to disembark. And, what do you know? It all went to plan, and we were ready to set off on our walk from Yeoford Railway Station on schedule at 10:44.
Although I speak of Yeoford Railway Station, it's really nothing more than a platform these days. Well, that's not quite doing it justice, as an old hut is used as a store of second hand books, which one presumes are supplied for waiting passengers to pass the time. But, compared to old photos I've seen, this station, like so many, is a shadow of its former self. We pondered such thoughts on the bridge over the rail track prior to setting about our walk.
Our walk began along a quiet lane, slowly rising from Yeoford. The sun was putting in an occasional appearance, the day already quite warm. And we began our most serious business of the day, a sustained period of chatter.
Near the brow of the hill we branched right, through a gate into a field, and then continued on following field boundaries. Over to our right we could see Pennyland's Farm. We'd been pondering how this name had come about. I conjectured the land was tough to coax a crop from, and perhaps a person was lucky to earn a penny from it. Certainly today the ground was parched, solid, and cracked like crazy paving.
It wasn't long before the church steeple of Colebrooke Church came into sight, just visible over the farthest hedge. We ploughed on (metaphorically, of course) until we entered the environs of the sleepy village. We discovered a picnic table just behind the church, so rested there and took a drink before proceeding.
Then began the difficult task of locating my family in the cemetery. I'd visited the grave of my great aunt and uncle before, but that was some years back, and I couldn't remember just where the grave was. Luckily I had a photo of the grave. A circuit of the graves around the church yielded nothing, and then we recalled an overflow graveyard at the back of the church. On entering that graveyard (apparently once the site of alms houses), the tree behind the grave immediately gave its location away.
And so I had my photo taken kneeling beside the grave of my great aunt and uncle, Elizabeth Ann Madge née Willcocks and William Madge. Rather poignant is the date of their deaths. Elizabeth passed away just ten days after her husband William. It is said that she was grief stricken, and died of a broken heart.
William Madge and Elizabeth Ann Willcocks were married by Isidore Daimpré in 1889 at St Andrew’s Church (Listed Grade I), Colebrooke. They set up home in what is today named Bell Inn Cottage, as shown here. I understand they lived in the right hand portion of this building, with William operating a cider press in the room on the left. William had a number of orchards in the vicinity of the village.
As it was by this time nearly 13:00, we decided to take advantage of the picnic bench we'd previously sat at, and make that our lunch stop. Out came our picnics and in we tucked. And still the nattering continued.
After lunch we entered St Andrew's Church (Grade I Listed). It is obviously deemed an important church, although sadly heavily restored and little of the ancient church to be found these days. Perhaps one of the more interesting finds is a pair of carved bench ends near the entrance to the chancel, which are wonderfully sculptured, and evidently of medieval origin.
There was an unusual looking arch at the junction of the nave with the south transept, near the pulpit, which we couldn’t make out. A little background reading subsequent to our visit informs me there was once an earlier south transept, and the arch seen today is all that remains of this previous transept.
One last objective for me was to find the name of the vicar who married my relations, as his name looked rather untypical on the copies of the marriage certificates that I have. And his name is indeed as I had read it, in that it is Isidore Daimpré, vicar at St Andrew's 1885-1922. He can be found in the 1901 census as 'clergyman (Church of England) and school master'. He published A Short Account of the Parish and Church of St Andrew, Colebrooke. On this image, of the Roll of Service plaque on the wall of the church, can be seen the six sons of Revd. Daimpré who served their country during WWI, of which it is said he was very proud.
One thing that did puzzle us about the Church of St Andrew, and that was the little ‘windows’ in the walls leading into the south transept. I'd not seen their like before and couldn't explain them. Subsequent reading informs me they are squints, which I understand as being a sort of peephole. This is how they're explained in the church's listing: "On either side of the arch are round-headed squints, that to west affording a view of the chantry altar (since removed) from nave, and that to east affording a view of the high altar from the chantry."
And one final footnote on the subject of the Church of St Andrew: the vicar who performed the marriage ceremonies of both my great-grandmother, Fanny Jane Willcocks, and her sister, Elizabeth Ann, was Isidore Daimpré. This struck me as rather an unusual name, especially for Devon. I’ve since read a little about Isidore Daimpré on the Internet, and discovered he was born in Dublin in 1841, and was indeed a rather colourful character who had led quite an eventful life, often in debt, and once having filed for bankruptcy.
Two aspects of Isidore Daimpré’s connection with Colebrooke I wish I’d known about prior to my visit, and will check out next time I find myself in Colebrooke: (1) he and his second wife, Mary Jane Wolfe, are buried together in Colebrooke, and their gravestone rests against the east wall of the church (Mary died aged 47, 15th May 1908, Isidore died aged 82, 6th December 1922; (2) Isidore Daimpré is said to appear in the church reredos, from the church booklet The Church and Parish of St. Andrew, Colebrooke, Devon: “The present altar and reredos with the representation of the Day of Pentecost, were erected in 1896 in memory of Francis Synge Sillifant. It is said that Mrs Sillifant, the donor of the reredos, desired that the figures should represent her family and friends, she herself appearing as the Virgin Mary and her late husband as one of the Apostles, while a friend was shown as Mary Magdalene, and the Vicar, Isidore Daimpré, and the Rector of Kenn also appeared.” So, which figure on the reredos is Isidore? There is a Family tree managed by R. Wolfe-Daimpré on MyHeritage that has a photo of Isidore Daimpré.
We took the path out the back of Colebrooke. From this path it was possible to look across the valley through which the railway line to Okehampton runs, and see Butsford Barton in the distance. This is a place that reinforces our family’s connection with Tom Cobley, who once lived there, as testified by the census of 1841, where he is to be found resident, aged 75. Come the census in 1881, this is where my great-great-grandparents, Richard and Elizabeth Willcocks are to be found, with their two daughters Fanny Jane (my great-grandmother) and her sister Elizabeth Ann.
At this point on our walk we made a short deviation from the guidebook route. This was so that we could take in Red Hill Cottage, home of Richard Willcocks in 1871. The right of way we discovered to be barred by a wire fence, therefore had to make our way across a field to a gate that would put us in the lane. Just across the lane I saw what looked like an old derelict dwelling left in the middle of a field. On checking this out later, I discovered this was called Broomsland, and is indicated such on modern maps. Looking at historic maps it’s possible to see a lane that came up to what I suppose was once a small farm dwelling.
We followed our lane down to Red Hill Cottage which we discovered to be a relatively new building, which couldn’t possibly have been the residence of Richard Willcocks in 1871. I took this photo of it anyway, just for the record, but sadly the original I was hoping to find was obviously long gone.
A steady climb along the lane took us up and over a hill before dropping once again, this time to Copplestone. We took some time out to view the Cop Stone or Copplestone Cross (Listed Grade I) that gives the place its name. Earliest recorded mention of this stone dates back to 974, making it a Saxon stone, something extremely rare here in the South West. Today, the stone is to be found on a busy junction, in the middle of the road, with traffic buzzing all around (Cop Stone - drawn & etched by S.Prout 1811)
We found ourselves a convenience store where we purchased coffees and ice creams, which we consumed sat on a wall in the car park. There’s nothing so inviting as a village green with a bench or two to be found in the village of Copplestone. We were glad to be on our way again, towards the village of Coleford.
Although our guidebook walk finished at Copplestone, we’d chosen to eat at the New Inn in Coleford, just a mile down the road. This inn has a reputation for fine food, which we discovered to be well deserved. And Coleford we found to be a very attractive and tranquil village. Our meal at the New Inn was the perfect way to round off our day’s walking/chatting.
This photo is an image of what once was Coleford Post Office (Post office, Coleford - W.Dawson 1851).
Note: An interesting development has occurred in respect of the rail line from Exeter to Yeoford that we used today. A news article from the BBC, ‘David Cameron says Okehampton railway line is 'most resilient'’ (29/01/2015), indicates that the prime minister, David Cameron, is saying that this is part of a preferred alternative route into Cornwall, a route that would be a ‘backup’ for the mainline through Dawlish, which was washed away last winter. This alternative route would go through Coleford Junction, which is very close to Colebrooke (see: Coleford Junction on Old-Maps). I find it rather difficult to contemplate high-speed trains coming through this quiet countryside. Where will it all end? Cornwall, I guess.
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 11.9 miles recorded (actual: 8.1 miles)
Elapsed Time: 6hrs 38min
Total Ascent: 356 metres
Maximum Elevation: 149 metres
Buses: (none)
Trains: Digby & Sowton to Copplestone (disembarking at Yeoford) – Off-peak day return: £6.70
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