8 minute read
History
The Vill age Pub a local institution
The inn as a place of lodging and refreshment is one of the oldest institutions in the country. On Dartmoor there used to be hundreds of inns, wayside watering holes and hotels, but many have been turned into private dwellings and some even have fallen down. Inns have been the scene of tragedy and comedy, a place where friendship was made, a meeting place for men, strangers and residents, a place where plots were hatched, heads broken and much blood spilled. There are a number of pubs within the Plym Links area - here are just a few stories relating to them.
Advertisement
The Cornwood Inn
In the centre of the village at the crossroads stands today the Cornwood Inn, but back in 1850, though it’s believed it dates back much earlier than that, the building was called the Tavistock Inn and James Doddridge and his wife ran it, with the landlord being William Mackworth Praed who lived near Delamore. By 1861 it was called the Cornwood Inn and run by William Vivian. In 1850, as well as the Tavistock Inn in the centre of the village, there was also The Butcher’s Arms at Moor Cross on the Ivybridge road. John Sandover ran the pub and was a local butcher.
Lopes Arms, Roborough
This was a 17th century coaching inn named after the Lopes Family who once owned much of the nearby parishes. In 1850 Jacob Lane was running the pub which must have been a busy place as all traffi c to Tavistock and Dartmoor had to go pass the door.
Treby Arms, Sparkwell
The Treby is believed to have been built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, while he and his team were building the Royal Albert railway bridge that now connects Plymouth to Cornwall. It takes its name from the Treby family, lawyers and politicians in Plympton and dates from after 1850 as it’s not mentioned in White 1850s Directory. In the early part of the 20th century the Nelder family ran the Treby Arms after moving from Park Cottage Inn at Burrator, which is no longer there. There used to be petrol pumps beside the pub; these had to be wound up before use - local children loved doing this job. In 1942 a rest camp for navy personnel was set up near the village which had around 20 Nissen-type huts for
Top: White thorn Inn, Shaugh Prior; Bottom: The Cornwood Inn
the men to live in, a NAFFI canteen and dance hall. These extra men within the area, no doubt visited the nearby pub for a drink or two.
White Thorn Inn, Shaugh Prior
The present building was built in the 1930s and was built on the site of an old cart shed. The old White Thorn Inn was a much smaller building a few yards away and is now a private house. The old inn was not in use until after 1850 and last landlady was a Mrs Harris. There is a story, like that of the Warren House Inn, that the peat fi re had not been extinguished since 1833. The pub opened after 1850 so this cannot be true, unless the building was a cottage before and the peat fi re kept going while they converted the building.
The Seven Stars, Tamerton Foliot
The village of Tamerton Foliot, now part of Plymouth, has had a few pubs over the years, but The
Seven Stars was my local in the 1980s and early 1990s when I lived on the edge of the village. It is said to be one of the oldest pubs within the city boundary today. It possibly started life as a church house where labourers working on the nearby church of St Mary’s lived and drank in the evenings. Part of the church dates back to12th Century so it is possible the Seven Stars dates to this period. In 1850 the pub was run by Charles Bowden. It was owned by the Warleigh Estate for many years but was sold off in 1914 to Blundell’s of Plymouth for £675. The building consisted of a parlour, bar, tap room, kitchen, store room, two bedrooms, two WCs, urinal, coach house, wash house and stables for two horses. It very old inside - when you step down into the building with its stone fl oor and low beams, you would think Francis Drake may be just around the corner. One day I was in the bar sat with my back to the window - I suddenly turned very cold and I felt someone touch my back. I turn around and there was nothing there. I had only had one drink and I spoke to the lady behind the bar about what had happened. She said: ‘Don’t worry, that’s Harry, he’s harmless . . .’ There used to a pub called The Maristow Inn in Bickleigh in the 1850s. It was run by a Jacob Lane. Does anyone know any information on this pub or where it was? If you know of any stories relating to these drinking places or others, please get in touch at paul. dartmoor@gmail. com n The Seven Stars, Tamerton Foliot Paul Rendell
Napoleon 200
To commemorate the two-hundred year anniversary of the death of Napoleon Bonaparte, Destination Plymouth has created a dedicated online resource called ‘Napoleon 200’ to be enjoyed by locals and visitors with support from The Box and the University of Plymouth. The new resources are included in a cross European programme commemorating Napoleon’s death, led by the Federation of Napoleonic Cities of which Plymouth is the only one in the UK. The online resources include detailed information on various Napoleonic experiences such as activities and places to visit - incorporating 90-minute walking tours led by blue badge guide Chrissie Le Marchant and cycling routes. Napoleon was held as a prisoner in Plymouth Sound onboard HMS Bellerophon from July 26th to August 4th, 1815, following his defeat at Waterloo, while the British Government decided his fate. He was later sent into exile on the South Atlantic Island of St Helena. Napoleon Bonaparte and the Bellerophon left Plymouth Sound and he was transferred to HMS Northumberland for the long voyage south. Visitors to The Box can see a portrait of Napoleon in its ‘Port of Plymouth’ gallery. It was painted by John Harris the Younger (1791-1873), an English artist who specialised in pen and ink facsimile as well as miniature portraits, copies of printed landscapes and woodcuts. It shows Napoleon posing in all his fi nery, despite being a prisoner on board HMS Bellerophon at the time. Ephraim Graebke, Bellerophon’s assistant surgeon was quoted at the time as saying: ‘Buonaparte is a fi ne-looking man...Roman nose, good mouth and chin...big belly, arms stout and shews a good leg. He wears a cocked hat like our three cornered ones, white waistcoat and breeches and white silk stockings, thin shoes and buckles.’ Some highly detailed bone models made by prisoners of war from the Napoleonic era can also be seen in the gallery. The models were created with handmade tools as well as a great deal of skill and patience and are detailed examples of high quality craftsmanship.
Promote your business in PLYM LINKS
and reach 7,000 homes and businesses... from just £7.50 per week!
Call the team on 07450 161929 DARTMOOR GUIDED WALKS
with with
Enjoy a guided walk with local historian Paul Rendell. Theme walks include wild owers, history and longer walks. 01837 54727 • paul.dartmoor@gmail.com www.paulrendelldartmoor.co.uk
shop4plymouth.co.uk Join our city’s amazing cast of characters
Part of the Reopening High Street Safely Fund, funded by
WILL WRITERS SERVICES
• 67% of UK adults don’t have a valid Will • Wills aren’t just for the elderly or wealthy • Using a regulated professional to write your Will or help with estate planning will provide both you and your family with Peace of Mind
• WE CAN PREPARE AND REGISTER A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR YOU. • WE WILL VISIT YOU IN YOUR OWN HOME TO PREPARE YOUR WILL FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. We are happy to take calls to answer any questions you might have about making a Will with no obligation. BASIC WILL JUST £150
• Your Will allows you to instruct your executors on how to distribute your estate on your death.
Why make a Will?
Making a Will is the only way to ensure that your wishes are carried out after your death. Without a valid Will, your property will pass by the Law of Intestacy which may cost more and take longer than if a Will had been made.
Married Couples
Do not assume your spouse will automatically get everything. Under the law of Intestacy, your children can have a right to part of your estate if large enough. Wills made before marriage could be revoked by your marriage unless the Will stated it was still to stand.
Children & Guardians
A Will allows you to state who you would like to look after your children in the event of both parents deaths, otherwise courts will make this decision. You can also specify at what age your children can inherit your assets.
