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No Tower...Just a Pleasure Beach
“Ah,” he said, “the thrills, the rides, the shows, the lights, the adrenalin…it must have been brilliant?” Not an unexpected reply as I had just told a friend that I had been to Blackpool with my family. Little did he know that I had travelled one mile rather than the 300 that he was obviously talking about!
In addition to the Lancastrian seaside resort with its famous pleasure beach, there are several other places in England which contain the name Blackpool. I would take some persuading though that any compare in beauty to the one which we have on our doorstep. With its rocky headlands at either side, the majestic arc of clean sand, the wooded hills and turquoise sea it is truly a sight to behold. No wonder traffic comes almost to a halt as cars trundle up the hill with all their passengers (and sometimes driver) gazing wondrously out to sea.
So how did Blackpool Sands get its name? As far as we are aware there has never been a village at Blackpool and its name has always been associated with a general area rather than a specific habitation. Conflicting theories have been put forward and I personally would like to believe that its derivation relates to the Saxon English word for “black” which means sacred. On its way to the sea the stream runs through little pools and we do know that people from the Neolithic age worshipped deities from wells and watery places. If you are less romantic, it may simply derive from the presence of a former dark pond!
The oldest buildings at Blackpool would have been built in the seventeenth century. Bridge Cottage (a distinctive pink and adjacent to the stream) and the two thatched cottages on the corner of the lane heading up to Embridge are all of that era. It is possible that these cottages played a role in the activity of smuggling. Rumours still persist that a tunnel used to run up through the cliffs to a field close to Stoke Fleming.
This theory in turn is supported by the fact that one of the older houses in Stoke Fleming has a glass bottle embedded in its outer wall - a well known sign that it was a safe house for smugglers.
Three or four hundred years ago, Blackpool valley was a busy place. Corn mills were powered by the stream and four of these buildings can be seen today. There was also a wheelwright and blacksmith which catered for the farmers’ needs and an alms house providing accommodation for the poor; cider making was also prevalent.
Over the centuries, Blackpool has faced two main threats - military attack and the forces of nature. By far the most famous battle was the Battle of Blackpool in 1604 when the English defeated the French in ongoing skirmishes of the 100 years war. A wonderful re-enactment of this battle took place just four years ago and was a day for the South Hams to remember.
The battle came about as a result of a French lord William du Chatel setting his eyes on the prize of Dartmouth. He teamed up with two other lords and cleverly designed a plan to outflank Dartmouth and attack it from the landward side. His ideas were based on the knowledge that a sea attack would almost be impossible because of its fortification and narrow estuary entrance. The main thrust of the plan was to land his troops at Slapton Sands, march the 5 miles to Dartmouth and attack the town from the rear.
Du Chatel and his forces initially left St Malo, France with a fleet of 300 ships, an army consisting of 2000 knights plus archers, light troops and other men at arms. Somewhat fortunately, a lack of clear leadership and the pursuit of Spanish vessels laden with wine meant that by the time they reached England the force had greatly been diminished. Never the less it was still a significant threat.
Meanwhile the English had been tipped off about the invasion and established a strong defensive position on the higher ground just below Stoke Fleming. They correctly reasoned that the French would be at their most vulnerable when crossing Blackpool Marsh with its narrow causeway. At that time there was of course no A379 and with the sea on one side and heavily wooded hills inland they had little choice but to cross at this point.
The majority of the fighting took place around the causeway although at one stage the French did try to circumvent the causeway by wading through the marsh. They did not fully appreciate the depth of water and many Frenchmen with their weighty armour literally sunk. Others did manage to wade across and continued to fight despite being covered in weed! It has been rumoured that the force of the English fighting men were backed up by hundreds of local women who apparently fought just as tenaciously.
It was certainly a high profile victory for the English with one chronicler reporting at the time “The crows have pecked the eyes of the eagles” which was an appropriate analogy for the English “homeguard” defeating the French elite. A special thanksgiving service took place at Westminster Abbey at the request of King Henry V.
As already mentioned, the other main (and continuing) threat to Blackpool Sands is the power of the sea. In relatively recent years we already have witnessed the devastation of South Hallsands and the breaching of Slapton line. Literally hundreds of tons of sand can be moved in the space of one tide or gale. The Newman family have always been very proactive in their determination to preserve the beach and I have no doubts that this will continue for the future.
I imagine that in addition to nature’s power, the other major danger to Blackpool Sands natural beauty is man himself. In this respect we all have our part to play. This can be from simple things like picking up litter to voicing our concerns about planning and conservation. Above all we should see ourselves as guardians of this wonderful piece of coastline for future generations.
Click HERE to see the location.
Reference-Blackpool Sands by David Stranack (Dartmouth History Research Group)
First Published July 2008 By The Dart