The Ports, Harbours, Watering-places and Picturesque Scenery of Great Britain Vol. 2Finden, W. (William)
History
The Ports, Harbours, Watering-places and Picturesque Scenery of Great Britain Vol. 2
Finden, W. (William)
Coasts -- Great Britain -- Pictorial works; Great Britain -- Pictorial works
Ladram Bay is on the southern coast of Devonshire, and lies between
Sidmouth and the mouth of the river Otter. It is of small extent, and is
neither noticed by any of the historians of the country, nor described
in any guide-book. The Lade rock forms its eastern extremity; and to the
westward it is bounded by a similar promontory, near to which are the
caves represented in the engraving. The bay is only accessible to
pedestrians proceeding from Sidmouth at low water through a cave at its
eastern point; and its approach from the westward is also through a
perforated rock. This small and secluded bay is extremely romantic, and
the cliffs between its extreme points are lofty and nearly
perpendicular. It is frequently visited in summer by picnic parties from
Sidmouth, Otterton, and Budleigh Salterton; and it is said that
smugglers, availing themselves of its retired situation, occasionally
manage to land a cargo there, notwithstanding the vigilance of the
preventive men, who have a look-out near the bay, but not a regular
station. The only house in its immediate vicinity is a fisherman's
cottage, near the end of the road leading to it from Otterton.
There are several curious caverns and perforated rocks on the southern
coast of Devon. Just within the promontory called the Bolt-head, at the
western end of Salcomb-bar, is a cavern called the Bull-hole, which is
believed by many persons of the neighbourhood to extend for about three
miles to a similar cavern in a creek near Sewer-mill. The tradition is
that a bull entered at one cavern, and came out at the other; and hence
the name of the Bull-hole. Nearly at the top of the cliff of Bolberry
Down, about a mile to the eastward of the Bolt-tail, is a cavern called
Ralph's-hole, which is about twenty feet long, seven feet wide, and
eight feet high. It is nearly four hundred feet above the sea; and the
rock by which it is approached is within three feet of the precipice,
and only admits of one person passing at a time. It is said that a man
named Ralph made this cave his abode for many years in order to avoid
being arrested, and that with a hay-fork as a weapon to defend the
entrance he set the bailiffs at defiance; his residence, however, was
more remarkable for its security than its convenience; and if the
blessing of freedom is not included in the balance of advantages and
evils, Ralph would probably have found a more comfortable home in any of
her Majesty's gaols than in his sea-beaten fortress. A few miles
further westward, directly off Thurlston sands, in Bigberry bay, is a
perforated rock, about thirty feet high, called Thurlston rock. At very
low ebb-tides it is left dry, but as the flood increases, the sea washes
over it, making a noise in stormy weather that is heard at a great
distance.
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