Bucks Mills
Encyclopedia
Bucks Mills is a small village within the parish of Woolfardisworthy
on the north coast of Devon
, England. The village is within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
and on the South West Coast Path
.
Next to the village is Bucks Woods which includes the site of the Iron Age
Hill fort
at Peppercombe Castle
.
The stream runs through the village powered at least one mill. It falls over the cliff edge in a waterfall onto the beach which has large pebbles and hard sandstone
formations. In the Elizabethan era
a break in the rocks, known as the Gut, was created by blasting the rock with gunpowder to allow access to the small quay, which has since disappeared, creating a small harbour for fishing vessels. In the 18th century this was used for the import was of culm
, a mixture of anthracite and limestone
which was then burnt in kilns to produce fertiliser. The remains of two of the Lime Kilns can be seen on either side of the beach access.
In the 18th and 19th centuries many of the residents of Bucks Mills and the surrounding villages were related to the Braund family and King Cottage within Bucks Mills was once the home of Captain James Braund who was informally known as the "King of Bucks".
St Anne's church was built in 1862. The church was endowed by Mrs. Elwes, the Lord of the Manor
of Walland Cary, the estate on which the village stood.
Woolfardisworthy, Torridge
Woolfardisworthy is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district in the English county of Devon. The village is accessible via the A39 road, 2 miles from the village.-Name:...
on the north coast of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. The village is within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
and on the South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
.
Next to the village is Bucks Woods which includes the site of the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
Hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
at Peppercombe Castle
Peppercombe Castle
Peppercombe Castle is an Iron Age Hill fort situated on cliffs to the East of Bucks Mills in North Devon. The remains of the fort are hard to define from maps and it may well be that much of the site has been lost to coastal erosion, but it would seem to have been at around 80 m above sea...
.
The stream runs through the village powered at least one mill. It falls over the cliff edge in a waterfall onto the beach which has large pebbles and hard sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
formations. In the Elizabethan era
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
a break in the rocks, known as the Gut, was created by blasting the rock with gunpowder to allow access to the small quay, which has since disappeared, creating a small harbour for fishing vessels. In the 18th century this was used for the import was of culm
Culm
Culm, in botanical context, originally referred to a stem of any type of plant. It is derived from the Latin word for 'stalk' and now specifically refers to the above-ground or aerial stems of grasses and sedges....
, a mixture of anthracite and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
which was then burnt in kilns to produce fertiliser. The remains of two of the Lime Kilns can be seen on either side of the beach access.
In the 18th and 19th centuries many of the residents of Bucks Mills and the surrounding villages were related to the Braund family and King Cottage within Bucks Mills was once the home of Captain James Braund who was informally known as the "King of Bucks".
St Anne's church was built in 1862. The church was endowed by Mrs. Elwes, the Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Walland Cary, the estate on which the village stood.