Clovelly is a very unusual village on the north coast of
Devon, south-west England, between Barnstaple and Hartland Point.
The village is privately owned and has been carefully
preserved so that it looks as close as possible today to the way it looked
centuries ago. However, that does not mean that the residents are prevented
from having TV aerials, or telephone lines coming to their homes. They must,
however, keep their cottages whitewashed and in good repair.
The main feature that sets Clovelly apart from other
villages is the fact that its main street is very steep and cobbled, which
means that no wheeled vehicles can pass up and down. Goods are transported by
donkeys or on wooden sledges that are hauled by hand.
The reason for Clovelly’s existence is that its small
harbour is one of the very few safe anchorages along this stretch of coast,
which is typified by steep wooded slopes and sheer cliff faces that rise up to
400 feet above the sea. A small fishing community formed around the harbour,
and the cottages were originally occupied by the fishermen.
Not much fishing is done here today, but the village has
become a tourist attraction in its own right. Visitors must leave their cars at
the top of the village and walk down to the harbour – although donkey rides are
also possible. Once at the bottom, the only way to get back to one’s car is to
climb back up to the top!
As one might expect, Clovelly’s High Street and the harbour
area are very popular with tourists, and on sunny days in the height of summer
the place can become unpleasantly busy and crowded. A good time to visit
Clovelly is therefore out of the tourist season.
© John Welford
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