Porlock Weir
| Porlock Weir | |
| 237px Porlock Weir harbour in early light |
|
 Porlock Weir
Porlock Weir shown within Somerset |
|
| OS grid reference | SS863479 |
|---|---|
| District | West Somerset |
| Shire county | Somerset |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MINEHEAD |
| Postcode district | TA24 |
| Dialling code | 01643 |
| Police | Avon and Somerset |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | Bridgwater and West Somerset |
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Porlock Weir, about 1.5 miles west of Porlock, Somerset, England, is a small settlement around a harbour. It is a popular visitor attraction.
Many cottages in the area date from the 17th century, including the Gibraltar Cottages which have been designated by English Heritage as a grade II listed building.[1]
Like most ports in West Somerset, the small harbour is tidal but has a small home-based flotilla of yachts and is visited by many more in spring and summer. The port has existed for over a thousand years. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that in 1052 Harold Godwinson came from Ireland with nine ships and plundered the area and even before that in 86 AD it was visited by Danes. In the 18th and 19th centuries coal from south Wales was the main cargo and in World War II pit props cut in local forests were exported the other way.[2]
The ketch, Lizzy, was wrecked at Gore point, near Porlock Weir. The ship, built in Appledore, was spotted in trouble off Lynmouth in a storm in 1854. The ship had lost her masts, and was in very bad condition. A fishing boat was sent out to rescue the crew, as Lynmouth possessed no lifeboat at this time. The boat managed to reach the stricken ketch, rescue the crew and get back to Lynmouth safely. The weather then began to improve, and a fresh crew, together with the original skipper of the vessel, went out to attempt to salvage her. They improvised with a scrap of sail, and managed to get safely around Foreland Point. They sailed on all night, only just managing to keep the ship afloat. Finally, when they got to Gore Point,just a mile from Porlock weir, they sank in shallow water. The remains of the ship lie submerged just off the point today.[3]
On 12 January 1899, in a storm, the ten-ton Lynmouth Lifeboat was launched, but because of the ferocity of the storm could not put out to sea, and was hauled by men and twenty horses over Countisbury and Porlock hills to Porlock Weir where the water in the bay was less rough.[4] The endeavour enabled thirteen seamen to be rescued.[5]
The South West Coast Path and other trails link through to Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh and Culbone, the smallest complete parish church in England.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Hesp, P. (1993).Exmoor and West Somerset Coastline. Countryside TV Productions. ISBN 1-898818-00-2
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
