Porlock Weir
| Porlock Weir | |
|---|---|
 Porlock Weir harbour in early light | |
  Porlock Weir Location withinSomerset | |
| OS grid reference | SS863479 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| 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 |
| UK Parliament | |
Porlock Weiris aharboursettlement approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the inland village ofPorlock,Somerset,England. "Porlock" comes from theOld Englishportloca,meaning anenclosurenear a harbour.[1]Porlock Weir refers to the salmon stakes andtrapsthat were situated along the shore.[2]
Many cottages date from the 17th century, including the Gibraltar Cottages which have been designated as a grade IIlisted building.[3]
Like most ports in West Somerset, the harbour is tidal and is home to a small flotilla of yachts and is visited by many more in spring and summer. The port has existed for more than a thousand years. TheAnglo-Saxon Chroniclereports that in 1052Harold Godwinsoncame from Ireland with nine ships and plundered the area and before that in 866 AD it was raided by Danes. In the 18th and 19th centuries coal fromSouth Waleswas the main cargo and inWorld War IIpit propscut in local forests were the return cargo.[4]
TheketchLizzywas wrecked at Gore Point, near Porlock Weir. The ship, built inAppledore,was spotted in trouble offLynmouthin 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. The boat reached the stricken ketch, rescued the crew and returned to Lynmouth safely. The weather improved, and a fresh crew, with the vessel'sskipperattempted to salvage her. They improvised with a scrap of sail, and managed to get safely aroundForeland Point.They sailed on all night, only just managing to keep the ship afloat. When they reached Gore Point, a mile from Porlock Weir, the ketch sank in shallow water. The wreck lies submerged off the point.[5]
On 12 January 1899, in a storm, the ten-tonLynmouth lifeboatwas launched, but because of the ferocity of the storm could not put out to sea, and was hauled by men and 20 horses overCountisburyand Porlock Hills to Porlock Weir where the water was less rough.[6]Thirteen seamen were rescued.[7]
TheSouth West Coast Pathand other trails link toPorlock Ridge and SaltmarshandCulbone,the smallest parish church in England.
References
[edit]- ^"Key to English Place-names".kepn.nottingham.ac.uk.University of Nottingham.Retrieved28 September2021.
- ^"History of Porlock Weir".Retrieved30 August2016.
- ^Historic England."Gibraltar Cottages (1252283)".National Heritage List for England.Retrieved20 February2008.
- ^Farr, Grahame (1954).Somerset Harbours.London: Christopher Johnson. p. 154.
- ^Hesp, P. (1993).Exmoor and West Somerset Coastline. Countryside TV Productions.ISBN1-898818-00-2
- ^Leete-Hodge, Lornie (1985).Curiosities of Somerset.Bodmin: Bossiney Books. p. 45.ISBN0-906456-98-3.
- ^"Overland Launch Overnight January 12th. /13th.1899".Lynton & Lynmouth. Archived fromthe originalon 12 October 2010.Retrieved3 April2009.
External links
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