Branscombe

The coastal scenery near Branscombe is some of the finest in the southwest with great towers of chalk rising from overgrown landslips. The village itself is a picturesque scattering of farmhouses and thatched cottages with an interesting National Trust property within its boundaries – Old Bakery, Manor Mill and Forge. Regular demonstrations are held at the Manor Mill, which is still in working order. The water-powered mill provided flour for the adjacent bakery, which, until 1987, was the last traditional bakery operating in Devon. Its vintage baking equipment has been preserved and the rest of the building is now a tearoom. The Forge is still working and the blacksmith’s ironwork is on sale to visitors.

The land around Branscombe’s beach, with its long expanse of pebbles and painted coastal huts, is also owned by the National Trust. The beach entered the national consciousness in January 2007 when a container ship, the MSC Napoli got into difficulties during a gale and was grounded about 100 yards from the beach. Some of the ship’s containers broke open and their contents were washed on to the beach. The flotsam included barrels of wine, shoes, hair care products, beauty cream, steering wheels, exhaust pipes, gearboxes, nappies, foreign language bibles and even BMW motorbikes. As the word spread, the beach was invaded by scavengers, many of whom made away with rich pickings until the police closed the beach 24 hours after the Napoli had grounded. It was not until seven months later that the stricken ship was taken by tug to a dry dock at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast.