Hartland (Devon)
Hartland, near the Bristol Channel , was founded in Anglo-Saxon times and is the most north-westerly city in the south-west English county of Devon . The parish includes the village of Stoke in the west and the village of Meddon in the south.
Hartland was an important port until the Tudor times and is now the center of the rural region; the place is rather insignificant for tourists. However, it is a good starting point for hikes along the South West Coast Path with its spectacular coastal scenery. From there the view extends to the island of Lundy 16 km away in good weather .
Near Hartland is Hartland Point , where the coastline merges from the Atlantic Ocean into the Bristol Channel. There is an important lighthouse there that was built in 1874. Until then, the almost 40 m high church tower of the 15th century parish church of St. Nectan in Stoke served as a point of reference for seafarers .
The city's harbor, Hartland Quay, is further south. It was originally built at the end of the 16th century but was washed away by the sea in 1887. The exhibits in the Shipwreck Museum convey a picture of the dangers of coastal shipping and of historically interesting sites in the region.
Not far away is Hartland Abbey, founded by Gytha, mother of King Harold II , in 1060 as a collegiate monastery for secular canons . In the 12th century it was converted into a monastery for Augustinian monks . The original buildings and the later additions were replaced in 1779 by the current Gothic-style house.
Web links
- Hartland Parish Council official website
Coordinates: 51 ° 0 ′ N , 4 ° 29 ′ W