Geological & Prehistoric Foundations

Combe Martin’s bedrock dates back around 410 million years to the Devonian period. Sediments deposited iron, lead, zinc, and argentiferous galena (silver-bearing lead ore).

• Combe Martin's Great Hangman: England’s highest sea cliff, approximately 318 meters (1,043 ft), attracts visitors, authors, geologists and artists.
• SSSI: Combe Martin Bay and adjacent coves are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest due to their unique fossil and ore exposures.
• Cliffs at Combe Martin Bay offer a fossil hunter’s paradise, featuring brachiopods, corals, and remnants of ancient reefs.

Feudal Origins & Early Mining

After the Conquest of 1066, Norman Baron Martin de Tours established this manor; the name “Combe Martin” is synonymous with “Martin's Combe.”

Circa 1292 marks the first recorded silver mining activity at Combe Martin, referenced in historic works such as Magna Britannia (1822) and Camden’s Britannia (1586).

The 1568 Case of Mines legally confirmed the Crown’s prerogative over silver. A sample of Combe Martin silver ore was presented to Queen Elizabeth I. Notably, all silver found in England has belonged to the Crown since this ruling.

George Ley & The Pack o'Cards Inn, Combe Martin (built c.1690)

After a big win at a card game around 1690, Combe Martin Squire George Ley commissioned his townhouse "The King's Arms", modelled on a deck of playing cards. The famous Grade 2 national monument on Combe Martin High Street is of course "The Pack o' Cards Inn".

Industrial Diversification & the River Umber

• 18th and 19th centuries: Smuggling was endemic at Combe Martin and around the Bristol Channel ports. Some locals were prosecuted.
• 1837–1843: A steam saw-mill and shipyard operated on Borough Road, launching vessels via spring tides.
• 1845: Nearby Lower Mill was converted to a smelting works; a grindstone is embedded in Cross Street.
• Combe Martin schooners such as the Mary and Elizabeth were launched sideways into the River Umber and outfitted at Barnstaple.

Victorian Enterprise & Artistic Legacy

• 1811: J.M.W. Turner sketched Combe Martin Lime Kilns and harbour scenes now held in the Tate collection.
• 1851: Exeter Silversmiths Ellis & Son exhibited a Combe Martin silver-wire casket and knitting basket at the Great Exhibition.
• 1938 guides by Ward Lock extolled Hangman Hill hikes and valley vistas.

Horticulture & Self-Sufficiency

From 1835, there were up to 96 cultivated allotments at Combe Martin, ultimately producing jam, fruit, and vegetables that sustained the village economy.

Shammickite shopkeepers grew much of their own stock, with gardens all along this valley, visible in 1930s aerial photographs.

Maritime Trade & the Bristol Channel

• 1700s - 1800s: Hunted by Customs officers: mariners, and Shammickites (Combe Martin villagers), were involved in the illict goods trade along the Bristol Channel coast.
• 1897–1940: Combe Martin's owm Clyde Puffer steamship SS Snowflake transported strawberries to Cardiff and returned laden with coal.
• 19th-century pilots skillfully guided vessels through perilous tides, documented in W. White’s 1850 Gazette.
• Migration between Wales and Devon shaped the local “Shammickite” dialect and labour traditions.

Social History & Cultural Identity

Combe Martin villagers and their descendants have long since adopted the demonym "Shammickite", the origins of which are uncertain.

This two-mile linear settlement follows the Umber Valley, stretching from the Head Town to the Seaside and Cove.

Seaside Resort & Tourism Boom

By the late 19th century, Combe Martin began attracting holidaymakers drawn to its dramatic Exmoor coastline, fresh sea air, and scenic walks. The arrival of railways in nearby Barnstaple and Ilfracombe made the village more accessible to Victorian tourists.

• Guesthouses and tea rooms flourished along Combe Martin's High Street and Seaside area.
• Old postcards depict the historic Pack o' Cards Inn, beaches, bathers and boats, and promenading visitors.
• Combe Martin Carnival, and the annual Earl of Rone festival revived in the 1970s, celebrate this legacy with floats, music, costumes and community spirit.

In summary, tourism and folkore remain a vital part of Combe Martin's identity and economy, blending heritage with hospitality.

Modern Heritage & Education

• 1989: The Combe Martin Local History Group published "Out of the World and Into Combe Martin", a collaborative effort featuring essays, pictures, and archival research.
• 1991: Combe Martin Museum opened its doors in the building above Newberry Beach, showcasing Combe Martin's social and industrial heritage.
• 2009: Our museum moved to its present location on Cross Street, EX34 0DH. There are three floors to explore.

Cultural & Literary Connections

Combe Martin has been the setting and inspiration for several regional writers and artists, blending folklore with natural history.

Our distinctive landscape continues to attract visitors, academics, and creative communities.

Glossary & Credits

SSSI

Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Crown Prerogative

Royal right to all precious metals found in England.

Shammickite

Local dialect term for Combe Martin residents.