The History of Buckland
The history of Buckland is very intertwined with that of Bantham.
55 AD - Small Roman camp occupied the site of Clanacombe.
1550 - A farmhouse called Langmans in Bantham sold cider and beer. The Langmans family owned land in the Bantham and Buckland area.
1587 - Deeds show that Clanacombe manor house was built. There had previously been a monastery on the site.
1700’s - Water mill was owned by Mr Thomas Square of Thurlestone, who farmed land near the Downs. When the mill stopped operating, it became a butcher’s shop in the 1930’s, and in the 1960’s was owned by Mr Moore, who had a slaughterhouse nearby.
1740 - West Buckland was the centre of the local cider industry, and cider was produced in May and Pound cottages.
1751 - Langmans became the Sloop Inn, when pub signs were required by law.
1770 - Hump’s poor house now Grove Cottage, provided for the poor of the parish. Mr John Reeve owned and supervised the residents, and made sure that they worked in the mill to earn their keep.
1795 - Typhus kills Bantham and Buckland villagers.
1887 - Fire in Buckland destroyed Buckland farm and 4 thatched cottages, in the area where Old Farm cottage is situated. Buckland Farm was owned by Richard Sheriff, who was the leader of the local smugglers.
1888 - Water first piped to Buckland, and the place where it arrived in the village is the stone arch up the hill leading up to the chapel, and on the right.
1891 - Great Blizzard cut Bantham and Buckland and Thurlestone off from each other, and from the rest of the world, for a week. Snowdrifts were 10 feet deep.
1908 - Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built at West Buckland.
1925- West Buckland Flower Farm, which was situated behind the 3 wisteria clad cottages, was a major supplier of daffodils and vegetables to Covent Garden market until 1979.
1970 - Methodist Chapel converted to a private house.
55 AD - Small Roman camp occupied the site of Clanacombe.
1550 - A farmhouse called Langmans in Bantham sold cider and beer. The Langmans family owned land in the Bantham and Buckland area.
1587 - Deeds show that Clanacombe manor house was built. There had previously been a monastery on the site.
1700’s - Water mill was owned by Mr Thomas Square of Thurlestone, who farmed land near the Downs. When the mill stopped operating, it became a butcher’s shop in the 1930’s, and in the 1960’s was owned by Mr Moore, who had a slaughterhouse nearby.
1740 - West Buckland was the centre of the local cider industry, and cider was produced in May and Pound cottages.
1751 - Langmans became the Sloop Inn, when pub signs were required by law.
1770 - Hump’s poor house now Grove Cottage, provided for the poor of the parish. Mr John Reeve owned and supervised the residents, and made sure that they worked in the mill to earn their keep.
1795 - Typhus kills Bantham and Buckland villagers.
1887 - Fire in Buckland destroyed Buckland farm and 4 thatched cottages, in the area where Old Farm cottage is situated. Buckland Farm was owned by Richard Sheriff, who was the leader of the local smugglers.
1888 - Water first piped to Buckland, and the place where it arrived in the village is the stone arch up the hill leading up to the chapel, and on the right.
1891 - Great Blizzard cut Bantham and Buckland and Thurlestone off from each other, and from the rest of the world, for a week. Snowdrifts were 10 feet deep.
1908 - Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built at West Buckland.
1925- West Buckland Flower Farm, which was situated behind the 3 wisteria clad cottages, was a major supplier of daffodils and vegetables to Covent Garden market until 1979.
1970 - Methodist Chapel converted to a private house.
Article contributed by Anna Martin. Photo from the Peter Hurrell collection.