• Phillida and Mary

    Hope and the surrounding areas in the 1920s From time-to-time conflict arises on social media regarding the shortage of social or affordable housing and the increasing number of holiday homes. It is a thorny subject. One side claiming that has always been much the same and it is true that census returns for the late…

  • Hazel Leslie’s Memory

    The essay below  was written in 1974 by a young woman called Hazel Leslie. Hazel was born in the village in the 40s. Her uncle was Bill Thornton a member of a well-known fishing family. Her family moved away in the 50s. Somehow the notes came into the possession of the wonderful local resident Elaine…

  • Christmas at Hope Cove 1950

    Snow at Christmas never really happened but the very dark nights and brilliant starry skies helped the Christmas feeling along. Curtains were drawn so room decorations could not be seen from outside and fairy lights outside the house were not a thing. Indoors trees were decorated with the usual stuff but also with clip-on candles….

  • Stormy weather

    Within the space of a lifetime the old road along the cliff from Outer to Inner Hope above Harbour Beach has been eroded away. In 2014 the Mouthwell Beach cliff path was claimed by the sea necessitating major work for repair. These are reminders that Hope Cove is under constant attack and it is sobering…

  • What’s in a name?

    The origins of the names of the three villages in the parish are all ancient. Hope comes from the old Norse “Hop” meaning a small bay or inlet. South Huish is Old English for “southern household” and the name Galmpton has had many variations over the centuries, but the root of all the variations concerns  rent-paying…

  • Thank you

    This is a long overdue “Thank you” to all the people who have been in touch after reading the blog…. We have had some marvellous new information from people who grew up in the parish and who came here on holiday. We always welcome your memories. I loved the memory of Mrs. Jarvis giving children…

  • Royal connections

    When Emperor Haile Selassie was exiled from Ethiopia from 1936 to 1941, his presence in the UK was an embarrassment to the government, so he soon bought a house in Bath well away from London. He came with a big retinue of family and staff. He had two granddaughters who were sent to boarding school in…

  • Heads up

    This is a heads up for those who haven’t seen the parish news letter. The National Trust along with Historic England, and South Devon AONB  are carrying out surveys of the scheduled monuments from Bolt Tail to Salcombe, including investigation of the Iron age (Promontory) fort on Bolt Tail. The last appraisal over 20 years…