Salem Chapel, East Budleigh, Devon

I came across this rather lovely chapel in 2008, whilst in a friends car on the way to Exmouth. Knowing nothing about it at the time, we stopped to investigate and take some photos. However, it also has a lot of history attached to it, spanning from Devon in England to a tentative connection with Salem in Massachusetts, USA.

A Grade II* listed building, along with the adjacent assembly room and boundary walls, it was built in 1719 as a dissenters chapel; firstly Presbyterian, then Congregational and later owned by the Assemblies of God. Now owned and maintained by the Historic Chapels Trust, its history includes that of Samuel Leat, the minister from 1768 to 1807, who was reputed to have been part of local smuggling.

A square building with a hipped roof; the plastered walls of the chapel and assembly room are thick enough to be cob on stone rubble footings. A lovely old and mellow red brick wall at the front includes square gate posts, 19th century cast iron gates and a delightful wrought iron overthrow with lamp holder, adorned with scrolls and twiddly bits - a technical word, that! ;) 

The construction of the roof is unique, providing a massive attic. This was ideal for storing smuggled items, with the advantage of a hidden lookout from where any approaching Revenue Men could be seen.

This reminds me of Rudyard Kipling's poem A Smugglers Song, in which a parson is included in this refrain...

"Five and twenty ponies,
Trotting through the dark -
Brandy for the Parson, 'Baccy for the Clerk.
Laces for a lady; letters for a spy,
Watch the wall my darling while the Gentlemen go by! "

It wasn't open but I was able to take these two photos through the window.

The tiny churchyard is enclosed by a whitewashed rubble and brick wall.
 

And the tenuous connection with Salem, Massachusetts? Salem was first settled by Europeans in 1626, led by Roger Connant. Although this was before Salem Chapel was built, the name Salem was a shortened version of Jerusalem and was popularly used as chapel and place names, and Roger Connant himself was born in East Budleigh.

The adjacent assembly room, below.
 

The front of the assembly room comprises two early 19th century sash windows containing thirty panes. These are either side of a later four panelled door. As seen below, the end of the assembly building contains a wide doorway which leads to a basement.

West Mill, Bridport, Dorset

A Grade II listed building, West Mill is one of the many mills that made up the town industries. However, I made a mistake when I wrote the article on my now defunct website; I said that it was part of the main rope making industry, but I've since found out that it was a Brewery Mill.

However, I'll keep the little potted history of Bridport's rope making industry on this blog post for interest's sake... 

Bridport has long been associated with rope making. Its extensive history includes ropes and cables, which were decreed for his army by King John in 1213, right up to today's industry that still produces fishing, sports, specialist nets and cargo restraints. One of the former products was that of the hangman's rope and noose, which gave rise to the saying that to be hanged was to be 'stabbed with a Bridport dagger'. Most of the goal nets for football championships were made in Bridport, including those used during the 1966 World Cup, as well as the tennis nets used at Wimbledon.  

Although there has been a mill here since the 15th century, this one was built in 1878. A three-storey building constructed in red brick, it looks rather attractive with its Portland stone dressings above the doors and windows and the planked wood sack hoist projected high on the west gable.

Above, outside the rear of the mill sits this delightful winch & cable windlass, which straddles the overflow runoff and controlled the sluices. Originally the mill was powered with a waterwheel, but in 1886 a turbine was installed and the wheel removed.

Amazingly enough, this retaining wall to the River Brit is also Grade II Listed. Mid 19th century, built in Hammer dressed stone with ashlar coping, it runs alongside the north side of the pavement on West Street.

The front, western entrance of the mill, below, showing the planked loading doors and sack hoist above. 

Across from the main entrance of the mill is another part of the mill leat. Heavily overgrown and cordoned off by railings, but various workings can still be seen, below. The bridge is also Grade II Listed, built in the 19th century, and a wall extends alongside the leat up to the northern Mill House.

The wrought iron railings with ornamental spearhead finials are contemporay with the mill, culminating in an iron gate at the north end, below.

Below, various buildings next to the main mill building. In the listed buildings register, it is listed as West Mills, so there may have been more than one mill operating here. It also lists various outhouses to the north, which these probably are.The first one is dated as being probably 18th century and the rest circa C19, built in Hammer dressed stone with pitched roofs.

A little further up the lane, and on the opposite side, is Mill House. Also a Grade II Listed Building, dated 19th century. It wasn't until I just looked closer at the photo below that a building on the left in the middle distance also has a sack hoist housing on the gable. It also looks very similar to West Mill, but lower and smaller.

The Mill House refers to the right hand building however, with reference to a stucco front and a pitched roof with overhanging eaves at the gable ends, which this one has. I don't know if the additional red brick wings were part of the original building or if they were added later. The Listed Building entry also mentions a wooden porch, a pointed arch and trefoil ornament cut into spandrels. It might be that the frontage is on the other side and that this is the rear.

I had a walk further on and also took some photos of the river.

I came across West Mill when I took a bus journey to Bridport just to have a look around one day in 2009. Having wandered onto the main road from the bus station it really caught my eye and I spent most of my time here. It was such an interesting find and, although I knew nothing about it beforehand, I inadvertently and serendipitously took enough photos of the surroundings that fit in with the mill and are also listed buildings. Even though these buildings aren't derelict the God of Urbex was surely with me that day, lol. ;)

And a random airbrick to finish off with! :)

West Bay Harbour, West Bay, Dorset

West Bay, formerly known as Bridport Harbour, is situated just a couple of miles from the inland town of Bridport, which was the major rope-making industry of Britain. The harbour can be traced back to the 13th century, when sluices were erected across the mouth of the River Brit to form a navigable entrance.

Ships were built here during the Napoleonic Wars of 1799 to 1850, but ship-building eventually ceased as wooden ships were phased out. The coming of rail in the late 1800's saw a decline in the use of the harbour, and at that time was re-named West Bay. However, maritime buildings and houses expanded the hamlet and the harbour was used for import and export until the 1960s. Fishing still continues today and is also a tourist attraction as a holiday destination, as well as being part of the UNESCO Jurassic Coast World Heritage site.

These first daytime photos were taken some twenty years ago, around 2000/1, whilst on a day out with some friends. Since then, the harbour has seen some changes. Recent work has replaced the west pier and rebuilt the east pier, extending the harbour with a new slip way and outer harbour.

Having watched the wake from a boat coming in I noticed another one on its way and had a go at photographing its progress, which was quite good fun. As I use a 35mm camera a motordrive would have been handy, but it was just about doable by frantically winding the film on! ;)

The following photos were taken during a further visit in October 2009. After a ride around various places with a visiting friend, we ended up in West Bay at the end of the afternoon. After a leisurely pint at the harbour pub, we had a walk around the harbour and took photos just as the sun was setting and night drew in.

A lovely end to the day, with the added bonus of a full moon too!