The rain stopped and members and friends of Crediton Area History & Museum Society enjoyed a stroll around Okehampton on a cold but sunny evening in May. The tour of the town was led by local expert Paul Rendell. Illustrating historic features throughout the town with old photographs, Mr Rendell explained that Okehampton is a market town first mentioned around 1200 years ago which
gained huge importance because of its position along the main route from Exeter to Cornwall. Its castle is the only Devon castle mentioned in the Domesday Book.
The group were interested to learn that the coming of the railway in 1871 facilitated far easier visits to the delights of Dartmoor, the coast and the Devon countryside by wealthy people from the London area. They built many of the grand Victorian houses which still adorn the streets of Okehampton for their comfort during these visits.
The Town Hall in the main street was built in the 1600s and given to the town by its wealthy owner. Similarly, the attractive Simmons Park was financed by a wealthy industrialist from London who had been born in the town.
Stressing the importance of the many public houses in the town throughout its history, Mr Rendell said that their names usually indicated which towns were served by the stage coaches stopping at the house, so you caught the London coach at the London Inn,
the coach for Exeter at the Exeter Inn and so on.
The group were very impressed by the landscaping around the Ockment Centre, a well-used community centre acquired from the County Council when it was no longer needed as a school. Since then various grants have enabled nearby land which earlier was part of a nearby mill to be transformed into most attractive pathways and seating areas overlooking the East Okement river.
The walk took the group over the tumbling waters of both East and West Okement rivers, whose 18 mile routes from Cranmere Pool are almost twice the distance as the crow flies. Thanking Mr Rendell for a most interesting walk, the Society’s chairman, George Palin said how much more they had learned about this important town.
D. Nation