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Lynton and Lynmouth

Could these holidaymakers have imagined the violent potential of an idyllic Devon landscape?

1921 12 mins Silent

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Overview

Tourists potter around beautiful coastal scenery in Devon that would one day witness devastation. This attractive travelogue offers a valuable record of how Lynmouth looked before deadly flooding destroyed the harbour village in 1952. Seeing a stunning vista filmed from the cliffside railway, it's easy to see why romantic authors like R.D. Blackmore (of Lorna Doone fame) were inspired by this rugged corner of Exmoor.

A favourite spot of the painter Gainsborough and the poet Wordsworth, this was long considered a special area in the British creative imagination. But only when a funicular railway was built in 1890 between Lynton and Lynmouth did it take off as a holiday destination. With its succession of masterfully composed shots of the local geography - including Castle Rock and Doone Valley - this visual showcase still makes a compelling case to book a visit. The 1952 floods are the subject of Lynmouth - A One Time Beauty Spot (1952) and Lynmouth Floods' Anniversary (1977), both also available on BFI Player.

Released
1921
Country
United Kingdom
Location
LyntonLynmouth
Language
English

Subjects

Rivers