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Summary

Lympstone was an important port in the middle ages, and later depended mainly on ship-building and the coastal trade for its living. Ships built here went to plymouth dockyard to be finished in more recent times. Shipbuilding came to an end in the early 19c, due to the size of boats required, the introduction of iron boat-building and the coming of the railway. Lympstone then became one of the most important fishing ports in the region until well after wwii (mitchell, burton + norton).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX98SE/182

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HARBOUR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

MITCHELL, BURTON + NORTON, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV107848.

Lympstone was an important port in the middle ages, and later depended mainly on ship-building and the coastal trade for its living. Ships built here went to plymouth dockyard to be finished in more recent times. Shipbuilding came to an end in the early 19c, due to the size of boats required, the introduction of iron boat-building and the coming of the railway. Lympstone then became one of the most important fishing ports in the region until well after wwii (mitchell, burton + norton).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV120870.

Des=mitchell, n. + burton, d. + norton, e. /in r. Smith (ed)/the lympstone story/(1995)20/in pf rf=smith, e/worksheet in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV120871.

Jackson/"exeter and the ports of the exe"/cited by smith.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV120872.

Des=exeter archaeology /archaeological assessment of proposed lympstone tidal defence scheme /(ea report no.03.70) /(december 2003).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV79.

There are references from medieval times to lympstone as a ‘creek’ within the head port of exeter. Its coastal trade survived until the 19th century, when the shallowness of the approach channel discouraged vessels of contemporary draught (exeter archaeology).

Fisher, J., 1999, East Devon Conservation Area Appraisals: Lympstone, 3-5 (Report - non-specific). SDV346718.

The present Lympstone Conservation Area comprises the early settlement connected with the port, mainly west of the railway with most development either fronting or in short terraces or alleys running towards the Strand.

Smith, R., Undated, Harbour (Worksheet). SDV359011.

There was another lympstone harbour in the c18 and c19 known as parsonage stile bay. There was a site for worthington brice's shipyard and quarry, built c.1750's. The whale blubber came in there and was processed for oil, boats for whaling were first fitted out there; 2 were built by w. Brice. Posts can be seen in the mud at this site. In 1310 a royal scribe mentions "veneston" as a part of the exe

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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