On This Day in Wembury
13 February 1991 — Where Was the Original Wembury?
On this day the Western Evening Herald printed a letter from B. Bearn of St Budeaux, Plymouth, speculating on the location of Wembury’s earliest settlement. Drawing on family connections with the parish, Bearn noted references to old names such as Knighton, Langdon, Watergate, and Wembury Mill. He suggested that the original village may have clustered by the mill near Watergate, with its proximity to the sea and natural resources. He also speculated that the south porch of St Werburgh’s Church might once have been the main entrance for an earlier community, linked by the “Carriage Drive” track from Langdon Court. Bearn invited long-time Wembury residents to confirm or challenge his ideas.
Reflection: The letter captures how Wembury’s landscape prompts curiosity about where the first settlement grew. Was the heart of the village always around the present church and manor, or did the shoreline mills and watercourses once anchor the community? Such speculation reflects enduring interest in Wembury’s origins and continuity across centuries.
Source: Western Evening Herald, 13 February 1991 (Letter to the Editor by B. Bearn, St Budeaux).
