On This Day in Wembury – 15 February 1905
An auction was held at Langdon Court Estate for the sale of timber in the parish of Wembury. The catalogue listed five oak, forty five elm, seventeen beech, and three ash trees, all described as prime lots of timber and conveniently situated for removal. Timber merchants, wheelwrights and other tradesmen were invited to bid.
Arrangements for viewing were made through Mr W J Sherwill of Knighton Farm, Plymstock, either on the day of sale or by appointment. The auction itself commenced at half past one in the afternoon at Langdon Court, overseen by Mr J Kempthorne.
Reflection
This event highlights the continuing economic importance of timber to the local community. Oak, elm and beech had many uses, from shipbuilding and furniture to carts and wheelwrights’ work. Sales such as this remind us that the great estates of Wembury were not only centres of farming but also of forestry and natural resource management. In an age before mass imports of timber, these local auctions supplied craftsmen and industries across Devon.
