On This Day in Wembury — 19 June 1868
A serious blaze broke out in a barn at Langdon Farm, Wembury. The fire consumed around 100 bags of grain along with agricultural implements, causing damage estimated at £250. Thanks to the combined efforts of the local fire brigade and a fatigue party of the Devon Light Horse, the neighbouring buildings were saved from destruction.
It is sobering to think how easily more of Langdon could have been lost. Barn fires were the terror of every farmer, for once the straw and grain caught alight the flames could spread faster than men with buckets could control. In this case, quick action and a stroke of luck meant the wider estate survived — but the incident reminds us how precarious rural livelihoods once were.
Source: North Devon Journal, 26 June 1868 (reporting fire on 19 June 1868).