. The North Devon coast. scanty remains of that littleoratory and lighthouse combined were to befound, some years since, but they have now dis-appeared. The chapel measured fourteen feet sixinches, by twelve feet. Neighbouring farmersrequisitioned its stones so freely that what wasleft, even a century ago, was little more than aground-plan. The existing lighthouse looks like the designof some one who set out to build an ordinary,four-square dwelling, and then conceived the ideaof placing a tower on its roof ; and this tower, BRAUNTON LIGHTHOUSE 153 tapering towards the lantern and carefully hu
. The North Devon coast. scanty remains of that littleoratory and lighthouse combined were to befound, some years since, but they have now dis-appeared. The chapel measured fourteen feet sixinches, by twelve feet. Neighbouring farmersrequisitioned its stones so freely that what wasleft, even a century ago, was little more than aground-plan. The existing lighthouse looks like the designof some one who set out to build an ordinary,four-square dwelling, and then conceived the ideaof placing a tower on its roof ; and this tower, BRAUNTON LIGHTHOUSE 153 tapering towards the lantern and carefully hungwith slates, is strongly shored up with metal-sheathed timbers, lest the stormy winds that blowpretty constantly in winter overturn it. Thelighthouse-man, who spends his summer daysgasping for air on the shady side, holds the infre-quent stranger in converse as long as possible,and does not appear altogether contented with hisexistence on a spot where, he says, you cannotbear to sit down on the sands in summer, for the. BRAUNTON LIGHTHOUSE. heat, which is strong enough to almost scorchyour breeks, to say nothing of your person, andin winter dare hardly put your nose out o doors,on account of the cold. He will illustrate for youthe especial dangers of this point, against whichthe lighthouse is placed here to guard, and willexplain that, on account of the shifting, sandybar of the river, there are two lights provided :the fixed one on his tower, and another, low down,on a movable white- and black-striped box on is moved backwards and forwards, according 20 154 THE NORTH DEVON COAST to the movement of the bar, so that ships entermgthe river and keeping their course safely, shallget the two lights aligned. The way between Braunton and the approachto Barnstaple, at Pilton, is uninteresting. Theroad runs for the most part out of sight of theriver and the sea. Only one thing attracts thewayfarers attention ; and that for its singularity,rather than for any intrinsic beaut
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectdevonen, bookyear1908
