. The North Devon coast. g mariner, Lantern Hill. Whosecare it was, thus to befriend the sailor, we are nottold ; but, from the old-time readiness of theChurch to perform such-like good deeds, and fromthe undoubted fact that the building on the hilltopwas once a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, itwould seem that those who tended the light wereno mere secular lighthouse men. Whatever may have been the character of theold chapel in past ages, the interior is no longer ofany interest, disclosing only a plain whitewashedroom. The time-worn exterior, partly overgrownwith ivy, and the lantern, crow
. The North Devon coast. g mariner, Lantern Hill. Whosecare it was, thus to befriend the sailor, we are nottold ; but, from the old-time readiness of theChurch to perform such-like good deeds, and fromthe undoubted fact that the building on the hilltopwas once a chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas, itwould seem that those who tended the light wereno mere secular lighthouse men. Whatever may have been the character of theold chapel in past ages, the interior is no longer ofany interest, disclosing only a plain whitewashedroom. The time-worn exterior, partly overgrownwith ivy, and the lantern, crowned with a fish forweather-vane, afford more satisfaction. A light MODERN COMBE 89 is still shown at nights, from the end of Septemberuntil the beginning of May. The harbour, long, like Ilfracombe in general,the manorial property of the Bourchiers, Earls ofBath, in succession to the Champernownes, Bon-villes, Nevilles, and others, and then of theBourchier Wreys, now belongs, together withLantern Hill, to the IN THE HARBOUR, ILFRACOMBE. Now let us turn to a consideration of Ilfracombeto-day. People with a passion for comparisonsand parallels—dear, good people who would tracea family likeness between an elephant and adromedary—seek in conversation to find pointsof resemblance between Ilfracombe and (say)Torquay, Hastings, Brighton ; half-a-dozen otherseaside resorts. They are mostly amateurs at theart of discovering likenesses where they do notexist, and may be excused. But there have been 12 90 THE NORTH DEVON COAST those who in cold print have instituted resem-blances. For these there is no excuse, acceptance,or encouragement. Ilfracombe is—just Ilfra-combe, and not only does Ilfracombe insist uponits own individuality and declares I am I, butevery other among the half-dozen naturally de-mands the like justice. The nearest parallel is, of course, to be foundin this same county of Devon ; but that is suffi-ciently remote, geographically, and in most otherways
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