Liming and Mining

Joe Moon's Cave

The best quality lime was probably brought from Wales, but lime was almost certainly taken from the cut's and gully's in Hele beach. 

There is a large gully running from the beach up Hillsborough, at least 100 metres long, and at it's head are some curious caves that have clearly been man-made because 'columns' of unworked material have been left, here and there, to hold up the roof.

The caves were most likely worked for lime but may have been worked for silver-lead - this was certainly mined in Combe Martin in C13th and most likely during the Roman occupation.  

There is a similar gully below the former Coastguard cottages at Rillage Point which has been quarried, and there is a path down to some caves on the beach which may also have been mined. There is also a tradition that the caves were used by smugglers.

Volunteer Artillery Battery

A volunteer battery was established on Hillsborough c1878. By 1885 there was a 'modern gun and mortar' in position. By 1904 the two 64 pounder guns were obsolete and were replaced by breech-loading 64 pounders in 1905. The Council offered 4 guineas for the old guns, but it is not known whether they bought them or where they are now.

The 1905 guns were dismantled c1915 so that Ilfracombe could not be classed as a 'fortified town'. Parts of the guns can be seen on the beach below (some fell into Beach Road!) as can a former traversing platform which has eroded into the sea. 

Coal & Tourism

The sailing ketch 'Salina Mary' and the Clyde puffer the 'Snowflake', both unloaded coal at Hele from 1905 until the 1930's when Hele was beginning to rely upon tourism.