The Gateway Region
Whether by sea or land our region was part of the historical trade highway. At sea, early boats and later ships travelled along our coast; they were trading locally and along the whole of western Britain and down the Atlantic façade of Europe, to Brittany and further down to the Cadiz area of Spain and along the Mediterranean.
Early hunter-gatherers had visited our area, since Mesolithic times, probably walking up what is today our shoreline, as sea levels were initially much lower that today following the end of the last Ice Age. Another quirk of the Ice Age is that the land at Bude rose up as the ice compressed the land further north. Bude then, and until the sixteenth century, had a large estuary, offering a haven to stressed mariners. (See digitally altered image and the estuary would be deeper than appears here.)
(The image also shows the outline of a millpond driving the mill at the corn mill in the mid sixteenth century. This had the effect of accelerating the silting of the estuary.)
Along the coast were numerous small cliff-castles or forts that, among other things, may have facilitated passage and trading.
Around eight thousand years ago, Britain became separated from the Continent and as the climate improved a coastline similar to that of modern times prevailed. The early people then probably used small boats, something like the Irish Currach to travel along our coastline. Their progress aided all along our coastline by the effects of the tidal flow into and out of the Bristol Channel (See Image below). In time, it is probably that the Phoenicians with their larger boast joined the trade. Following recent studies, it is becoming clear that Tintagel played a major part in this trade.
Land travel from eastern England was more complicated. Dartmoor was a wild inhospitable barrier to all travellers, friend or foe. A route to the south of Dartmoor was also difficult as there was ultimately the barrier formed by the river Tamar. The obvious land route was to the north of Dartmoor, eventually crossing the Tamar probably around what is now Bridgerule and then trekking through the undulating landscape to the central watershed near Week St. Mary. The route then followed the watershed southward bypassing the other obstacle, Bodmin Moor. Because of the numerous incised valleys along the coastline, a coastal pathway was impractical. Incidentally, both Moors were then much bigger that they are today as modern farming has tamed much of the peripheral land.
The spinal watershed extends into North Devon, and this provided a route into North Devon and Cornwall from Wales and Ireland, once landfall had been made at one of the estuaries. And so, throughout early history, this would be the most convenient route for most travellers, and villages such as Kilkhampton and Stratton were eventually built along this route. But, it should be noted that most trade and travel was by sea at these early times.
Recent studies are suggesting that there were Roman roads heading towards Week Saint Mary or Stratton; certainly, keeping to the north of Bodmin Moor. And, a second route may have entered near Launceston, heading to the east of Bodmin Moor – the latter would still have to negotiate a lot of valleys that issue off the Moors.
We know that there was a Romano-British metal working facility at Duckpool, just to the north of Bude, probably serving the needs of the early settlement at Kilkhamton. It is almost certain that there would have been similar trade using the estuary at Bude and serving the local community. Unfortunately, silting of the estuary, farming and modern developments have destroyed much of the evidence.
Around Week Saint Mary and locally to Stratton, there are remains of early “Holloways” (sunken tracks) and Packhorse Routes, and this is further confirmed by occasional Roman “mileposts or route markers” along the northern fringes of the Moor; probably leading to a Roman centre at Nanstallon near Lanivet, Cornwall.
The Normans eventually built a bridge crossing the Tamar at Polston Bridge near Launceston, then more correctly St Stephens, as Launceston did not exist until Count Robert de Mortain built the castle there. This new route became known as the Royal Cornish Way. Here we should record that early church records, found in Claremont Auvergne, suggest that King Geraint of Dumnonia, who ruled our region during the early eight century, may have held his Court there.
A little footnote here cites a peculiar custom of history where the Lords of Cardinham were held to the service of meeting Count Robert of Mortain at his entry at Polson Bridge and to follow his train bearing a riding cloak for 40 days, or as long as he should tarry in his County. The Earl at that time owned much of Cornwall. This custom still holds today should the Duke of Cornwall enter the County – presumably, only if he enters by Polson Bridge?