THE WOODS OF OLD MILL CREEK
Of necessity, an incomplete story.........................
John Aylett is an archeology graduate and currently working as a postman in Dartmouth. He starts the story with the opinion that there are possible Saxon remains in the area and other items of more recent vintage.
The written tale comes from a number of sources some of which require a bit of interpretation. Percy Russell wrote a modern history of the town and area, ‘Dartmouth’ first published in 1950. On page 148 (of the hardback version) he introduces the Seale family (1724) who had acquired Mount Boone, a large house alongside the current road of the same name. The first John Seale enlarged the estate to include the Old Mill Creek area and round to Combe Mud (now Coronation Park).
This John Seale was succeeded by his third son, another John (1753 - 1824) who again made major changes to the by now extensive estates. He was responsible for the sham castle (1790) at Old Mill Creek (now called Hermitage Castle), the Hermitage itself which is further into the woods and an elaborate entrance to a walk through the woods, just above Sandquay. He was also responsible for the building of the turreted archway and lodge with a bridge (removed around 20 years ago). The lodge is now called Archway Cottage, and was one of three on the two main routes into Mount Boone. Ray Freeman, John Aylett and others have also done some investigation of the subsequent use of the Old Mill Creek woods which by the early part of the 19th Century had been developed into pleasure gardens for the benefit of the people of Dartmouth.
One description of the area by an old lady remembering her own young days (and not always accurately), quotes a walk a mile long and sixty feet wide between seats on each side. She describes the Hermitage without much detail but does recollect the formal entrance above Sandquay. The Hermitage had a lawn it seems, but the rest of the description tallies more with the immediate area of ‘Hermitage Castle’ which was known to have a statue on a lawn. She also describes peacocks by a rivulet and - by inference - a small waterfall. Those aspects are still visible and have recently been partially restored with some help from Young Officers from BRNC, as well as finance and work commissioned by the Estuary Officer (Mr. Ray Humphrys).
Another description comes from the Rev. John Swete who travelled Devon between 1789 and 1800. Again a description of the Hermitage which seems to be of rather basic construction which does not tally with the stonework still visible now. It could have improved later of course. The ‘fortified Tower’ that he describes (Hermitage Castle) is said to have a ‘bathing house beneath’. The tower itself has an engraved date of 1790 which - together with Mr. Swete’s travelogue, indicates that the pleasure gardens were constructed before the end of the 18th Century. Archway Cottage is said to have built at the same time as the ‘Hermitage Castle’ and has the Seale family badge on its archway.
One other element of the walk through the pleasure gardens was a grotto which corresponds to caves in the area of the present gas mask test chamber in BRNC property. It was first marked on an 1812 map. As already mentioned some work has gone into restoring the Hermitage Castle and a nearby area containing the rivulet and waterfall. Modern growth of fir trees have also been removed as a start to recreating the lawns outside the Hermitage and the Hermitage Castle. The well for the Hermitage is also still visible though blocked at present. Some parts of the pathways are currently being made safer.
Although the prospect of public access to a path through BRNC property seems unlikely, a circular walk can be envisaged from the newly constructed car park at the woods entrance towards the bottom of Old Mill Lane. It would be highly desirable - if still somewhat difficult - to include the Grotto in that route. It is inside the BRNC boundary fence but outside the security perimeter. At some future date a compromise solution might be possible.
Incidently - the 1812 map also shows a new Graving Dock built in a position corresponding almost exactly to the position of the VTMS proposed new dock. Is planning permission really necessary...............!