DESCRIPTION OF APPLEDORE IN 1738

Taken from Cox's "DEVONSHIRE" published in 1738:

(The original spelling has been retained)

"Appledore or Apledore is the next adjoining town to Northam, called by the Saxons "Apletreo"; a place well inhabited, situate upon the mouth of two notable rivers - the Towridge and the Taw, and the first harbour for ships within the bar.

In this place it was that Hubba the Dane, having wasted South Wales with fire and sword, landed in the days of King Alfred with 33 sail of ships, and laid siege to the castle of Kenwith, now called Hennaborough. The Devonshire men bravely opposed their ravagers, and having slain Hubba, their general who lies buried at Hublestone, and many of his followers, obliged them to fly to their ships and make their escape, not withstanding their invincible Standard called Reafan, to which they so much trusted for Victory; but the English took it and utterly defeated them.

The Towridge and Taw are the only rivers of note in this part of the country. The Towridge making many windings, encompasseth a great part of the Midland, which in its course we shall survey. It rises out of the mountains near Woulesworthy (Woolfardisworthy) as doth also the Tamar, and having passed in a long current, receives the River Ock or Ockemont on which stands Okehampton."

Painted from across the River Torridge at Instow in 1798.