There is more
to Coleford
than meets the eye.
Winding lanes. Old thatch. A stream beneath the crossing. And remarkable stories hidden among the everyday things of a Devon village.
Coleford village photograph: Hugh Craddock / Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0
50.8° NMid Devon
Welcome to Coleford, Devon
Not the famous Coleford.
Ours is a little more tucked away.
Between Crediton, Copplestone and Bow, the hamlet of Coleford sits in a landscape of old farms, high hedges and winding roads. The village has never needed to be large to have an extraordinary past.
Discover the history
A village full
of small surprises.
You can pass through the crossroads in moments. Its characters and unexpected incidents deserve remembering.
Captain of the New Inn
A male parrot with a place in the village's recollections. Not all history comes from official documents.
Meet Captain 02 1901–1998The woman behind the inn
Mabel Lee's long association with Coleford's New Inn reflects a lifetime of work and community.
Meet Mabel 03 THE RAILWAY YEARSThe constable's difficult night
In 1853 a disturbance involving railway workers became a case for the courts.
The curious incident
Look beyond
the thatched roofs.
At the centre of Coleford, buildings have changed their purpose without losing their place in the village. A farmhouse was once an inn. A working forge served travellers and local farmers. The New Inn has welcomed generations.
A few clues are still there for anyone who cares to look.
Meet the old buildingsOld stories, living places.
A village, not a museum
Still rooted in
the countryside.
Coleford remains part of a working rural landscape. The hedges, small roads, fields and surrounding parish are as important to its character as the oldest stones at the crossroads.
For those who want the whole story
We have only opened
the first page.
Our village introductions draw on research undertaken for Colebrooke Parish — Volume I and Colebrooke Parish Stories. The fuller histories, maps, sources and surprising details belong in the books.
In preparation Colebrooke Parish — Volume II — the people behind the places. A first look
Discover the booksA village heritage guide
Six glimpses of Coleford's past.
From the flood-damaged crossroads and former Ship Inn to the old smithy and the New Inn, discover how familiar village landmarks acquired their stories. The guide is designed to be explored online; it does not imply access to private properties.
Explore Coleford's heritage guide
For the wider parish, browse historic places A–Z on Colebrooke.org ↗.
Find your way here
Come looking for
Coleford in Devon.
This is Coleford in the parish of Colebrooke, close to Crediton, Copplestone and Bow. If you have found the more famous Coleford in Gloucestershire, you have wandered a little too far north.
How to find Coleford