Chambercombe Manor is tucked away in a quiet corner of North Devon. It's at the top of a small valley leading up from Hele Bay, accessible if you follow the side roads up the hill. If you're not looking for it you're going to miss it. I like these off the beaten track places.
Apparently, it's one of the most haunted houses in Britain. The most famous story associated with Chambercombe dates back to the 1800's when a tenant was working on the outside of the building and noticed a window that he could not account for. His wife located a lost room by knocking on the walls, and discovered that there was another room in the house they didn't know about. When the room was opened up, amidst the dust and cobwebs they found a four-poster bed, and upon the bed lay the skeletal remains of a woman.
I would have loved to have explored the house, apparently you can go inside and see the secret room, but due to covid restrictions there wasn't that option.
We stayed in an apartment adjoining the main house for a few days, so had plenty of chance to enjoy the surrounds, and the extensive gardens that surround the house. Taking the back road there was a lovely walk down a pathway lined with ancient hedgerows, giving a real sense of history. This led to a local pub, a micro-brewery and the wonderful Hele Bay, so all was well with the world for a while...
Did I see any ghosts? Not this time, I did see a bat hanging around, having a rest in the morning sunshine. Bats have a reputation for spookiness don't they?
