This film is part of Free
Lynton and Lynmouth
Could these holidaymakers have imagined the violent potential of an idyllic Devon landscape?
Overview
Tourists potter around beautiful coastal scenery in Devon that would one day witness devastation. This attractive travelogue offers a valuable record of how Lynmouth looked before deadly flooding destroyed the harbour village in 1952. Seeing a stunning vista filmed from the cliffside railway, it's easy to see why romantic authors like R.D. Blackmore (of Lorna Doone fame) were inspired by this rugged corner of Exmoor.
A favourite spot of the painter Gainsborough and the poet Wordsworth, this was long considered a special area in the British creative imagination. But only when a funicular railway was built in 1890 between Lynton and Lynmouth did it take off as a holiday destination. With its succession of masterfully composed shots of the local geography - including Castle Rock and Doone Valley - this visual showcase still makes a compelling case to book a visit. The 1952 floods are the subject of Lynmouth - A One Time Beauty Spot (1952) and Lynmouth Floods' Anniversary (1977), both also available on BFI Player.
Related
View from an Engine Front - Barnstaple View from an Engine Front - Barnstaple
Non-Fiction 1898 2 mins Silent Location: Barnstaple
A 'phantom ride' along a fondly remembered Devon railway, crossing the distinctive Taw Bridge into Barnstaple on the way to Ilfracombe
Panorama of the River Avon to Portishead (1902) Panorama of the River Avon to Portishead (1902)
Non-Fiction 1902 9 mins Silent Location: Portishead
A fine variety of views of the Avon gorge taken from various positions downstream from the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Plymouth's Pram Derby 1923 Plymouth's Pram Derby 1923
Non-Fiction 1923 3 mins Silent Location: Plymouth
Get that Kruschen Feeling! Pram race to fundraise for the Palace Theatre
Coves & Caves Coves & Caves
Travelogue 1920 12 mins Silent Location: Porth
Eden before the Project: a magical, whimsical travelogue of Cornish beauty spots.
Where the Cheese Comes From Where the Cheese Comes From
Travelogue 1926 12 mins Silent Location: Glastonbury
Blessed are the cheesemakers of Somerset in this tour of Cheddar and nearby Glastonbury.
Barnstaple Fair in the 1920s Barnstaple Fair in the 1920s
Amateur film 1926 5 mins Silent Location: Barnstaple
Join the crowds in Barnstaple for fairground attractions
Lynton and Lynmouth Holiday Lynton and Lynmouth Holiday
Home movie 1935 10 mins Silent Location: Lynton
Political uncertainty at home and abroad roots holidays at home.
John Doyle in Lynton and Lynmouth John Doyle in Lynton and Lynmouth
News 1971 5 mins Location: Lynton
John Doyle is in this special report on the summer season and arrives in Lynton and Lynmouth.
The Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Valley Railway The Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Valley Railway
News 1966 5 mins Location: Lynton
Victorian lift offers water-powered ups and downs.
The Lynton Light Railway The Lynton Light Railway
Amateur film 1935 5 mins Silent Location: Lynton
A trip from Exeter to see the Lynton Light Railway in the year of its closure
Lynmouth Floods' Anniversary Lynmouth Floods' Anniversary
Current affairs 1977 5 mins Location: Lynton
The 25th Anniversary of the Lynton and Lynmouth Flood
British Deaf Association Summer School, Exeter (1957) British Deaf Association Summer School, Exeter (1957)
Non-Governmental Organisations sponsored film 1957 25 mins Silent Location: Exeter
A trip up Lynton & Lynmouth’s stunning water-powered railway is one of the highlights the British Deaf Association’s trip to Exeter in the 1950s.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.