Adventure and adventurers > Black's guide to the counties of Dorset, Devon, & Cornwall

192
EXETER TO WELLINGTON.
in Devonshire, that certain bye-ways were called Speke’s Paths
as being reserved for him and his people to. travel by, but nc
others.
At some distance to the left lies Kjllerton (Sir T. Dyke
Acland, Bart.), its spacious mansion pleasantly girt about with
patriarchal trees. Soon afterwards we sweep across the high
road and the sparkling Culm into HELE, 8£ miles, by rail, from
Exeter—a settlement which almost wholly consists of one large
paper manufactory. Far away to the north-east lies PLYMTBEE
(population, 468), a pretty Devonshire village, surrounded by
fat meadows and fertile plains. In the west front of the tower
of its perpendicular Church statues of the Virgin and Infant
Jesus occupy an elaborately-wrought niche. The reredos is good,
and the font ancient.
Following very closely the line of the Culm we pass, one mile
left, the large village of BRADNINCH (population, 1834). At
the rectory, now known as Bradninch House (G. Pearse, Esq.),
Charles L passed several nights in 1644, and the bedstead
whereon the honoured guest reposed is still preserved. The
Church is of 'composite architecture—Early English and late
Perpendicular—the north aisle having been erected, temp. Henry
VII., by the Guild of Cordwainers. Remark the curious painting
of the Crucifixion, and the elaborate screen dating from 1528.
About 2 miles farther we reach CULLOMPTON (already
described, see p. 171), and soon discern against the eastern sky the
lofty elevation of the Black Downs. Through a fair rich valley,
studded with farms and hamlets—Bradfield Hall (T. Walrond,
Esq.), a fine Elizabethan house, picturesque in the extreme, with
its gabled roof and mullioned windows, lying about one mile right,
and Hillersdown House (W. C. Grant, Esq.) on the left—we rim
into the Tiverton Junction Station, whence a short branch
(5 miles) diverges, left, to TIVERTON (see Branch Route).
2 miles east, on the Culm, lies UFFCULME (population, 2098),
a village worth a visit, .on account of its goodly church and pas¬
toral scenery. 2£ miles west, upon the Grand Western Canal
which connects Tiverton with Taunton, stands Halberton
(population, 1745), whose church is hoary with age, and replete
with interest. The Early English Church of SAMPFORD