Chudley - The Great Fire of Chudleigh

The Great Fire of Chudleigh

The weather conditions in Devon in the year 1807 have been described as a drought. Weeks without rain left many people short of water and had farmers worrying about their crops. There was a bakery in Culver Street (now New Exeter Street) and around noon on May 22, a small fire broke out in pile of furze that was stacked near the ovens.

Later reports state that the staff in the bakery seemed unaware of the danger this posed, but the fire, fed by the exceptionally dry fuel, exploded. In the shortest time imaginable, the fire had spread to the roof of the bakery (thatched, as was the roofing on 90% of the houses in Chudleigh at the time) and huge hunks of burning reed and straw were swept aloft by a rapidly growing north-easterly wind.

After the fire, only the church and seven houses were left standing.