THE LORNA DOONE LEGEND AND OARE
The terrifying and lawless Doone family of R.D. Blackmore's Lorna Doone were based by the author on a gang of Scottish outlaws who arrived on Exmoor in the early 17th century, took refuge in Lank Combe, a remote valley of the moor, and proceeded to rob, torment and murder the locals. So brutal were their deeds that, when he came to write his novel in the 1860s, Blackmore had no trouble digging up grisly tales that had remained in family folklore on Exmoor for almost 250 years.
Richard Doddridge Blackmore took the lively tradition of the presence of a band of outlaws (the Doones) on Exmoor and with this has written one of the best-selling romances in modem literature. His grandfather, John Blackmore, was Rector of Oare from 1809 to 1842, riding across the moors to give the people of Oare a service every other Sunday. R. D. Blackmore was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton from 1837 to 1843. He wrote poetry and fourteen novels, but none met with the success of Lorna Doone.
Richard Blackmore would have had access to Oare parish records, and Sir Atholl Oakeley had published a fascinating booklet tracing the pedigree of the Doones, and on the cover is a picture that he says is a copy of the famous picture of Lorna Doone, painted by W. Wontner, RA, eighteen years before the publication of the book Lorna Doone. The story Blackmore wrote is set in the days of the Monmouth Rebellion, and there was some evidence to suggest that in the early seventeenth century a number of marauders did settle on Exmoor, maintaining themselves by raiding farms on the edge of the forest and also by highway robbery. They abducted women and children from farms and villages and committed some horrible murders. There was an uprising against them and they were driven from Exmoor. There are also records that Dounes, or Doones, did come to Exmoor in the seventeenth century after being forced to leave Scotland.
The old rhyme, the origin of which was said to be a brutal murder of a child by the Doones, goes: Child, if they ask who killed thee, Say it was the Doones of Badgworthy.
Lorna Doone was portrayed as a beautiful tragic woman, who fell in love with John Ridd, a yeoman farmer living at Plover's Barrow, a house long since demolished, on the opposite hillside to the Church. This is the only place from which young Annie Ridd could have seen her father's funeral taking place. There is no grave in the churchyard for Lorna, and indeed as a Catholic she would not have been buried in Oare churchyard.
To reconstruct the shooting scene in Lorna Doone, there are certain points about the building which should be remembered. At the end of the seventeenth century, where Blackmore's imagination placed it in time, the church ended where the screen is now. Blackmore visualised the shooting as done through one of the single-light windows which still remain at the sides of the inner (or old) chancel west of the screen. There must also have been a screen where the pulpit is now. The box pews were not yet in the nave, which was still seated with open benches like those of Culbone. The wagon roofs had their ribs and bosses, some of which are preserved under the chancel arch.
Maybe the full truth, history versus fiction, will never be known, but to this day thousands of visitors come to enjoy the beauty of the scenery which is unsurpassed anywhere, and to link places with the names in Blackmore's book. The Church is the focal point as this is where Carver Doone is said to have shot Lorna and, as already mentioned, Blackmore visualised the shooting through one of the single-light windows. But it is more likely that it would have taken place from the back of the Church, the west end, which would have been open to the public in those days.
Because of the story of Lorna Doone thousands of people have now heard of Oare Church and visit it They also visit Malmsmead with the beautiful bridge and the Loma Doone Farm, passing Parsonage Farm, part of the Glebe of the old Rectory. From Malmsmead with its bridge and ford, it is possible to walk up to the Doone Valley, along the river bank and past another memorial to R. D. Blackmore. For the really intrepid walkers it is worth paying a visit to Lank Combe and further to Hoccombe with its ruins.
Blackmore used places and names familiar to him, but altered spelling and distances, and he would have been able to use the records to help him with his story. There were certainly two Nicholas Snows and there is a memorial in the Church to one. A John Ridd was churchwarden at Oare as recently as 1914 to 1925, and his grandson, David Richards, still holds this office in 2000.
Lorna Doone is the most famous and celebrated of R.D. Blackmore's historical romances which were written after he came unexpectedly into a fortune and took up writing and gardening. It is set in late 17th century Exmoor in Badgworthy Valley (now commonly known as 'Doone Valley') where many Blackmore landscapes can still be found.
Lorna Doone the book
The story is one of romance in the gloomy countryside of Devon where a family of outlaws, the Doones, begin to plague the land. Young John Ridd, the hero of the yarn, is only twelve when the book opens and grows up with the threat of the Doones who have begun to burn farms, attack men and carry off women.
At fourteen, John explores the Bagworthy waters, and comes to a black whirlpool, and whilst spearing fish is almost swept away. In these unlikely surroundings he meets a little girl with beautiful dark eyes and a primrose in her hair. It is Lorna Doone, who is cruelly treated by her family. John grows up to be a man of great stature and power and falls in love with Lorna who he must save from the Doones and nature itself in a fierce blizzard. It is a near-tragic romance that includes certain historical figures, including Judge Jeffreys of Bloody Assizes infamy and the Doones themselves who are based on actual historical personages.
Lorna Doone BBC TV Production
Lorna Donne written by Richard
Blackmore
Lorna Doone is the most famous and celebrated
of R.D. Blackmore's historical romances which were written after he came
unexpectedly into a fortune and took up writing and gardening.
Lorna Doone statue
It is set
in late 17th century Exmoor in Badgworthy
Valley (now commonly known
as 'Doone Valley') where many Blackmore landscapes can still be found.
The story is one of romance in the gloomy countryside of Devon in the
South West of England where a family of outlaws, the Doones, begin to
plague the land. Young John Ridd, the hero of the yarn, is only twelve
when the book opens and grows up with the threat of the Doones who have
begun to burn farms, attack men and carry off women. At fourteen, John
explores the Bagworthy waters, and comes to a black whirlpool while spearing
fish and is almost swept away. In these unlikely surroundings he meets
a little girl with beautiful dark eyes and a primrose in her hair. It
is Lorna Doone, who is cruelly treated by her family. John grows up to
be a man of great stature and power and falls in love with Lorna who
he must save from the Doones and nature itself in a fierce blizzard.
It is a near-tragic romance that includes certain historical figures,
including Judge Jeffreys of Bloody Assizes infamy and the Doones themselves
who are based on actual historical personages.
Lorna Doone statue
THE ORIGINS OF THE DOONES OF EXMOOR
The family of Stewarts, now extinct, came from Scotland. In 1563 Sir James Stuart was created the first Earl of Moray. He married Agnes Keith on the 10th February , 1561 and had three daught ers, and one of these, Elizabeth married into the Doune family in 1580 when she married Sir James Stewart, Lord Doune. The records show he had a brother, Ensor. Ensor had a son, named Ensor also and James I created this son a baronet and he changed his name to Doune. He went to London to see the King, who wasn't interested, so Ensor proceeded on to Exmoor, and ended up in a ruined farmhouse near Oareford. As Warren farm was not then built, this would have been the farmhouse at Hoccombe in the Badgeworthy settlement built 500 years before. Sir Ensor saw that Lank Combe, a valley in the Bagworthy Forest encased by mountainous hills over 300 feet high on each side, together with overgrown and easily defended entrances at each end and Bagworthy Water flowing out of it was an ideal place to build houses.
There is also a pistol marked C. DOONE on one side and PORLOK on the other, and a portrait of Sir Ensor Doone, 1679 as proof of this. Sir Ensor died in 1684, being buried in Hoccombe, and was succeeded by his son Charles Doune, the Carver Doone of the book. It seems indisputable as to who the Doones really were.
THE DOONE VALLEY
One of the most memorable parts of the book must be the famous Waterslide
1. There is no Waterslide out of Hoccombe.
2. The Badgeworthy Water did not and does not run out of Hoccombe.
3. It did not run out of Lank Combe.
4. Measured on an altimeter no hill in Hoccombe reaches 300 feet above the valley as do the side hills in Lank Combe. In Hoccombe the Seven Rooks' nests would be invisible from the hill above Oare House because of a fifty foot contour obscuring them.
In the official guide book of the Lynton Urban District Council many years ago there was an interesting advert for the Lynton Four in Hand Stage Coach which states that the coach, which went from Lynton to Malmesmead would leave daily at 11 a.m arriving back at 5 p.m, allowing three hours to visit the Doone Valley. No coach can reach the Doone Valley, so much walking is envisaged.
The booklet produced by Sir Atholl Oakeley reproduces about 8 photographs in support of much of the above. There are firstly a couple of Lynmouth as it was, before the disastrous flood of 1952, and one after it had been wrecked by a forty foot high wave. In the early part of the century quite large sailing ships used to enter and moor up in the harbour and, in the seventeenth century, John Ridd would no doubt have bought the spy-glass through which he saw the seven rooks' nests.
There is a photo of Malmsmead where Farmer Snow lived, and this was renamed Lorna Doone Farm at the beginning of the century. Oakeley stayed here in 1920 for 4/6 bed/breakfast and an extra charge of 1/6 for a four course farmhouse dinner. The Western section is 1,000 years old. There are also photos of
1. The Grass Sward at the top of the Lank Combe Waterslide where the 14 year old John Ridd met the 9 year old Lorna on St. Valentines Day, 1675.
2. The Lank Combe Waterslide running out of Lank Come. It is easy to ascend in summer time, but in winter there is a considerable volume of water.
3. The site of the Doone Gate. R.D. Blacmore the author is obviously referring to it as a Gateway to the Doone Valley, one of three entrances.
4. The remains of Carver's house which bridged the stream through the Doone Valley. This was the largest of the Doone houses, which were all burned and thrown into the stream.
OARE CHURCH
It is important to remember that Oare Church in the seventeenth century bore little resemblance to what is is today. The eastern section was non-existant, there was no tower. The western end, where the tower now stands, was open to the public was from where Carver Doone shot Lorna. Blackmore states that it was here 300 years ago that Lorna married John Ridd.
JOHN RIDD
This part is about wrestling !! John Ridd was one. There was a match at Bodmin between J.Ridd (Holder) Champion of Devon and the Challenger A. Page, Champion of Cornwall. This must be the match Blackmore describes in the book. Tony Page was a giant of thirty-seven stone and was seven feet eight inches tall Sir Atholl was a wrestler and knew of Kurt Zehe, 50 stones and 8 feet 4 inches. John Ridd carried sheep, one under each arm in the snow.
Summary of Lorna Doone Story
Lorna Doone is the most famous and celebrated of R.D. Blackmore's historical romances which were written after he came unexpectedly into a fortune and took up writing and gardening.
Learn more of Richard
Blackmore
The book is set in the 17th century in the region of Exmoor in Devon, England. John (or Jan) Ridd is the son of a respectable farmer who was murdered in cold blood by a member of the notorious Doone clan, a once-noble family now living in the isolated Doone Valley. Battling his desire for revenge, John also grows into a respectable farmer and continues to take good care of his mother and two sisters. He falls hopelessly in love with Lorna, a girl he meets quite by accident, who turns out to be not only the granddaughter of Sir Ensor Doone (lord of the Doones), but destined to marry (against her will) the impetuous, menacing, and now jealous heir of the Doone Valley, Carver Doone. Carver will let nothing get in the way of his marriage to Lorna, which he plans to force upon her once Sir Ensor dies and he comes into his inheritance.
Sir Ensor dies, and Carver becomes lord of the Doones. John Ridd helps Lorna escape to his family's farm. Since Lorna is a member of the hated Doone clan, feelings are mixed toward her in the Ridd household, but she is nonetheless defended against the enraged Carver's retaliatory attack on the farm. A member of the Ridd household notices Lorna's necklace, a jewel that she was told by Sir Ensor belonged to her mother. Further investigation reveals the necklace belonged to a Lady Dugal, who was robbed and murdered in her carriage by a band of outlaws. Only her daughter had survived the attack. Evidently being the long lost girl in question, it becomes apparent that Lorna is in fact heiress to one of the largest fortunes in the country. She is required by law, but against her will, to return to London to become a ward of the King. Despite John and Lorna's love for one another, their marriage is out of the question.
King Charles II dies, and the Duke of Monmouth (the late King's illegitimate son) challenges Charles's brother James for the throne. The Doones, abandoning their plan to marry Lorna to Carver and claim her wealth, side with Monmouth in the hope of reclaiming their ancestral lands for their services. However, Monmouth is defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor, and all his associates are sought for treason. John Ridd is captured during the revolution. Innocent of all charges, he is taken to London by an old friend to clear his name. There, he is reunited with Lorna Doone (now Lorna Dugal), whose love for him has not diminished. When he thwarts an attack on the patriarch of Lorna's new family, John is granted a pardon and a title by the King and returns a free man to Exmoor.
In the meantime, the surrounding communities have grown tired of the Doones and their depredations. Knowing the Doones better than any other man, John leads the attack on their land. Most of the Doone men are killed, but Carver Doone escapes, vowing revenge. After Lorna is granted her freedom to return to Exmoor and marry John, Carver bursts into the church during their wedding. He shoots Lorna and flees. Distraught and filled with blinding rage, John pursues and confronts Carver. A struggle ensues in which Carver is left sinking in a mire. Against his better judgement, John attempts to save Carver, but his help is rejected, and Carver dies. John returns to discover that Lorna is not dead, and after a period of anxious uncertainty, she survives.
Some interesting ideas
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One of the inspirations behind the plot is said to be the shooting of a young woman at a church in Chagford, Devon, in the 17th century. Unlike Lorna, she did not survive, but she is commemorated in the church
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Lorna Doone was written by Blackmore to emulate the style of speech of the 17th century
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The novel has inspired at least ten movies and miniseries
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Named after the book or its title character, Lorna Doone is also the name of a shortbread cookie made by Nabisco
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A Marvel comic book character, Lorna Dane of X-Men, may have been named after the title character as well
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Lorna Doone was said to be the favourite book of Australian bushranger and outlaw Ned Kelly, who may have thought of the idea of his armour by reading of the outlaw Doones 'with iron plates on breast and head.' (Ian Jones, Ned Kelly: A Short Life, p 212.)
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Lorna Doone is used as cockney slang to mean something like missing
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Blackmore is reputed to have invented the name Lorna for his heroine
The original 'Mother Meldrum' of Lorna Doone was a 9th-century wise woman, Aggie Norman, who sometimes lodged in a shelter under the rock known as the Devil's Cheesewring in the Valley of Rocks, and held consultations here for star-crossed lovers and sick people.
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