Lifton Devon

Facilities
Lifton in Devon, about 5 miles from Lobhill Farmhouse, has a well stocked store with plenty of provisions, newspapers, an off-license and a Post Office. There are 3 places to eat and drink.

History
Lifton has ancient beginnings as it is one of the earliest villages in West Devon to be founded by the Saxons, and it was first recorded as Liwtune in the will of King Alfred (about 880 A.D.). It was of considerable strategic importance being so near the River Tamar and the Cornish border.

In the 10th century the village gave its name to the ‘Lifton Hundred’, an administrative division of the county of Devon which encompassed many neighbouring villages:  this remained in existence until the 19th century. The manor of Lifton was a royal manor, eventually passing into private hands.  Notable owners have been the Harris’s of Hayne (with a large memorial in the parish church), the Arundells and the Bradshaws, each family leaving their own distinctive mark on the village and the surrounding area.

Agriculture and mining are the main industries that have supported the economy in the past, and the number of inhabitants reached a peak in Victorian times when there were seven pubs and a long list of businesses in the parish.

Trail
For more details of the history of Lifton pick up a Lifton Trail leaflet from the shop in Fore Street, and for other interesting features see the village map on the wall opposite the shop in Fore Street.

Fishing Beat
The Arundell Arms operate and own many fishing beats around the village including a lake.

Image © Copyright Neil Gibbs