ILFORDCOMBE, (Devon) 152 cm. 178 mm. from London, a populous, rich, trading sea-port, especially with herrings, in the
Bristol-Channel; noted for maintaining constant lights to direct the sailors, for its convenience of building and
repairing ships, and for the safe shelter ships from Ireland find here, when it is extremely dangerous for them to run
into the mouth of the Taw, which they call Barnstaple-Water; and this is one reason, why the Barnstaple merchants do so
much of their business at this port. The harbour, with its quay, warp-house, light-house, pilot-boats, and tow-boats, was
formerly maintained at the expence of the ancestors of Sir Bourchier Wrey, Bt. the Ld. of the manor; and then it had a
quay, or pier, 850 foot long, but by time and the violence of the sea all went to decay; for remedy of which, the Pt.
passed an act, in 1731, for both repairing and enlarging the piers, harbour, &c. The T. is governed by a mayor, bailiffs,
&c. and consists chiefly of one street of scattered houses, almost 1 m. long. Its Mt. is on S. The p. is large, containing
several tithings and manors; the chief of which was formerly the estate of the Champernons, and afterwards of Sir John
Herle.