A CENTURY ago, the Kingsbridge Gazette front page graphically proclaimed ‘The beach went to Devonport and the cottages went to the sea.’

Two days earlier, on January 26, 1917, a high spring tide driven by a fierce gale overwhelmed and destroyed most of the old village of Hallsands.

Extraordinarily there were no fatalities, but it was the end for the village. Residents dispersed with their remaining possessions to find shelter wherever they could, many of them settling in the neighbouring village of Beesands further up the coast.

Edith Patey described the disaster many years later: ‘All of a sudden the walls came toppling down and the floor caved in. We felt like being right in the sea, the roaring waves bouncing over us, the rafters all breaking in. We could see the white waves foaming underneath the floors… the sea came down the chimney.’

Tomorrow, Thursday, January 26, exactly one hundred years later, descendants of those who lived in the old village will commemorate the centenary of the loss.

Last Friday a BBC Spotlight team filmed early morning interviews in the ruins of the old village and at Stokenham School, where children were told tales of the old village by Jim Trout and Tim Lynn.

Afterwards, the crew went on to the Cricket Inn at Beesands where descendants of the old villagers gathered to reminisce.

On Tuesday, an exhibition of memorabilia from Hallsands opened at St Andrew’s church in Beesands. The exhibition tells the story of Hallsands and particularly the disaster that destroyed the village.

A few years previously, despite vehement protests, Sir John Jackson, a government contractor, had removed 600,000 tons of shingle from in front of the old village to make concrete for the new docks in Devonport.

Without the protection of the shingle ridge, the village was exposed to the full force of a high spring tide driven by an easterly gale and most of the houses were destroyed.

The exhibition at St Andrew’s church, Beesands is open from 10.30am until 4pm every day until Sunday, January 29, and includes items saved from the old village along with prints and woodcuts of Hallsands by local artist Mike Glanville.

On the day of the centenary, Thursday, January 26, from 11am until 3.30pm the gate to the old village will be unlocked for anyone to visit what remains of Hallsands.

Gay and Geoff Martin, who own Pebblecove in South Hallsands, will be opening the gate by the viewing platform. They have advised that all are welcome, but strictly at their own risk. Access is extremely steep, treacherous underfoot with deep gullies. People are advised to take extreme caution, not to cross barriers and obey signs. Access will be subject to weather and tidal conditions.

At 3pm, Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, David Fursdon will unveil a commemorative plaque by the coastal path above the old village. The car park at Prospect House has been made available to those attending the unveiling, by kind permission of Amanda Lubrani. There will also be a courtesy bus, accepting donations and ferrying people between events during the day.

At 3.30pm, there will be a commemorative walk to Beesands from the old village, re-enacting the escape made by the villagers when the storm died down.

The Lord-Lieutenant will visit the exhibition at St Andrew’s Church at 4.30pm and then a commemoration service will be held at St Michael’s Church, Stokenham, in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant and other dignitaries.

From 7.30pm onwards, there will be a crab supper at The Cricket Inn in Beesands. Tickets are selling out fast, but can be obtained by emailing Jonathan Hale at [email protected].

About half a dozen prints of artwork by Mike Glanville, signed and numbered for the Hallsands Centenary, will be auctioned at the crab supper in the evening.

There will also be a raffle, with pictures, artefacts and a ‘mystery prize’ donated by internationally-renowned musician Damon Albarn, from the bands Blur and Gorillaz, who owns a property near the village.

Proceeds will go to covering the costs of the commemorations, with any surplus going to the Fishermens’ Mission, RNLI and Prawle Point Coastwatch.

Tim Lynn lives in North Hallsands where he operates a fishing boat and represents the village on Stokenham Parish Council. His forbears lived in Hallsands at the time of the storm.

Tim said: ‘We believe that it is important to mark this centenary especially as history seems to be repeating itself. Recently storms have severely damaged our sea defences. Although a road has been destroyed and houses are at risk the authorities refuse to do anything. They betrayed Hallsands then and they are betraying us now.’

Jonathan Hale, whose great, great uncle was landlord of the London Inn in the old village said: ‘January is perhaps not the best time of year to commemorate an anniversary, but winter is when storms happen. Nevertheless we are keen to pay tribute to our forebears with a torchlight procession along the route they took to safety.’

Further information can be found by searching for ‘Hallsands Centenary Commemoration’ on Facebook, or by contacting David Marcer on 01548 511171 or [email protected].

To donate to the commemoration fund visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/samantha-chapman-1 .