Events & gallery

The Clovelly Herring Festival

Nov 17th 2024

is hosting a Natural fibres at Sea exhibit and Net Making Competition

This exciting and unique event is set in one of the most unspoilt parts of the North Devon coast in late autumn when the herring shoals enter the bay, for centuries fishing has been a traditional source of food and income to the villagers.

Small boats powered by sail and oar alone creep out from the shelter of the harbour which is reached by a cobbled cliff path set between fisherfolks cottages.

The annual herring festival held in and around the harbour and village is particularly unusual and well worth travelling for, with fish smoking on the quay, seafood store, local crafts and produce with live music from shanty singers and and maritime themed musicians.

In the harbour, two recently reconstructed timber boats of the locality, the Clovelly Picarooner, a Bucks Mills Ledge boat, plus from a far an Irish Curragh.

Such traditional ways of life and the use of natural materials has had little or no long term impacts on the environment and to celebrate this a natural fibre exhibits and net making competition is part of the festival for 2024.

Exhibits and events to date.

Viking sail exhibit and woollen and knitted wool fishermen's clothing - local Gansey jersey exhibit - recreating pre industrial flax sailcloth - and artists canvas from seed to cloth - flax fabric canoe - lace making - leather sail from Tim Severin's voyage to the Americas - display of willow lobster pots and other fishing baskets used in the Bristol Channel and surrounding rivers - natural fibre net making competition and demonstration - guided talk to the bark house on the role natural fibres played in the village - art exhibition.

If you are interested in exhibiting or would like to take part in the net making competition please contact us at flax@flaxland.co.uk or 07815 967951

For more information on Clovelly and/or the Herring Festival please go to www.clovelly.co.uk