Malmsmead is a hamlet on the border between the English counties of

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

and

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

. The nearest town is

Lynton Lynton is a town on the Exmoor coast in the North Devon district in the county of Devon, England, approximately north-east of Barnstaple and west of Minehead, and close to the confluence of the West Lyn and East Lyn rivers. Lynton sits dire ...

, which lies approximately west of the hamlet. The hamlet is situated in the Doone Valley within the

Exmoor National Park Exmoor () is loosely defined as an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England. It is named after the River Exe, the source of which is situated in the centre of the area, two miles north-west of Simons ...

History

Malmsmead is not directly mentioned in the Doomsday Book, a record of survey done under

William the Conqueror William the Conqueror (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England (as William I), reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was D ...

, however it was likely included in the entry for nearby

Oare, Somerset Oare is a village and civil parish on Oare Water on Exmoor in Somerset, England. It is located east of Lynton and the parish includes the hamlet of Oareford and the village of Culbone which contains its own tiny church. History The village ...

. The border between the counties is along

Badgworthy Water Badgworthy Water is a small river which flows through Malmsmead on Exmoor, close to the border between Devon and Somerset, England. It merges with Oare Water to become the East Lyn River. On the banks of the river are the remains of a few dw ...

, which is crossed by the 17th-century

Malmsmead Bridge Malmsmead Bridge is a 17th-century stone bridge which crosses Badgworthy Water in the hamlet of Malmsmead, on the road between Oare, Somerset, Oare and Brendon. The Badgworthy Water forms the boundary between the counties of Somerset and Devon, a ...

and an even older adjacent ford. Badgworthy Water is also the boundary between the parishes of Oare (Somerset) and

Brendon and Countisbury Brendon and Countisbury is an England, English civil parish in the district of North Devon and the county of Devon. The civil parish was created on 1 April 2013, by the merger of the previous civil parishes of Brendon and Countisbury. Referenc ...

(Devon). Malmsmead is both on the route of the

Coleridge Way The Coleridge Way is a long-distance trail in Somerset and Devon, England. It was opened in April 2005, and the route links several sites associated with the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge starting from Coleridge Cottage at Nether Stowey. Ori ...

and

Samaritans Way South West Samaritans Way South West is a Long-distance footpath in South West England. It was officially opened on 21 April 2004 by the Ramblers Vice Chairman, the Samaritans (charity) Chief Executive and a farmer from Gloucestershire who headed the Far ...

. Just to the north of the hamlet, Badgworthy Water merges with

Oare Water Oare Water passes through the village of Oare, Somerset, Oare, on Exmoor in Somerset, England. It joins Badgworthy Water before flowing to Watersmeet House, Watersmeet and the Bristol Channel, as the East Lyn River. Oare bridge is an 18th-centu ...

to form the

East Lyn River The East Lyn is a river which rises high in Exmoor, in the English county of Somerset. It flows through the East Lyn Valley in Devon. Watercourse The river is formed as the Upper East Lyn at Malmsmead from two minor tributaries, the Oare ...

that flows into the sea at

Lynmouth Lynmouth is a village in Devon, England, on the northern edge of Exmoor. The village straddles the confluence of the West Lyn River, West Lyn and East Lyn River, East Lyn rivers, in a gorge directly below the neighbouring town of Lynton, w ...

References

External links

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Hamlets in Devon Hamlets in Somerset Exmoor {{Somerset-geo-stub