A new DVD of Hemyock over the years is now available from this web site. It tells the story of the Milk Factory from 1886 until it closed for good in 1999. In the latter stages it was employing over 350 people making the national supply of low fat spread. Local people tell the story of the friendly atmosphere and what is hapopeneing in Hemyock now. Send us a message to order a copy for

The Preview Screening of the new DVD will be at the Healthy Living Centre at 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Wednesday 17th October. This is the story of Hemyock and its people through the years. From the setting up of the Milk Factory in 1886 and the collecting and processing of of Milk from the farms in the Blackdown Hills and its national distribution by rail. To the closure of the railway line in 1975 and the factory in 1999 and what new stories are being written today.

The Archives are on show at the Charity Shop.

Visit the Church Rooms on the days

of the Charity Shop.

Had an invasion taken place the village, along with every other village in Devon and neighbouring counties, would have been completely evacuated. The whole population, apart from the bedridden (they are listed too), would have gone taking with them as much of the village’s store of food as could be carried, the rest was to be destroyed by burning. The reason for this scorched earth policy was that the French did not carry much food with them but lived off the countryside around them. Had they come to Devon food supplies would have been non-existent and they would have starved. All the parishes in Devon had to prepare their own evacuation to a pre-designated rendezvous point and submit it to the authorities. In this case the destination was Somerton in Somerset. They had seven days to respond to the authorities request for the route plan. The villagers had to select a route that avoided main roads because these were to be kept clear for the army to be able to speedily deploy their forces.

These documents give a list of all the farmers in the parish, with complete details of their live and dead stock- oxen, cows, young cattle, sheep, pigs, horses both for riding and draft, waggons, carts, wheat, barley oats, hay and pease

Orders to Army Cadet.

The calves running with their new owners through Hemyock Square.

A modern view of Whitehall Manor House.

Scenes showing the demolition of the milk factory in the latter half of the year 2000. The last photograph was taken on 2^nd December 2000. What the village saw develop over more than a hundred years is reduced to rubble in a few months.