ILFRACOMBE  , a seaport and watering-

place in the Barnstaple parliamentary division of Devonshire, England, on the Bristol Channel, 225 M . W. by S. of London by the London & South-Western railway . Pop. of urban district (1901) 8557 . The picturesque old town, built on the cliffs above its harbour, consists of one street stretching for about a mile through a net-work of lanes . Behind it rise the terraces of a more modern town, commanding a fine view across the Channel . With its beautiful scenery and temperate climate, Ilfracombe is frequented by visitors both in summer and winter . Grand rugged cliffs line the coast; while, inland, the country is celebrated for the rich colouring of its woods and glens . Wooded heights form a semicircle round the town, which is protected from sea winds by Capstone Hill . Along the inner face of this rock has been cut the Victoria Promenade, a long walk roofed with glass and used for concerts . The restored church of Holy Trinity dates originally from the 12th century . Sea-bathing is insecure, and is confined to a few small coves, approached by tunnels hewn through the rock . The harbour, a natural recess among the cliffs, is sheltered on the east by Hilsborough Head, where there are some alleged Celtic remains; on the west by Lantern Hill, where the ancient chapel of St Nicholas has been transformed into a lighthouse .

In summer„ passenger steamers run to and from Ilfracombe

pier; but the shipping trade generally has declined, though herring fisheries are carried on with success . In the latter part of the 13th century Ilfracombe obtained a grant for holding a fair and market, and in the reign of Edward III. it was a place of such importance as to supply him with six ships and ninety-six men for his armament against Calais .