There are many interesting things to see in Brixham. Can you find
the Old Coffin House?
The coffin house reflects Brixham humour: it is coffin-shaped, and when
a father was asked for the hand in marriage of his daughter, he said he
would 'see her in a coffin, before she wed'. The son-in-law to be bought
the coffin-shaped property, called it the Coffin House and went back to
the father and said 'Your wishes will be met, you will see your daughter
in a coffin... the Coffin House'. Amazed by this, the father gave his blessing!
The street names tell you about the history. Pump street is
where the village pump stood. Monksbridge was a bridge
built by the monks of Totnes Priory. Lichfield Drive reminds
us that this was the route that the dead (from the Anglo-Saxon ‘lich’ meaning
a corpse) were taken for burial at St Mary’s churchyard. Salutation
Mews, near that church, dates from when England was Catholic, and
the salutation was to the Virgin Mary. Similarly, Laywell Road recalls
Our Lady’s well.
