Hallsands

The village grew along a rocky ledge in front of cliffs, with a sea wall, and sand and shingle banks adding some protection from the harsh weather and storms.

[2] In the 1890s, following a scheme proposed by Sir John Jackson, it was decided to expand the naval dockyard at Keyham, near Plymouth, and dredging began offshore from Hallsands to provide sand and gravel for its construction.

[2] On Friday 26 January 1917, noting the weather and tide, hauled the boats high onto the village's street and battened them down, and children were moved to a nearby cottage.

In 2016 the beach at North Hallsands was reported to have been washed away by storms, leaving only a peat underlay which contains the remnants of a petrified forest.

There are no plans to restore the sea defences at North Hallsands or protect the few houses at possible risk as South Hams Council has had a policy of no intervention since 2002.

In 2002, dramatist Julian Garner wrote the play Silent Engine set in the ruins of Hallsands about a couple whose marriage is as wrecked as the village following the death of their young child.

It was presented on a short tour and at the Edinburgh Festival by Pentabus Theatre Company performed by Cathy Owen and Robin Pirongs.

A second production was staged at Cheltenham Playhouse by Ad Hoc Theatre Co in May 2010 performed by Rachel Prudden and Paul Scott.

The play was based on contemporary records and looks at the events leading up to the great storm, and the village's subsequent fight for compensation.

[11] In 2017, British prog-rock band 'Kaprekar's Constant' released a 14-minute epic in their album 'Fate outsmarts desire' about the Hallsands story.

In the same year, artist Frances Gynn, musicians Lona Kozik, and Sam Richards collaborated on a web-project titled Hallsands arts.

[12] In 2019, Devon folk duo 'Harbottle & Jonas' released their latest album 'The Sea is My Brother', which has the track 'Hall Sands', which is about the events in 1917.