Pull up a chair and pour yourself a nice cup of tea (duty-paid, I promise!).
As I’ve been tucked away in my writing shed working on the final edits of The Mystery of Mossington Manor, I’ve found myself falling down a rabbit hole, or rather, a clutter hole, of local history.
There is a specific kind of magic to the South Hams.
It’s in the way the mist clings to the jagged cliffs of Hope Cove and how the tide whispers secrets into the inlets of Salcombe.
But for a mystery novelist, that “magic” usually smells a lot like 18th-century mischief.
More Than Just a Pretty Postcard
We see the golden sands and the chic boutiques of Salcombe today, but back in the day, these rugged shores were the ultimate playground for the “Free Traders.”
That’s a rather polite, Victorian way of saying smugglers.
While the gentry were sipping tea in their parlors, the “Gentlemen of the Night” were navigating the treacherous reefs of what I call Morning Cove in the book.
They weren’t just bringing in fish; they were hauling in forbidden luxuries that would make a modern-day influencer swoon:
- French Brandy: Tucked away in kegs for the local inns to keep the fires (and the spirits) high.
- Fine Lace: Intricate patterns from across the Channel, destined for the stiff collars of the Devon elite.
- Tea: Back then, tea was so precious it was practically traded like gold bullion.
The Secrets Beneath the Floorboards
While Harmony is busy cat-sitting at Mossington Manor (and trying to keep a very finicky tabby named Carruthers from ruling her life), she starts to notice things.
It could be anything…
Odd gaps in the wainscoting.
Floorboards that creak just a little too rhythmically.
This led me to a fascinating bit of Devon lore: The Clutter Hole.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, many historic cottages were built with these ingenious hidden cupboards.
Sometimes they were tucked behind a false hearth; other times, they were tiny, silk-lined voids beneath the master bedroom floor. They were the original home safes, designed to hide contraband from the prying eyes of the Revenue Men.
Many people got creative and hid their “clutter” under hayricks, in false walls, or within church towers.
Fun Fact: Many a village parson was said to have a “clutter hole” in the rectory. After all, even a man of the cloth enjoys a bit of untaxed brandy for his “medicinal” evening toddy!
A Discovery in Kingscombe
In The Mystery of Mossington Manor, Harmony’s curiosity gets the better of her.
While noticing Carruthers odd behaviour beside the woodburning stove, she stumbles upon a genuine, long-forgotten clutter hole.
But here’s the twist: instead of a dusty keg of rum or a scrap of Victorian lace, she finds something that hasn’t been touched in decades. It’s a clue that doesn’t just point to a historical crime. It turns the modern-day peace of Kingscombe completely upside down.
The past has a funny way of refusing to stay buried, especially when there’s a secret compartment involved.