Ilfracombe is a resort that  nestles in a natural harbour on the northern coast of Devon and until about 1830 was a very simple town that existed on it's fishing as a source of income. However, with the advent of railways it became a very popular resort for the middle classes and the architecture of the area reflects the expansion of the town during the Victorian era. These days very few can afford to live in the grand style of the late 19th century and most of the larger homes have been turned into very good quality hotels.

 
In 1988 the town celebrated the centenary of the opening of the Victorian Pavilion Theatre by staging a week of Victorian style events which also served as a reminder of the part of its history that brought popularity to the town. During the festival a great number of the inhabitants of the town join in the celebrations and step back in time to the second half of the 19th century and wear the clothing of the period, and join in the series of entertainments that are typical of the period. Visitors are also invited to join in and as a result people from all over the UK travel to the town to indulge themselves in the life of their ancestors of 100/150 years before.

Between June 9th and June 17th, 2001 the town held its 14th Festival and on these pages are descriptions and photographs of many of the events that took place during this period.
 

The official timetable of events.
Day 1 - Saturday 9th June
Day 2 - Sunday 10th June
Day 3 - Monday 11th June
Day 4 - Tuesday 12th June
Day 5 - Wednesday 13th June
Day 6 - Thursday 14th June
Day 7 - Friday 15th June
Day 8 - Saturday 16th June
Day 9 - Sunday 17th June