Carver Place

The Lynmouth area of New Plymouth is notable for street names that celebrate Richard Doddridge Blackmore's novel Lorna Doone. Set in the East Lyn Valley of Exmoor, it is an extremely popular romance that explores 17th century characters from Devon and Somerset, which are, of course, the roots of many of the first settlers to New Plymouth.

Carver Place, however, has the distinction of being named after the great villain of the piece, Carver Doone. Carver is heir to the Doone estate, who has planned to marry Lorna, against her will.

He is thwarted when the hero, John Ridd, whose father had been brutally murdered by the Donnes, helps Lorna escape when Carver becomes Lord of the Donnes. The Ridds are initially suspicious of Lorna as she is thought to be a descendant of the evil Donnes, but discover she is the long lost daughter of Lady Dugal, who, you guessed it, was robbed and murdered by a band of outlaws. Then, after some interesting politics and legal challenges where Lorna is made a "ward in Chancery" and John is charged with treason, they are finally reunited.

The community have had enough of the villainous Donnes and John leads an attack on the Donne valley. All the clansmen are killed except two. One of which is Carver.

Back in the Ridd household, Lorna has been granted freedom to return to Exmoor and is therefore free to marry John. Just when we think things will turn out happily ever after, Carver bursts in on the wedding and shoots Lorna. Distraught, John takes off in hot pursuit and runs Carver down. A struggle ensues in which Carver falls into a mire (swamp) and Carver sinks to his death. John returns to discover Lorna is only wounded and, after her recovery, they are married and this time live happily ever after.

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.

Related plan:

Town of Lynmouth (1904) DP2151, ICS Pre 300,000 Cadastral Plan Index (Imaged by LINZ)