East Budleigh
EAST BUDLEIGH: Very early flight attempt site
NOTES: It appears that in 1402 Radolphi Node made a flight attempt from the church tower in East Budleigh, about 2nm N of Budleigh Salterton town centre using his ‘home-made wings’ and, typically, achieving nigh on a 1:1 glide ratio. The proof for this seems to be the account written by Richard Izacke, (Town Clerk and chronicler), published in 1681 in his, “Antiquities of Exeter”.
It seems Radolphi hadn’t learnt much from the monk Eilmer at Malmesbury who, in 1003, had done much better using his “flying apparatus” with very roughly a 1:4 glide ratio and ‘only’ breaking a leg in the process.
But, in those days of course the voluntary CHIRPS programme for pilots wasn’t invented either! Nor were the AAIB (Air Accidents Investigation Branch) publishing detailed accounts. Too occupied with quaffing ale surrounded by merry maidens in the local hostelry no doubt.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
According to Richard Izacke; “In the Parish Church-yard of Budley, (now East Budleigh), in the County of Devon; A stone sheweth this Inscription – orate pro anima Radolphi Node. This was the Sepulture of one that presumed to fly with artificial Wings from that Tower, and so falling, broke his Neck, which Phaetonical fact of his hath well deserved the name of Node, be inscription what it is, who being a Native of this City, (Exeter), gives me here occasion to mention him.”
So, there you have it, need I add more?
(Account by my good friend Maurice J Wickstead)
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