A Fireball at the Hermitage
In 1970 at the height of their fame Deep Purple began work on Fireball. With a lack of written evidence, it is difficult to say what was recorded, when and where. Recording began, however, in September at de Lane Lea Studios in London and resulted in 'Anyone's Daughter'.
In the last two weeks of December the band with wives, girlfriends and roadies made the journey to North Devon, to an old farmhouse they had rented on Welcombe Manor called The Hermitage. Welcombe is about 6 miles from Clovelly and well off the beaten track. The access road is only wide enough for one car even now and winds steeply down into a secluded valley where the North Atlantic waves break onto a largely deserted beach with alien rock formations.
Nowadays surfers and serious walkers will make the journey there, and the occasional die-hard Deep Purple fan. You can rent the Old Coach House at the Hermitage from Mrs Powell.
Roger Glover's notes for the 25th anniversary edition of Fireball describe a large, draughty, damp house converted into flats. It is now restored to an approximation of its former glory.
Here are some photos as it is now.
Much time was spent at the pub; according to Roger The Welcombe Inn was the local. (This appears now to be a guest house only called the Welcombe-in.) Not the nearest in fact, The Old Smithy is closer and a far better place for atmosphere and really good ale. The band did work each day it seems, jamming and writing and out of that came 'Strange Kind of Woman' and 'Slow Train'.
They even had a seance or two, one of which errupted into violence with Richie smashing through Roger's door with an axe.
