From The Exeter Flying Post, 13th March 1800:
"Friday evening last, as Mr Ducarel, of Exmouth, and Captain Welch, of the Lympstone Volunteers, were returning from this city, in a post-chaise, they were stopped about the seven mile stone by a single footpad, who, presenting a pistol, demanded their money; - "Capt. Welsh immediately grasped the pistol, when scuffle ensued - and in the scuffle the footpad snapped the pistol several times, but it missed fire. --- After a short contest, we are sorry to add that the villain escaped, but without having effected his purpose."
By my reckoning at the seven mile stone would have been near Upper Lympstone. No postillion is mentioned so I imagine this was a privately-owned post-chaise being driven by one of the gentlemen.
I wonder if the hero of this piece, Captain Welch/Welsh, (The Flying Post backs both in this short passage) could have been that same Wakelyn Welch who made his fortune in London and died at Lympstone in 1818, leaving, according to the tablet in the church porch, £200 to the poor of the parish and whose wife Elisabeth, in 1820, left funds to build the primary school there. Her name is still on the wall somewhere.
Footpads seem always to have had evil intent; they were highwaymen on foot but the etymology of pad, a path, is innocent enough.
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