Families have been left homeless after a blaze ripped through a cluster of historic thatched properties which date back about 500 years.

Five cottages which share a thatched roof were all ablaze in Buller Square, on Mill Street, Crediton, near Exeter. Two slate-roof properties were also involved in the fire yesterday afternoon.

More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze, as the community rallied around to take in residents whose homes were being destroyed in freezing conditions.

Neighbours could only look on in disbelief at a pillar of smoke which was visible as far away as Exeter.

Residents stood shell-shocked, staring at the raging inferno which has once been a pretty historic site beloved by visitors.

Julie Strudwick, who lives on Mill Street, knows many of the residents of the picturesque horseshoe of properties at the centre of the blaze, including one family with two young children.

“It’s quite a famous square. People come to Crediton especially to see it. They’re beautiful old cottages, with wooden beams and inglenook fireplaces – the whole works.

“That’s hundreds of years of history, gone.”

Nobody was injured in the fire, and all residents were out of the properties by the time the emergency services arrived. But some were understood to be concerned about the welfare of their pets, which they had been unable to return to save.

The emergency services had cordoned off many of the streets surrounding the properties, and a cluster of locals had gathered to see what was going on.

They were greeted with the sight of lines of 20 fire engines and support appliances from across Devon battling to gain control of the inferno.

Edith Carpenter, 70, lived in one of the cottages which had been hit by fire 30 years ago. She welled up as she realised her former home was at the centre of the blaze, and said the cottages dated back to the reign of Henry VIII.

“My house was so lovely. It’s a very sad loss for the people and the history of Crediton,” she said.

By late afternoon, area manager Jon Miller, of the Devon and Somerset Fire Service, said firefighters were winning the battle to tame the flames, which took hold at about midday.

He said: “The fire spread in both directions, so the crews were faced with a fairly intense fire when they arrived.”

One of the cottages was

“completely gutted”, and the thatch to all the other four was alight, but Mr Miller said it was too early to tell how many could be saved. “It’s a real pity to lose such traditional buildings, particularly for the people who own them,” he said.

By yesterday afternoon, firefighters had gained control of the blaze in one direction, but it was still burning in the other.

“We are trying to stop it from spreading to the few buildings we can save,” said Mr Miller.

Crews were using foam to slow the spread of the flames to allow them to salvage as much of the residents’ property as possible.

But Mr Miller said the still, freezing conditions had created a serious hindrance, as there was no wind to dispel the smoke. “The crews had no visibility whatsoever,” he said.

“Our crews are working in extremely difficult circumstances, and have done a tremendous job in containing the fire where they can. Now our priority lies with supporting the communities.”

Firefighters later began investigating the cause of the blaze, but neighbours believe it started in a chimney.

Residents were too upset to talk about their ordeal yesterday. Some had taken refuge in the St Boniface Centre, attached to Crediton Church. The rector, the Rev Nigel Guthrie, said many had already been taken in by friends or relatives, but said the church would work to provide food, clothing and accommodation for those who had not.

“The residents are all shocked, and at the moment it’s very uncertain what the situation is with the adjoining properties,” he said. “They are obviously all very vulnerable because the thatch runs right across five of them, but people just want to know what the extent of the damage is."

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