======Ilfracombe======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Muggle]] seaside town; site of a major magical incident.
  * **Location:** Devon, England, [[United Kingdom]].
  * **Owner/Residents:** Primarily [[Muggle]]s. Notable wizarding involvement during the 1932 incident from the Perkins family and the Roberts family (J.K. Rowling, Daily Prophet Newsletter).
  * **Key Features:** A coastal holiday resort with beaches, popular with non-magical tourists.
=====Description and History=====
Ilfracombe is a real-world coastal town in Devon, England, known in the wizarding world as the location of a significant breach of the [[International Statute of Secrecy]] in 1932 (J.K. Rowling, Daily Prophet Newsletter). The event, often referred to as the "Ilfracombe Incident," occurred when a rogue [[Welsh Green]] [[dragon]] descended upon a beach crowded with sunbathing [[Muggle]]s.
The incident necessitated a massive and immediate response from the [[Ministry of Magic]] to prevent widespread exposure of the magical world. The cover-up involved performing a vast number of [[Memory Charm]]s on the affected [[Muggle]] population. A wizarding family, the Roberts, who happened to be on holiday in Ilfracombe, took immediate action and performed what was later described as the largest mass [[Memory Charm]] of the century. For their bravery and quick thinking, the family was awarded the [[Order of Merlin]], First Class (J.K. Rowling, Daily Prophet Newsletter).
Ministry officials, including members of the Perkins family, were also involved in the clean-up effort. [[Arthur Weasley]] later recounted a story about "old Archie" who insisted on wearing a [[Muggle]] kilt for the operation, much to the bemusement of the beachgoers.
=====Role in the Story=====
The Ilfracombe Incident is mentioned briefly at the beginning of //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//. [[Frank Bryce]], the [[Riddle House]] caretaker, overhears a news report on his wireless detailing the strange events at Ilfracombe. The newsreader mentions a committee's flimsy explanation for the panic, which [[Lord Voldemort]] dismisses as the work of the [[Ministry of Magic]] covering up a magical event.
This reference serves as an important piece of world-building, illustrating the constant effort required by the wizarding community to remain hidden from [[Muggle]]s. It demonstrates the real-world consequences of magical creatures getting loose and the mundane, often humorous, challenges Ministry wizards face in enforcing the [[International Statute of Secrecy]]. It also cleverly contrasts the everyday workings of the magical world with the sinister plot being hatched by [[Lord Voldemort]] and [[Wormtail]] in the same scene.
=====Known Areas Within=====
  * **Beach:** The primary location of the 1932 [[dragon]] incident, where the [[Welsh Green]] confronted a large number of [[Muggle]]s.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * Ilfracombe is a real seaside resort on the North Devon coast in southwest England. J.K. Rowling often incorporates real British locations into the geography of the wizarding world.
  * The specific details about the Roberts family, the date of 1932, and their subsequent award of the [[Order of Merlin]] were revealed in the third //Daily Prophet// newsletter, written by J.K. Rowling and distributed to members of the official fan club between 2004 and 2007.