In bygone days all the goods that needed carrying up the steep main street and alleys were carried by donkeys. Everything from parcels, ash from home fires, rubbish bags, food, equipment and fish from the harbour were carried up and down by these faithful servants of Clovelly. In fact as recently as the 1990s, the donkeys were carrying up luggage from the hotels, empty beer bottles and barrels, laundry, cardboard, using their special pack saddles.
During the summer, the donkeys carry children around their meadow at the top of the village, or can be found in the woods during the winter.
At other times, they can be seen posing for photos in the street, whenever they get the opportunity!
Mostly, the donkeys are left free simply to provide pleasure and enjoyment for the visitors.
Charlie, pictured left, is ever willing to carry luggage up from The New Inn to the Visitor Centre car park. There is a small charge for the service.
Sinead gave birth to her third foal on Easter Monday 2012.
It's a second girl; sister to Peter and Kiwi
Jasper scoops top regional award for Best Single Working Donkey
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, presented the award on 25th August 2010 to Jasper's owners, Sue and Bart Kelly, who run the Clovelly donkey stables.
The award given to donkeys working in recreational roles encompasses certain criteria about the donkey's suitability for the job, temperament, general health, tack and turnout and all year-round living conditions.
Lionel Ford, the Sanctuary's regional welfare officer said: "Jasper provides donkey rides on Clovelly Green and is very well cared for and has a lovely, friendly nature. We feel he is the South West's top donkey because his owners have very high standards in the care they provide and he's ticked every box for us". http://drupal.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/node/3149
Baby donkey, Peter
Sinead, mother of Kiwi below, her first mare foal born in August 2008, gave birth again on Friday, 22nd May, 2010. He has been named Peter after his father, Pierre.
Sue and Bart Kelly run the Clovelly stables and are both delighted
with the arrival of a second foal as part of their new breeding programme.
Much to the surprise and delight of everyone at Clovelly, a baby donkey was discovered on 18th August, 2008 in the stables.
4 year old mother, Sinéad, had tried hard to communicate her predicament the day before. She was not very happy posing for the visitor snapshots in the street at Victoria Fountain, finding it difficult to stand still. She even bolted when it was time to return her to the stables.
Owners, Sue and Bart Kelly, thought that it might help to calm Sinéad down by letting her loose in a field, but she escaped from there too. Once captured, they settled her into the stables for the night.
Then, on Sue and Bart's return to the donkey stables on Monday morning, they were staggered and overjoyed to discover a baby foal in Sinéad's stall.
Sue and Bart already had plans to start a breeding programme to rejuvenate the Clovelly donkey stock so Kiwi's surprise arrival heralds the start of a new generation of donkeys at Clovelly.
The foal, a mare, is named Kiwi. She is pictured left, aged 5 months, taking her first walk down the cobbles when she stops to stare at a black cat.
Sinead gave birth to her third foal on Easter Monday 2012. 
The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, presented the award on 25th August 2010 to Jasper's owners, Sue and Bart Kelly, who run the Clovelly donkey stables.
Sinead, mother of Kiwi below, her first mare foal born in August 2008, gave birth again on Friday, 22nd May, 2010. He has been named Peter after his father, Pierre. 
The foal, a mare, is named Kiwi. She is pictured left, aged 5 months, taking her first walk down the cobbles when she stops to stare at a black cat.