Well, I was in Coaley Wood and the only creeper evidence I saw was definitely either bog standard ivy, or something different but not Old Man's Beard (which is a clematis) and looking for all the world like a variety of ivy.

I have to conclude that the stuff "smoked" was actually Old Man's Beard, and the creepers she swung on were some form of ivy. Whereas she conflated the two as the same.
But I have the pictures of these things (and some houses thereabouts) to illustrate her story.

But after all the effort I have some Gloucs an' schpiel (ha!) that I haven't been able to find elsewhere. And the kind of historic insight my audio stories usually provide, and I may get her on audio also, time will tell. Worthy recompense for the effort.