Chudleigh

Chudleigh
Chudleigh
	; Chudleigh
	Chudleigh Location within Devon
Population	4,011 (2011 Census)
OS grid reference	SX865795
District	Teignbridge;
Shire county	Devon;
Region	South West;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWTON ABBOT
Postcode district	TQ13
Dialling code	01626
Police	Devon and Cornwall
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
UK Parliament	Central Devon;
	List of places UK England Devon 50°36′14″N 3°36′18″W / 50.604°N 3.605°WCoordinates: 50°36′14″N 3°36′18″W / 50.604°N 3.605°W

Chudleigh (/ˈtʃʌdli/)^[1] is an ancient wool town located within the Teignbridge District Council area of Devon, England between Newton Abbot and Exeter. The electoral ward with the same name had a population of 6,125 at the 2011 census.^[2]

Geography[]

Chudleigh is very close to the edge of Dartmoor and in the Teign Valley. Nearby Castle Dyke is an Iron Age Hill Fort which demonstrates far earlier settlement in the area. It is also near Haldon Forest, a Forestry Commission property.

The town has been bypassed by the A38 road since 1972. It has expanded a good deal in recent years^[when?] as commuter houses have been built around its edges, but still retains a fairly traditional town centre.

Chudleigh Carnival[]

The earliest written record of a Carnival in Chudleigh in the Council Minutes^{[citation needed]} is an entry of 7 November 1910, asking for free use of the town hall but offering to pay for gas used. Monies raised were to go to local hospitals. However, in The South Devon Weekly Express of 8 September 1950, Arthur Holcombe states the First Carnival was held in 1908 on Thursday 16 November. There is uncertainty of exactly when it was moved to the Summer. Twenty tableaux entered and the length of the procession extended for 400 yards. The Tiverton town band and the Chudleigh Brass Band marched and played in the parade.

No carnival was held during the First or Second World Wars. Following the procession of 1961 the build up of traffic, due to the road closure whilst the parade took place, was so bad that the police and local authorities decided that such a situation could not be tolerated. At that time the A38 ran through Chudleigh town centre and holiday traffic was estimated to tail back 25 miles to Honiton^{[citation needed]} when stopped for the procession. The carnival was suspended as a result of this. The bypass was built 1972 and the carnival committee reconvened for celebrations on the opening of the bypass. The carnival started again on 21 July 1973^{[citation needed]}.

Carnival weeks and processions continued annually and during the 1970s the carnival association was formed. It comprises other towns and villages in the area which hold similar weeks and each have their own Carnival Queen and Royalty/tableau. These floats attend the Carnival processions and are judged at each by different representatives. During the latter half of the 1990s Chudleigh Carnival committee created floats that won the shield one year^[which?] and completed consistently in other years.

Carnival Committees, whilst strong at times, struggle to attract a sufficient number of members in other years. Although financially secure, such has been the case in Chudleigh of late with difficulty attracting fresh committee members. Having seen other towns give up on carnivals, in 2006 no carnival week or procession was held for this very reason. 2007 witnessed a change of fortune and, although unable to attend other processions in the region, the carnival week and parade were held and were quite successful. In 2007 new members joined and 2008 saw a new carnival float once again attending other processions and Chudleigh claimed the South Devon shield for 2008.

Parish church[]

Chudleigh church

The church of St Martin and St Mary was consecrated in 1259. The structure is medieval but was heavily restored in 1868. The rood screen has paintings of saints and prophets and the Courtenay family coat of arms.^[3]

In 1887 St Bridget's Abbey of Syon built a monastery, known as Chudleigh Abbey, which they occupied until 1925.^[4]

Great Fire of Chudleigh[]

The weather conditions in Devon in the year 1807 have been described as a drought. Weeks without rain left many people short of water and had farmers worrying about their crops. At around noon on 22 May, a small fire broke out in pile of furze stacked near the ovens at a bakery in Culver Street (now New Exeter Street). According to later reports, the staff in the bakery seemed unaware of the danger this posed, but the fire, fed by the exceptionally dry fuel, exploded. In the shortest time imaginable, the fire had spread to the roof of the bakery (thatched, as were 90% of the houses in Chudleigh at the time) and huge hunks of burning reed and straw were swept aloft by a rapidly growing north-easterly wind.

After the fire, only the church and seven houses were left standing.

Historic estates[]

Various historic estates are situated in the parish of Chudleigh, including:

Whiteway[]

Whiteway House is a Grade II* listed Georgian house set in parkland 2½ miles north of Chudleigh, at the foot of the Haldon Hills, built in the 1770s by John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon (1735–1788) of Saltram House, Plympton, Devon.

Hams[]

Hams Barton is a grade II* listed^[5] building, formerly the seat of the Hunt family, situated one mile north-east of the town, near Kate Brook. The Hunt family was settled there before the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603).^[6] Thomas Hunt (d.1548) was thrice Mayor of Exeter,^[7] including in 1517 and 1537.^[8] A fine banqueting room^[9] survives, called by Pevsner "the sumptuous first-floor great chamber, one of the best of its date in the county".^[10] Several monuments to the Hunt family survive in the Hunt Aisle in Chudleigh church.^[11]

References[]

^ Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.
^ "Ward population 2011". Ukcensusdata.com. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
^ Pevsner, N. (1952) South Devon. (The Buildings of England.) Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 79
^ "St Bridget's Abbey of Syon". Chudleigh History Group. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
^ Listed building text[1]
^ Jones, Mary, History of Chudleigh, 1852[2]
^ Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.494, pedigree of "Hunt of Chudleigh"
^ Jones
^ Jones
^ Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, p.264
^ Jones; Pevsner

External links[]

[1] Jones, Daniel (2011). Roach, Peter; Setter, Jane; Esling, John (eds.). Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary (18th ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-15255-6.

[2] "Ward population 2011". Ukcensusdata.com. Retrieved 18 February 2015.

[3] Pevsner, N. (1952) South Devon. (The Buildings of England.) Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 79

[4] "St Bridget's Abbey of Syon". Chudleigh History Group. Retrieved 10 July 2016.

[5] Listed building text[1]

[6] Jones, Mary, History of Chudleigh, 1852[2]

[7] Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.494, pedigree of "Hunt of Chudleigh"

[8] Jones

[9] Jones

[10] Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, p.264

[11] Jones; Pevsner

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show v t Civil parishes in the ceremonial county of Devon
List of civil parishes in Devon
Exeter^1,2	None
East Devon¹	All Saints Awliscombe Axminster Axmouth Aylesbeare Beer Bicton Brampford Speke Branscombe Broad Clyst Broadhembury Buckerell Budleigh Salterton Chardstock Clyst Honiton Clyst Hydon Clyst St George Clyst St Lawrence Clyst St Mary Colaton Raleigh Colyton Combe Raleigh Combpyne Rousdon Cotleigh Cranbrook Dalwood Dunkeswell East Budleigh Exmouth Farringdon Farway Feniton Gittisham Hawkchurch Honiton Huxham Kilmington Luppitt Lympstone Membury Monkton Musbury Nether Exe Newton Poppleford and Harpford Northleigh Offwell Otterton Ottery St Mary Payhembury Plymtree Poltimore Rewe Rockbeare Seaton Sheldon Shute Sidmouth Southleigh Sowton Stockland Stoke Canon Talaton Uplyme Upottery Upton Pyne West Hill Whimple Widworthy Woodbury Yarcombe
Mid Devon¹	Bampton Bickleigh Bow Bradninch Brushford Burlescombe Butterleigh Cadbury Cadeleigh Chawleigh Cheriton Bishop Cheriton Fitzpaine Clannaborough Clayhanger Clayhidon Coldridge Colebrooke Copplestone Crediton Crediton Hamlets Cruwys Morchard Cullompton Culmstock Down St Mary Eggesford Halberton Hemyock Hittisleigh Hockworthy Holcombe Rogus Huntsham Kennerleigh Kentisbeare Lapford Loxbeare Morchard Bishop Morebath Newton St Cyres Nymet Rowland Oakford Poughill Puddington Sampford Peverell Sandford Shobrooke Silverton Stockleigh English Stockleigh Pomeroy Stoodleigh Templeton Thelbridge Thorverton Tiverton Uffculme Uplowman Upton Hellions Washfield Washford Pyne Wembworthy Willand Woolfardisworthy Zeal Monachorum
North Devon¹	Arlington Ashford Atherington Barnstaple Berrynarbor Bishop's Nympton Bishop's Tawton Bittadon Bratton Fleming Braunton Brayford Brendon and Countisbury Burrington Challacombe Chittlehamholt Chittlehampton Chulmleigh Combe Martin East and West Buckland East Anstey East Down East Worlington Filleigh Fremington Georgeham George Nympton Goodleigh Heanton Punchardon Horwood, Lovacott and Newton Tracey Ilfracombe Instow Kentisbury King's Nympton Knowstone Landkey Loxhore Lynton and Lynmouth Mariansleigh Martinhoe Marwood Meshaw Molland Mortehoe North Molton Parracombe Pilton West Queen's Nympton Rackenford Romansleigh Rose Ash Satterleigh and Warkleigh Shirwell South Molton Stoke Rivers Swimbridge Tawstock Trentishoe Twitchen West Anstey West Down Westleigh Witheridge
Torridge¹	Abbots Bickington Abbotsham Alverdiscott Alwington Ashreigney Ashwater Beaford Bideford Black Torrington Bradford Bradworthy Bridgerule Broadwoodwidger Buckland Brewer Buckland Filleigh Bulkworthy Clawton Clovelly Cookbury Dolton Dowland East Putford Frithelstock Great Torrington Halwill Hartland High Bickington Hollacombe Holsworthy Holsworthy Hamlets Huish Huntshaw Landcross Langtree Littleham Little Torrington Luffincott Merton Milton Damerel Monkleigh Newton St Petrock Northam Northcott Pancrasweek Parkham Peters Marland Petrockstow Pyworthy Roborough Shebbear Sheepwash St Giles in the Wood St Giles on the Heath Sutcombe Tetcott Thornbury Virginstow Weare Giffard Welcombe West Putford Winkleigh Woolfardisworthy Yarnscombe
West Devon^1,3	Beaworthy Belstone Bere Ferrers Bondleigh Bradstone Bratton Clovelly Brentor Bridestowe Broadwoodkelly Buckland Monachorum Chagford Coryton Dartmoor Forest Drewsteignton Dunterton Exbourne Germansweek Gidleigh Gulworthy Hatherleigh Highampton Horrabridge Iddesleigh Inwardleigh Jacobstowe Kelly Lamerton Lewtrenchard Lifton Lydford Marystow Mary Tavy Meavy Meeth Milton Abbot Monkokehampton North Tawton Northlew Okehampton Okehampton Hamlets Peter Tavy Sampford Courtenay Sampford Spiney Sheepstor Sourton South Tawton Spreyton Sticklepath Stowford Sydenham Damerel Tavistock Throwleigh Thrushelton Walkhampton
South Hams¹	Ashprington Aveton Gifford Berry Pomeroy Bickleigh Bigbury Blackawton Brixton Buckland-Tout-Saints Charleton Chivelstone Churchstow Cornwood Cornworthy Dartington Dartmouth Dean Prior Diptford Dittisham East Allington East Portlemouth Ermington Frogmore and Sherford Halwell and Moreleigh Harberton Harford Holbeton Holne Ivybridge Kingsbridge Kingston Kingswear Littlehempston Loddiswell Malborough Marldon Modbury Newton and Noss North Huish Rattery Ringmore Salcombe Shaugh Prior Slapton South Brent South Huish South Milton South Pool Sparkwell Staverton Stoke Fleming Stoke Gabriel Stokenham Strete Thurlestone Totnes Ugborough Wembury West Alvington West Buckfastleigh Woodleigh Yealmpton
Teignbridge¹	Abbotskerswell Ashburton Ashcombe Ashton Bickington Bishopsteignton Bovey Tracey Bridford Broadhempston Buckfastleigh Buckland in the Moor Christow Chudleigh Coffinswell Dawlish Doddiscombsleigh Dunchideock Dunsford Exminster Haccombe with Combe Hennock Holcombe Burnell Ide Ideford Ilsington Ipplepen Kenn Kenton Kingskerswell Kingsteignton Lustleigh Mamhead Manaton Moretonhampstead Newton Abbot North Bovey Ogwell Powderham Shaldon Shillingford St George Starcross Stokeinteignhead Tedburn St Mary Teigngrace Teignmouth Trusham Whitestone Widecombe in the Moor Woodland
Plymouth^2,4	None
Torbay⁴	Brixham⁵
Bold text denotes a parish council referred to as a "town council". Non-metropolitan district of the non-metropolitan county of Devon (administered by Devon County Council). Has city status in the United Kingdom. Has borough status in the United Kingdom. Unitary authority not part of the non-metropolitan county, thus not administered by Devon County Council. The remainder of Torbay is unparished.

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