Abbotskerswell
Encyclopedia
Abbotskerswell is a village and civil parish in the English
county of Devon
. The village is in the north part of the parish and is located two miles (3 km) south of the town of Newton Abbot
, 7 miles (11.3 km) from the seaside resort of Torquay
and 32 miles (51.5 km) from the city of Plymouth
. The A381 road between Newton Abbot and Totnes
runs down the western side of the parish and the main railway line between these two towns forms part of its eastern boundary.
Abbotskerswell was called Carsuella and was held by the abbot of Horton, Dorset
. The name kerswell means cress spring. In 1086 it had a population of less than one hundred. By 1901 the population had risen to 451 and to 1,515 by 2001.
The village church, dedicated to St. Mary, was affected by the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in the reign of Henry VIII. Old treasures, particularly a large badly damaged medieval statue assumed to be of the Virgin and Child, have been found within the church, and work has been undertaken to restore them.
Abbotskerswell developed around the growing of apples for cider
making. Henley's Devonshire Cider was made by a company based in nearby Newton Abbot from apples grown in the extensive orchards around the village, and their presses
were here too.
In 1850, according to White's Devonshire Directory:
. The Court Farm Inn was previously a farm, and was converted to a pub in the 20th century when the old Tradesmans Arms closed. The other pub is the older Butchers Arms, which was originally a smithy
. The village post office
was closed by Royal Mail
in 2008, it is now an emporium and coffee house. Abbotskerswell Priory
, just north of the parish boundary, was home to an Order of Augustinian nuns from 1861 to 1983 and was then converted into apartments and cottages for elderly people.
The village hosts the annual "Abbfest" Beer and Food Festival
which celebrates Devon food and drink.
As of 2010, the village has two teams in the South Devon Football League
: the main team is in the Premier Division, and the Reserves in Division Four. Their ground is at Abbots Park. Abbotskerswell Cricket Club has two adult teams, the first team playing at A division in the Devon Cricket League and the second team playing at B division in the second team league. The plan for 2011 is to have a third team. There is a Sunday side and four youth teams. The grounds are situated on the main A381 Totnes Road outside the village.
, Ireland
- Le Pré-d'Auge
and Les Monceaux
, France
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. The village is in the north part of the parish and is located two miles (3 km) south of the town of Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
, 7 miles (11.3 km) from the seaside resort of Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
and 32 miles (51.5 km) from the city of Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
. The A381 road between Newton Abbot and Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
runs down the western side of the parish and the main railway line between these two towns forms part of its eastern boundary.
History
In the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
Abbotskerswell was called Carsuella and was held by the abbot of Horton, Dorset
Horton, Dorset
Horton is a village in East Dorset, England, situated on the boundary between the chalk downland of Cranborne Chase and the heathland of the New Forest, ten miles north of Poole...
. The name kerswell means cress spring. In 1086 it had a population of less than one hundred. By 1901 the population had risen to 451 and to 1,515 by 2001.
The village church, dedicated to St. Mary, was affected by the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in the reign of Henry VIII. Old treasures, particularly a large badly damaged medieval statue assumed to be of the Virgin and Child, have been found within the church, and work has been undertaken to restore them.
Abbotskerswell developed around the growing of apples for cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
making. Henley's Devonshire Cider was made by a company based in nearby Newton Abbot from apples grown in the extensive orchards around the village, and their presses
Fruit press
A fruit press is a device used to separate fruit solids - stems, skins, seeds, pulp, leaves, and detritus - from fruit juice.-Cider press:A cider press is used to crush apples or pears...
were here too.
In 1850, according to White's Devonshire Directory:
"ABBOTSKERSWELL, or Abbot's Carswell, is a pleasant village, two miles S. of Newton Abbot, and has in its parish 433 souls and 1600 acres of land, including several scattered houses and the hamlet of Aller, where there is a paper mill, on a rivulet 1 ½ mile from the church. The soil is all freehold, and belongs to Sir W.P. Carew, Bart., the Hon. Mrs. Hare, W. Hole, Esq., Wm. and John Creed, and a few smaller owners. The Church (St. Mary,) is an ancient fabric in the perpendicular style, with a tower and three bells. It is about to be thoroughly repaired and beautified. The old pews are to give way to open benches, and the finely carved oak screen is to be restored and opened. . . . A cottage has been converted into a Baptist Chapel; and in the parish is a Quaker's Burial Ground, which was reserved for that purpose by a Mr. Tucket, when he sold Court Barton estate. Here is a small National School."
Today
The village has several listed buildings, a small shop, (with a hair salon on the upper floor) and two pubsPublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. The Court Farm Inn was previously a farm, and was converted to a pub in the 20th century when the old Tradesmans Arms closed. The other pub is the older Butchers Arms, which was originally a smithy
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
. The village post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was closed by Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
in 2008, it is now an emporium and coffee house. Abbotskerswell Priory
Abbotskerswell Priory
Abbotskerswell Priory, on the outskirts of the village of Abbotskerswell, near Newton Abbot, Devon, England, was the home of a community of Augustinian nuns from 1861 until 1983. It has now been converted into apartments for elderly people....
, just north of the parish boundary, was home to an Order of Augustinian nuns from 1861 to 1983 and was then converted into apartments and cottages for elderly people.
The village hosts the annual "Abbfest" Beer and Food Festival
Food festival
A food festival is a festival, usually held annually, that uses food, often produce, as its central theme. "These festivals have always been a means of uniting communities through celebrations of harvests and giving thanks for a plentiful growing season...
which celebrates Devon food and drink.
As of 2010, the village has two teams in the South Devon Football League
South Devon Football League
The South Devon League is a football competition based in England, and is sponsored by WBW Solicitors. Its top division, the Premier Division, sits at level 12 of the English football league system. This league is a feeder to the South West Peninsula League...
: the main team is in the Premier Division, and the Reserves in Division Four. Their ground is at Abbots Park. Abbotskerswell Cricket Club has two adult teams, the first team playing at A division in the Devon Cricket League and the second team playing at B division in the second team league. The plan for 2011 is to have a third team. There is a Sunday side and four youth teams. The grounds are situated on the main A381 Totnes Road outside the village.
Twin cities/towns
- ArdmoreArdmore, County Waterford
Ardmore is a fishing village in County Waterford, Ireland, not far from Youghal on the south coast of Ireland, with a population of around 330, although this varies with the tourist season. It is believed to be the oldest Christian settlement in Ireland...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
- Le Pré-d'Auge
Le Pré-d'Auge
-References:*...
and Les Monceaux
Les Monceaux
-References:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Notable people
- John 'Babbacombe' LeeJohn 'Babbacombe' LeeJohn Henry George Lee , better known as John "Babbacombe" Lee or "The Man They Couldn't Hang", was a British man famous for surviving three attempts to hang him for murder....
, known as "The Man They Couldn't Hang" was born in the village in 1864. - Arthur JuddArthur JuddArthur Kenneth Judd was an English cricketer. Judd was a right-handed batsman who bowled leg break.Judd made his first-class debut for Hampshire in the 1925 County Championship against Northamptonshire at the County Ground, Northampton...
, first-class cricketFirst-class cricketFirst-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er, died here in 1988. - Jack DaveyJack Davey (cricketer)Jack Davey is a former English cricketer. Davey was a left-handed batsman who bowled left-arm fast-medium. An opening bowler, Davey had a successful career with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club which spanned from the 1966 season to the 1978 season. His name sometimes appeared in reports and...
, ran the Court Farm public house in the village.