Bradninch
Encyclopedia
Bradninch is a small town
in Devon
, England
, lying about three miles south of Cullompton
. Bradninch dates back to before the 7th century and at this time there was a Saxon fortress on Castle hill. The feudal Baron of Bradninch in the 12th century was Sir William de Tracy
, one of the assassins of the Archbishop of Canterbury
, Thomas Becket
. Much of the surrounding farmland belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall
.
The place-name 'Bradninch' is first attested in the Domesday Book
of 1086, where it appears as 'Bradenese'; the name is thought to mean 'broad oak'.
The town was largely destroyed in a fire in 1666 (the same year as the Great Fire of London
). It used to be served by the railway station at Hele
, which is now closed.
Notable buildings in the town include Bradninch Guildhall, the Castle Pub, the manor house
, Earlsland House, Comfort House, and the parish church
.
This 15th-century church is currently dedicated to St Disen, a unique dedication in the British Isles, who is considered to have been an Irish missionary saint.http://wikimapia.org/6741974/St-Disen-s-Church Previously this church was dedicated to St Dionysius, and some confusion has arisen between the two. It possesses a finely decorated screen. In the panels at the screen's base are nearly 50 paintings of saint
s and biblical scenes. Another screen in the church is simpler, with panels of various saints, including an unusual one of St Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata
.
It was here in 1702 that George Boone III, grandfather of the American pioneer
, Daniel Boone
, joined the Society of Friends (Quakers).
In the 2010 UK General Election, the new constituency of Central Devon, which includes Bradninch, returned a Conservative Member of Parliament, Mel Stride
.
Bradninch Ward had a population of 1,775 in April 2001.
In 1887, according to John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles, the population was 1,705
In 1851 the population was 1,834.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in 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...
, England
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...
, lying about three miles south of Cullompton
Cullompton
Cullompton is a civil parish and town in Devon, England, locally known as Cully. It is miles north-north-east of Exeter and lies on the River Culm. In 2010 it had a population of 8,639 and is growing rapidly....
. Bradninch dates back to before the 7th century and at this time there was a Saxon fortress on Castle hill. The feudal Baron of Bradninch in the 12th century was Sir William de Tracy
William de Tracy
Sir William de Tracy, Knt., was Lord of the Manor of Toddington, Gloucestershire, feudal Baron of Bradninch, near Exeter, and Lord of Moretonhampstead, Devon...
, one of the assassins of the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
. Much of the surrounding farmland belongs to the Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
.
The place-name 'Bradninch' is first attested in the Domesday Book
Domesday 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...
of 1086, where it appears as 'Bradenese'; the name is thought to mean 'broad oak'.
The town was largely destroyed in a fire in 1666 (the same year as the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
). It used to be served by the railway station at Hele
Hele
Hele is a village in Devon, England, lying about one mile SSW of Bradninch and 10 miles NNE of Exeter. The village is home to a paper mill once belonging to the company Wiggins Teape, now part of the multinational company Arjo Wiggins....
, which is now closed.
Notable buildings in the town include Bradninch Guildhall, the Castle Pub, the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, Earlsland House, Comfort House, and the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
.
This 15th-century church is currently dedicated to St Disen, a unique dedication in the British Isles, who is considered to have been an Irish missionary saint.http://wikimapia.org/6741974/St-Disen-s-Church Previously this church was dedicated to St Dionysius, and some confusion has arisen between the two. It possesses a finely decorated screen. In the panels at the screen's base are nearly 50 paintings of saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s and biblical scenes. Another screen in the church is simpler, with panels of various saints, including an unusual one of St Francis of Assisi receiving the stigmata
Stigmata
Stigmata are bodily marks, sores, or sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus, such as the hands and feet...
.
It was here in 1702 that George Boone III, grandfather of the American pioneer
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
, Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
, joined the Society of Friends (Quakers).
In the 2010 UK General Election, the new constituency of Central Devon, which includes Bradninch, returned a Conservative Member of Parliament, Mel Stride
Mel Stride
Melvyn John 'Mel' Stride is a British Conservative Party politician. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Central Devon at the 2010 general election...
.
Population
According to the Office for National StatisticsOffice for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
Bradninch Ward had a population of 1,775 in April 2001.
In 1887, according to John Bartholomew's Gazetteer of the British Isles, the population was 1,705
In 1851 the population was 1,834.