Braunton
Encyclopedia
Braunton is situated 5 miles (8 km) west of Barnstaple
, Devon
, England
and is claimed to be the largest village in England
, with a population in 2001 of 7,510. It is home to the nearby Braunton Great Field and Braunton Burrows
, a National Nature
and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
grows". The name is recorded in the year 1086, in the Domesday Book
, as Brantona. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Braunton.html
with St. Brannock's
being the parish church
. The tower of St. Brannock's Church is over 700 years old and the chancel
which has an arch and three lancets is about the same age. The 16th-century benches are richly carved. The 15th century south chapel has a curious brass palimpsest
, hinged so that both sides are visible. There is a chest that may have come to England with the Spanish Armada
.
Local schools include Caen Street Primary School, Kingsacre Primary School, Southmead Primary School and Braunton Community College
, the local secondary school.
The village had a railway station on the now closed Ilfracombe Branch Line.
The South West Coast Path
National Trail links to the village and gives access to walks along the spectacular North Devon
coast. The Tarka Trail
also passes through the village. The nearby Braunton Burrows
marsh has been designated as a biosphere reserve
, the first place in the country to gain this status.http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/outdoors/nature/braunton_burrows.shtml The coastal part of the parish lies within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
.
St. Brannock
came from South Wales
as a missionary
and converted the native Britons
to Christianity
in AD 550. Brannock was a priest in the household of Brychan, King of Brencknock. He married one of the king's daughters, but the family troubles were a great incentive for leaving his royal home. At that time the Welsh
Britons often raided their Dumnonian neighbours on the opposite side of the Bristol Channel
.
In all probability Brannock came to North Devon with such a raid and is said to have landed on Saunton Sands
at the mouth of the River Taw
. At the time of his arrival the estuary of the Taw
and Torridge
rivers was wooded, as was a portion of Braunton Burrows
. Brannock settled among a tribe of local Britons, soon establishing a strong Christian community. A church, the first in North Devon, was built at a spot near where the Caen stream began to spread its waters on the alluvial lands around the River Taw. Brannockstood, the township that grew up around this church, later became Brauntona and at the end of the 19th century, Braunton.
Braunton was surrounded by an extensive salt marsh, which was investigated by Charles Vancouver on behalf of the Board of Agriculture in 1808, and his report recommended that the marsh should be enclosed and reclaimed. This met with local approval, and James Green
was appointed as engineer for the drainage scheme. An Act of Parliament
was obtained on 25 May 1811, for the Inclosing, Draining, and Embanking Lands in Braunton, in the County of Devon. Once the scheme was completed, responsibility for the marsh passed to a group of Marsh Inspectors, who sanctioned further work in 1854, involving the straightening and embanking of the River Caen, or Braunton Pill, to form the Braunton Canal
. The scheme was completed by the addition of a new quay at Velator in the 1870s.
as it sits at the gateway to North Devon
's surf beaches of Saunton
, Croyde
and Woolacombe
. A number of major surf brands were created in the village including Tiki and Salt Rock.
Barnstaple
Barnstaple is a town and civil parish in the local government district of North Devon in the county of Devon, England, UK. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter. The old spelling Barnstable is now obsolete.It is the main town of the...
, 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...
and is claimed to be the largest village in England
Largest village in England
Several places claim to be the largest village in England. This title is disputed as there is no standard definition of a village and size might be determined by population or area....
, with a population in 2001 of 7,510. It is home to the nearby Braunton Great Field and Braunton Burrows
Braunton Burrows
Braunton Burrows is a sand dune system on the North Devon coast. Braunton Burrows is a prime British sand dune site, the largest sand dune system in England. It is particularly important ecologically because it includes the complete successional range of dune plant communities, with over 400...
, a National Nature
National Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Name
Braunton is derived from the Old English elements: brōm; and tūn, meaning "farmstead", "settlement". It roughly translates to "the farmstead where broomBroom (shrub)
Brooms are a group of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the legume family Fabaceae, mainly in the three genera Chamaecytisus, Cytisus and Genista, but also in many other small genera . All genera in this group are from the tribe Genisteae...
grows". The name is recorded in the year 1086, 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...
, as Brantona. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O40-Braunton.html
Geography
There are a number of churches of various denominationsReligious denomination
A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.The term describes various Christian denominations...
with St. Brannock's
Brynach
Saint Brynach was a 6th century Welsh saint. He is traditionally associated with Pembrokeshire, where several churches are dedicated to him.A 12th century 'life' tells us that some time in the early 6th century, Brynach travelled to Rome and Brittany, and then on to Milford Haven...
being 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....
. The tower of St. Brannock's Church is over 700 years old and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
which has an arch and three lancets is about the same age. The 16th-century benches are richly carved. The 15th century south chapel has a curious brass palimpsest
Palimpsest
A palimpsest is a manuscript page from a scroll or book from which the text has been scraped off and which can be used again. The word "palimpsest" comes through Latin palimpsēstus from Ancient Greek παλίμψηστος originally compounded from πάλιν and ψάω literally meaning “scraped...
, hinged so that both sides are visible. There is a chest that may have come to England with the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
.
Braunton Community College
Braunton School and Community college was opened in 1937 with 140 pupils, it has grown Massively and is now a state comprehensive school in Braunton, North Devon, England. It has around 750 pupils aged 11 to 16...
, the local secondary school.
The village had a railway station on the now closed Ilfracombe Branch Line.
The South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
National Trail links to the village and gives access to walks along the spectacular North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
coast. The Tarka Trail
Tarka Trail
The Tarka Trail is a series of footpaths and cyclepaths around north Devon, England that follow the route taken by Tarka the Otter in the book of that name. It is a figure-of-eight route, based on Barnstaple, and covers some of path....
also passes through the village. The nearby Braunton Burrows
Braunton Burrows
Braunton Burrows is a sand dune system on the North Devon coast. Braunton Burrows is a prime British sand dune site, the largest sand dune system in England. It is particularly important ecologically because it includes the complete successional range of dune plant communities, with over 400...
marsh has been designated as a biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
, the first place in the country to gain this status.http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/outdoors/nature/braunton_burrows.shtml The coastal part of the parish lies within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
.
History
Brynach
Saint Brynach was a 6th century Welsh saint. He is traditionally associated with Pembrokeshire, where several churches are dedicated to him.A 12th century 'life' tells us that some time in the early 6th century, Brynach travelled to Rome and Brittany, and then on to Milford Haven...
came from South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
as a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and converted the native Britons
Britons (historical)
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in AD 550. Brannock was a priest in the household of Brychan, King of Brencknock. He married one of the king's daughters, but the family troubles were a great incentive for leaving his royal home. At that time the Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
Britons often raided their Dumnonian neighbours on the opposite side of the Bristol Channel
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Severn to the North Atlantic Ocean...
.
In all probability Brannock came to North Devon with such a raid and is said to have landed on Saunton Sands
Saunton Sands
Saunton Sands on a wet and windy day|right|thumbSaunton Sands is a beach in the English village of Saunton on the North Devon coast near Braunton, popular as a longboard surfing location. Its southern end, 'Crow Point', lies at mouth of the River Taw estuary...
at the mouth of the River Taw
River Taw
The River Taw rises at Taw Head, a spring on the central northern flanks of Dartmoor. It reaches the Bristol Channel away on the north coast of Devon at a joint estuary mouth which it shares with the River Torridge.-Watercourse:...
. At the time of his arrival the estuary of the Taw
River Taw
The River Taw rises at Taw Head, a spring on the central northern flanks of Dartmoor. It reaches the Bristol Channel away on the north coast of Devon at a joint estuary mouth which it shares with the River Torridge.-Watercourse:...
and Torridge
River Torridge
The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England. It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson's book. The Torridge local government district is named after the river....
rivers was wooded, as was a portion of Braunton Burrows
Braunton Burrows
Braunton Burrows is a sand dune system on the North Devon coast. Braunton Burrows is a prime British sand dune site, the largest sand dune system in England. It is particularly important ecologically because it includes the complete successional range of dune plant communities, with over 400...
. Brannock settled among a tribe of local Britons, soon establishing a strong Christian community. A church, the first in North Devon, was built at a spot near where the Caen stream began to spread its waters on the alluvial lands around the River Taw. Brannockstood, the township that grew up around this church, later became Brauntona and at the end of the 19th century, Braunton.
Braunton was surrounded by an extensive salt marsh, which was investigated by Charles Vancouver on behalf of the Board of Agriculture in 1808, and his report recommended that the marsh should be enclosed and reclaimed. This met with local approval, and James Green
James Green (engineer)
James Green was a noted civil engineer and canal engineer, who was particularly active in the South West of England, where he pioneered the building of tub boat canals, and inventive solutions for coping with hilly terrain, which included tub boat lifts and inclined planes...
was appointed as engineer for the drainage scheme. An Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
was obtained on 25 May 1811, for the Inclosing, Draining, and Embanking Lands in Braunton, in the County of Devon. Once the scheme was completed, responsibility for the marsh passed to a group of Marsh Inspectors, who sanctioned further work in 1854, involving the straightening and embanking of the River Caen, or Braunton Pill, to form the Braunton Canal
Braunton Canal
The Braunton Canal is a cut made to straighten the course of the upper section of the River Caen, known as Braunton Pill, and to provide a new quay for the village of Braunton in North Devon, England...
. The scheme was completed by the addition of a new quay at Velator in the 1870s.
Parish church
The church of St Brannock's is large and has a Norman tower topped by a spire. There is a fine series of 16th century benchends and other interesting carved woodwork.Surfing
In recent years, the village has become a hub for surfingSurfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
as it sits at the gateway to North Devon
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
's surf beaches of Saunton
Saunton
Saunton is a village located approximately two miles from Braunton on the North Devon coast in the South West of England.Several kilometres long, the village borders the former national nature reserve, Braunton Burrows...
, Croyde
Croyde
Croyde is a village on the west-facing coastline of North Devon, England. The village lies on the South West Coast Path near to Baggy Point, which is owned by the National Trust. It lies within the North Devon Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
and Woolacombe
Woolacombe
Woolacombe is a seaside resort on the coast of North Devon, England, which lies at the mouth of a valley . The beach, which has Blue Flag and Premier Seaside Beach awards for its cleanliness, water quality and facilities, is long, sandy, gently sloping and faces the Atlantic Ocean near the...
. A number of major surf brands were created in the village including Tiki and Salt Rock.
See also
- Braunton BurrowsBraunton BurrowsBraunton Burrows is a sand dune system on the North Devon coast. Braunton Burrows is a prime British sand dune site, the largest sand dune system in England. It is particularly important ecologically because it includes the complete successional range of dune plant communities, with over 400...
- North Devon Coast AONB
- RMB Chivenor
- Saunton SandsSaunton SandsSaunton Sands on a wet and windy day|right|thumbSaunton Sands is a beach in the English village of Saunton on the North Devon coast near Braunton, popular as a longboard surfing location. Its southern end, 'Crow Point', lies at mouth of the River Taw estuary...