Copplestone
Encyclopedia
Copplestone is a village
and civil parish
in Mid Devon
in the English
county of Devon
. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 894.
It can be found right in the middle of Devon half way between Exeter
and Barnstaple
on the A377, nestled in a valley.
The Tarka Line
railway comes through the middle of the village and calls at Copplestone railway station
.
Copplestone is surrounded by hills and is not far from Dartmoor
to the east, which can be seen or Exmoor
to the north which is a little farther away.
In the centre of the village is the Copplestone Cross, a decorated celtic granite
cross
It is mentioned in a charter in 974, but it is far older than that. It stands at the junction of three parishes, and has given a name to a once noted family in Devon, that comes into an old local rhyme: "Crocker, Cruwys, and Coplestone, When the Conqueror came were found at home."
It stands 3.2 metres high, and is 0.6 metres square. Covered with intricate decoration, the granite for the cross must have been brought some 15 kilometres from Dartmoor, which suggests it had some deep cultural significance.
The surrounding countryside has been farmed since the earliest days of settlement, dating back to the time prior to the Roman
control of the area.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Mid Devon
Mid Devon
Mid Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Tiverton.The district was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tiverton and Crediton urban district together with Tiverton Rural District, and Crediton Rural...
in the English
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...
. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 894.
It can be found right in the middle of Devon half way between Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
and Barnstaple
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...
on the A377, nestled in a valley.
The Tarka Line
Tarka Line
The Tarka Line is a railway line from Exeter to Barnstaple in Devon, England. The line follows the River Creedy, River Yeo and River Taw for some of its route...
railway comes through the middle of the village and calls at Copplestone railway station
Copplestone railway station
Copplestone railway station is on the Tarka Line serving the village of Copplestone in Devon, England. It is operated by First Great Western.-Description:...
.
Copplestone is surrounded by hills and is not far from Dartmoor
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
to the east, which can be seen or Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
to the north which is a little farther away.
In the centre of the village is the Copplestone Cross, a decorated celtic granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
It is mentioned in a charter in 974, but it is far older than that. It stands at the junction of three parishes, and has given a name to a once noted family in Devon, that comes into an old local rhyme: "Crocker, Cruwys, and Coplestone, When the Conqueror came were found at home."
It stands 3.2 metres high, and is 0.6 metres square. Covered with intricate decoration, the granite for the cross must have been brought some 15 kilometres from Dartmoor, which suggests it had some deep cultural significance.
The surrounding countryside has been farmed since the earliest days of settlement, dating back to the time prior to the Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
control of the area.