Moretonhampstead
Encyclopedia
Moretonhampstead lies on the edge of Dartmoor
and is notable for having the longest one-word name of any place in England. The parish church
is dedicated to St. Andrew.Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Devon: Being Observations on Many Churches in Denonshire. George Oliver
and John Pike Jones (editors), 1828, Exeter: E. Woolmer. Moretonhampstead is twinned with Betton
in France
.
and Bovey
, with Mor Tun as its major settlement. The present parish of over 6,000 acres (24 km²) is the residue of that ancient crown lordship. The Domesday Book
(1086 AD) shows that the manor
of Moreton, with some neighbouring manors, supported upwards of 5,000 sheep. Wool and (in later years) the manufacture of woollen cloth formed the basis of the town's economy for over 700 years. The economy was evidently healthy when the town established a water-powered fulling mill before the end of the 13th century.
In 1207 AD King John
granted a weekly market and an annual five-day fair, indicating that Moretonhampstead had developed into an important local community. The town grew steadily through the Middle Ages
and remained prosperous until the end of the 17th century, when the wool industry began to decline. The town continued to be a local trading centre and a rest stop for travellers on the difficult routes across Dartmoor and from Exeter
and Newton Abbot
.
A series of fires in the 20th century destroyed many of Moretonhampstead's ancient buildings, but sufficient still remains to demonstrate the Saxon and Medieval heritage, and the later industrial prosperity. Much of the town is designated a conservation area
, with many listed buildings of architectural and historic interest. The whole parish is within Dartmoor National Park.
during the 13th century, the rent was set as one sparrowhawk per year. The bird has become something of a symbol for the town and will be incorporated into works of public art under development by an artist in residence Roger Dean.
in the book "Christowell" is now only represented by a cross minus its shaft, which is enclosed near the almshouse
s. This famous dancing tree, a fine old elm, cut and clipped in the form of a punch bowl
(by which name it was also known), has long since disappeared, and in its place a beech tree has been planted. It was around the original tree that the village lads and lasses would dance and it recorded that French officers on parole from Dartmoor Prison at Princetown
during the Napoleonic Wars
, "did assemble around the Cross Tree with their Band".
Early in the 19th century the building was converted from two tenements into four and the facade was damaged. By 1938 they had fallen into disrepair. In 1940 they were purchased for the town and converted back into two tenement
s. In 1952 they were purchased by the National Trust
.
Moretonhampstead has a good range of sporting facilities and the great expanse of Dartmoor makes it popular with ramblers and cyclists, in particular for mountain biking
. No part of the National Park is more than a one hour drive away and most of the well-known beauty spots considerably less.
Other events include a fireworks night, annual pantomime, food and drink festival and music events spread throughout the year
was opened by the Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway
on the south side of the town on 26 June 1866. It closed to passengers on 28 February 1959, although goods trains continued until 6 April 1964. After this the goods shed
and engine shed
continued to be used for many years by a commercial road haulage business.
Bus services are from the car park just west of the town centre and include services to Exeter (359/173) and Plymouth (82).
.
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...
and is notable for having the longest one-word name of any place in England. 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....
is dedicated to St. Andrew.Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Devon: Being Observations on Many Churches in Denonshire. George Oliver
George Oliver (historian)
George Oliver was an English Roman Catholic priest and historian of the Exeter area.-Life:He was born at Newington, Surrey, on 9 February 1781, and was educated, first at Sedgley Park School, Staffordshire, and afterwards at Stonyhurst College...
and John Pike Jones (editors), 1828, Exeter: E. Woolmer. Moretonhampstead is twinned with Betton
Betton
Betton is a village in Shropshire, England within the parish of Norton in Hales....
in 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...
.
History
The central region of Devon was occupied by the Saxons soon after 682 AD. It was divided into vast estates, and one of these divisions included all land within the boundaries of the rivers TeignRiver Teign
The River Teign is a river in the county of Devon, England.Like many Devon rivers, the Teign rises on Dartmoor, near Cranmere Pool. Its course on the moor is crossed by a clapper bridge near Teigncombe, just below the prehistoric Kestor Settlement. It leaves the moor at its eastern side, flowing...
and Bovey
River Bovey
Bovey is a river in the Dartmoor moors in Devon in south-west England....
, with Mor Tun as its major settlement. The present parish of over 6,000 acres (24 km²) is the residue of that ancient crown lordship. 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...
(1086 AD) shows that the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Moreton, with some neighbouring manors, supported upwards of 5,000 sheep. Wool and (in later years) the manufacture of woollen cloth formed the basis of the town's economy for over 700 years. The economy was evidently healthy when the town established a water-powered fulling mill before the end of the 13th century.
In 1207 AD King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
granted a weekly market and an annual five-day fair, indicating that Moretonhampstead had developed into an important local community. The town grew steadily through the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and remained prosperous until the end of the 17th century, when the wool industry began to decline. The town continued to be a local trading centre and a rest stop for travellers on the difficult routes across Dartmoor and from 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 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....
.
A series of fires in the 20th century destroyed many of Moretonhampstead's ancient buildings, but sufficient still remains to demonstrate the Saxon and Medieval heritage, and the later industrial prosperity. Much of the town is designated a conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
, with many listed buildings of architectural and historic interest. The whole parish is within Dartmoor National Park.
The Sparrowhawk
When King John granted the town its charterCharter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
during the 13th century, the rent was set as one sparrowhawk per year. The bird has become something of a symbol for the town and will be incorporated into works of public art under development by an artist in residence Roger Dean.
The Cross Tree
The Cross Tree, immortalised by R. D. BlackmoreR. D. Blackmore
Richard Doddridge Blackmore , referred to most commonly as R. D. Blackmore, was one of the most famous English novelists of the second half of the nineteenth century. Over the course of his career, Blackmore achieved a close following around the world...
in the book "Christowell" is now only represented by a cross minus its shaft, which is enclosed near the almshouse
Almshouse
Almshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s. This famous dancing tree, a fine old elm, cut and clipped in the form of a punch bowl
Punch bowl
A punch bowl is a bowl, often large and wide, in which the drink punch is served.-Origins:The word punch is a loanword from Hindi. The original drink was named paantsch, which is Hindi for "five", and the drink was made from five different ingredients: spirit, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices...
(by which name it was also known), has long since disappeared, and in its place a beech tree has been planted. It was around the original tree that the village lads and lasses would dance and it recorded that French officers on parole from Dartmoor Prison at Princetown
Princetown
Princetown is a town situated on Dartmoor in the English county of Devon.In 1785, Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt, Secretary to the Prince of Wales, leased a large area of moorland from the Duchy of Cornwall estate, hoping to convert it into good farmland. He encouraged people to live in the area and suggested...
during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, "did assemble around the Cross Tree with their Band".
Alms houses
Standing behind the Cross Tree are the famous almshouses, built in solid granite. The date of 1637 on the outside is actually the date they were refurbished. Recent research has shown that the main core of these buildings are at least two hundred years older.Early in the 19th century the building was converted from two tenements into four and the facade was damaged. By 1938 they had fallen into disrepair. In 1940 they were purchased for the town and converted back into two tenement
Tenement
A tenement is, in most English-speaking areas, a substandard multi-family dwelling, usually old, occupied by the poor.-History:Originally the term tenement referred to tenancy and therefore to any rented accommodation...
s. In 1952 they were purchased by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
Tourism
Moretonhampstead relies heavily on tourism, and has done so for a long time. Its central position on Dartmoor makes it an ideal base to explore both Dartmoor and Devon. The central part of the town stands at an altitude of 700 feet (213.4 m) but a short stroll within the parish will elevate the walker to beyond 1,100 feet (340 m) and afford spectacular views of the surrounding area Moretonhampstead has four pubs and three cafes. There is a wide selection of hotels, bed and breakfast, self-catering and camping accommodation and the visitor will find all one is likely to need in the busy local shops.Moretonhampstead has a good range of sporting facilities and the great expanse of Dartmoor makes it popular with ramblers and cyclists, in particular for mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
. No part of the National Park is more than a one hour drive away and most of the well-known beauty spots considerably less.
Events
Moretonhampstead has an annual carnival, held on the fourth Thursday in August which raises funds for local groups and associations.Other events include a fireworks night, annual pantomime, food and drink festival and music events spread throughout the year
Transport
Moretonhampstead railway stationMoretonhampstead railway station
Moretonhampstead railway station was the terminus of the Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway at Moretonhampstead, Devon, England. It was opened on 26 June 1866....
was opened by the Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway
Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway
The Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway was a broad gauge railway which linked the South Devon Railway at Newton Abbot railway station with Bovey Tracey and Moretonhampstead, Devon, England.-History of the line:...
on the south side of the town on 26 June 1866. It closed to passengers on 28 February 1959, although goods trains continued until 6 April 1964. After this the goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
and engine shed
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
continued to be used for many years by a commercial road haulage business.
Bus services are from the car park just west of the town centre and include services to Exeter (359/173) and Plymouth (82).
Sport and recreation
Moretonhampstead has a King George's Field as a memorial to King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
.