Pilton, Devon
Encyclopedia
Pilton is a suburb of Barnstaple. It is located about half a mile north on the outskirts of Barnstaple
in Devon
, England
. It is home to about 2000 residents, and has its own primary and secondary school. It is easily accessible via Barnstaple.
in 2009, and an Ofsted subject inspection in 2011 commented on the exemplary behaviour and excellent quality of work demonstrated by our students. Much of this is due to the fantastic work of the previous principal Mr Mark Juby, who left in 2010 and was replaced by the current Principal. It is a large school, located in Chaddiford Lane which is a convenient location near to Braunton Road and Pottington Industrial Estate. The school operates on a single year tutor group basis with multiple single year tutor groups in each year consisting of about 30 pupils. These tutor groups stay with the same tutor throughout the 5 years and have the same Year Head and Deputy Year Head through out the 5 years as well. It does not operate a house system. The School consists of one main building that includes the reception, most subject facilities and all dining facilities. There are two main areas for food retail Reception Lounge for Years 7,8&9 and Chaddies for Years 10&11. These are purchased electronically parents of pupils can pay by many option onto there account and with either a card or their fingerprint pay for the item at the till. There is also an arts block and science block separate to the main building. There is also a big astro-turf pitch which is used by the school and surrounding community out of school hours. The school has began a rebranding exercise in which the logo, website and uniform are being changed and developed. This has caused some controversies with the pupils. Being a specialist language college there are many opportunities for oversea's travels such as the USA, China
, Egypt
and a central European Skiing Trip to name but a few and exchanges with Germany
, France
, Italy
and Poland. Pilton offers strong student support with peer mentoring services available. There are many life changing and character building opportunities such as the Dartmoor Ten Tors
Challenge, yearly performing arts productions and local sports competitions. Pilton has strong links with the wider community and feeder school, the Strong Music Orchestra and Swing Band play regularly at local events conducted by Mrs Amiee Lang. A Termly Newsletter is produced which is known for its in depth look at the previous term with a message from the Principal and departmental reports. Most of the school's pupils progress to further study at Petroc but also Ilfracombe Arts College Sixth Form, Exeter College
, Bicton College
and Dutchy College.
. It has been subsumed as a suburb of the nearby town due to ribbon development
in the 1930s.
Situated on an easily-defended hill at the head of the Taw estuary
, and close to where the river narrows enough to be fordable, Pilton was an important Saxon settlement, and site of the original burh
through much of the 10th century, until this was moved a mile or so to the South-East, to become Barnstaple, a market town and then borough. A Saxon ford would typically have been indicated by a stapol, or post - Bearda's stapol giving the town of Barnstaple its name.
Morris and Co.'s Commercial Directory and Gazetteer (published 1870) expanded this with:-
was the main depot and operating centre for the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
. The site, a triangle of land to the East of Pilton Causeway, South of Yeo Vale Road and North of what is now the A361, was originally part of the tannery, and reverted back to its original ownership when the line closed. The Yard Offices were for many years after home to The Sheepskin Shop, and more recently used as an antiquarian furniture shop. The carriage sheds, locomotive shed and other remnants of the railway were destroyed in a fire in 1992, and much of the site is now used for car parking.
, the Prior of the Benedictine Priory of Pilton, and the Pilton Worm, an ancient monster.Over time the festival has become more about profits, with lots of non local buisiness and stalls. The festival brings large traffic to pilton, and is a driver of the local economy.
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...
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...
. It is home to about 2000 residents, and has its own primary and secondary school. It is easily accessible via Barnstaple.
Schools
Pilton has four schools, Pilton Infants (Reception - Year 2, Pilton Bluecoat (Year 3-6) and the larger secondary school Pilton Community College (Year 7-11).Pilton Community College
Pilton Community College is a specialist language college serving most of Barnstaple in secondary school education for an age range of 11-16. The College was judged to have many outstanding features by OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
in 2009, and an Ofsted subject inspection in 2011 commented on the exemplary behaviour and excellent quality of work demonstrated by our students. Much of this is due to the fantastic work of the previous principal Mr Mark Juby, who left in 2010 and was replaced by the current Principal. It is a large school, located in Chaddiford Lane which is a convenient location near to Braunton Road and Pottington Industrial Estate. The school operates on a single year tutor group basis with multiple single year tutor groups in each year consisting of about 30 pupils. These tutor groups stay with the same tutor throughout the 5 years and have the same Year Head and Deputy Year Head through out the 5 years as well. It does not operate a house system. The School consists of one main building that includes the reception, most subject facilities and all dining facilities. There are two main areas for food retail Reception Lounge for Years 7,8&9 and Chaddies for Years 10&11. These are purchased electronically parents of pupils can pay by many option onto there account and with either a card or their fingerprint pay for the item at the till. There is also an arts block and science block separate to the main building. There is also a big astro-turf pitch which is used by the school and surrounding community out of school hours. The school has began a rebranding exercise in which the logo, website and uniform are being changed and developed. This has caused some controversies with the pupils. Being a specialist language college there are many opportunities for oversea's travels such as the USA, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and a central European Skiing Trip to name but a few and exchanges with Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, 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...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Poland. Pilton offers strong student support with peer mentoring services available. There are many life changing and character building opportunities such as the Dartmoor Ten Tors
Ten Tors
Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike organised and run in early May for 2,400 young people by the British Army on Dartmoor. The majority of entrants are schools, colleges, Scout groups and Cadet squadrons from South West England, though groups from across the UK regularly take part, as do teams from...
Challenge, yearly performing arts productions and local sports competitions. Pilton has strong links with the wider community and feeder school, the Strong Music Orchestra and Swing Band play regularly at local events conducted by Mrs Amiee Lang. A Termly Newsletter is produced which is known for its in depth look at the previous term with a message from the Principal and departmental reports. Most of the school's pupils progress to further study at Petroc but also Ilfracombe Arts College Sixth Form, Exeter College
Exeter College
Exeter College may refer to:* Exeter College, Oxford a college of Oxford University* Exeter College, Exeter a college in Exeter, Devon...
, Bicton College
Bicton College
Bicton College is a college with around 1,000 full-time and 3,500 part-time pupils, located near Budleigh Salterton, Devon, England. The college specialises in agriculture and currently offers courses in such topics as animal care, countyside management, horticulture, outdoor leisure, veterinary...
and Dutchy College.
Pilton Bluecoat CofE Junior School
Pilton Bluecoat is a junior school serving an age range of 7-11. Pupils from this school usually proceed into Pilton Community College at age 11.Pilton Infants School
Pilton Infants is an infants school serving 5-7 year old pupils in and around the Pilton area. At the age of 7, pupils usually proceed into the Pilton Bluecoat Junior School.History
Pilton was originally separate to BarnstapleBarnstaple
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...
. It has been subsumed as a suburb of the nearby town due to ribbon development
Ribbon development
Ribbon development means building houses along the routes of communications radiating from a human settlement. Such development generated great concern in the United Kingdom during the 1920s and the 1930s, as well as in numerous other countries....
in the 1930s.
Situated on an easily-defended hill at the head of the Taw estuary
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 close to where the river narrows enough to be fordable, Pilton was an important Saxon settlement, and site of the original burh
Burh
A Burh is an Old English name for a fortified town or other defended site, sometimes centred upon a hill fort though always intended as a place of permanent settlement, its origin was in military defence; "it represented only a stage, though a vitally important one, in the evolution of the...
through much of the 10th century, until this was moved a mile or so to the South-East, to become Barnstaple, a market town and then borough. A Saxon ford would typically have been indicated by a stapol, or post - Bearda's stapol giving the town of Barnstaple its name.
Victorian Pilton
White's Devonshire Directory (published 1850) described Pilton in these terms:-Morris and Co.'s Commercial Directory and Gazetteer (published 1870) expanded this with:-
Railways
From 1898 to 1935, PiltonPilton railway station
Pilton Yard, in the village of Pilton, to the north of Barnstaple was, between 1895 and 1935, the main depot and operating centre of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway , a narrow gauge line that ran through Exmoor from Barnstaple to Lynton and Lynmouth in north Devon...
was the main depot and operating centre for the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway opened as an independent railway in May 1898. It was a single track narrow gauge railway slightly over long running through the rugged and picturesque area bordering Exmoor in North Devon, England. Although opened after the 1896 Light Railways Act came into force,...
. The site, a triangle of land to the East of Pilton Causeway, South of Yeo Vale Road and North of what is now the A361, was originally part of the tannery, and reverted back to its original ownership when the line closed. The Yard Offices were for many years after home to The Sheepskin Shop, and more recently used as an antiquarian furniture shop. The carriage sheds, locomotive shed and other remnants of the railway were destroyed in a fire in 1992, and much of the site is now used for car parking.
Pilton Festival
Pilton was granted the right to hold an annual festival by Edward III. The Pilton Festival is normally held on the third weekend of July and incorporates the Green Man Day. The festival includes market stalls, live music and performances at Pilton House. The Green Man performances involve the Green ManGreen Man
A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit...
, the Prior of the Benedictine Priory of Pilton, and the Pilton Worm, an ancient monster.Over time the festival has become more about profits, with lots of non local buisiness and stalls. The festival brings large traffic to pilton, and is a driver of the local economy.