Uplyme
Encyclopedia
Uplyme is a village which lies in East Devon
on the Devon-Dorset border and the River Lym, adjacent to the Dorset
coastal town of Lyme Regis
. It has a population of approximately 1700.
The remains of a Romano-British
villa were excavated near to the village in 1850. The earliest recorded reference to the parish was in AD740 when Cynewulf
, King of Wessex gifted the manor of Uplyme to Glastonbury Abbey
. The Domesday Book
also mentions the village.
The parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul lies within the village and is located adjacent to the primary school. The 14th century tower is the oldest part of the church.
The new village hall is situated a few hundred yards from the church, with adjacent playing fields containing a children's play area and 2 cricket pavilions (one worthy of listed status is currently disused). The old village hall was replaced by the modern building in 1993 and was financed by determined fundraising and grant funding under the inspired leadership of villager Adrian Pearson.
Charles Wicksted Ethelston. After her death, Charles Ethelston decided to erect a building in his
wife's memory in order to house the already existing school. Sadly, however the main building was not opened until 1873, a
year after his own death.
The school currently houses around 120 pupils, encompassing 7 years in 6 classes. The school consists of three buildings, an early 1990s building for reception to year 2 known as Wood Haven,and another building is being built, whilst the main original old building is home to years 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as the
staff and administration areas.
s closed leaving just one in the village. The last hotel, The Devon Hotel, formerly the vicarage, was converted to flats with the extensive grounds being developed for housing. Shops were reduced to one when the village butchers closed. There is also filling station in the village.
East Devon
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth...
on the Devon-Dorset border and the River Lym, adjacent to the Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
coastal town of Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester and east of Exeter. The town lies in Lyme Bay, on the English Channel coast at the Dorset-Devon border...
. It has a population of approximately 1700.
History and background
The parish of Uplyme has one of the largest boundaries in England—in excess of 16 miles (25.7 km), the area of the village being approximately 3618 acres (14.6 km²).The remains of a Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
villa were excavated near to the village in 1850. The earliest recorded reference to the parish was in AD740 when Cynewulf
Cynewulf
Cynewulf is one of twelve Anglo-Saxon poets known by name today, and one of four whose work survives today. He is famous for his religious compositions, and is regarded as one of the pre-eminent figures of Old English Christian poetry. Posterity knows of his name by means of runic signatures that...
, King of Wessex gifted the manor of Uplyme to Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey
Glastonbury Abbey was a monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. The ruins are now a grade I listed building, and a Scheduled Ancient Monument and are open as a visitor attraction....
. 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...
also mentions the village.
The parish church of St. Peter and St. Paul lies within the village and is located adjacent to the primary school. The 14th century tower is the oldest part of the church.
The new village hall is situated a few hundred yards from the church, with adjacent playing fields containing a children's play area and 2 cricket pavilions (one worthy of listed status is currently disused). The old village hall was replaced by the modern building in 1993 and was financed by determined fundraising and grant funding under the inspired leadership of villager Adrian Pearson.
Primary school
Mrs Ethelston's C of E Primary School is named after Mrs Anne Ethelston (1799-1854), the wife of the ReverendCharles Wicksted Ethelston. After her death, Charles Ethelston decided to erect a building in his
wife's memory in order to house the already existing school. Sadly, however the main building was not opened until 1873, a
year after his own death.
The school currently houses around 120 pupils, encompassing 7 years in 6 classes. The school consists of three buildings, an early 1990s building for reception to year 2 known as Wood Haven,and another building is being built, whilst the main original old building is home to years 3, 4, 5 and 6, as well as the
staff and administration areas.
Village Facilities
In line with other villages throughout the country Uplyme has seen a deterioration in the number of local facilities. The Black Dog and The New Inn public housePublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s closed leaving just one in the village. The last hotel, The Devon Hotel, formerly the vicarage, was converted to flats with the extensive grounds being developed for housing. Shops were reduced to one when the village butchers closed. There is also filling station in the village.