Loddiswell
Encyclopedia
Loddiswell is a parish
and village in the South Hams
district of Devon
, England
. It lies on the west side of the River Avon or Aune
and is three miles NNW from Kingsbridge
. There is evidence of occupation going back to Roman times. The villages most famous son and benefactor was Richard Peek
who retired here after being one of the Sheriffs of London
.
hill fort
, may be the remains of a wooden fortress of the 12th century, not otherwise documented. The hill itself gives a commanding view of the area.
Loddiswell was mentioned in the Domesday book
in 1086 when the manor was valued at 100 shillings. The manor then belonged to Juhel of Totnes
, but had belonged to Anglo Saxon called Heca before the Norman Conquest. Domesday recorded that there was a fishery that gave 30 salmon as geld.
The parish church of St. Michael's and All Angels, is of the 14th century, enlarged in the 15th century; its font
is Norman. The source of the village's medieval prosperity was wool
. Woolston House, the manor house
of Staunton manor, is a 17th-century house built near the foundations of an earlier structure; rebuilt in the 18th century, it passed from the Wise/Wyse family to the Weymouth and Allin families.
A copper mine opened in the parish in 1825.
In 1848, the congregationists built a chapel funded by Richard Peek. This locally born philanthropist who retired to Loddiswell and built Hazlewood House (1830). also funded a local school (The British School), a reading and news room (1838) as well as giving to various other nearby chapels.
In 1850, the village had a population of 1,013 and the church (St Michaels) was then described as ancient. Yellow ochre was collected here for resale complementing the employment at the mine and the mill.
The Great Western Railway
's Kingsbridge branch line
arrived in 1893 with a stop at Loddiswell station
. It was said that Loddiswell was a "brisk walk away" as in actual fact the station was closer to the less well known and smaller village of Woodleigh. The railway station continued through the steam age but by 1961 it was an unmanned halt and in 1963 it closed for ever. Today the remains of the track is used as a walking route.
Modern Loddiswell is well served for a small village. There is still a Post Office, Mini Supermarket and village public house, the Loddiswell Inn. The South Devon Chilli Farm can be found just to the north of the village.
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...
and village in the South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
district 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...
, 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 lies on the west side of the River Avon or Aune
River Avon, Devon
The River Avon, also known as the River Aune, is a river in the county of Devon in the south of England. It rises in the southern half of Dartmoor National Park in an area of bog to the west of Ryder's Hill. Close to where the river leaves Dartmoor a dam was built in 1957 to form the Avon reservoir...
and is three miles NNW from Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge is a market town and popular tourist hub in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of about 5,800. It is situated at the northern end of the Kingsbridge Estuary, which is a textbook example of a ria and extends to the sea six miles south of the town.-History:The...
. There is evidence of occupation going back to Roman times. The villages most famous son and benefactor was Richard Peek
Richard Peek
Richard Peek was a tea merchant in London from modest beginnings in Loddiswell in Devon. He rose to be one of the Sheriffs of the City of London. He was a known abolitionist and philanthropist in his home area...
who retired here after being one of the Sheriffs of London
Sheriffs of the City of London
There are two Sheriffs of the City of London. The sheriffs are elected annually by the Liverymen of the Livery Companies, and it is a requirement for a Lord Mayor of the City of London to previously have served as a Sheriff. Sheriffs have only nominal duties now, but previously had large judicial...
.
History
There is evidence at the northern end of this parish that Blackdown hill was used by the Romans, on the hill Blackdown Rings, a ring-and-baileyWard (fortification)
In fortifications, a bailey or ward refers to a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a Motte-and-bailey. Castles can have more than one ward. Their layout depends both on the local topography and the level of fortification technology...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
, may be the remains of a wooden fortress of the 12th century, not otherwise documented. The hill itself gives a commanding view of the area.
Loddiswell was mentioned 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...
in 1086 when the manor was valued at 100 shillings. The manor then belonged to Juhel of Totnes
Juhel of Totnes
Juhel of Totnes was a Breton nobleman and supporter of William I of England of the eleventh century.-Life:He was in 1069 one of the leaders of Breton forces on the Norman side, fighting against the remaining forces that had been loyal to Harold II of England He was Lord of Totnes, and holder of...
, but had belonged to Anglo Saxon called Heca before the Norman Conquest. Domesday recorded that there was a fishery that gave 30 salmon as geld.
The parish church of St. Michael's and All Angels, is of the 14th century, enlarged in the 15th century; its font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is Norman. The source of the village's medieval prosperity was wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
. Woolston House, the manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
of Staunton manor, is a 17th-century house built near the foundations of an earlier structure; rebuilt in the 18th century, it passed from the Wise/Wyse family to the Weymouth and Allin families.
A copper mine opened in the parish in 1825.
In 1848, the congregationists built a chapel funded by Richard Peek. This locally born philanthropist who retired to Loddiswell and built Hazlewood House (1830). also funded a local school (The British School), a reading and news room (1838) as well as giving to various other nearby chapels.
In 1850, the village had a population of 1,013 and the church (St Michaels) was then described as ancient. Yellow ochre was collected here for resale complementing the employment at the mine and the mill.
The Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
's Kingsbridge branch line
Kingsbridge branch line
Kingsbridge branch line was a single track branch line railway in Devon, England. The line, which became known as the Primrose Line, opened in 1893 and despite local opposition closed in 1963. It left the Exeter to Plymouth line at Brent and ran , following the route of the River Avon to...
arrived in 1893 with a stop at Loddiswell station
Loddiswell railway station
Loddiswell railway station is a classic William Clarke station on the Kingsbridge branch of the GWR.Opened in December 1893 the stone built station was downgraded to a halt, unstaffed, and closed to freight in 1961....
. It was said that Loddiswell was a "brisk walk away" as in actual fact the station was closer to the less well known and smaller village of Woodleigh. The railway station continued through the steam age but by 1961 it was an unmanned halt and in 1963 it closed for ever. Today the remains of the track is used as a walking route.
Modern Loddiswell is well served for a small village. There is still a Post Office, Mini Supermarket and village public house, the Loddiswell Inn. The South Devon Chilli Farm can be found just to the north of the village.