Newton St Petrock
Encyclopedia
Newton St Petrock is an ecclesiastical and civil parish
in the Torridge District
of Devon
in England
, occupying approximately 1500 acres (6.1 km²). It has a population in 2001 of 163.
A mile to the east of the village are the earthwork remains of Durpley Castle, a medieval motte-and-bailey
.
The parish’s famous landmark is an ancient oak. It’s profile is, appropriately, that of an acorn whose western border follows the River Torridge
. It is contiguous with the parishes of Abbots Bickington
, Bulkworthy
, Shebbear
and Milton Damerel
. King Athelstan
, in the 10th C., granted the lands of "Niwantun" to the priests of St Petroc's minster at Bodmin. The boundaries of St Petroc’s Niwantun remain exactly the same today with the exception of some expansion to the ecclesiastical and civil parish on its north side to include part of what was called Cleave in the Middle Ages and what was once part of the parish of Frithelstock in the 19th C. The population of this rural parish has remained remarkably stable over the last two centuries. In 1801, the population was 201 and this had fallen to 163 by 2001.
In the late 17th C. Newton St Petrock was the home of England’s first female physician, Prudence Abbott Potter. A 19th C. rector, John Lemprière
, wrote a Classical Dictionary
used for generations in schools throughout the English-speaking world.
A Baptist Church was opened at Newton St Petrock on 19 January 1830 on the property of Mr Frank Thorne, the local blacksmith, who might be considered the first pastor although the cause began twelve years earlier when the Rev. John Gould retired from Croyde and settled in the parish. (2)
The Land Tax Assessment for 1832 has the following Occupiers:Properties:- John King: Lane, Dingle Park, and Francesmeadow ; Richard Beare: East Hole, and North Hawkwill; William Blight: Ven; John Ball: Jeans Westhole, Bridgements Westhole, Rogerments Westhole, and Barness; William Cobbledick: Newton Mill Tenement; William White: Newton Mills; John Cobbledick: Holwill; John Osborn: South Hawkwill; William Sanders: Higher Slew, Lower Slew; Chapple, and Ford; Richard Quance: Higher Coham, and Lower Coham; John Brent: Down; Samuel Fishleigh: Bridge; John Thorne: Higher Westhole; Thomas Rees: Stone Park; John Western: Suddon; and Edmund Palmer: Bridge Ham.
Like most North Devon parishes many of its sons and daughters emigrated to Canada and elsewhere in the second half of the 19th century.
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 the Torridge District
Torridge
Torridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Bideford. Other towns and villages in the district include Holsworthy, Great Torrington, Hartland and Westward Ho!. The Island of Lundy is administratively part of the 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...
in 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...
, occupying approximately 1500 acres (6.1 km²). It has a population in 2001 of 163.
A mile to the east of the village are the earthwork remains of Durpley Castle, a medieval motte-and-bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
.
The parish’s famous landmark is an ancient oak. It’s profile is, appropriately, that of an acorn whose western border follows the River Torridge
River Torridge
The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England. It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson's book. The Torridge local government district is named after the river....
. It is contiguous with the parishes of Abbots Bickington
Abbots Bickington
Abbots Bickington is a village in the English county of Devon.The village was held by Goda in the time of King Edward before the Norman Conquest of 1066 and is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086-7 as Bichetone, when it was held by Gerald the Chaplain.The village is located in the Torridge local...
, Bulkworthy
Bulkworthy
Bulkworthy is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England, about 9 miles southwest of Great Torrington, and on the River Torridge. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 83....
, Shebbear
Shebbear
Shebbear is associated with placename articles:* Shebbear, Devon, a village and civil parish in Devon, England* Shebbear, a previous name for Terowie, South AustraliaShebbear is associated with UK schools article:...
and Milton Damerel
Milton Damerel
Milton Damerel is a parish, commonly thought to be a village, made up of many tiny hamlets with the parish covering in the district of Torridge, North Devon. The parish has a population of around 450 and is about from Holsworthy and from Bideford...
. King Athelstan
Athelstan of England
Athelstan , called the Glorious, was the King of England from 924 or 925 to 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder, grandson of Alfred the Great and nephew of Æthelflæd of Mercia...
, in the 10th C., granted the lands of "Niwantun" to the priests of St Petroc's minster at Bodmin. The boundaries of St Petroc’s Niwantun remain exactly the same today with the exception of some expansion to the ecclesiastical and civil parish on its north side to include part of what was called Cleave in the Middle Ages and what was once part of the parish of Frithelstock in the 19th C. The population of this rural parish has remained remarkably stable over the last two centuries. In 1801, the population was 201 and this had fallen to 163 by 2001.
In the late 17th C. Newton St Petrock was the home of England’s first female physician, Prudence Abbott Potter. A 19th C. rector, John Lemprière
John Lemprière
John Lemprière , English classical scholar, lexicographer, theologian, teacher and headmaster...
, wrote a Classical Dictionary
Lemprière's Bibliotheca Classica
The Bibliotheca Classica , or Classical Dictionary containing a full Account of all the Proper Names mentioned in Ancient Authors is the best-known work of John Lemprière, an English classical scholar. Edited by various later scholars, the dictionary long remained a readable if not absolutely...
used for generations in schools throughout the English-speaking world.
A Baptist Church was opened at Newton St Petrock on 19 January 1830 on the property of Mr Frank Thorne, the local blacksmith, who might be considered the first pastor although the cause began twelve years earlier when the Rev. John Gould retired from Croyde and settled in the parish. (2)
The Land Tax Assessment for 1832 has the following Occupiers:Properties:- John King: Lane, Dingle Park, and Francesmeadow ; Richard Beare: East Hole, and North Hawkwill; William Blight: Ven; John Ball: Jeans Westhole, Bridgements Westhole, Rogerments Westhole, and Barness; William Cobbledick: Newton Mill Tenement; William White: Newton Mills; John Cobbledick: Holwill; John Osborn: South Hawkwill; William Sanders: Higher Slew, Lower Slew; Chapple, and Ford; Richard Quance: Higher Coham, and Lower Coham; John Brent: Down; Samuel Fishleigh: Bridge; John Thorne: Higher Westhole; Thomas Rees: Stone Park; John Western: Suddon; and Edmund Palmer: Bridge Ham.
Like most North Devon parishes many of its sons and daughters emigrated to Canada and elsewhere in the second half of the 19th century.