Place:


Chudleigh  Devon

 

In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Chudleigh like this:

CHUDLEIGH, a town, a parish, and a sub-district in Newton-Abbot district, Devon. The town stands on an eminence, at the left side of the river Teign, 3½ miles ENE of Bovey r. station, and 10 miles SSW of Exeter. It consists of one main street and three minor ones. It was devastated in 1807 by a fire which destroyed nearly 200 houses; and it now presents a modern appearance. ...


It formerly had a palace of the bishops of Exeter; but the only remains of this are a portion of the walls and a dungeon. It was a busy, active place previous to the formation of railways; but it is now quiet and declining. A considerable woollen trade was, at one time, carried on in it; but has disappeared. Markets are held on Saturdays; and fairs on Easter Tuesday and 2 Oct. The town has a post office‡ under Newton-Abbot, a chief inn, an ancient parish church with massive tower, three dissenting chapels, and a free grammar school; and publishes a weekly newspaper. -The parish comprises 6, 037 acres. Real property, £11, 162. Pop., 2, 108. Houses, 455. The property is subdivided. The manor belongs to Lord Clifford, and gives him the title of Baron. The chief seats are Ugbrook Park, Lord Clifford: Kerswell House; Filleigh, J. Kelly, Esq.; Whiteway; and Rocklands. The scenery is strikingly picturesque, and in many parts romantic. Numerous limestone rocks diversify it, cut by fissures, and tangled with wood; and one of these, called par excellence Chudleigh Rock, towers into high prominence, commands charming prospects, embosoms a fairy glen, and is pierced by a deep cavern which the surrounding peasantry represent as haunted by the Pixies. A blue limestone, known as Chudleigh marble, is extensively quarried; and good cider is largely produced. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Exeter. Value, £550.* Patrons, Trustees for the Inhabitants. -The sub-district contains six parishes. Acres, 23, 736. Pop., 6, 748. Houses, 1, 401.

Chudleigh through time

Chudleigh is now part of Teignbridge district. Click here for graphs and data of how Teignbridge has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Chudleigh itself, go to Units and Statistics.

How to reference this page:

GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Chudleigh, in Teignbridge and Devon | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.

URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/1770

Date accessed: 28th March 2024


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