Iddesleigh

Toponymy and early history

The name Iddesleigh derives from the Old English personal name, Ēadwīġ (or perhaps Ēadwulf), and lēah, a wood or clearing. The first documentary evidence of the settlement appears in the Domesday Book (1086), where it is referred to twice, as Edeslege and as Iweslei. By the 13th century its name was recorded as Edulvesly and in 1428 as Yeddeslegh.{{cite book

Domesday Book shows that in 1086 the majority of the manor of Iddesleigh (under the name of Edeslege) was owned directly by the king, but a small part of it (one virgate recorded as Iweslei) was held from the king by William of Claville. The pre-conquest owner of this land is unclear: two women's names – Alware Pet and Aelfeva Thief – are recorded. The overlord is recorded as Brictric son of Algar.{{cite book

Geography

The village is 3 mi north-east of Hatherleigh and 8 mi north of Okehampton. It is roughly in the centre of its parish, on the B3217 road that runs from Okehampton to Atherington, near the A377.

The parish, which covers about 2900 acre on the Culm Measures, has its southern border along the River Okement and its western along the River Torridge.{{Cite book | access-date=15 March 2013 | archive-date=20 April 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420045616/http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Iddesleigh/ParishMap.html | url-status=dead

In 2001, the population of the parish was 198,{{Cite book |access-date = 15 March 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130302105153/http://www.devon.gov.uk/historiciddesleigh |archive-date = 2 March 2013

The village

The landscape historian W. G. Hoskins, writing in 1953, described the village as "an excellent example of a cob and thatch village, most attractive to explore",{{cite book

The Church of St James, the parish church, is at the western edge of the village, and is a Grade I listed building.{{NHLE | access-date=11 March 2013

The listed village pub, the "Duke of York", is made of cob and thatch,{{NHLE | access-date=11 March 2013 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505115258/http://www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk/FOOD-REVIEW-Duke-York-Iddesleigh/story-17209335-detail/story.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=5 May 2013 | access-date=11 March 2013

Landmarks

Ash House, a Grade II listed building in the south of the parish, was the seat of the Mallet family from 1530 to 1881.{{NHLE | access-date=11 March 2013

There has been a settlement at Barwick, in the south-east corner of the parish, since at least the early 15th century: a document dated 1440 refers to it as Berewyke.{{Cite journal | access-date=11 March 2013 | access-date=11 March 2013

The Tarka Trail, a series of footpaths and cycle routes radiating from Barnstaple, passes from north to south through the parish, taking in the village.

Notable people

The Reverend Jack Russell, originator of the eponymous dog breed, was curate at Iddesleigh between 1830 and 1836. In 1885, when Sir Stafford Northcote was raised to the peerage, he took the title of Earl of Iddesleigh, which was, according to W. G. Hoskins, a curious choice since his main estates were not here. He did, however, own some 2000 acre of the parish.

The Scottish-born poet, Seán Rafferty lived in the parish from 1948 until his death in December 1993; he was landlord of the Duke of York pub until 1975.{{cite news | access-date=15 March 2013 | access-date=15 March 2013 | access-date=15 March 2013

References

References

1. Winslow Jones. (1892). "Sir John de Sully, K.G.". Report & Transactions of the Devonshire Association.
2. (27 August 2011). "Now Michael celebrates his second film adaptation". [[Western Morning News]].
3. "Prince Charles enjoys a pint at the Iddesleigh local and meets War Horse author".
4. Shire Horse Stud Book Shire Horse Society – Volume 26 1905 – Page 200 "BARWICK MADAM".. Jonas B. Raymont, Barwick, Iddesleigh, Winkleigh, Devon, Bay, star, hind heels and off fore pastern white. Foaled 1902."
5. [[Ordnance Survey#Leisure maps. Ordnance Survey]] Explorer Map 113 (2009)