Abbotsham

	Abbotsham church
	Abbotsham Location within Devon
Population	489
OS grid reference	SS4226
District	Torridge;
Shire county	Devon;
Region	South West;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BIDEFORD
Postcode district	EX39
Police	Devon and Cornwall
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
	List of places UK England Devon 51°01′N 4°15′W / 51.017°N 4.250°W

Abbotsham (pronounced Abbotsam^{[citation needed]}) is a village and civil parish in the English county of Devon. In 2001 its population was 434 increasing at the 2011 census to 489.^[1]

Amenities

Abbotsham no longer has a Post Office and General Store but remains a vibrant community. There is a primary school, a Pre-School, a church a Chapel and a pub. There is also a village hall where a large range of activities take place. One bus service serves Abbotsham; the Stagecoach 319 from Barnstaple to Hartland. From May to October 2007, Stagecoach Devon ran a commercial service, the 21B, from Barnstaple to Westward Ho! via Abbotsham. However, this service was later withdrawn. The Big Sheep amusement farm park is located in Abbotsham.

History

The name Abbotsham is derived from 'Ham held by the abbot' [of Tavistock] (Old English abbodes + placename Ham).^[2] The area was called Hame in the Domesday Book and was later recorded as Ab(b)edisham in 1193 and 1269, and Abbodesham in 1282.^[2]

The village formed part of the original endowment of Tavistock Abbey in the late tenth century, from which it takes its name. St. Helen parish church, originally built by the Normans, was rebuilt in the thirteenth century and features many carved statues and bench-ends.

A mile to the north of the village is Kenwith Castle, built c. 1760 in the Georgian Gothic style and now part of a retirement complex with 31 stand alone bungalows and sheltered accommodation.^[3]

Abbotsham Village School

The local village school St Helen's C of E Primary School has been in existence for over 150 years. There is a wealth of information on the School's past available in the Abbotsham Archives including the School Register back to 1894 and many pictures of pupils, staff and villagers.

People

There are a number of valuable sources for family historians on the Village Website looking for references to particular families. These include the School Register from 1894 to 1997 listing pupils in alphabetic order, a transcription of the 1842 Tithe Register and a complete collection of press cuttings referring to the village from 1860 to 1978.

Thomas Arthur VC (real name McArthur), 1835–1902, recipient of the Victoria Cross during the Crimean War, was born in Abbotsham.^[4]

Abbotsham Road Station

Abbotsham once had its own railway station at Abbotsham Road on the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway, which was built entirely on this peninsula with no direct connection across the River Torridge to the British railway network. The locomotives were furnished with skirts to protect pedestrians as at one point the line ran along the quay at Bideford. The line had eleven halts which largely served visitors visiting the coast or travelling to swim off the beaches around Westward Ho!. The railway, authorised in 1896, was opened as far as Northam by 1901 and to Appledore in 1908. It closed in 1917.^[5]

Abbotsham Court and Racecourse

Outside of the village there was Shebbertown or Abbotsham Racecourse which was a horse racing, greyhound racing and whippet racing course built by Skidmore Ashby on his Abbotsham Court property in 1922. The course ran along the valley of Abbotsham Court and Cornborough Cliffs and closed in 1930.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]

References

^ ^a ^b "Parish population 2011". Retrieved 8 April 2015.
^ ^a ^b Watts, Victor (2007). The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names. Cambridge University Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0521168557.
^ "Kenwith Castle". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
^ Thomas Arthur Archived September 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
^ Stuckey, Douglas (1962). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway 1901-1917. Pub. West Country Publications.
^ "OS County Series 1932 (partial)". old-maps.co.uk.
^ "Abbotsham Racecourse". Abbotsham Village.
^ "Shebbertown Racecourse". Westward Ho History.
^ "Shebbertown Racecourse". Greyhound.com.

External links

[statistics.gov.uk_2011_census-1] "Parish population 2011". Retrieved 8 April 2015.

[Watts07-2] Watts, Victor (2007). The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names. Cambridge University Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0521168557.

[3] "Kenwith Castle". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 27 May 2011.

[4] Thomas Arthur Archived September 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

[5] Stuckey, Douglas (1962). The Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway 1901-1917. Pub. West Country Publications.

[6] "OS County Series 1932 (partial)". old-maps.co.uk.

[7] "Abbotsham Racecourse". Abbotsham Village.

[8] "Shebbertown Racecourse". Westward Ho History.

[9] "Shebbertown Racecourse". Greyhound.com.

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v t e Civil parishes in the ceremonial county of Devon
List of civil parishes in Devon
Exeter^1,2	None
East Devon¹	All Saints Awliscombe Axminster Axmouth Aylesbeare Beer Bicton Brampford Speke Branscombe Broad Clyst Broadhembury Buckerell Budleigh Salterton Chardstock Clyst Honiton Clyst Hydon Clyst St George Clyst St Lawrence Clyst St Mary Colaton Raleigh Colyford Colyton Combe Raleigh Combpyne Rousdon Cotleigh Cranbrook Dalwood Dunkeswell East Budleigh Exmouth Farringdon Farway Feniton Gittisham Hawkchurch Honiton Huxham Kilmington Lands common to Axminster and Kilmington Luppitt Lympstone Membury Monkton Musbury Nether Exe Newton Poppleford and Harpford Northleigh Offwell Otterton Ottery St Mary Payhembury Plymtree Poltimore Rewe Rockbeare Seaton Sheldon Shute Sidmouth Southleigh Sowton Stockland Stoke Canon Talaton Uplyme Upottery Upton Pyne West Hill Whimple Widworthy Woodbury Yarcombe
Mid Devon¹	Bampton Bickleigh Bow Bradninch Brushford Burlescombe Butterleigh Cadbury Cadeleigh Chawleigh Cheriton Bishop Cheriton Fitzpaine Clannaborough Clayhanger Clayhidon Coldridge Colebrooke Copplestone Crediton Crediton Hamlets Cruwys Morchard Cullompton Culmstock Down St Mary Eggesford Halberton Hemyock Hittisleigh Hockworthy Holcombe Rogus Huntsham Kennerleigh Kentisbeare Lapford Loxbeare Morchard Bishop Morebath Newton St Cyres Nymet Rowland Oakford Poughill Puddington Sampford Peverell Sandford Shobrooke Silverton Stockleigh English Stockleigh Pomeroy Stoodleigh Templeton Thelbridge Thorverton Tiverton Uffculme Uplowman Upton Hellions Washfield Washford Pyne Wembworthy Willand Woolfardisworthy Zeal Monachorum
North Devon¹	Arlington Ashford Atherington Barnstaple Berrynarbor Bishop's Nympton Bishop's Tawton Bittadon Bratton Fleming Braunton Brayford Brendon and Countisbury Burrington Challacombe Chittlehamholt Chittlehampton Chulmleigh Combe Martin East and West Buckland East Anstey East Down East Worlington Filleigh Fremington Georgeham George Nympton Goodleigh Heanton Punchardon Horwood, Lovacott and Newton Tracey Ilfracombe Instow Kentisbury King's Nympton Knowstone Landkey Loxhore Lynton and Lynmouth Mariansleigh Martinhoe Marwood Meshaw Molland Mortehoe North Molton Parracombe Pilton West Queen's Nympton Rackenford Romansleigh Rose Ash Satterleigh and Warkleigh Shirwell South Molton Stoke Rivers Swimbridge Tawstock Trentishoe Twitchen West Anstey West Down Westleigh Witheridge
Torridge¹	Abbots Bickington Abbotsham Alverdiscott Alwington Ashreigney Ashwater Beaford Bideford Black Torrington Bradford Bradworthy Bridgerule Broadwoodwidger Buckland Brewer Buckland Filleigh Bulkworthy Clawton Clovelly Cookbury Dolton Dowland East Putford Frithelstock Great Torrington Halwill Hartland High Bickington Hollacombe Holsworthy Holsworthy Hamlets Huish Huntshaw Landcross Langtree Littleham Little Torrington Luffincott Merton Milton Damerel Monkleigh Newton St Petrock Northam Northcott Pancrasweek Parkham Peters Marland Petrockstow Pyworthy Roborough Shebbear Sheepwash St Giles in the Wood St Giles on the Heath Sutcombe Tetcott Thornbury Virginstow Weare Giffard Welcombe West Putford Winkleigh Woolfardisworthy Yarnscombe
West Devon^1,3	Beaworthy Belstone Bere Ferrers Bondleigh Bradstone Bratton Clovelly Brentor Bridestowe Broadwoodkelly Buckland Monachorum Chagford Coryton Dartmoor Forest Drewsteignton Dunterton Exbourne Germansweek Gidleigh Gulworthy Hatherleigh Highampton Horrabridge Iddesleigh Inwardleigh Jacobstowe Kelly Lamerton Lands common to Bridestowe and Sourton Lewtrenchard Lifton Lydford Marystow Mary Tavy Meavy Meeth Milton Abbot Monkokehampton North Tawton Northlew Okehampton Okehampton Hamlets Peter Tavy Sampford Courtenay Sampford Spiney Sheepstor Sourton South Tawton Spreyton Sticklepath Stowford Sydenham Damerel Tavistock Throwleigh Thrushelton Walkhampton Whitchurch
South Hams¹	Ashprington Aveton Gifford Berry Pomeroy Bickleigh Bigbury Blackawton Brixton Buckland-Tout-Saints Charleton Chivelstone Churchstow Cornwood Cornworthy Dartington Dartmouth Dean Prior Diptford Dittisham East Allington East Portlemouth Ermington Frogmore and Sherford Halwell and Moreleigh Harberton Harford Holbeton Holne Ivybridge Kingsbridge Kingston Kingswear Littlehempston Loddiswell Malborough Marldon Modbury Newton and Noss North Huish Rattery Ringmore Salcombe Shaugh Prior Slapton South Brent South Huish South Milton South Pool Sparkwell Staverton Stoke Fleming Stoke Gabriel Stokenham Strete Thurlestone Totnes Ugborough Wembury West Alvington West Buckfastleigh Woodleigh Yealmpton
Teignbridge¹	Abbotskerswell Ashburton Ashcombe Ashton Bickington Bishopsteignton Bovey Tracey Bridford Broadhempston Buckfastleigh Buckland in the Moor Christow Chudleigh Coffinswell Dawlish Denbury and Torbryan Doddiscombsleigh Dunchideock Dunsford Exminster Haccombe with Combe Hennock Holcombe Burnell Ide Ideford Ilsington Ipplepen Kenn Kenton Kingskerswell Kingsteignton Lustleigh Mamhead Manaton Moretonhampstead Newton Abbot North Bovey Ogwell Powderham Shaldon Shillingford St George Starcross Stokeinteignhead Tedburn St Mary Teigngrace Teignmouth Trusham Whitestone Widecombe in the Moor Woodland
Plymouth^2,4	None
Torbay⁴	Brixham⁵
Bold text denotes a parish council referred to as a "town council". Non-metropolitan district of the non-metropolitan county of Devon (administered by Devon County Council). Has city status in the United Kingdom. Has borough status in the United Kingdom. Unitary authority not part of the non-metropolitan county, thus not administered by Devon County Council. The remainder of Torbay is unparished.