Broadwoodwidger is a village and civil parish in the Torridge district of Devon, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 548. The village is just to the north of the A30 road, and is about eight miles east of Launceston in Cornwall, and 13 miles west of Okehampton.

Roadford Reservoir Roadford Lake, also known as Roadford Reservoir is a man-made reservoir fed by the River Wolf. It is located to the north-east of Broadwoodwidger in West Devon, eight miles (13 km) east of Launceston and is the largest area of fresh water i ...

, which is also called Roadford Lake, is to the north-east of the village, and the River Wolf passes at the bottom of the hillside on which the village stands. Broadwoodwidger has a church on top of the hill, with views to

Brentor Brentor is a village in West Devon, England. Its population in 2001 was 423. The village is dominated by the hill of Brent Tor, topped by the village's church. The origins of the name Brentor are old Devonian, a Brythonic Celtic language relate ...

and surrounding countryside. There is a village green, phone box, bus shelter and post box. The parish had a small primary school three miles north of the village at Ivyhouse Cross, but it has now been closed down. The church is 15th century, with some 13th-century features such as the tower and chancel. There is also a Norman font, and benches with carvings of curious animals. Broadwoodwidger was from 1876 to 1922 in the

Diocese of Truro The Diocese of Truro (established 1876) is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury which covers Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and a small part of Devon. The bishop's seat is at Truro Cathedral. Geography and history The di ...

but was then returned to the Diocese of Exeter. Bishop John Grandisson appropriated the church to

Frithelstock Priory Frithelstock Priory was founded in about 1220 at Frithelstock, Devon, England, by Sir Robert de Beauchamp for Augustinian Canons Regular, as an indulgence to ensure intercessions for the repose of his soul. Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exete ...

in 1333. From 1273 the advowson and manor had been held by the Widger family; they were acquired by the priory by the generosity of the Stapeldons. Bishop Fox augmented the vicarage in 1479. The name derives from ''broad wood of the Wyger family'' and is first documented as ''Brod(e)wode Wyger'' in 1306. The

manor Manor may refer to: Land ownership *Manorialism or "manor system", the method of land ownership (or "tenure") in parts of medieval Europe, notably England *Lord of the manor, the owner of an agreed area of land (or "manor") under manorialism *Man ...

here passed from the Vypund family to the Wygers before 1273. It was earlier known simply as ''Broad wood'', for example it appears as ''Bradewode'' in the Domesday Book of 1086.

References

External links

broadwoodwidger at GENUKI
Villages in Devon Torridge District {{Devon-geo-stub

See also

References

External links