Davidstow ( kw, Logdewi (village) and kw, Pluwdhewi (parish)) is a

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authorit ...

and village in north

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...

, England, United Kingdom. The village is north of Bodmin Moor straddling the A395 road about north of

Camelford Camelford ( kw, Reskammel) is a town and civil parish in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, situated in the River Camel valley northwest of Bodmin Moor. The town is approximately ten miles (16 km) north of Bodmin and is governed ...

. The hamlets of

Hallworthy Hallworthy ( kw, Halworgi) is a hamlet in the parish of Treneglos, Cornwall, England. It is at a crossroads on the A395 road from Davidstow to Launceston. To the east is a plantation called Wilsey Down Forest.Ordnance Survey ''One-inch Map of G ...

Hendraburnick Hendraburnick ( kw, Hendra Bronnik, meaning ''rushy home farm'') is a farmstead near Davidstow, Cornwall, England. On Hendraburnick Down is the source of the River Camel. In the medieval period, Hendraburnick was a manor held under Launceston Ca ...

Tremail Tremail is a hamlet in Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is ...

and

Trewassa Trewassa is a hamlet near Davidstow, Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic n ...

are in the parish. It was formerly known as Dewstow(e). '

Davidstow Cheddar Davidstow Cheddar is a brand of Cheddar cheese manufactured by Dairy Crest, at the Davidstow Creamery in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, alongside Cathedral City Cheddar. Production Cheddar has been produced at Davidstow for over 60 years, ...

' and '

Cathedral City Cathedral city is a city status in the United Kingdom. Cathedral city may also refer to: * Cathedral City, California, a city in Southern California, United States * Cathedral City Cheddar, a brand of Cheddar cheese * Cathedral City High Scho ...

' brands of cheese are produced at Davidstow Creamery which is operated by

Dairy Crest Saputo Dairy UK Limited is a holding company for Dairy Crest Limited, a British dairy products company. It was created in 2019 when the Canadian company Saputo Inc bought Dairy Crest. Dairy Crest itself was created in 1981 as a spin-off of the ...

using water ultimately from St David's

Holy well A holy well or sacred spring is a well, spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christian or pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualities, through the numinous presence of its guar ...

, next to the

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

. A military airfield,

RAF Davidstow Moor Royal Air Force Davidstow or more commonly RAF Davidstow Moor is a former Royal Air Force station located north east of Camelford, Cornwall and west of Launceston, Cornwall, England. It was used from late 1942 until 1945 and despite a few ...

, was built near the village during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

and was later used as a motor racing circuit.

Parish church

'Davidstow' means ''David's Place'' and according to legend the church was founded by Saint David in the 6th century, whilst visiting his mother at nearby

Altarnun Altarnun ( ; kw, Alternonn) is a village and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is located west of Launceston on the north-eastern edge of Bodmin Moor at . The parish of Altarnun includes the village of Fivelanes and the ha ...

. The church is large but was very much restored in 1875 so that little original work remains inside. Both the nave and the east windows are wider than usual in a Cornish church; a few benchends are interesting, one portrays a bagpiper. The parish is part of the group in the charge of the Rector of

Boscastle Boscastle ( kw, Kastel Boterel) is a village and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, England, in the civil parish of Forrabury and Minster (where the 2011 Census population was included) . It is south of Bude and northeast of Tin ...

. In former times the remoteness of the parish led to many vicars choosing non-residence. The older name Dewstowe is evidenced by a Guild of Our Lady of Dewstowe in 1545 (when it was abolished). The vicars of the 18th-century were non-resident and even the curates they employed could be absentees (e,g, in 1745 the vicar resided at St Ervan, his curate at

Pancrasweek Pancrasweek is a civil parish and hamlet in the far west of Devon, England forming part of the local government district of Torridge and lying about three miles north west of the town of Holsworthy.Ordnance Survey mapping It is bordered clockwi ...

and the curate also minded the parish of Boyton). In 1561 information collected for Archbishop Parker included the fact that the vicar, William Waller, was non-resident and "all things are in ruin". Arthur Langdon (1896) records two Cornish crosses in the parish, one at Lambrenny and one at Trevivian.

Treglasta

The manor of Treglasta was recorded in

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manus ...

(1086) when it was held by Robert, Count of Mortain; before 1066 it had been held by Earl Harold. There were 6 hides of land and land for 20 ploughs. The lord had one hide of land with 2 ploughs and 15 serfs. 24 villeins and 20 smallholders had the rest of the land with 12 ploughs. There were 300 acres of pasture, 4 unbroken mares, 4 cattle and 50 sheep. The value of the manor had been 12 silver marks (i.e. £8 sterling) but was in 1086 worth £15-18-4d.Thorn, C., et al., ed. (1979) ''Cornwall''. Chichester: Phillimore; entry 5,1,5

Gallery

File:View from Trevivian - geograph.org.uk - 731246.jpg, The view from Trevivian across the Inny valley towards Treglasta File:The Cheese Factory - geograph.org.uk - 193932.jpg, Davidstow Creamery File:Davidstow Creamery - geograph.org.uk - 730296.jpg, Davidstow Creamery File:Holy Well, Davidstow - geograph.org.uk - 208233.jpg, St David's Holy Well

References

External links

Cornwall Record Office Online Catalogue for Davidstow

DMOZ page on Davidstow
{{authority control Bodmin Moor Civil parishes in Cornwall Holy wells in Cornwall Villages in Cornwall

Parish church

Treglasta

Gallery

References

Further reading

External links