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 authority ...

Torridge Torridge may refer to: * Torridge District, a local government district in the county of Devon, England * River Torridge, is a river in Devon in England * Torridge Lass Suffix beginning with F ''Empire Fabian'' ''Empire Fabian'' was an E ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

Bideford Bideford ( ) is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is the main town of the Torridge local government district. Toponymy In ancient records Bideford is recorded as ''Bedeford'', ''By ...

Shebbear Hundred Shebbear Hundred was the name of one of the thirty-two 19th century hundreds of Devon, England. The hundred of Shebbear was organized by the 13th century with many of the parishes of the ancient Domesday hundred of Merton.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, ...

of St Mary and St Benedict (Church of England) is part of the

benefice A benefice () or living is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The Roman Empire used the Latin term as a benefit to an individual from the Empire for services rendered. Its use was adopted by ...

of the Hartland Coast Team Ministry. This falls within Hartland Deanery, in the

Archdeaconry An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that of mo ...

of Barnstaple. This is in the

Diocese of Exeter The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of St Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Provinc ...

. The church tower is over 500 years old, with a Norman

stoup A holy water font or stoup is a vessel containing holy water which is generally placed near the entrance of a church. It is often placed at the base of a crucifix or religious representation. It is used in the Catholic Church, Anglican Churches ...

and doorway. There are monuments to, among others, John William Taylor of

John Taylor & Co John Taylor Bell Foundry (Loughborough) Limited, trading as John Taylor & Co and commonly known as Taylor's Bell Foundry, Taylor's of Loughborough, or simply Taylor's, is the world's largest working bell foundry. It is located in Loughborough, ...

, the

Loughborough Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England, the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and Loughborough University. At the 2011 census the town's built-up area had a population of 59,932 , the second larg ...

bellfounder Bellfounding is the casting and tuning of large bronze bells in a foundry for use such as in churches, clock towers and public buildings, either to signify the time or an event, or as a musical carillon or chime. Large bells are made by casting ...

, who was born here. There is also a

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

chapel in the village.

Services

Butchers shop and Methodist church - geograph

The Butcher's shop closed at the end of 2013. The Coach & Horses Inn is a 13th-century inn and its history is well documented. The village hall is provided for the use of parishioners.

School

Buckland Brewer Community Primary School is a mixed gender, non-denominational school for 5- to 11-year-olds. The school is currently federated with Parkham Primary school with around 90 pupils between them. It is a very small primary school at the centre of the village. The Victorian church school building has been considerably modified and, with a mobile temporary classroom, now provides space for two classes, one for reception and Years 1 and 2, and the other for Years 3 to 6. Most pupils move to Great Torrington School in Year 7, although some have been known to opt for

Bideford College Bideford College is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in Bideford in the English county of Devon. The principal is Claire Ankers. History It is the only state-funded secondary school in Bideford. In 2003, the college was awarded ...

or one of the local private schools such as Kingsley or Shebbear College. A pre-school operates in the village hall, which caters for the under 5's. There is a close relationship between school and pre-school.

Local transport

A local bus service operated by Stagecoach serves the village, operating to and from Bradworthy,

Bideford Bideford ( ) is a historic port town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. It is the main town of the Torridge local government district. Toponymy In ancient records Bideford is recorded as ''Bedeford'', ''By ...

and

Barnstaple Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...

and other villages.

Sport

Football

The village had a successful football team, Buckland Brewer FC, managed by John Adams. Having formed in 1976, the club is a member of the

North Devon Football League The North Devon Football League is a football competition based in England. It was established in 1904. The top division of this league, which is the Premier Division, sits at level 12 of the English football league system and is a feeder to ...

. The club has won several honours, including: * Division 2 Winners: 2008/9 * Bideford Tool League Cup: 2004/5 * North Devon Challenge Cup Runners Up: 76/7, 94/5, 95/6 * North Devon Intermediate Cup Runners Up: 80/1 * Arlington Cup: 77/8 * Arlington Cup Runners Up: 84/5 * Intermediate II Division Winners: 77/8 The club ran a Youth team from 1996 to 1999, and won the following honours in the North Devon Scaffolding Invitation Youth League: * Under 16 Plate Winners: 98/99 * Under 15 Plate Runners Up: 97/8

Skittles

The village has a

skittles Skittles may refer to: * Skittles (confectionery), a brand of fruit-flavor chewy candy, distributed by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company *'' Skittles Commercial: The Broadway Musical'' * Skittles (sport), the game from which bowling originated * Skittles (ch ...

club that operates several teams in the North Devon leagues.

Cricket

There is a

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

team in the village. They are not in any league.

Historic estates

Orleigh

Orleigh Court Orleigh Court is a late medieval manor house in the parish of Buckland Brewer about 4 miles (6.4 km) south-west of Bideford, North Devon, England. It is a two-storeyed building constructed from local slate stone and has a great hall with a hammer- ...

is a

late medieval The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Europe, the Renai ...

house built in Buckland Brewer.

John Davie John Davie (1640–1710) of Orleigh Court in the parish of Buckland Brewer, Devon, England, was a prominent tobacco merchant from Bideford, Devon. His Bideford town house which he built in 1688, was ''Colonial House'', now the Royal Hotel, i ...

bought the building in 1684. It was the birthplace of

John Hanning Speke Captain John Hanning Speke (4 May 1827 – 15 September 1864) was an English explorer and officer in the British Indian Army who made three exploratory expeditions to Africa. He is most associated with the search for the source of the Nil ...

. It was substantially altered in the early 18th century and remodelled after 1869. It was redeveloped for multiple occupancy in the 1980s and is currently divided into approximately twelve apartments.

Vielstone

The estate of Vielstone is the earliest known residence of the influential Stevens family, later of Smythacott in

Frithelstock Frithelstock (pronounced ''Frizzlestock'') is a village, civil parish and former manor in Devon, England. It is located within Torridge local authority area and formed part of the historic Shebbear hundred. The parish is surrounded, clockwise ...

, Winscott House in

Peters Marland Peters Marland is a small village and civil parish in the local government district of Torridge, Devon, England. The parish, which lies about four miles south of the town of Great Torrington, is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes ...

and Cross, Little Torrington. Henry Stevens (1617 – after 1675) of Vielstone, eldest son and heir of William Stevens of

Great Torrington Great Torrington (often abbreviated to Torrington, though the villages of Little Torrington and Black Torrington are situated in the same region) is a market town in Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to ...

, married Judith Hancock, daughter of John Hancock, lord of the

Manor of Combe Martin The Manor of Combe Martin was a Middle ages, medieval manorialism, manor estate in Combe Martin, Devon, England. Descent William de Falaise The Domesday Book of 1086 lists ''Cumbe'' as the first of 17 holdings ''in capite'' of William de Falaise: ...

. Judith Hancock's mural monument survives in the parish church at Great Torrington. In the early 21st century, Vielstone is a modest farmhouse, surrounded by converted farm buildings and new bungalows. It was operated by Atlas Project Team (Holdings) Ltd as a residential home until about 2012 when its standards of care reached unacceptably low levels which resulted in its closure and insolvency. On behalf of the administrator Grant Thornton UK LLP it was offered for sale in 2013 by Webbers estate agents for £900,000, including the outbuildings converted into dwellings, and 6 acres of land.http://webbers.reapit.com/webdetails/TOR130042.PDF

Notable residents

*

Edward Capern Edward Capern (21 January 18195 June 1894), was an English poet, best known for '' The Devonshire Melodist'' and ''Wayside Warbles''. He built up a strong reputation that persisted particularly in his native Devon. Early years Capern was born at ...

, postman-turned-poet, (admired by

Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his ...

, Charles Kingsley and

Walter Savage Landor Walter Savage Landor (30 January 177517 September 1864) was an English writer, poet, and activist. His best known works were the prose ''Imaginary Conversations,'' and the poem "Rose Aylmer," but the critical acclaim he received from contempora ...

), lived here in the 19th century *

John Hanning Speke Captain John Hanning Speke (4 May 1827 – 15 September 1864) was an English explorer and officer in the British Indian Army who made three exploratory expeditions to Africa. He is most associated with the search for the source of the Nil ...

, explorer and officer in the British Indian Army, was born here in 1827. He is most famous for his three exploratory expeditions into Africa in search for the source of the Nile. He was the first European to reach Lake Victoria, which he named after the Queen. *

John Davie John Davie (1640–1710) of Orleigh Court in the parish of Buckland Brewer, Devon, England, was a prominent tobacco merchant from Bideford, Devon. His Bideford town house which he built in 1688, was ''Colonial House'', now the Royal Hotel, i ...

, merchant *The

bellfounder Bellfounding is the casting and tuning of large bronze bells in a foundry for use such as in churches, clock towers and public buildings, either to signify the time or an event, or as a musical carillon or chime. Large bells are made by casting ...

John William Taylor (1827–1906) of

John Taylor & Co John Taylor Bell Foundry (Loughborough) Limited, trading as John Taylor & Co and commonly known as Taylor's Bell Foundry, Taylor's of Loughborough, or simply Taylor's, is the world's largest working bell foundry. It is located in Loughborough, ...

was born here.

References

External links

*
Buckland Brewer community website
{{authority control Villages in Devon Torridge District