Village History

See the section on AbbPast for historical society meetings.

A potted history of the village

See also our Wikipedia entry.

A snippet from the Daily Telegraph on 14th August 2010 on a report 75 years ago on the same day;

"Abbotskerswell in Devon has caught the prevailing passion for the 'Furry' dance and the residents and a great many visitors from Newton Abbot began the proceedings of the cottage garden show by dancing the furry from the Cross to the Square. The dancers numbered over 100."

The "furry" dance was a dance involving bowers of flowers and is still a traditional dance enacted by some Morris Dancing sides.

Abbotskerswell first became a parish in the 10th century but settled in parts by farmers of the Bronze and Iron Ages who had moved into the area c1500 BC. Mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086 with a population of less than 100, at which time the manor belonged to the Abbot of Horton:

Population had reached 250 by 1300

Mainly sheep-farming, but also crops and a water mill where the corn was ground.

1349 bubonic plague reduced the population of the village. Old wooden church replaced in the C13 by a stone building, which was again reconstructed in the C15.  Houses still exist in the village which were built in the 1500s, including Court Farm, Church House, Mote Cottage, Mote House , Monks Thatch, Yeomans Cottage, Prospect Cottage and others. Two Mile Oak public house built in the C16. Cider company began production in 1791, closed 1965. Primary school built 1875. Paraffin street lights installed to celebrate the coronation of George V in 1911. Sweet factory started up 1930, closed 1938. Population 500, in 1950, 1473 in 2001

The above information was taken from the book written by the late Mr John Somers Cocks, who kindly gave his permission to use any details contained therein on our website. The old photographs of the village shown on the website are also reproduced from Mr Somers Cocks' book.

There is more information in Wikipedia including the story of the man that they couldn't hang - John Lee.

See the section on AbbPast for more information about the history of the village and environs.