History Group - History of Hemyock

Hemyock is the largest village on the Blackdown Hills, Devon, which is now designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The parish has an area of about 2350 hectares, and lies on the NW of the Blackdown Hills. The village has a very long history, some prehistoric remains may be found, from about 100 BC to well beyond. In the middle ages local iron ores were smelted in small  bloomeries (furnaces) to produce pure iron. In Saxon times a battle was fought at Simonsburrow between the native Britons and King Ina's Saxon army, which put an end (temporarily) to the Kings expansion to the west. King Athelstan owned the estate for many years in the 10th century and passed to Edward the Confessor before being included in the Domesday Book as the property of William 1st.  

The name Hemyock comes from two Saxon words - Ham, an enclosure, and Ock, an oak tree.

Hemyock gave its name to the Hemyock Hundred, a unit of 7 parishes, that was an administrative unit of local government during the Saxon period.

After the Norman conquest a castle was built adjacent to the Parish Church, the remains of some towers may still be seen.

Hemyock is a typical upland settlement consisting of a central "town" surrounded by a number of hamlets (Culmdavey, Millhayes, Simonsburrow, Ashculme, Tedburrow, Madford, Mountshayne etc). From the 1500's to the early 1800's much of the parishes wealth came from the production of wool.  Exeter Archaeology recently unearthed a mediaeval pottery factory at the site of what is now Churchills.  The abundance of clay, water and charcoal enabled many pottery production units to develop throughout the Culm valley.  The population remained fairly constant throughout the 1800's, and until the end of the second word war. Since then a  number of housing estates have been built, and our population has increased to over 2000.

The village has had some important national points of interest.

The Cadbury family, of chocolate fame, originated in the Culm Valley.

R D Blackmore who wrote Lorna Doone lived at Culmstock for many years.

Hemyock was the terminus of the Culm Valley Railway that ran for about 100 years from our village to Tiverton Junction.

Sir John  Popham, who was Queen Elizabeth's Lord Chancellor, owned the Hemyock estate in the 17th century and died returning from  Hemyock in 1607.  His tomb is in nearby St John's Church , Wellington.  The Rev. John De Burgh Forbes was rector here between 1897 and 1927.  Revd Forbes was sponsored at his baptism by Queen Victoria; she also presented him with the living of Hemyock. The presentation of the living alternated between the Popham family and the crown. 

Community Action  has played an important part in the development of Hemyock over the years with the Community building Church Rooms, Parish Hall, Bowling Green, Recreation Ground, Cricket Ground, new Football Pavillion and Football Ground plus the new Healthy Living Centre providing Therapy and Care Rooms for the community. 

The Hemyock History and Archiving Association has created a new web site at  www.blackdownarchives.org.uk  and are protecting the material donated to the Association in a computer database.  If you need any information please email info@blackdownarchives.org.uk.  

Last Updated Monday, September 12 2011 @ 03:12 PM BST; 1,320 Hits