Colebrooke
| Colebrooke | |
| Devon | |
|---|---|
 Colebrooke | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SS770000 |
| Location: | 50°47’11"N, 3°44’47"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 411 (2001) |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Mid Devon |
Colebrooke is a village in the midst of Devon, about five miles west of Crediton. The main point of interest is the parish church, St Andrew's, and the connection to Henry Kingsley's novel The Recollections of Geoffry Hamlyn.
Tom Cobley, 'Uncle Tom Cobley' of the folk song, signed his will at Pascoe House in the parish, but is buried four miles west at Spreyton. The champion Devon wrestler, Abraham Cann was born and buried here.[1] He won the all comers wrestling crown in London.
It has been claimed that just outside the village, to the east of Colebrooke, was the site of a Roman fort or marching camp. This is not universally accepted
Church of St Andrew
In the parish church of St Andrew survive the following monuments:
- Mural monument to Elizabeth Mills (d. 27 September 1667), daughter of John Mills of Colebrooke. She was buried in Colebrooke Church, where survives her mural monument with Corinthian columns and scrollwork pediment.[2] She was the wife of Sir John Coryton (c 1621 - 1680)
Roman road
There is no mention of a Roman fort at Colebrooke in the National Monuments Record, no aerial photographs in the archives and no evidence on the ground. The claim that a fort was built here mention of a fort appears to refer to a square field that used to sit astride a straight run of hedgerows that in the 1980s was mistakenly identified as the course of the Roman road to Exeter.[3]
Two of this field's hedgerows have since been removed. The actual course of the road is further north and remains of the agger can be seen in a field some 300 yards south of Rag Lane and just to the east of Five Acre Copse. This is also clearly visible from aerial views accessible online. The road in fact follows the same line all the way from North Tawton to this point where the route becomes less obvious. A rather straight lane along the ridge of hills to the east of the railway line is suggestive of its line.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Colebrooke) |
References
- ↑ Dictionary of National Biography: 'Cann, Abraham'
- ↑ Nikolaus Pevsner: The Buildings of England: Devon, 1952; 1989 Penguin Books ISBN 978-0-300-09596-8
- ↑ Griffith, Frances: 'Devon's Past an Aerial View' ISBN 0 86114-833-9