Filleigh
| Filleigh | |
| Devon | |
|---|---|
 St Paul's Church, Filleigh | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SS661279 |
| Location: | 51°2’5"N, 3°54’38"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Barnstaple |
| Postcode: | EX32 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | North Devon |
Filleigh (faɪliː) is a small village in northern Devon, on the southern edge of Exmoor, three and a half miles west of South Molton. The village centre's street was, until the 1980s opening of the North Devon Link Road, the main highway between Barnstaple and South Molton, leading westwards to Taunton.
Much of the village's land is contained within Grade I listed park and garden of Castle Hill, which straddles both sides of the Link Road providing a glimpse of some of it.
Parish church
The parish church is St Paul's, built in 1732 by the lord of the manor, Lord Clinton.
There was a mediæval church here, but it was demolished by Lord Clinton in about 1730 because it was adjacent to the old manor house, Castle Hill, which he was about to re-model into a modern, Palladian mansion, and the church interfered with the ambitious related landscaping plans. The only surviving fabric from the old church comprises the two monumental brasses which formerly adorned the now lost tomb-monument of Richard Fortescue (died 1570), great-grandson of Sir Martin Fortescue. These brasses, in damaged and incomplete condition perhaps indicating their having been carelessly wrenched off the former monument, are now framed and affixed to the north wall of the nave of the new church.
The present parish church of St Paul was built in 1732 on a new site half a mile west of Castle Hill.[1] It was designed to be an "eye-catcher", visible from the terrace of Castle Hill. It was re-modelled in 1876-7 to the plans of Clark of Newmarket, Gilbert Scott having been consulted on the plan in 1864, in a neo-Norman style, and resulted in the addition of a south aisle, now the "Fortescue Chapel", and chancel in the form of an apse. The Fortescue Chapel contains several mural monuments to members of that family.
History
The manor was held in the 14th century by a family which took its name from the manor, de Filleigh. The family also held lands within the neighbouring settlements of East Buckland, Bray and Charles.[2]
Over the Middle Ages and the Modern Era the estate has passed through relatively few families, passing by marriages sequentially to Denzell and Fortescue (1454). In 1751, Hugh Fortescue was elevated to become Earl Clinton. The Filleigh Estate, comprising 5,500 acres, together with Castle Hill, are still today privately owned by the current Earl Fortescue.
Castle Hill mansion
- Main article: Castle Hill, Filleigh
Castle Hill is a privately owned Palladian country house built in 1730 by Hugh Fortescue, 14th Baron Clinton (1696–1751), who in 1751 was created Baron Fortescue of Castle Hill and Earl of Clinton.[3] The titles died with him as he had no children, but his heirs now bear the title ‘Earl Fortescue’.
The house is occasionally opened to the public, whilst its surrounding garden and parklands are open to public access during spring and summer months. The Castle Hill estate borders the village.
Park
Much of the land is included in the estate, as mentioned, covering a substantial area. Its grade I status in terms of landscape is due to its diversity. Included are a series of ornamental drives through garden and woodland, mature and replanted woodland as well as follies, some of impressive façade size.[4]
Railway
In 1873, the Devon and Somerset Railway opened a line from Taunton to Barnstaple, including a station at Filleigh. This became part of the Great Western Railway in 1901, and closed in 1966.
Lynmouth Flood
Storms and severe flooding in August 1952 lead to the Lynmouth Flood Disaster At the same time, three Scouts were lost while camping beside the River Bray close to the village.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Filleigh) |
References
- ↑ Nikolaus Pevsner: The Buildings of England: Devon, 1952; 1989 Penguin Books ISBN 978-0-300-09596-8page 449
- ↑ Lauder, Rosemary, Devon Families, Tiverton, 2002, p.77
- ↑ Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.462
- ↑ National Heritage List 1000120: Castle Hill park and gardens