Georgeham
| Georgeham | |
| Devon | |
|---|---|
 Georgeham church | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SS464398 |
| Location: | 51°8’14"N, 4°11’44"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 1,487 (2001) |
| Post town: | Braunton |
| Postcode: | EX33 |
| Dialling code: | 01271 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | North Devon |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North Devon |
Georgeham is a village near Croyde, in the north of Devon.
This is an ancient village with sights to match and which stands close to some of the most dramatic beaches of the North Devon coast, which beaches are flanked by the rocky headlands of Baggy Point and Saunton Down. There are no views of the sea or coastline from the village itself though.[1]
Name
Georgeham was first documented in the Domesday Book, where it appears under the name Hama.[2] The village's current name, which first appeared in 1535, followed the dedication of the Parish church to St George. Before 1535, the village also appears as 'Ham St George' and 'George Ham'.[2]
Pronunciation of the name has given rise to argument.[1] Traditionalists maintain that there is in fact an emphasis on both the syllables George and ham. Others, usually outsiders who do not originally come from North Devon, tend to emphaisses only the first syllable, making it sound like 'George- um'.
The village gave its name to HMS Georgeham, a Ham class minesweeper.
In and about the village
The character of the village is typically rural. The majority of the historic development in the village is east and south-west of the church.[2] The village is also characterized by thatched cottages arranged in an irregular fashion along narrow lanes.[2]
There is a Victorian village school, a mediæval church and two 17th Century public houses, the main one in the middle of the village, The King's Arms, and another one up a small lane, The Rock.[2]
The hamlets of Cross and Forda lie between Georgeham and Croyde. Pickwell is part of the parish and lies between Georgeham and Putsborough.
Writers and adventurers
After serving in the First World War, Henry Williamson lived in the village from 1921; in Skirr Cottage he wrote his first published work, The Beautiful Years, as well as his most celebrated work, Tarka the Otter.[2] His grave lies in the village churchyard.
Also buried here is the writer and adventurer Negley Farson, who also had a home in the village. His son, the writer and broadcaster Daniel Farson, died here in his father's former home in 1997.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Georgeham) |