Jacobstow
- Not to be confused with Jacobstowe
| Jacobstow | |
| Cornwall | |
|---|---|
 Entering Jacobstow | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SX198958 |
| Location: | 50°44’2"N, 4°33’18"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 421 (2001) |
| Post town: | Bude |
| Postcode: | EX23 |
| Dialling code: | 01840 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Cornwall |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North Cornwall |
Jacobstow is a village in northern Cornwall, a little inland from the north coast of the county, to the east of the A39 road seven miles south of Bude.
The name 'Jacobstow' is Old English and originates from Anglo-Saxon times: it derives from the dedication of the church to St James (which name is in Latin and Old English Iacobus), while "stow" means simply "place". As well as the church town, other settlements in the parish include Southcott and those parts of Canworthy Water north of the River Ottery.
Penhallym in the north of the parish is mentioned (as Penhalun) in the Domesday Book.[1] Nearby is Penhallam, site of a mediæval manor.
Jacobstow parish is on high ground and is entirely rural in character. It is bounded to the northwest by Poundstock parish, to the east by Week St Mary parish, to the west by St Gennys parish, and to the south by Warbstow parish. The southwestern boundary of the parish follows the River Ottery for approximately two miles.
Churches and schools
The parish church is dedicated to St James and there is evidence of a former Saxon church on the same site. The present church is of the 15th century with a nave and chancel and north and south aisles. The three-stage battlemented granite tower houses a ring of six bells. The font is Norman of the Altarnun type and the communion table is Elizabethan.[1]
An ancient altar stone sits in the south aisle chapel: it was the main altar stone up to about 1550 in the reign of Edward VI when the Church of England became decisively Protestant and an Act required that all altar stones be removed. This one became a footbridge over a stream. It was found and moved back to the churchyard as a seat in the 1800s, and installed in the south aisle chapel in 1972. The nails that form the cross on the base of the communion table are 15th century, and were saved from roof restoration work in 1970.
About the village
The Jacobstow Creamery just outside the village is a factory operation producing a well regarded cheddar cheese.
Jacobstow Community Primary School is situated in the village. The school caters for up to 90 children aged 4–11 years in three classes. Its catchment area includes most of Jacobstow parish as well as parts of Poundstock, St Gennys and Week St Mary parishes.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Jacobstow) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information on Jacobstow from GENUKI
