Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for CREDITON

CREDITON, a town, two tythings, a parish, a sub-district, a district, and a hundred in Devon. The town stands between two hills, on the river Creedy, at the junction of the North Devon and the Exeter and Crediton railways, 8 miles NW of Exeter. It was anciently called Credianton; and is now sometimes called Kerton or Kirton. It dates from very early times; but was greatly devastated, in 1743 and 1769, by fire; and presents now a modern appearance. It was, for many years, the seat of a diocese, transferred, in 1049, to Exeter; was seized and somewhat fortified by the rebels in 1549; and was occasionally occupied by the contending forces in the wars of Charles I. It is divided into two parts, east and west; and consists of a main street, about a mile long, and a few minor ones. The old market house was destroyed in the fire of 1769; and the present one was erected in 1837. The public rooms, in ornamental architecture, with public reading room and other apartments on the ground-floor, and a fine large assembly-room above, were erected in 1852. The parish church was originally founded in 905; is now chiefly perpendicular English, of the 15th century., with recent enlargement and repair; has a central tower, the lower part of which is late Norman; contains an early English piscina, and an altar-tomb of the 14th century; and, before the Reformation, was collegiate, -the first in rank among the collegiate churches of the diocese. Independent and Plymouth Brethren chapels are in High-street; Baptist, in Union-terrace; Unitarian, in Park-street; and Wesleyan Methodist, in Bowden-street. The free grammar school was founded by Edward VI., and additionally endowed by Elizabeth; has three exhibitions; and is now held in a new building. Hayward's blue-coat school, also in a new building, has £324 from endowment; Dun's school, £25; Davies', £20; and the united charity school, £143. The total of endowed charities, which include alms-houses, is £3, 760. The workhouse stands about ½ a mile from the town; and is a fine building, surrounded by a garden. The town has a head post office, ‡ a railway station with telegraph, and two chief inns; ranks as an ancient borough, but without either municipal or parliamentary privileges; is governed by a portreeve and constables elected annually; and is a seat of petty sessions and a polling-place. Weekly markets a held on Saturdays: great markets, monthly; and fairs on 11 May, 21 Aug., and 21 Sept. A large woollen trade was formerly carried on, but has disappeared; and the chief trades now are shoe-making, tanning, and malting. Winifred, or St. Boniface, Archbishop of Mentz, was a native. Pop., 4, 048. Houses, 923.

The two tythings are Crediton-Borough and Crediton-Town; and both are in the borough.—The parish contains also the tythings of Uton, Cannon-Fee, Rudge, Ufford, Woodland, and Knowle. Acres, 12, 309. Real property, £25, 171. Pop., 5, 731. Houses, 1, 255., The manor belonged once to the Bishops of Exeter, who made it one of their favourite residences; and belongs now to J. W. Buller, Esq. Downes is Mr. Buller's seat; and Creedy Park the seat of Sir J. D. F. Davie, Bart. The parish exhibits fine scenery, and is in a high state of cultivation. Beautiful views are got from Down-Head and Posbury Hill. Traces of ancient fortifications are on Posbury Hill and Blackadown. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Exeter. Value, £450.* Patrons, the Twelve Governors. The p. curacy of Posbury is a separate benefice. The sub district contains also the parish of Colebrooke. Acres, 17, 298. Pop., 6, 533. Houses, 1, 437. The district comprehends also the sub-district of Morchard-Bishop, containing the parishes of Morchard-bishop, Lapford, Brushford, Wembworthy, Eggesford, Chawleigh, Thelbridge, Washford-Pyne, Woolfardis-worthy, and Kennerleigh; the sub-district of Bow, containing the parishes of Bow, Hittisleigh, Cheriton-Bishop, Nymet-Rowland, Coleridge, Zeal-Monachorum, Down-St. Mary, and Clannaborough; and the sub-district of Cheriton-Fitzpaine, containing the parishes of Cheriton-Fitzpaine, Stockleigh-English, Poughill, Puddington, Newton-St. Cyres, Shobrooke, Sandford, Upton-Helions, and Stockleigh-Pomeroy. Acres, 91, 866. Poor-rates in 1862, £11, 413. Pop. in 1841, 22, 035; in 1861, 20, 274. Houses, 4, 350. Marriages in 1860, 125; births, 598, - of which 42 were illegitimate; deaths, 335, -of which 79 were at ages under 5 years, and 17 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 1, 213; births, 6, 114; deaths, 3, 702. The places of worship in 1851 were 29 of the Church of England, with 9, 363 sittings; 13 of Independents, with 2, 607 s.; 1 of Baptists, with 250 s.; 1 of Unitarians, with 400 s.; 4 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 536 s.; 2 of Wesleyan Reformers, with 40 attendants; 4 of Bible Christians, with 520 s.; and 5 of Brethren, with 350 s. The schools were 24 public day schools, with 1, 390 scholars; 31 private day schools, with 636 s.; and 31 Sunday schools, with 1, 932 s. -The hundred contains seven parishes. Acres, 37, 216. Pop., 11, 233. Houses, 2, 454.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a town, two tythings, a parish, a sub-district, a district, and a hundred"   (ADL Feature Type: "cities")
Administrative units: Crediton AP/CP       Crediton Town CP       Crediton Hundred       Crediton SubD       Crediton RegD/PLU       Devon AncC
Place names: CREDIANTON     |     CREDITON     |     KERTON     |     KIRTON
Place: Crediton

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