The Geography and History of Frithelstock
GEOGRAPHY OF FRITHELSTOCK Fredelestoc 1086, Fredelestock, Frithelaghestok 1223, Frithelakestok(e) 1224, Frithelarestok 1235, Frydestoke 1445, Frithelstocke, Fristocke or Frithelstock as it is now known.
The Parish for the most part is over 100 meters above sea level with the highest point being near Heiberdown Cottage at 174 meters. It extends to some 3660 acres at the present time. Prior to 1886 it extended to well over 4000 acres.
At about this time for civil purposes and a local Government Board Order, the hamlet of Milford was transferred to Buckland Brewer and Muddipit was lost to Bulkworthy along with Eastacott and Bower Farm.
Little Cleave and Doves were also transferred and are now in Newton St Petrock Parish, and Muffworthy is now in Langtree.
Although larger in acreage than some of the adjoining parishes the population of about 460 was the same at the beginning of the century. The most noticeable difference in the make-up of Frithelstock is the lack of a centre. Frithelstockstone was originally described as a hamlet but now has the most houses. Obviously, the Frithelstock Town end where the Church is to be found was the centre of any local administration prior to the 1900s.
There are several small communities on the outskirts of the parish, which appear to have been there for several hundred years. At Southcott there are seven or eight properties which are within the boundaries but are actually nearer to the centre of Langtree. This has meant for obvious reasons that the people there, especially before the advent of the motor car, have drifted to Langtree for school, church and chapel activities to the disadvantage of Frithelstock. The postal address of Southcott Langtree is also something that gives people the impression it is in that parish.
At Glen on the other side of the parish there is a similar situation with the group of five or six houses there. Buckland Brewer is much nearer for most of the everyday things in life than Frithelstock, and as a result Frithelstock’s loss has been Buckland Brewer’s gain. The fact that the postal address is Buckland Brewer, Bideford, is another longstanding factor that has affected things.
There are also a number of properties towards Monkleigh, which although in Frithelstock, have a Monkleigh postal address. The properties too at Rakeham and Drummets Mill are well within the boundary but their proximity to Torrington means that the people there have been seduced by the bright lights of the town. All of this has in a way made the parish smaller than it is, and it has perhaps not developed like some other parishes. The boundary of the eastern side of the parish is the River Torridge and the stream that flows from Watergate and past Drummets Mill, separates Little Torrington from Frithelstock for the South/East boundary.
At Watergate the stream there makes towards Langtree, and the westerly boundary of the parish extends to Wayside and includes Bibbear and West View.From here it leaves Cholash and Muffworthy in Langtree and continues to the stream below Hembury Castle known as the River Duntz.
With Buckland Brewer on the northern side the Duntz continues a very pretty run towards the Glen and then on to Littleham. The remainder of the boundary line more or less follows smaller watercourses from Glen via Plumpers Bridge down to the Torridge near to the weir at Beam.
In all, the area within the boundaries is considered to be good farming land and the streams and rivers provide very picturesque walks as well as excellent habitat for wild life. The replanting of much woodland, both conifer and hardwood is much in evidence and the formation of lakes and ponds is also very good to see. This contrasts greatly the 1950s and 60s when the reverse took place and woodlands were grubbed out, hedges removed and ponds filled in!
Very little new building has taken place until recently and between 1900 and 1950 there were probably no more than five or six properties built. These can be identified fairly easily by the fact that they were constructed with the local Marland white bricks: a really very high quality product but a nightmare to drill or cut. In the early 1950s a few more houses were built including six council houses. Some others were replacements of older properties which were demolished. A bungalow replaced a terrace of three cottages at Catsborough Cross. A pair of semi-detached houses replaced three cottages at Culliver, which were on the road between Pencleave and Rakeham and two bungalows were built to replace two cottages at Hill.
In all about 55 new properties have been built in the village since the 1950s, mainly individual properties. Early on, the lack of a sewerage system was the main cause for the lack of building and the first bungalows in Church Lane were built with a promise that a system would be put in place in the future. A small system was put in place to deal with the council houses and a few houses at Stone. This proved to be inadequate for the additional properties built at Stone and a bigger system had to be installed. This still does not provide for houses and bungalows at Church Lane which were promised connections in the 1960s.
It has, however, meant that despite the problems 47 properties have been built at Stone during the latter part of the 1900s.
Extract from Frithelstock Past and Present, reproduced with the kind permission of the Frithelstock Book Group
