The History of Hemyock
Updated 10-10-09
Hemyock
is the largest village on the Blackdown Hills, Devon, which is now designated as
an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The parish has an area of about
2350 hectares, and lies on the NW of the Blackdown Hills. The village has a very
long history, some prehistoric remains may be found, from about 100 BC to well
beyond. In the middle ages local iron ores were smelted in small bloomeries
(furnaces) to produce pure iron. In Saxon times a battle was fought at
Simonsburrow between the native Britons and King Ime's Saxon army, which put an
end (temporarily) to the Kings expansion to the west.
The name Hemyock could have
originated from the British stream name "Samiaco" (meaning summer), other
authorities suggest a Saxon origin from a personal name "Hemman" coupled with a
Saxon word for a bend or a hook.
Hemyock gave its name to the Hemyock Hundred, a unit of 7 parishes, that was an administrative unit of local government during the Saxon period.
After the Norman conquest a castle was built adjacent to the Parish Church, the remains of some towers may still be seen.
Hemyock is a typical upland settlement consisting of a central "town" surrounded by a number of hamlets (Culmdavey, Millhayes, Simonsburrow, Ashculme, Tedburrow, Madford, Mountshayne etc). From the 1500's to the early 1800's much of the parishes wealth came from the production of wool. The population remained fairly constant throughout the 1800's, and until the end of the second word war. Since then a number of housing estates have been built, and our population has increased to over 2000.
The village has had some important national points of interest.
The Cadbury
family, of chocolate fame, originated here.
Hemyock was the terminus of the Culm Valley Railway that ran for about 100 years from our village to Tiverton Junction.
The first mechanically operated butter factory in the West of England was started at Mountshayne in 1886 by 4 local farmers, this was later transferred to Millhayes, and was only closed in the 1990's.
The village has a very long history, some prehistoric remains may be found, from about 100 BC to well beyond. In the Middle Ages local iron ores were smelted in small bloomeries (furnaces) to produce pure iron.[1] In Saxon times a battle was fought at Simonsburrow between the native Britons and King Ime's Saxon army, which put an end (temporarily) to the Kings expansion to the west.
The name Hemyock could have originated from the British stream name "Samiaco" (meaning summer), other authorities suggest a Saxon origin from a personal name "Hemman" coupled with a Saxon word for a bend or a hook.
Hemyock Hundred
Hemyock was head of the Hemyock Hundred, an administrative sub-division of the Shire county of Devonshire, under to the system of government used during the Saxon period. The Domesday Book records that the Hemyock Hundred consisted of the manors of: Awliscombe, Bolham Water, Bywood, Churchstanton (Somerset), Clayhidon, Culm Davy, Culm Pyne, Culmstock, Dunkeswell, Gorewell, Hemyock, Hole, Ivedon, Mackham, Weston.
Hemyock Castle
On 5 November 1380, King Richard II granted Sir William and Lady Margaret Asthorpe a licence to crenellate the Hemyock manor house; meaning the permission to fortify it. Hemyock Castle has many similarities with the much better known Bodiam Castle, granted the licence to crenellate in 1385. Over the centuries, Hemyock Castle had many notable owners including Lord Chief Justice Sir John Popham and General Sir John Graves Simcoe the first lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada in 1792. He is buried at Wolford Chapel near Dunkeswell. The chapel is now owned by the Province of Ontario
During the English Civil War it was held for Parliament, subjected to a brief but brutal siege and eventually slighted to destroy its military value. Parts of the castle walls, towers and moat still remain. They are a scheduled ancient monument. The castle site is privately owned: Visits can be arranged for groups; there are also public open days.
Long an important historic centre, today Hemyock Castle
offers a warm welcome for Visitors, Schools, and Groups; and comfortable Self
Catering Holiday Accommodation. Each carefully modernized holiday cottage
retains its original charm. Good road links make this an excellent touring
centre for Devon, Exmoor and Dartmoor. There is a wide variety of facilities and
attractions, locally and within easy travelling distance, to interest a wide
range of tastes: Whatever the weather.
Although situated in the heart of Hemyock village, the castle site is screened
by trees and walls so surprisingly little can be seen from the road. The whole
site is enclosed by substantial walls, fences and gates.
Old Village Water Pump Hemyock Castle St Marys Church
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