England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Chulmleigh St Mary Magdalene

The Parish

The parish of Chulmleigh lies in northern central Devon about 10 miles northwest of the market town of Crediton and roughly double that distance from Exeter. Chulmleigh is a small market town situated where the Little Dart River runs down to meet the River Taw. The market town sits a little away from both rivers astride the B3096 road which connects the town with the A377 which follows the Taw Valley, the rail line from Exeter to Barnstaple also follows the valley, Chulmleigh's access being Eggesford station being a little over 2 miles to the south. Chulmleigh was granted its charter by Henry III in the 13th century when it was also made a "burgh". Whilst an important local market for agricultural produce its heyday was the 17th and 18th century when income came from the cloth trade. Chulmleigh has, however, not grown largely since that time and remains a small but important local market town. Much of the area around is used for pastoral farming, beef & dairy farming predominating. The Little Dart drains the parish to the Taw and thence to the Irish Sea through the port of Bideford. Chulmleigh is sited at around 140 metres above the sea in quite deeply incised landscape, local heights rise to a general plateau level of around 210 metres within a mile or so of the town whilst the valleys of Little Dart & Taw are some 70 metres lower, the B3096 & other lanes descending steeply to cross the former to the town's southeast. Chulmleigh parish was one of the larger in its area, it covered around 6,800 acres and would have supported a population of around 1,600 parishioners both within the town and its hinterland. In Domesday times Chulmleigh was already a wealthy place, held by one Baldwin the Sherriff it could offer an impressive 30 ploughs as well as meadows, pastures and woodland.

The Church

St Mary Magdalene's church sits to the southwest of the town at the top of the steep drop down to the Little Dart. The church was founded in the mid 13th century as a collegiate church, coincident with the town's burgh status. The church is a fine example of a large Perpendicular building, the tall western tower (four stages) dominates the townscape and the main body of the church shows that style throughout its windows. Like most churches the building received an extensive restoration by the Victorians, in this case it was in 1879. Pevsner makes little comment on its sensitivity but that usually indicates approval. The church has parking in New Street and a narrow cobbled way leads to a large gated lychgate, the main entrance. The church sits in an elevated churchyards banked by a local stone wall, the churchyard itself is compact and the best views are probably from immediately outside with few obstacles to the best photographic angles.