England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Cullompton St Andrew

The Parish

The parish of Cullompton lies in eastern Devon about 12 miles northeast of the city of Exeter. Cullompton is a small market town which sits on the B5381 road which connects it to Exeter. Originally consisting of a single main street (now the B5381) with properties along short lanes either side, Cullompton has expanded in modern times to spread for over a half miles to both north & south along that B5381. Modern communications also pass through Cullompton, the modern M5 motorway lies just to its east and the main London to Exeter rail line also passes through albeit with no station these days. Cullompton received its market from Edward I in 1278 but has been somewhat overshadowed by its larger neighbour Tiverton just 6 miles to the northwest. It's economy would have been dominated by the local pastoral farming community, acting as market for the sales & slaughter of, mainly, cattle; also present were small industries namely weaving and associated with the mills for flour, paper and yarn spinning which were powered by the nearby River Culm. Today Cullompton is a peaceful small market town and commuter centre for nearby Exeter. Cullompton sits on the western banks of the River Culm which drains the parish southwards, joining the Exe just before Exeter and reaching the English Channel through the latter's estuary. Cullompton is sited at around 60 metres above the sea in undulating countryside, land to the east is much more subdued than much of Devon whilst the land rises more steeply to the west to local heights of around 260 metres within a few miles. Cullompton parish was large as befits a market town, it covered around 9,000 acres and would have supported a population in the region of 3,900 parishioners. In Domesday time Cullompton was a relatively small place, held by the Abbey at Battle it could offer just 4 plough together with small meadows & woodland.

The Church

St Andrew's church sits to the east of the B5381 and sits almost on the banks of the River Culm, it is reached along the narrow lane of Church Street. The church has its origins during the great church building era of the Perpendicular, documentary evidence pointing to a completion date of 1430. From a later period, 1545 - 1549, comes the dominating western tower that forms the centrepiece when approaching the church from the High Street. From a similar era comes the outer southern aisle, name Lane's aisle after the benefactor who paid for the same. The church received a relatively sympathetic restoration in the late 1840s, the major work was the rebuilding of the chancel in the same style and strengthening to protect from vibration from the nearby railway. As you approach along Church Street the tower and twin gates dominates, parking is to the right and a second gated entrance through the local red sandstone wall enables entry, the churchyard is fairly open with few obstacles to photography.