England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Huntsham All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Huntsham lies in northeastern Devon not too far from its border with neighbouring Somerset. Huntsham is located roughly 7 miles northeast of the market town of Tiverton and sits within a broad area devoid of significant numbered roads, indeed the closest such road (the A396 from Tiverton to Bampton) lies over 4 miles to its west. Huntsham is a small village, largely an estate parish under the control of Huntsham Court, a grand mansion of the 1860s, with just a few properties in a cluster within a steeply sided valley whilst the wider parish has farms and cottages scattered across the area. In the main the economy was dependent upon pastoral farming although early gazetteers estimates almost equal proportion of the two main forms. Huntsham is drained southwards by the tiny River Lowman which eventually meets the Exe in Tiverton before flowing into the English Channel through Exeter & the Exe estuary. Huntsham is sited at around 180 metres above the sea in strongly rolling countryside, to its north Bampton Down rises to 279 metres whilst the ancient fort of Huntsham "Castle" to the south stands at 263 metres. Huntsham parish was fairly typically sized for its county, covering close to 1,900 acres it would have supported a population of around 150 parishioners. In Domesday times it was equally rural, a small holding offering just 7 ploughs together with the usual meadows, pastures & woodland to its landholder, not Bishop Odo but Odo the son of Gamalin.

The Church

All Saints' church sits tucked away down a long green lane almost cheek-by-jowl with Huntsham Court. Whilst some traces of the medieval can still be found this is a church which was heavily rebuilt during Victorian times. Surviving from the early 14th century and showing the Decorated style of that half century is the slim & unbuttressed western tower whilst similarly aged windows dot the chancel's northern wall as well as the nave. All else results from an extensive 19th century rebuild which began in 1854 and intermittently ran until 1871. The southern faces show a melange of the medieval and Victorian whilst the northern aisle is a completion of 1871. Parking should be sought at the eastern end of the lane which serves as the main entry to Huntsham Court from here a short walk and a footpath leads to the churchyard, a similar approach can be made from Bampton Down Road where parking is more difficult. Whilst the re are many trees to the west of the church all of the favoured aspects are available to the photographer.