England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
South Pool St Nicholas & St Cyriacus

The Parish

The parish of South Pool sits in the extreme south of Devon, as its sits at the head of one of the channels making up the ria of the Kingsbridge Estuary it forms part of the county's coastline. South Pool is located roughly 5 miles southeast of the town of Kingsbridge and just under 2 miles south of the A379 road which links Kingsbridge with Dartmouth. South Pool is a small village which rises from the head of the inlet up the slopes to the parish church high on the hill above, the former settlement of North Pool is merely nowadays a farmstead. Most properties sit around the head of the inlet where a ford provides a link through the shallow water, the village's inn marking the start of the climb away from the main village. Like most Devon parishes in the South Hams pastoral farming was the mainstay of the local economy, the inlet too shallow to provide a viable port. South Pool is drained westwards by South Pool Creek which soon merges into the Kingsbridge Estuary and thence to the English Channel. South Pool is sited between sea level and 40 metres above, the land rises beyond the village confines onto hills which summit around 110 metres in strongly dissected countrysides, many of the valley sides being quite steep. Covering a little over 1,700 acres South Pool was typically sized for the area and would have supported a population of close to 550 parishioners. Both North & South Pool are recorded as a single entity in Domesday Book, the local landlord Iudhael of Totmes sharing this manor with Walter de Claville and Ralph de Pomeroy, total assets of 7 ploughs were backed by meadows, pastures & woodland.

The Church

St Nicholas & St Cyriacus' church sits amongst the highest buildings in the top of the village accessed by a farm track running east and then north from the main lane heading in from the A369. Documentary evidence cites the church as having been consecrated in 1318 and the core of the church, the nave and chancel are entirely consistent with that early 14th century dating being Decorated in style. Much of that style is, however, masked by a substantial rebuilding of the church in the 15th century which saw the existing body rebuilt and aisles, transepts and the strikingly tall western tower added to give the church a cruciform layout. All of this work was in the Perpendicular style of the time. During the early 17th century a chapel was added as a family chapel for the local Darre family. As is usual a Victorian restoration followed in 1890 which refreshed without adding significantly to the elements of the church. This church, however, is one with the interior well worth a visit, the 15th or early 16th century carved rood screen and rare Easter Sepulchre niche are splendid in themselves. A large brown signboard marks the start of the farm access track leading to the churchyard, there is options for parking outside the churchyard or carefully around the surrounding farms. The church stands within a churchyard devoid of obstacles for the photographer although the sheer height of the tower creates its own issues for composition.