Abbotskerswell

Infobox UK place
country= England
region= South West England
shire_county= Devon
shire_district= Teignbridge
official_name= Abbotskerswell
population= 1515(2001 UK Census)
os_grid_reference= SX855690
latitude= 50.5092
longitude= -3.6152
post_town= NEWTON ABBOT
postcode_area= TQ
postcode_district= TQ12
dial_code= 01626
constituency_westminster= Teignbridge

Abbotskerswell is a village in the English county of Devon. It is located two miles south of the town of Newton Abbot, 7 miles from the seaside resort of Torquay and 32 miles from the city of Plymouth.

About the village

In the Domesday Book Abbotskerswell was called "Carsuella" and was held by the abbot of Horton, Dorset. The name "kerswell" means "cress spring". [cite book |title=The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-names |author=Eilert Ekwall |publisher=OUP |location=Oxford [Eng.] |year=1981 |isbn=0 19 869103 3] In 1086 it had a population of less than one hundred. By 2001 the population had risen to 1515. [ [http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?_IXP_=1&_IXR=111872 Devon County Council census statistics] Retrieved 7 February 2007]

The village has several listed buildings, a small shop, hair salon, post office and two pubs. The Court Farm Inn was previously a farm, and was converted to a pub in the 20th century when the old Tradesmans Arms closed. The other pub is the older Butchers Arms, which was originally a smithy.

The village has a Church dedicated to St. Mary, which was affected by the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII. Old treasures, particularly a large badly-damaged medieval statue assumed to be of the Virgin and Child, [cite book |title=The Buildings of England - Devon |author=Bridget Cherry & Nikolaus Pevsner |publisher=Penguin |location=Harmondsworth [Eng.] |year=1989 |isbn=0 14 071050 7] have been found within the church, and work has been undertaken to restore them.

Abbotskerswell developed around the growing of apples for cider making. Old Philpott's House is an old-time cider making facility (pound house) and has been making Devon cider since 1666.

The village hosts the annual "Abbfest" Beer and Food Festival which celebrates Devon food and drink. [ [http://www.abbfest.org/index.htm Abbotskerswell Beer and Food Festival website] Retrieved 7 February 2007]

Twin cities/towns

*flagicon|Ireland - Ardmore, Ireland
*flagicon|France - Le Pré-d'Auge and Les Monceaux, France

Trivia

*Abbotskerswell was the birthplace of John 'Babbacombe' Lee.

External links

* [http://www.abbotskerswell.org.uk Official Abbotskerswell Village Site]
* [http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/media/pdf/3/h/Abbotskerswell_1.pdf Teignbridge District Conservation Area Character Appraisal for Abbotskerswell] Retrieved 7 February 2007

References