Roman Lympstone 1726 | Leveneston, Leustona, Veneston, Weleston, Limpston

There was a Saxon thegn here as lord of the manor of Levenestone before the Conquest (1066). From the Domesday Book of 1086 he was called Saeward. Joining Hartland and Lympstone; Abbotsham St. Helen became a parish in the union of Bideford or Barnstaple, Great Torrington and some of the more northern divisions containing Sheppertain, Littleham close to the bay wherefrom a victory over the Danes who besieged the fortress Kenwic Castle, routed the main western army.

ST. GILES-IN-THE-WOOD, or Stow St. Giles, a pleasant village and parish, 3 miles E. by S. of Great Torrington and Bideford, including the hamlets of Kingscot, High Bullen, and Healand. The Church was built in 1309, as a chapel to Torrington nearby Dodscott. The villa which is considerable, is situated on the road from Bideford and Torrington to Exeter. Historically it formed part of Fremington Hundred. St. Giles / Aegidus in Latin records who came to live in South France became a hermit at the end of the 7th century in the deep forests at the mouth of the River Rhône where his reputation for sanctity led the Benedictines later to build the great Monastery of St. Gilles du Gard on the pilgrimage route from Arles to St. James of Compostela in the north of Spain. In A.D. 1117, Matilda, wife of Henry I, founded a hospital for lepers outside London, which was dedicated to St. Giles.
	[Somerset] At the time of Domesday Book (1086), Chaffcombe (Caffecome) was held by the Bishop of Coutances. Having a moated site and fishponds across from Ashton, medieval Chaffcombe.
The Saxon and Olf French word combe means a deep narrow valley or basin on the flank of a hill. The British kumb, meaning valley was used so extensively that it was adopted into Old English as cumb and has yielded numerous English place­names containing Combe and Coombe. Chafecombe or Chaffcombe can also be derived from the term cleaf (ceaf) cumb which in Saxon means breezy valley. In 1066 Chaffcombe comprised four estates, two held 'in parage' by two thegns and a further two held similarly by two other thegns. By 1086 these estates had been combined and granted to Geoffrey, bishop of Coutances, under whom they were held 'for one manor' by Ralph the red. This Ralph can be identified with Ralph le (or de) Sor (Sor means reddish) whose family became the principal tenants of the honor of Gloucester in that county and in Somerset. Chaffcombe was also held of that honor. The manor's suit to South Petherton hundred court was withdrawn c.1262 by Richard, earl of Gloucester (d.1262). His grandson Gilbert held the overlordship at his death in 1314. It subsequently passed to Gilbert's brother-in-law Hugh le Despenser (d.1349), and was still held of the honor of Gloucester at least until 1600 though counter-claims were made in the interval.

Lympstone Rectory in Lympstone parish and East Budleigh hundred includes Poughill on the westside, Salcombe Regis east / Salterton, Sheldon, Shobrooke, Sidbury, Thorne, Treasbeare in Clyst Honiton, Upcott in Cheriton Fitzpaine, Upton Hellions, Venn Ottery.

The village of Poughill (pronunces Poffle) is about one mile inland north of Bude. In 1086 it featured in the Domesday Book,as Pochelle. Its' water-mill which is believed to have been a manorial mill for Trevalgus Manor lying at the foot of Trevalgus Hill in thick woodland. It was powered by the stream which runs south towards Stratton called the Stratt. The mill stands located on the footpath towards Bush. Part of the mill building was formed of timbers of wrecked ships from along the coastline. At the heart of the village is St Olaf's church. The Church is of exceptional interest and dates from the 14th Century. It seats 300 persons and is dedicated to the Norwegian King and so-called Martyr, St Olaf. At the restoration in 1928 the foundations of the original Norman Church were uncovered but nothing of this remains above ground. The Pillars on the north side and south arch of the nave are of Caen stone 14th Century; those of the south side are granite 15th Century. The Piscine and Aumbry in the south chancel are 13th Century.Inside the church is a wall of frescoes. The frescoes date from about 1470, and depict St Christopher. In 1894 they were discovered beneath the whitewash. Such paintings were once common in churches. The Poughill accounts record the washing out of the figures' in 1550 at the Reformation. According to the legend, St Christopher was a heathen giant who, on turning Christian, was instructed by a holy hermit to carry travellers over a dangerous ford, and who, one stormy night carried the child Jesus on his shoulder.

The Battle of Stamford Hill This battle was fought on the outskirts of Poughill on 16th May 1643. Each May, on the closest weekend to the anniversary, there is a two day re-enactment of the battle, fought over the Saturday and Sunday, together with a procession through the streets of neighbouring Stratton village. It's well worth a visit. There are some very old houses in Poughill. Burshill Manor is proven medival and is listed as an open hall house; another old house if Church House dated 1525.

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