Exbourne
Exbourne is situated within the triangle comprising Okehampton, Hatherleigh and North Tawton, and falls within the jurisdiction of West Devon Borough Council. The Parish Council is linked with the adjoining parish of Jacobstowe, which lies half a mile to the west. Well situated alongside the A3072, Exbourne provides easy access to the whole County. With a population of approx 350,the village comprises a mixed range of domestic buildings and is surrounded by true Devonshire landscape. Its most prominent building is that of the church (St.Mary's, above), built of granite and originating in the 15th century. Alongside is the C of E junior school which currently caters for about 45 pupils. Nearby is the well-established Red Lion public house. At the entrance to the village is a well-established business, that of the garage, providing a wide range of services including fuel. At the centre of village lies the Village Hall, used by the community for a broad range of social events. It is also the home of the Community Shop and Post Office, opening on Monday and Friday mornings. Lower down the hill is the Methodist Chapel, which accommodates the Pre-School.
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Jacobstowe
Jacobstowe is a small settlement situated on the A3072 Crediton – Bude Road. With a population of less than 150, many of who live in very ancient farms dispersed throughout the parish. Many of the buildings date back to the C17. The early Saxons are credited with driving the English from this part of Devon in the late 7th century. The suffix “Stowe” denotes a holy place or meeting place and the Saxons are known to have respected such places. There is some evidence to suggest that this has been a special place for many centuries and perhaps a site of an early preaching place, possibly where our church stands today. Our place of worship, St.James Church, dates back to the C12 but there was major remodelling in the C15 when the tower was added. In 1902/1903 the church was restored, the chancel lengthened by 5 feet and the vestry was added to the south side. An active community faction, (Jacobstowe Action Group) have in recent months successfully replaced the Church's aged (and unique) boundary fence with a matching design and cleared some of the extensive fir growth from the edge of the churchyard to open up the southern viewpoint. |
