All Saints

Winkleigh is an old parish, with a reasonably large village lying between Crediton and Great Torrington just slightly south of the B3220.

Settlement at Winkleigh dates to at least Norman times.  Arthur Mee (1965) mentions that the Normans built two moated castles in the parish, probably not just for their military purposes, but also because of the park that once existed... apparently the only Devon park to be listed in the Domesday Book (1086).  Winkleigh was entered in the Domesday Book as Wincheleia and is believed to have got its name from Wineca+Leah .  The leah or leigh part comes from old English and means wood clearing and the beginning part is believed to have come from the name Wineca.

All Saints Church and Religion in the Parish

The parish church of All Saints dates from the 15th century and is made of stone.  White's (1850) description of the church tells us: 

"The Church (All Saints,) is a fine antique structure, with a tower, containing five bells, and commanding from its summit extensive views, in which are seen the hills of Dartmoor, and the steeples of 24 parish churches." (p. 727)

Kelly (1893) further expands on this description telling us:

"The church of All Saints is an ancient building of stone, chiefly in the Late Decorated style, and consists of a chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch, transept and an embattled western tower with pinnacles containing a clock and 6 bells..." (p. 671)

In 1873 the church underwent extensive restoration at a cost of nearly £7000 - obviously a lot of money in those days!  Kelly's (1893) also mentions that Winkleigh also had a Wesleyan and Bible Christian Chapel in the village, a Bible Christian Chapel at Staple Green and a Congregational Chapel erected at Hollacombe in 1869.

Parish Life

Information from the Winkleigh Gazetteer (Source: Devon Local Studies Library) shows that the parish was recorded as a borough from 1250 and that there was a fair here from 1822.  Kelly's (1893) also mentions yearly "cattle" fairs in the parish. They were held on the first Monday after the 8th July and also, on the first Wednesday in October.

White (1850) lists Winkleigh as having five Inns and Taverns, interestingly with three of the publicans having the surname WILLIAMS.

Kelly (1893) tells us that Winkleigh had its own school, opened in 1876 and catered for 180 pupils.  Average attendance was only about 100 children.  The school-master and school-mistress at the time were James TIPPER the master and Mrs Sarah Ann TIPPER, who was the school- mistress for the infants.  Kelly (1893) also mentions that another Board school was built at Hollacombe between 1881 and 1882 for 50 children.  Average attendance in 1893 was about 30 and the school-mistress was Miss L. A. BLAINEY.

With a land acreage of 9118 acres, farming, now as in the past, is the main occupation in the area.  Although the parish was also reknowned for producing cider.  Kelly (1893) tells us that some of the parish was covered in woodland, although he tells us that the remainder of the parish had good corn and grazing land for livestock.

Sources

JOD's Genealogy Graphics