Parkham

Village in Devon, England

Human settlement in England
  • Torridge
Shire county
  • Devon
Region
  • South West
CountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townBidefordPostcode districtEX39Dialling code01237PoliceDevon and CornwallFireDevon and SomersetAmbulanceSouth Western UK Parliament
  • Torridge and West Devon
List of places
UK
England
Devon
50°58′N 4°18′W / 50.96°N 04.30°W / 50.96; -04.30

Parkham is a small village, civil parish and former manor situated 5 miles south-west of the town of Bideford in north Devon, England. The parish, which lies within the Kenwith ward in the Torridge district, is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Alwington, Littleham, Buckland Brewer, East Putford and Woolfardisworthy.[1] In 2001 its population was 742, compared to 786 in 1901.[2]

The large parish church, dedicated to St James, is mostly 15th century, though it still has a Norman doorway and font. It was restored by R. W. Drew in 1875.[2][3]

Although there is a substantial farming community around Parkham, the majority of incomes are earned outside of the village. During the summer months tourism contributes to the economy through a number of guest houses in the area. In the centre of the village is a public house, The Bell Inn, that was refurbished in 2018 after a fire. There is also a butcher, G E Honey & Son. There is a Youth Club every Thursday in the Methodist chapel and every second Friday of the month in the village hall. Parkham has a primary school which is now federated with Buckland Brewer primary school and have around 90 pupils between them.

As of 2019, one bus route serves Parkham, the 372 BradworthyBarnstaple operated by Stagecoach, with 1–2 buses in each direction Monday to Friday.[4]

Historic estates

The following historic estates are within the parish:

  • Halsbury, today a farmhouse called Halsbury Barton, long a seat of the ancient Giffard family.
  • Bableigh, seat of the Risdon family from the 13th to 18th centuries.

References

  1. ^ "Map of Devon Parishes" (PDF). Devon County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  2. ^ a b Harris, Helen (2004). A Handbook of Devon Parishes. Tiverton: Halsgrove. pp. 131–2. ISBN 1-84114-314-6.
  3. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1989) [1952]. Cherry, Bridget (ed.). The Buildings of England: Devon. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. p. 624. ISBN 0-14-071050-7.
  4. ^ "372 Bradworthy–Barnstaple" (PDF). Devon County Council.

External links

  • Parkham Parish Council website
  • Genuki Parkham page

Media related to Parkham at Wikimedia Commons

  • v
  • t
  • e
Towns, villages and hamlets in the Torridge District of Devon, England
  • v
  • t
  • e
Exeter1,2
  • None
East Devon1
Mid Devon1
North Devon1
Torridge1
West Devon1,3
South Hams1
Teignbridge1
Plymouth2,4
  • None
Torbay4
Bold text denotes a parish council referred to as a "town council".
  1. Non-metropolitan district of the non-metropolitan county of Devon (administered by Devon County Council).
  2. Has city status in the United Kingdom.
  3. Has borough status in the United Kingdom.
  4. Unitary authority not part of the non-metropolitan county, thus not administered by Devon County Council.
  5. The remainder of Torbay is unparished.