Abbotskerswell
Luscombe Maye Estate Agents have been selling and letting residential and agricultural property and land in the Abbotskerswell area for over 100 years.
Abbotskerswell lies close to the market town of Newton Abbot and 7 miles from Totnes and Torbay. The County town of Exeter is 18 miles away and Plymouth 32 miles.
Abbotskerswell has many local amenities including a school, a church and recreational facilities such as a recreation ground, tennis courts and skateboard park. White's Devonshire Directory (1850) informs us that: Abbotskerswell, or Abbot's Carswell, is a pleasant village, and has in its parish 433 souls and 1600 acres of land, including several scattered houses and the hamlet of Aller, where there is a paper mill, on a rivulet 1½ miles from the church. The soil is all freehold, and belongs to a limited number of landlords. The Church (St. Mary,) is an ancient fabric in the perpendicular style, with a tower and three bells. It is about to be thoroughly repaired and beautified. The old pews are to give way to open benches, and the finely carved oak screen is to be restored and opened. A cottage has been converted into a Baptist Chapel; and in the parish is a Quaker's Burial Ground, which was reserved for that purpose by a Mr. Tucket, when he sold Court Barton estate. Here is a small National School.
Nowadays (2009) there is a small rural primary school with over 80 children, who are taught in mixed year groups. The school boasts willow sculptures and a small adventure playground. The current school was originally built in 1875 and redeveloped in 1995. There are extensive grounds including a wild area with pond and an adventure playground. There is also a 12½ metre heated swimming pool with a changing room.
The village itself first became a parish in the 10th century but had been settled in parts by farmers of the Bronze and Iron Ages who had moved into the area c1500 BC. It was mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086 with a population of less than 100, at which time the manor belonged to the Abbot of Horton.
The main industry was sheep-farming, but there were also crops and a water mill where corn was ground.
In 1349 bubonic plague reduced the population of the village quite considerably.
The old wooden church was replaced in the 13th century by a stone building, which was again reconstructed in the 15th century. Houses still exist in the village which were built in the 1500s, for example Two Mile Oak public house. A Cider company began production in 1791, and operated for a long time, until its closure in 1965. A sweet factory faired less well, starting in 1930, it was closed by the end of 1938. Population now is about 1,500.
If you are thinking of buying, letting or selling in Abbotskerswell, choose Luscombe Maye.