Chittlehampton: Discover history and crafts

Chittlehampton offers historical and cultural points of interest from different periods: from medieval pilgrimage history and remembrance of the First World War to former limestone quarrying and today’s pottery making. If you’re looking for a hotel in Chittlehampton, these themes can help you consider the destination in light of your interests. They offer different perspectives on the place without reducing its history to a single period.

Religious history and medieval pilgrimage

The Church of St Hieritha is a Grade I listed building. St Urith’s Well has another name and a long, though not entirely certain, history: the well is also known as Teara’s Well or Taddy Well and probably dates back to the 8th century AD. This estimated date can be distinguished from the religious practices recorded in later accounts.

In the Middle Ages, St Urith’s Well and its associated chapel were an important pilgrimage destination. People with eye conditions in particular came there on the first Sunday after St Peter’s Day to anoint themselves. The specific occasion and purpose of the anointing give this historical context a clear focus: it concerns a former religious practice, not a present-day pilgrimage date. Together with the well’s possible early origins, the pilgrimage history offers a perspective reaching far back before modern crafts and remembrance of the world war.

Remembrance and traces of earlier work

The Chittlehampton War Memorial commemorates 20 local soldiers who died in the First World War. Alongside religious history, it places the remembrance of people from the village at the centre. The memorial and the pilgrimage history point to different subjects: former religious practice on the one hand, and remembrance of those killed in a war on the other.

Another trace leads to Hudscott Cross, which is said to have come from Chittlehampton churchyard. This possible origin connects the monument with a specific place in local history.

Chittlehampton’s former limestone quarries supplied many lime kilns across Devon. This connection links a local industry with a supply that reached beyond Chittlehampton. This offers a different perspective on the village’s history from the individual monuments: the quarries point to work and processing, while the memorial and cross are connected with remembrance and religious heritage.

Pottery and military history

Roger Cockram Ceramics has a studio and gallery in Chittlehampton. The business makes one-off pieces from fine porcelain, fired at a high temperature. The material, firing method and one-off pieces give the craft its own character alongside the historical themes. If you plan to visit the studio, check the visitor arrangements before setting out.

The Cobbaton Combat Collection is a military museum and tourist attraction in Chittlehampton. Compared with the War Memorial, it presents two different approaches to military history: the memorial commemorates 20 local soldiers, while the Collection is classified as a museum. Both are among the historical perspectives on Chittlehampton, but they serve different roles—remembrance on one hand and a military history museum on the other.

Discover more destinations: Stoke Canon, Colyton, Princetown, Talaton, Wick, Lydford, Parkham, Broadhempston.

For the regional travel overview: Devon.