Colyton, Devon

]] Colyton first appeared as an ancient village around 700 AD and features in the Domesday Book as Culitone. The third code of law of King Edmund I was issued at Colyton in about 945. This helped to stabilize feudal society, by stating clearly its four pillars: kingship, lordship, family, and neighbourhood. It grew into an important agricultural centre and market town with a corn mill, saw mill, iron foundry and an oak bark tannery that is still functioning. Situated 0.5 mile to the north of the town was Colcombe Castle, now demolished, a former seat of the Courtenay family, Earls of Devon. Following the attainder of Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter the Courtenay lands escheated to…

The Church of England parish church of St Andrew's, is a Grade I listed building. A Saxon church occupied the site of St Andrew's until replaced by the present Norman church in the 11th century. The 14th century octagonal lantern tower is said to have been used as a beacon for ships on the once navigable River Axe, to the east, although there is doubt that the tower may be seen at all from the river. The nearby vicarage, Brerewood House, is a Grade II listed building from about 1529. Dolphin Street, a street in Colyton, is the also the title of a tune by former resident and composer Arthur Hutchings (1906-1989) to the hymn by Timothy Dudley-Smith 'Beyond All Mortal Praise'.