Visit Braunton Places

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The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Braunton

  

Braunton Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Braunton

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Braunton history

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Manors

Braunton was the chief manor of Braunton Hundred, and had been held by Saxon kings. Between 855 and 860 ten hides in Brannocminster were granted by King Æthelbald of Wessex to Glastonbury Abbey. After the Norman Conquest of 1066 the manor continued as a royal possession, in the demesne of King William the Conqueror. In the Domesday Book of 1086 (Exon Version) it is recorded as held at farm by Baldwin the Sheriff, Sheriff of Devon, whose fiefdom of 176 landholdings as recorded in Domesday Book was the largest in Devon. As recorded in the Domesday Book one virgate of land had been administratively transferred from the manor of Braunton to the tenure of Robert de Pont Chardon, lord of the manor adjoining of Heanton Punchardon. The royal manor was eventually split into three parts: Braunton Dean, which probably represented the land granted by King William the Conqueror to Algar the Priest at some time before the compilation of the Domesday Book of 1086. Together with the Rectory of Braunton, it shortly afterwards came into the possession of the Dean of Exeter. In 1810 it was held, as a tenant of the Dean and Chapter, by Charles Trelwany of Coldrenick in Cornwall. Braunton Abbots, which extended also over part of the adjoining parish of Marwood. It was created by a grant from the remnant of the royal manor of Braunton by King Henry III (1216–1272) to Cleeve Abbey in Somerset. In 1810 it belonged to William Courtenay, 9th Earl of Devon (1768–1835) of Powderham Braunton Gorges, was held by the de Sachville family. Robert de Sachville (Latinized to de Siccavilla (“from the dry town”)) had been granted this part in 1202. Their successors were the Gorges family of Wraxall, Somerset. As is recorded in a surviving document, in 1324 Eleanor Ferre, wife of Ralph de Gorges (d.1323), Baron Gorges, Sheriff of Devon, and daughter of Sir John Ferre of Tothill, Lincolnshire, was granted lands at Braunton including 1 acre at ‘La Crofta’, two acres at ‘Myddelforlong’, and half an acre at ‘Longeland’, which names (if not spellings) are still in use today. In 1330 as is recorded in the Calendar of Fine Rolls: Waleys, by a fine levied at Westminster in the octave of Michaelmas, 4 Edward III, granted to Ralph Gorges two-thirds of the manor of Braunton Gorges by the name of two-thirds of 3 messuages, 2 carucates of land and 100s. of rent in the same town of Braunton, together with the reversion of the third part thereof which John Pecche and Eleanor, his wife, both now deceased, held as dower of the said Eleanor of the inheritance of the aforesaid Walter, to hold the same to himself and the heirs male of his body, with remainder in default of such heirs to William son of Theobald Russell and the heirs male of his body, and remainder in default of such heirs to Theobald brother of the said William and the heirs male of his body, and that the said Ralph and William died without heirs male of their bodies, and that Theobald brother of William entered the premises by virtue of the said fine, took to wife Agnes late the wife of Theobald Gorges, ” chivaler,” had issue by her Bartholomew Gorges and Thomas Gorges, and died seised of the premises, after whose death the said Bartholomew entered the manor as his son and heir male, and died seised of the two-thirds aforesaid without leaving an heir male of his body, so that the two-thirds and reversion ought to remain to the said Thomas, who is of full age, as brother and heir male of Bartholomew, and that the manor is held of the king by the service of rendering to the king a barbed arrow whenever he hunts in the Forest of Exemore, “to take the fealty of the said Thomas, and cause him to have full seisin of the said two-thirds and reversion”. Sir Theobald de Gorges (d. 1381) died seized of this estate and was succeeded by his son Ralph de Gorges, succeeded by his son Bartholomew de Gorges. In 1810 it was owned, together with Ash, Fullabrook and Braunton Park, by Joseph Davie Basset (1764–1846), later of Watermouth Castle, near Lynmouth, son of John Davie of Orleigh Court, near Bideford, by his wife Eleanora Basset, sister and heiress of Francis Basset (c. 1740–1802) of Heanton Punchardon and Umberleigh. In accordance with the terms of the inheritance, as was then usual in such cases, Joseph Davie and his descendants adopted the arms and surname of Basset in lieu of their patronymic.

St Brannock’s Church

Grade I listed parish church dedicated to St. Brannock is large and has a Norman tower topped by a spire. The building is almost entirely 15th century, excepting the 13th century chancel with its arch and three lancet windows. The advowson of the parish church was historically a possession of Exeter Cathedral.

Braunton toponymy

Braunton is derived from the two Old English elements: brōm, meaning broom shrub, and tūn, meaning “farmstead” or “settlement” The name is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as BRANTONE.

You can visit Braunton places with Walkfo Braunton to hear history at Braunton’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Braunton has 18 places to visit in our interactive Braunton map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Braunton, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Braunton places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Braunton & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 18 audio facts unique to Braunton places in an interactive Braunton map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Braunton Places Map
18 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Braunton historic spots	Braunton tourist destinations	Braunton plaques	Braunton geographic features
Walkfo Braunton tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Braunton

  

Best Braunton places to visit

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Braunton has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Braunton’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Braunton’s information audio spots:

RAF Chivenor RAF Chivenor is located on the northern shore of the River Taw estuary, on the north coast of Devon. The nearest towns are Barnstaple and Braunton. Originally a civil airfield opened in the 1930s, the site was taken over by the Royal Air Force in May 1940 for use as a Coastal Command Station. After World War II, the station was largely used for training, particularly weapons training. No. 22 Squadron RAF operated a Search and Rescue flight from 1956, flying Westland Whirlwind and Westland Sea King Helicopters.

St George’s Church, Georgeham St George’s Church is the Anglican parish church for the village of Georgeham in Devon. The 13th-century church comes under the Diocese of Exeter and has been designated a Grade I listed building since 1965.

St Brannock’s Church, Braunton According to legend it was founded by Saint Brannock, a 6th-century Christian saint. It became a Grade I listed building on 25 February 1965.

Ash, Braunton Ash Barton is a historic estate listed in the Domesday Book. The present mansion, known as The Ash Barton, is a Grade II* listed building.

Braunton Burrows Braunton Burrows is the largest sand dune system (psammosere) in England. It is particularly important ecologically because it includes the complete successional range of dune plant communities. The short turf communities are very rich in lichens and herbs, and the dune slacks are also rich.

Visit Braunton plaques