Dartington
Dartington is located within South Hams local authority area. Historically it formed part of Stanborough Hundred. It falls within Totnes Deanery for ecclesiastical purposes. The Deaneries are used to arrange the typescript Church Notes of B.F.Cresswell which are held in the Westcountry Studies Library. The population was 486 in 1801 627 in 1901 . Figures for other years are available on the local studies website. In 1641/2 185 adult males signed the Protestation returns.
A parish history file is held in Totnes Library. You can look for other material on the community by using the place search on the main local studies database. Further historical information is also available on the Genuki website.
Maps: The image below is of the Dartington area on Donn's one inch to the mile survey of 1765.
On the County Series Ordnance Survey mapping the area is to be found on 1:2,500 sheet 120/4,121/1 Six inch (1:10560) sheet 120NE,121NW
The National Grid reference for the centre of the area is SX786626. On the post 1945 National Grid Ordnance Survey mapping the sheets are: 1:10,000 (six inch to a mile: sheet SX76SE, 1:25,000 mapping: sheet Explorer 031, Landranger (1:50,000) mapping: sheet 202. Geological sheet 350 also covers the area.
Illustrations: The image below is of Dartington as included in the Library's illustrations collection. Other images can be searched for on the local studies catalogue.
Extract from Devon by W.G.Hoskins (1954), included by kind permission of the copyright holder:
DARTINGTON lies inside a great bend of the Dart, from which its name is derived, and was part of the possessions of the Martins from the early 12th century onwards. After some eight generations the Martin estates escheated to the Crown, and in 1384 Richard II granted the reversion of Dartington and other lands to his half-brother John Holland, created Earl of Huntingdon in 1387 and Duke of Exeter ten years later. The Duke made Dartington his principal seat in Devon, and the present Hall may be regarded for the most part as his work. The buildings, which were designed upon a splendid scale, originally enclosed a large quadrangle, nearly an acre in extent. The S. side was occupied by the great hall (some 80 ft. by 40 ft.), one of the finest buildings of its kind in England, and by the entrance porch, kitchen, buttery, and pantry. On the W. was the unusually long range of lodgings; on the N. stands a great barn, divided into two floors, with a fine timber roof of early 14th century date. This is said to have been the great hall of the Martin house.
After various changes of ownership, the manor came to Sir Arthur Champernowne (d. 1578) who made the extensive alterations to the house which may still be seen; and in Georgian times further changes were made. The Champernownes continued to hold the manor until the 20th century but parts of the Hall were allowed to fall into ruin. Archdeacon Froude, who was trustee of the estate for a time, had the roof of the great hall removed for fear of its un- soundness, and made other changes. Some of the timber from the hall roof was used to construct the altars at Dartington, Holne, and Ottery St. Mary. In 1925 Mr. and Mrs. Elmhirst bought the derelict Hall and 1,000 acres of the estate for an experiment in the reconstruction of rural life. A company was formed which now controls many enterprises-farms, forestry, sawmills, a textile mill, builders and contractors, and the well-known Dartington School. It is impossible to convey adequately in a short space the scope and success of this remarkable experiment in rural reconstruction. Much restoration was done at the Hall; the great hall especially has been brought back to its original noble appearance, and the other ranges of building around the courtyard brought to life once more.
The old church of Dartington, which stood beside the Hall, was demolished in 1873, except the tower. This was left standing, and the Champernowne monuments placed in it. Some are, however, said to have been "lost," together with the medieval glass. The new church (St. Mary), designed by J. L. Pearson, stands beside the main Totnes road. The exact dimensions and style of the old church were followed, and much of the old materials, including the font, pulpit, roof, and chancel screen, was re-used. The church, completed in 1880, is a fine Victorian building, spacious and light, with lofty Beer stone arcades and clear glass.
At the old parsonage were born Robert Hurrell Froude and the historian J. A. Froude (1818-94).
