Saint Giles-on-the-Heath is located within Torridge local authority area. Historically it formed part of Black Torrington Hundred. The population was 187 in 1801 258 in 1901 . Figures for other years are available on the local studies website. In 1641/2 62 adult males signed the Protestation returns.

A parish history file is held in Holsworthy 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 Saint Giles-on-the-Heath 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 74/14 Six inch (1:10560) sheet 74SW
The National Grid reference for the centre of the area is SX353907. On the post 1945 National Grid Ordnance Survey mapping the sheets are: 1:10,000 (six inch to a mile: sheet SX39SE, 1:25,000 mapping: sheet Explorer 112, Landranger (1:50,000) mapping: sheet 190. Geological sheet 323 also covers the area.

Extract from Devon by W.G.Hoskins (1954), included by kind permission of the copyright holder:

ST. GILES-IN-THE-HEATH gave rise to the great Devonshire family of Cary who originated here in the 12th century at Carey Barton; but the present house is of no note. West Panson was a Domesday estate and has some old work. The church (St. Giles) is a plain little building with a low W. tower, a Norman font, and a mural monument to the Carys (1565).