Moreleigh

Moreleigh or Morleigh (formerly Morley) is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Halwell and Moreleigh, in the South Hams, district, in the county of Devon, England. In 1961 the civil parish had a population of 102.[1]

Not to be confused with Morley.

Moreleigh
All Saints Church
Morleigh is in the south of Devon, which is in the southwest of England and forms part of the south and west coasts.
Morleigh is in the south of Devon, which is in the southwest of England and forms part of the south and west coasts.
Moreleigh
Location within Devon
OS grid referenceSX 767 528
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTOTNES
Postcode districtTQ9 7
Dialling code01548
PoliceDevon and Cornwall
FireDevon and Somerset
AmbulanceSouth Western
UK Parliament

History

Name

Throughout the village history it has been recorded with various spellings, listed below in chronological order, newest first.

Moreleigh

It is currently officially known as Moreleigh. An early 20th century directory of Cambridge University alumni spells it this way in its reference to a long-standing rector.[2]

Morleigh

It is still known and spelt as Morleigh by local inhabitants as evidenced at the New inn[3] several websites and on various older road signs.

Morley

It was also known as Morley for very long periods, and is the name used by Viscount Bovington when he was to be elevated to an earl.

Morleygh and Morlei

There are references to Morleygh in 15th-century historical documents,[4] and to Morlei in the Doomsday Book

Morleigh was part of Stanborough Hundred[5] one of the 32 ancient administrative areas of Devon

Domesday Book

In the Domesday Book it was recorded as having nine households and being within Diptford Hundred.[6] Alfred de Breton (AKA Auvrai Le Breton) was the tenant in chief.[7] one of his descendants Richard le Breton went on to kill Thomas Becket[8]

Morleigh is referred to in the BBC Domesday Project from 1986.[9]

Moreliegh Manor and the Earl of Morley

Morley Manor has been dismantled but small signs of existence still survive near Place Barton farm, which is adjacent to the church and rectory. Morley Manor has been recorded as having been owned by the Ufflete and Maynard families, it was also owned by John Shapland Esq before passing to John Seale Esq (listed as Teale in the church records) eventually being bought by Viscount Bovington, who become the 1st Earl of Morley in 1815.

Recent history

The village had a football club in conjunction with the adjacent village of Halwell that is now defunct. The post office branch is also now closed.[10] The closest (3 miles) railway at Gara Bridge railway station which closed in 1965.[11] On 1 April 1986 the parish was abolished and merged with Halwell, Diptford and East Allington.[12]

Facilities

The New Inn is the village pub, historically used as court house and meeting place,[13] it was also the scene of a shooting incident within the pub.[14][15]

The village also had another Inn called the London Inn, according to census records (1841 - 1861) was situated at Morley cross, which is within the village but technically across the historic Morleigh parish boundary and with in the historic Halwell parish.

The village has now built a village hall[16] and an active village life with various activities for all age groups.

Church and religion

Morleigh ecclesiastical parish is part of the deanery of Woodleigh, the archdeaconary of Totnes and the diocese of Exeter.

All Saints Church

All Saints church is small and ancient building, said to have been built by Sir Peter Fitzacre, who killed the parson of Woodleigh to whose parish Morley then belonged.

For this crime the Pope got the knight to build a church at Morleigh. The Fisacre tomb is part of the church.
[5]

It is a Grade 1 listed building.[17]

Chapel

The village had a chapel, the Protestant Dissenters of Union Chapel,[18] which is now a private dwelling again situated within the part of the village in Halwell Parish.

Current events

The population has increased with the number of houses in the village doubling over the last 20 years.[19]

The local catchment schools are for primary age, Harbertonford CofE and for senior age Totnes comprehensive.

References
  1. "Population Statistics Moreleigh CP/AP through time". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  2. J. Venn and J. A. Venn. "Alumni Cantabrigienses: Edward Seale". Cambridge, University Press. p. 453. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  3. "The New Inn, Moreleigh, Devon. May 1992". 17 May 2010.
  4. "Moreleigh 1601".
  5. Whatley, Stephen (1751). England's Gazetteer: Or, an Accurate Description of All the Cities, Towns, and Villages of the Kingdom ... Vol. I. And Vol. II. Contain a Dictionary of the Cities, Corporations, Market-towns, and the Most Noted Villages; Their Manufactures and Trade ... &c. ... This Work Includes All the Chief Harbours, Bays, Forests, Hills, Mines ... \etc.] and Particularly Shews the Estates that Were Formerly Abbey-lands.
  6. "Bad Credit Loans Online | High Acceptance Rates | Quick Loans Express".
  7. "Hemyock Castle - Principal Holders of Devonshire Manors in the Domesday Book". www.hemyockcastle.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 December 2001.
  8. "The Britton International DNA Project: The First Brittons". Archived from the original on 1 November 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  9. "BBC - Domesday Reloaded: LIFESTYLES VILLAGE MORELEIGH". Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  10. "Welcome to Royal Mail Group". Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
  11. "Disused Stations: Gara Bridge Station".
  12. "Newton Abbot Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  13. "Moreleigh".
  14. "DEATH SECRET OF THE AINTREE WINNer's GIRL; Mad gunman stalked Jane. - Free Online Library".
  15. "YOUNGER - United Kingdom".
  16. "Devon Venue Hire Map | Devon Communities Together".
  17. "Church of All Saints Including Fishacre Tomb Adjoining Transept (Formerly Listed Under Parish of Moreleigh), Halwell and Moreleigh, Devon".
  18. Barrow, John Henry (1834). "The Mirror of Parliament for the ... Session of the ... Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  19. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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