Churchstanton

Churchstanton lies on the top of the Blackdown Hills, which straddle the border between Somerset and Devon, ten miles from Honiton and eight from Taunton. Churchstanton, the parish, was transferred from Devon to Somerset in September 1896.

It is a rather disparate parish, made up of hamlets of assorted sizes. To this end, the church stands remote from most of the houses, the school in another nucleus and so it continues, with clusters of houses in various points around the hills and valleys.

It is with many of the farms in this parish that the Venn family was associated during the late 19th and early 20th century. Also, some of the formal functions, such as baptisms and marriages, took place in the Parish Church.

The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Churchstanton

© Copyright Hugh Craddock and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1216015

The Blackdown Hills are now classed as an AONB - an area of outstanding natural beauty. Certainly, even today, this area feels somewhat remote and less rushed than other parts of England.

Originally both Esau Venn and his sister Sarah Jane Addicott were farming in this parish. Sarah Jane emigrated to the US in 1871. Once grown up and married (often to people living close by), many of Esau's children initially started farming in the Churchstanton parish as well.

Frost at Smeatharpe. © Harriet Pottinger

http://www.blackdownhillsaonb.org.uk/blackdown-gallery.htm

The map of Churchstanton from c. 1900 shows how close Beer Hill Farm was to Luddery Hill Farm. In fact the two are still joined by a public footpath, which crosses Rainbow Lane. Beer Hill was farmed by Esau and Jane Venn, whereas Luddery Hill was farmed by James and Sarah Jane Addicott. Sarah Jane's grandson recalled how Sarah Jane would describe being able to see Wellington Monument from the farm.

After the Addicotts emigrated, it is possible that Esau farmed their land until the farm was taken over by other farmers. Certainly sometimes his address is given as Luddery Hill rather than Beer Hill.

Some time around the beginning of the 20th century, Ford Farm at Churchinford became the base for the Venns. Esau, Jane and some of their children are recorded as living there on the 1901 census.

Churchinford is the most village like hamlet of Churchstanton, even today it looks like a village; it has a shop, a pub and a most definite nucleus clustered around a 5 way cross. However, despite its name, it does not have a church. (Nor, in fact, does it have a ford either)

Map of Churchstanton, c.1900