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Summary

St. Nectan's was possibly originally the site of a monastery founded in the 6th century.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22SW/3/13

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MONASTERY (Post Roman to Late Medieval - 410 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Kerslake, T., 1877, Traces of the Ancient Kingdom of Dumnonia outside Cornwall, 415 (Article in Serial). SDV5885.

Parish church. Possibly on site of British monastery. Church built by the monks of Hartland Abbey, founded circa 1050 by Gyrta, wife of Earl Godwin. Dedication said to be shrinal, marking the burial place of St. Nectan.

Reichel, O. J., 1894, The Hundred of Hartland and the Geld Roll, 416 (Article in Serial). SDV5887.

At the time of the Geldroll, 1094, Stoke St. Nectan was recorded as Nistenestoch and was held by Girold, a presbyter.

Reichel, O. J., 1898, The Domesday Churches of Devon, 288, 309 (Article in Serial). SDV863.

Founded in 1061 by Countess Githa as a prebendal church. Called 'Stoke' St. Nectan - name is said to imply that a fortification of some sort stood on this site before the church was built.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/Uk 158. Part I, DCC 10/60 (Aerial Photograph). SDV343899.

The Royal Air Force vertical photograph shows an apparent outline of a building to the north of the present church.

Pearce, S. M., 1985, The Early Church in the Landscape: The Evidence from North Devon (part), 266 (Article in Serial). SDV336495.

Pearce argues that St. Nectan's was in origin a British monastery, founded in the 6th century. There is no direct evidence for the date of foundation. By the 12th century the canons believed the land had been granted by Eyditha, wife of Earl Godwin. Eyditha held the land in 1066, but apparently did not endow the church, which appears to have already been in existence. There is also a tradition that Aethelstan had granted land to an existing monastic community. Stoke functioned as an Old English minster and as such is unlikely to have been founded later that the mid 8th century. The connection with a British saint also suggests an earlier origin, as does the presence of a sacred well, if genuine. The pattern of lanes around the church may indicate that the original monastic enclosure included land to the north of the present chruchyard.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 169 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

St Nectan, possibly on site of early 6th century monastery. Placename evidence for fortification. Pattern of lanes and boundaries around church may indicate monastic enclosure/s north and south of churchyard (Pearce). 1946 aerial photograph shows building outline to north of church.

Pearce, S. M., 2012, Early Medieval Ecclesiastical Sites in South-western Britain: their dates, characters and significance, 81 - 108 (Article in Serial). SDV361501.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV861 - CPE/UK 158 Part I

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