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| HER Number: | MDV16310 |
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| Name: | Churchill, East Down |
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Summary
Churchill is recorded as Cercilla in Domesday Book. The name probably means a hill with a church although it could derive from an ancient British word, 'cruc' and the Old English 'hyll', both meaning hill. Documentary references to land called 'St Martin's Chapell' in the 17th and 18th centuries suggest there was a chapel or priory here.
Location
| Grid Reference: | SS 594 408 |
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| Map Sheet: | SS54SE |
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| Admin Area | Devon |
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| Civil Parish | East Down |
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| District | North Devon |
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| Ecclesiastical Parish | EAST DOWN |
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Protected Status: none recorded
Other References/Statuses
- Old DCC SMR Ref: SS54SE/25
Monument Type(s) and Dates
- SETTLEMENT (First mentioned, XI - 1086 AD to 1086 AD)
Full description
Reichel, O. J., 1917, Barnstaple and its Three Sub-Manors: Part of the Inland Hundred of Braunton, 383 (Article in Serial). SDV73921.
Churchill was recorded in Domesday as Cerchilla, and comprised one ferling of land. Later it was granted to the church of St Mary Magdalene in Barnstaple by henry I.
Reichel, O. J., 1928-1938, The Hundred of Braunton in Early Times, 399,404,405,407,418,441,442,456 (Article in Monograph). SDV73922.
In Domesday, Churchill was held by Norman of William de Falaise. Before the conquest it was held by Bristnold. Early descents given.
Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M., 1931, The Place-Names of Devon: Part One, 38-39 (Monograph). SDV1312.
Churchill was cercilla in 1086 when it was mentioned in the domesday book. It appears in various documents throughout the middle ages. It is a hybrid hill-name (gover et al).
Berry, N., 2011, Arlington Court, Devon. Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey of the Arlington Estate, 7, 67-71 (Report - Survey). SDV348171.
Churchill is recorded as Cercilla in Domesday Book. The name probably means a hill with a church although it could derive from an ancient British word, 'cruc' and the Old English 'hyll', both meaning hill. It is known as Cherchill in 1121 and Chirkehull in 1216.
Documentary references to land called 'St Martin's Chapell' in the 17th and 18th centuries suggest there was a chapel or priory here, which perhaps gave the settlement its name. Polwhele in his History of Devonshire (1793-1806) states that 'some traces [of the chapel] may yet be distinguished'.
See report for description and history of landownership.
Ordnance Survey, 2026, Mastermap 2026 (Cartographic). SDV366713.
Churchill marked.
Sources / Further Reading
| SDV1312 | Monograph: Gover, J. E. B. + Mawer, A. + Stenton, F. M.. 1931. The Place-Names of Devon: Part One. The Place-Names of Devon: Part One. VIII. A5 Hardback. 38-39. |
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| SDV348171 | Report - Survey: Berry, N.. 2011. Arlington Court, Devon. Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey of the Arlington Estate. National Trust Report. A4 Comb Bound + Digital. 7, 67-71. |
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| SDV366713 | Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2026. Mastermap 2026. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #7251 Map object arbitrary based on this source., ] |
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| SDV73921 | Article in Serial: Reichel, O. J.. 1917. Barnstaple and its Three Sub-Manors: Part of the Inland Hundred of Braunton. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 49. A5 Hardback. 383. |
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| SDV73922 | Article in Monograph: Reichel, O. J.. 1928-1938. The Hundred of Braunton in Early Times. The Hundreds of Devon. A5 Hardback. 399,404,405,407,418,441,442,456. |
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Associated Monuments
| MDV12559 | Related to: Priory at Churchill, East Down (Monument) |
Associated Finds: none recorded
Associated Events
- EDV5579 - Archaeological and Historic Landscape Survey, Arlington Court
| Date Last Edited: | Apr 30 2026 8:54AM |
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