| Summary: | 'Bow' began as a new settlement, centred on the old Exeter to Okehampton road, in 1259, when a grant was obtained for a weekly market and three-day fair. Called a Borough in the early 14th century, but failed as an urban venture, although the fair remained until about 1690. the village which once had a chapel dedicated to St Martin has a simple plan of pure ribbon development with the pattern of burgages well preserved in the gardens bounded by the parish boundary to the north. The western edge of the town is delimited by the meadows of the River Yeo; the eastern limit was probably the road fork by the present chapel. Beresford says Bow had 34 burgesses in 1326, although Finberg mentions only 4 (citing Beresford and Finberg). |
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