See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Settlement at Bow began in 12C when the bridge was built to take the highway across the River Yeo & it became a Borough in 14C

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS70SW/23

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SETTLEMENT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

British Museum, Harleian MSS/FO 111 (Record Office Collection). SDV321283.

Other details: Cited by NMR.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS70SW16 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV51860.

'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).

NMR, SS70SW16 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV321281.

Other details: Citing DCNQ & New Towns of the MIddle Ages.

Finberg, H. P. R., 1950-1951, The Boroughs of Devon, 205 (Article in Serial). SDV51863.

Beresford, M. W., 1967, New Towns of the Middle Ages, 419-20 (Monograph). SDV51862.

Beresford, M. W. + Finberg, H. P. R., 1973, English Medieval Boroughs. A Handlist, 88 (Monograph). SDV6626.

The Borough of Bow. A market and fair were granted to Henry de Tracey of Nymet Tracey in 1259. Inquisition Post Mortem Extent includes rent from the Burgesses of Nymetburghe in 1308. Four burgesses in 1326 recorded.

Griffith, F. M., 1984, DAP/BF, 1-3 (Aerial Photograph). SDV267543.

Carbonell, B. M. H. + Wauton, M., 2002, Untitled Source, 2 (Pamphlet). SDV321149.

'Bow' has been variously spelt as 'Bogh', 'Bowe', 'Borough' & 'Burgh' & the name is said to derive from the single-span 12C bridge carrying the highway across the River Yeo. The markets & fairs were held in the Square in Bow until the beginning of the 20C with dues granted by John Gould in the late 17C to the Lord of the Manor.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1097 - DAP/BF

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.