View source for Okehampton

{{Short description|Town in Devon, England}}
{{Distinguish|text=[[Oakhampton, New South Wales|Oakhampton]] in New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox UK place
 | official_name            = Okehampton
 | country                  = England
 | region                   = South West England
 | static_image_name        = Baptist Chapel, Okehampton - geograph.org.uk - 1810420.jpg
 | static_image_caption     = Baptist Chapel, Fore Street, built 1889
 | static_image_2_name      = Coat of arms of Okehampton Town Council.svg
 | static_image_2_caption = Coat of arms
 | static_image_2_width = 80px
 | area_total_sq_mi         = 
 | area_footnotes           = 
 | population               = 5,922
 | population_ref           = ''(2011)''
 | population_density       = 
 | os_grid_reference        = SX5895
 | post_town                = OKEHAMPTON
 | postcode_area            = EX
 | postcode_district        = EX20
 | dial_code                = 01837
 | constituency_westminster = [[Central Devon (UK Parliament constituency)|Central Devon]]
 | civil_parish             = Okehampton
 | london_distance          = {{convert|201|mi|km|0}}
 | shire_district           = [[West Devon]]
 | shire_county             = [[Devon]]
 | website                  = {{URL|www.okehampton.gov.uk|Official Town Website}}
 | coordinates              = {{coord|50.7388|-4.0041|display=inline,title}}
}}
'''Okehampton''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|oʊ|k|ˈ|h|æ|m|p|t|ə|n}} {{small|or}} {{IPAc-en|ˈ|oʊ|k|æ|m|p|t|ə|n}}) is a town and [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in [[West Devon]] in the English county of [[Devon]]. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 7,313, which was slightly more than the 7,104 recorded at the 2011 census.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Okehampton (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/southwestengland/admin/west_devon/E04003342__okehampton/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=citypopulation.de}}</ref> The Okehampton built-up area had a population of 9,112 at the 2021 census, up from 7,647 in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Okehampton (Devon, South West England, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/southwestengland/devon/E63006674__okehampton/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}</ref>

Okehampton is situated at the northern edge of [[Dartmoor]] {{convert|21|mi|km}} west of [[Exeter]], {{convert|26|mi|km}} north of [[Plymouth]] and {{convert|24|mi|km}} south of [[Barnstaple]].

==Toponymy==
The name means settlement or estate (''tun'') on the River Okement. This is shown by early forms of the name, such as ''Ochementone'' as recorded in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086, and ''Okementon(a)'' in 1167 and 1275. The name was later associated with the common suffix [[Hampton (place name)|''-hampton'']], but as late as the 1930s the original name was remembered by the pronunciation "Okington" or "Okenton" still used by old people in the district.<ref>{{cite book|editor=[[Victor Watts|Watts, Victor]]|title=The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names|year=2004|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-16855-7|page=450}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Gover|first1=J. E. B.|last2=Mawer|first2=A.|last3=Stenton|first3=F. M.|title=The Place-Names of Devon|year=1931|publisher=Cambridge University Press|page=202}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Okehampton Town Hall.jpg|thumb|left|[[Okehampton Town Hall]]]]
Okehampton was founded by the [[Saxons]]. The earliest written record of the settlement is from 980 AD as {{lang|ang|Ocmundtune}}, meaning settlement by the Ockment, a river which runs through the town. It was recorded as a place for slaves to be freed at cross roads.<ref>[http://www.okehampton.gov.uk/ Okehampton Town Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120110139/https://www.okehampton.gov.uk/ |date=20 January 2021 }}. Okehampton.gov.uk. Retrieved on 5 March 2011.</ref>

Like many towns in the [[West Country]], Okehampton grew on the [[medieval]] [[wool]] trade.<ref>[http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/british_isles/england/central/AD1066-1500/wooltrade The medieval wool trade] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204000514/http://worldtimelines.org.uk/world/british_isles/england/central/AD1066-1500/wooltrade |date=4 December 2010 }}. World Timelines. Retrieved on 5 March 2011.</ref> Notable buildings in the town include the 15th century [[chapel]] of [[James, son of Zebedee|St. James]] and [[Okehampton Castle]], which was established by the [[Normans|Norman]] [[High Sheriff of Devon|Sheriff of Devon]], Baldwin FitzGilbert (d.1090),<ref>[http://washington.ancestryregister.com/BRIONNE00006.htm#i1194 Some Descendants of the BRIONNE Family Related to George Washington 1st US President] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707135454/http://washington.ancestryregister.com/BRIONNE00006.htm#i1194 |date=7 July 2011 }}. Washington.ancestryregister.com. Retrieved on 5 March 2011.</ref> and the 17th century [[Okehampton Town Hall]].<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Town Hall, Fore Street|num=1105855|access-date=29 December 2021}}</ref>

===Feudal barony===
{{Main|Feudal barony of Okehampton}}
[[File:Okehampton castle hill.jpg|thumb|Remains of Okehampton Castle today]]
Okehampton was the [[caput baroniae|caput]] of a large [[English feudal barony|feudal barony]], which at the time of the ''[[Domesday Book]]'' was held by Baldwin FitzGilbert. The tenure of the barony is obscure for the twenty years following his death in 1090. After that it was held by the heiress Maud d'Avranches until her death in 1173, and then passed to her daughter, Hawise de Curci (died 1219), who married [[Renaud de Courtenay|Reginald de Courtenay]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Sanders |first=Ivor John |title=English Baronies: a study of their origin and descent, 1086–1327 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U_4cAAAAYAAJ |location=Oxford |publisher=Clarendon Press |date=1960 |pages=69–70 |isbn=<!-- ISBN unspecified --> |access-date=12 September 2020 |archive-date=24 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724114035/https://books.google.com/books?id=U_4cAAAAYAAJ |url-status=live }}{{No ISBN}}</ref> His French possessions were confiscated by the French King [[Louis VII of France|Louis VII]], but were given, together with the marriage of his daughter Elizabeth de Courtenay, to his youngest brother [[Peter I of Courtenay]]. The Courtenay family rebuilt Okehampton Castle, until [[Henry VIII of England|King Henry VIII]] seized the lands and had [[Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter]] executed for treason in 1539.<ref>{{PastScape|mnumber=440855 |mname=Okehampton Castle |access-date= 5 March 2011}}</ref> The castle is now owned by English Heritage and is open to the public during the summer season. The town is also home to the [[Museum of Dartmoor Life]], which has received notable visitors such as the then-[[Prince Charles]].
{{clear left}}

===Political representation===
Okehampton [[Okehampton (UK Parliament constituency)|elected two members]] to the [[Unreformed House of Commons]]. The [[Reform Act 1832|Reform Act of 1832]] abolished its representation as a [[rotten borough]].
[[File:Okehamptonmap 1946.png|thumb|Map of Okehampton from 1946]]

==Military presence==
There is a substantial [[British Army|army]] training camp on Dartmoor which can be reached via Okehampton, and is commonly referred to as "Okehampton Camp". It is managed by the [[Defence Training Estate]], and used by a variety of military units, including the [[Commando Training Centre Royal Marines]] (CTCRM), [[Lympstone]], Devon, and many cadet training units. The [[Ten Tors]] event is run by the Army each year in early May from Okehampton Camp.<ref>[http://events.exeter.ac.uk/tentors/ Ten Tors 2011] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110119040902/http://events.exeter.ac.uk/tentors/ |date=19 January 2011 }}. Events.exeter.ac.uk. Retrieved on 5 March 2011.</ref>

==Education==
Schools in the town include Okehampton Primary School<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.okehampton-pri.devon.sch.uk/|title=Home &#124; Okehampton Primary School|website=www.okehampton-pri.devon.sch.uk|access-date=29 March 2020|archive-date=29 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329042119/https://www.okehampton-pri.devon.sch.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Okehampton College]]. There are also a number of smaller primary schools in the surrounding areas for children within the catchment area of Okehampton that include [[South Tawton]], [[Hatherleigh]], [[Chagford]], [[North Tawton]] and [[Bridestowe]].

== Religion ==
[[File:All Saints' Church, Okehampton (geograph 6275982).jpg|thumb|All Saints Church]]

The Anglican [[parish church]] of All Saints is located on Church Path, on a slight hill to the west of the town centre. Its origins are [[Saxon]], long predating the earliest recorded consecration by [[Walter Branscombe|Bishop Bronescombe of Exeter]] in 1261. The medieval building was reconstructed in 1447, but was almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1842. Another reconstruction followed, overseen by [[John Hayward (architect)|John Hayward]] who incorporated an {{cvt|80|ft|adj=on}} [[granite]] [[ashlar]] tower which survived the fire into the new church.

Within the building, the remnants of a [[reredos]] can be seen in the south aisle. Its replacement was constructed in stone by [[Harry Hems]] in 1891. The [[choir stall]]s and [[altar rail]]s date from this time, while the pulpit is slightly earlier.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.northmoorteam.org.uk/all-saints-2/|title=All Saints Church}}</ref> [[Stained glass]] in the church includes work by [[Morris & Co.]], the [[Charles Eamer Kempe|Kemp studios]] and [[Ward and Hughes]]. Some medieval glass is preserved in the Lady Chapel.<ref name="auto"/> The church is a Grade II* [[listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=101326192|desc=Church of All Saints, Okehampton|grade=II*|access-date=13 January 2024}}</ref>

Fairplace United Church is located on St James Street. The church has been a centre for both [[Methodism]] and the [[United Reformed Church]]. Fairplace Church was built in 1904 for the Wesleyan Methodists, who were joined by a congregation from the Bible Christian tradition in 1962. It then joined with the United Reform Church in 1974.<ref name=westdevon>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westdevonmethodists.org.uk/churches/okehampton-fairplace/|title=West Devon Methodist Church &#124; Okehampton: Fairplace|website=www.westdevonmethodists.org.uk}}</ref>

The [[Baptists|Baptist]] Chapel on Fore Street was built in 1889 and enlarged in 1901.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.okehamptonbaptistchurch.co.uk/services|title=Sunday Worship &#124; Okehampton Baptist Church|website=My Site}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.okehamptonbaptistchurch.co.uk/history|title=History &#124; Okehampton Baptist Church|website=My Site}}</ref> Other churches include the Okehampton New Life Church, a Pentecostal church,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newlifeokehampton.org.uk/ |title=New Life Church Okehampton |website=www.newlifeokehampton.org.uk}}</ref><ref name=visit>{{Cite web |url=https://www.visitokehampton.co.uk/okehampton-churches |title=OKEHAMPTON CHURCHES |website=visitokehampton}}</ref><ref name=westdevon/> a [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] hall on East Street, and the [[Catholic]] church of St Boniface on Station Road.<ref name=visit/>

==Sport==
The town's football team, [[Okehampton Argyle F.C.]], is a [[Non-League football|non-league]] club which was established in 1926 after the original side, Okehampton Town, disbanded. The club competes in the [[South West Peninsula League]] which sits at Steps 6 and 7 of the [[National League System]]; four leagues below the top division of non-league football, the [[Football Conference]].<ref>[http://www.okehamptonargylefc.co.uk/about.html ''Okehampton Argyle''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514131218/http://www.okehamptonargylefc.co.uk/about.html |date=14 May 2008 }} Okehampton Argyle</ref> The town also has a rugby club, [[Okehampton RFC]], which is believed to have been founded in 1884.<ref>[http://sites.google.com/site/okerugbycom/history ''Okehampton RFC''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312210224/http://sites.google.com/site/okerugbycom/history |date=12 March 2012 }} [[Google]]</ref> There is also a table tennis club in the town that was purpose-built for the sport beside the local post office off the town.

==Media==
Local TV coverage is provided by [[BBC South West]] and [[ITV West Country]]. Television signals are received from the [[Caradon Hill transmitting station|Caradon Hill]] and local relay TV transmitters.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Caradon_Hill|title=Full Freeview on the Caradon Hill (Cornwall, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=23 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Okehampton|title=Freeview Light on the Okehampton (Devon, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=23 November 2023}}</ref>

Local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Devon]], [[Heart West]], [[Greatest Hits Radio South West]] and [[Radio Exe]].

The town is served by the local newspaper, Okehampton Times which publishes on Thursdays.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-sw/okehampton-times/|title=Okehampton Times|date=14 April 2014|website=British Papers|accessdate=23 November 2023}}</ref>

==Transport==
Okehampton's location at the edge of the moor means that it has always been a route centre.{{clarify|date=May 2024}}

===Road===
The [[A30 road|A30]] trunk road gives fast access to the east and west.

After years of uncertainty, this trunk road was finally re-routed in 1988 to [[Bypass route|bypass]]<ref>{{cite web|title=DNP fact sheet on the Okehampton Bypass|url=http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/learningabout/lab-printableresources/lab-factsheetshome/lab-okehamptonbypass|publisher=[[Dartmoor National Park Authority]]|access-date=29 September 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930194307/http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/learningabout/lab-printableresources/lab-factsheetshome/lab-okehamptonbypass|archive-date=30 September 2015}}</ref> the town, which had previously been a holiday traffic bottleneck on summer weekends.

===Rail===
[[Okehampton railway station]] is on the former northerly rail route from [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter St Davids]] to [[Plymouth railway station|Plymouth]] via [[Tavistock railway station|Tavistock]]. The line from Exeter was kept open for freight traffic to and from [[Meldon, Devon|Meldon Quarry]], {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} west of Okehampton. In 1997, [[Devon County Council]] revived a passenger rail service from Exeter, on summer weekends only, in an attempt to reduce motor traffic to the [[Dartmoor|national park]], which became a summer Sunday service, operated at its closure by [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]]. In March 2010, the freight operator [[DCRail|Devon & Cornwall Railways]] announced plans to reinstate a daily passenger service terminating in Exeter, though this never came to fruition.<ref>Joint, Laura. (29 March 2010) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/devon/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8587000/8587489.stm BBC – Okehampton to Exeter railway line back on track] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218200627/http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/devon/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8587000/8587489.stm |date=18 December 2010 }}. BBC News. Retrieved on 5 March 2011.</ref> The station was also previously served by heritage trains, but closed to all services in 2019.

Okehampton station then reopened to a regular service on 20 November 2021 as part of refurbishment of the line.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dartmoor-line-rail-services-will-be-restored-for-first-time-in-half-a-century|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210714083522/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dartmoor-line-rail-services-will-be-restored-for-first-time-in-half-a-century|url-status=dead|title=Dartmoor line rail services will be restored for first time in half a century|first=Rail media enquiries 020 7944 3021 Out of hours media enquiries 020 7944 4292|last=Switchboard 0300 330 3000|archivedate=14 July 2021|website=GOV.UK}}</ref> The [[Dartmoor line|Dartmoor Line]], as it is now called, opened with a two hourly service to [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter St Davids]] which increased to hourly in Spring 2022.<ref>[https://dartmoorline.com/ The Dartmoor Line] ''dartmoorline.com'', accessed 11 November 2021</ref>

In the wake of widespread disruption caused by damage to the mainline track at [[Dawlish]] by coastal storms in February 2014, leaving Plymouth and Cornwall with no rail connection to the rest of the country, [[Network Rail]] considered reopening the Exeter-to-Plymouth route via Okehampton and Tavistock.<ref>{{cite web | title=Network Rail chooses Dawlish alternative route | publisher=BBC News | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26110559 | date=10 February 2014 | access-date=10 February 2014 | archive-date=11 February 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211080406/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26110559 | url-status=live }}</ref>

===Bus services===
Okehampton is served by various bus services from [[Exeter]], [[Bude]], [[Newquay]] and [[Tavistock, Devon|Tavistock]]. [[Stagecoach South West]] service 6 links from Exeter bus station via [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter St Davids]] to Okehampton. Other services from Exeter bus station include the 6A service via Exeter St Davids, which continues to [[Launceston, Cornwall|Launceston]].
Stagecoach run service 118 to Tavistock. There are also rural services operated by County Bus and MD Coaches.
There was formerly a town service numbered 318, but it was withdrawn in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Christopher |date=2021-11-18 |title=Major transport boost for Okehampton |url=https://www.keybuses.com/article/major-transport-boost-okehampton |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=Buses Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

===Coach excursions===
Lomax Tours run coach trips from Okehampton to various places of interest.

==Nearby settlements==
Except for the open country of Dartmoor to the south, Okehampton is surrounded by many smaller villages and towns. Notable examples are the villages of [[South Zeal]] with its ancient burgage plots, granite thatched cottages and Dartmoor Folk Festival; [[Belstone]] on the outskirts of Dartmoor; and [[Sticklepath]] which has an annual fire show on Bonfire Night, 5 November. Other nearby villages and settlements include Hatherleigh, North Tawton, Whiddon Down, Chagford, Bratton Clovelly, Lydford, Folly Gate, Southcott, [[Northlew]], [[Jacobstowe]], [[Bridestowe]] and [[Sourton]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*''[https://archive.org/details/someaccountbaro00wriggoog Some Account of the Barony and Town of Okehampton]''; Bridges, W. B.; Thomas, C.; Fothergill, H. G.; new ed. by Wright, W. H. K.; Tiverton: W. Masland, 1889

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*{{Official website|http://www.okehampton.gov.uk/ }}

{{Devon}}
{{Settlements of Dartmoor}}
{{Devon parishes}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Okehampton| ]]
[[Category:Dartmoor]]
[[Category:Towns in Devon]]
[[Category:Roman fortifications in Devon]]
[[Category:Borough of West Devon]]
[[Category:Deaneries of the Church of England]]