Blackawton
What's in a Name - Blackawton
Blackawton is nestled away from the beaten track – it’s home to a tight-knit community and is one of the most idyllic places to be in Devon.
But trying to find out where its name comes from is very frustrating.
Normally you can find a number of references, theories – sometimes crazy, sometimes not, sometimes difficult to tell the difference. But in the great gamut of online search – the main place a journalist with little time will look for facts - there is ONE reference to the origin of the name of this gem of a village – its on the village website and it’s written by Anne Harvey and it begins:
“The origin of the name Blackawton is also uncertain.”
Which isn’t a promising beginning for a man wanting a definite and clear reason for a name.
But Anne does an admirable job of explaining that in the Doomsday Book – the record of the land ownership in England ordered by that great and gory King William the Conqueror – Blackawton is referred to as “Avetona”. The name appears, Anne goes on, to combine the prefix ‘Afon’ meaning ‘river’ from Celtic, with the Saxon term ‘Tun’ meaning habitation of town – so we get ‘Settlement on the River’.
‘Black’ is also a bit unclear as to its origins, it could either be a corruption of ‘Bleak’ which isn’t very good for today’s beautiful and relaxed community, or could be a reference to the black soil of the rich arable land in the parish.
Blackawton has been settled since pre-history with archeological finds which suggest settlement from 4,000 years ago. There are prehistoric burials around the parish and many small finds of flints and tools, indicating that the Neolithic farmers probably lived around the area and became the first to tame the land to their needs.
In the Doomsday Book, the land is referred to as belonging to the King himself (although it refers to the previous owner, the intriguingly named ‘Asgar the Cramped’ a man who also owned Ermington. I am determined to find out more about Asgar if I can find the time: why was he ‘Cramped’?! Did he live in a small house or was his diet rather unwise?) and it is clear that this was a highly prized belt of land that ran all the way to the sea at the time.
It was obviously a rich source of income – with nine slaves 25 villagers and 22 freeholders – meaning a few hundred people lived there. But the figure for its worth is the most striking thing – Blackawton was worth £14.10 a year.
Not the most mind-blowing figure today – but compare this to Totnes, a town with more people, a market and one of the most successful trading towns in the area, at the head of the Dart and which was a waterway worth protecting because of the income it generated for the Kingdom. Totnes had just £8 a year income. In fact Blackawton had more income than, Cornworthy, Dittisham, Stoke Fleming and Townstal combined – with only a fraction of the inhabitants.
The rich land was doing a great job for its people.
From that time, the land in Blackawton would be cultivated as farmland for nearly a thousand years and it still is to this day.
The parish was then split in 1881, when Strete – an area which was within Blackawton up to that point was named a separate ecclesiastical parish. However, confusingly it was not named a separate civil Parish until 1935 – when Blackawton Parish Council sportingly decided to lend them £7 to get started as a local authority. Which was awfully nice of them.
Blackawaton retains it’s unique character and epitomises the South Hams reputation for friendly communities who welcome anyone prepared to work for the good of all. Because of this you will find fewer places better to have a friendly pint and with events like the International Wormcharming Festival - a serious and hard fought event – it shows how much they love a good laugh.
Pop down there and have a look – the village by the river with black (or possibly bleak) soil is well worth a look.
First Published July 2012 By The Dart