21G KINGSBRIDGE 



passage : — That upon some controversy between him and 

 the Parson of Woodlegh about tythes, the matter grew so 

 high that the Knight in his fury slew the Parson. Which 

 abominable fact was so eagerly followed against him, that he 

 was constrained to answer the same at Rome, where he could 

 not be dismissed until he had submitted unto this penance, 

 enjoyn'd upon him by the Pope — to build a church at Mor- 

 legh ; which accordingly he did, and lies buried under an arch 

 in the wall thereof." 



Four miles north of Kingsbridge, in the parish of Loddis- 

 well, is Bleak, or Black-down, commonly called Blakey-down, 

 which commands a fine prospect. Here are (or were) the 

 remains of an encampment of large extent. Lyson's account 

 is this : — " Blackadon Camp is an irregular oval, the extreme 

 length being above 1,000 feet, and in the broadest part about 

 500. The whole is said to contain about eleven acres. The 

 keep at the north-west corner is about ten feet higher than 

 the vallum. On the south and east of it the vallum is double 

 and irregular." 



The ancient fortress of Stanborough, which gives name 

 to the Hundred, is similar, but of smaller dimensions. 



Several barrows were examined in this district many 

 years ago, some of them containing fragments of human 

 bones. 



Near the Blackdown entrenchment is a copper mine, but 

 it is not now worked. 



About two miles from Kingsbridge, on the road leading 

 towards Plymouth, is the village of Churchstow, which has 

 already been mentioned as belonging to the same vicarage 

 as Kingsbridge. The earliest document known to be in 

 existence in reference to Churchstow, under the deanery of 

 Woodleigh, bears date 1291. It appears by the Hundred 



