Chagford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chagford
Chagford
Area	11.7 sq mi (30 km2)
Population	1,449 (2011 Census)
• Density	125.6/sq mi (48.5/km2)
OS grid reference	SX700876
• London	194 miles (312 km)
Civil parish	Chagford
District	West Devon
Shire county	Devon
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NEWTON ABBOT
Postcode district	TQ13
Dialling code	01647
Police	Devon and Cornwall
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Central Devon
Website	http://www.chagford-parish.co.uk
List of places UK England Devon 50°40′22″N 3°50′25″W / 50.6728°N 3.8404°W / 50.6728; -3.8404

Chagford is a small and lively market town in Devon, England. It sits on the north-east edge of Dartmoor, a beautiful national park. The town is close to the River Teign and about 4 miles (6 km) west of Moretonhampstead. Its name comes from an old word, chag, which means gorse or broom, and ford, meaning a shallow place to cross a river. This shows it was an important crossing point long ago. In 2011, about 1,449 people lived in Chagford.

Chagford's Past

People have lived in the Chagford area for at least 4,000 years. This is known from old things found by archaeologists. In more recent history, Chagford grew because of two main things: the wool trade and tin mining.

A weekly market has been held here since before the year 1220. A market for farm animals also took place every month until the 1980s. In 1305, Chagford became a special "stannary" town. This meant it was one of the few places where tin could be officially weighed and sold. Some important tin-mining families in the 1500s were the Endecotts, Knapmans, Whiddons, and Lethbridges.

During the English Civil War, a poet and politician named Sidney Godolphin was sadly killed in Chagford. He was shot in the porch of the Three Crowns building.

In 1987, a science magazine reported that Chagford had high levels of Radon gas. This is a natural gas that comes from the granite rocks in the area. It was a fun fact about the town's geology.

Old Estates in Chagford

The area around Chagford has several historic estates, which are like large old properties. One of these is Whiddon. This was the home of the Whiddon family. Sir John Whiddon, a judge in the 1500s, bought the land of Chagford. He built a new house at Whiddon, and parts of it are still there today. He also built a large deer park with a strong granite wall, which you can still see.

Chagford Today

Today, Chagford is a busy and popular place. It has many shops for a town its size. Even though some things like banks have closed, it's still a lively spot. There were two big hardware stores side-by-side for over a century, run by the same families.

Chagford is also known for its arts and culture. It hosts many events throughout the year:

• Chagfilm is an autumn film festival.
• Chagword is a springtime festival for books and writers.
• Chagstock was a summer music festival.
• Wonderworks is an annual weekend for crafts.
• There are also free summer music concerts in the church.

You can find several tea rooms, healthy food cafés, and four pubs in Chagford. Many visitors come to stay in the town throughout the year, enjoying the holiday accommodation.

The famous Edwin Lutyens house, Castle Drogo, is about 2 miles away. It's a grand castle-like building that overlooks Chagford.

Chagford's Weather

Chagford has a wet climate, which means it gets a lot of rain. This is because it's located on Dartmoor, a high and open area. It's much wetter than other parts of Devon, like Exeter. On average, Chagford gets about 1,425mm of rain each year.

How Chagford is Run

Chagford has a parish council that meets every month. This council helps make decisions for the local community.

In 1976, Chagford became "twinned" with a town in France called Bretteville-sur-Laize. Twinning means two towns in different countries become friends and try to learn about each other's cultures. This friendship lasted for over 20 years. Even now, Chagford has a "Bretteville Close" street, and Bretteville has a "Rue de Chagford" (Chagford Street).

Famous Places in Chagford

• Endecott House: This 16th-century building is on the edge of the town square. It was named in the 1990s after John Endecott, a governor of an early American colony, who might have been born near Chagford. It was possibly built as a "church house" and has been used by the community for many years, even as a school. Today, it's a meeting hall.
• Jubilee Hall: This is Chagford's village hall, built in 1936. It's a social hub where many activities happen. It has a library and a local history center. You can find flea markets, badminton, table tennis, parties, and other events here.
• The Three Crowns Hotel: This hotel dates back to the 1200s. It's said to be haunted by the ghost of Sidney Godolphin, the poet who was killed there during the English Civil War.
• Easton Court Hotel: In the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, this hotel was a popular place for authors to stay and write. Famous writer Evelyn Waugh finished two of his novels, A Handful of Dust and Brideshead Revisited, while staying here.

Churches in Chagford

The church of St Michael the Archangel

The main church in Chagford is St Michael the Archangel. It was first opened in 1261, but not much of the original building remains. The tall tower was built in the 1400s. The church is a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important historically. It was fixed up in 1865 and made bigger later. Inside, you can see special carved decorations on the roof, including the tin miners' symbol of three hares.

Chagford is part of a group of seven churches called The Whiddon Parishes of Dartmoor.

There have been other churches in Chagford over the years. A Methodist church was built in 1861 but closed in the 1990s. The Bible Christian Chapel, started in 1844, is still active as Chagford Gospel Church. A Roman Catholic church was built in 1963.

The Legend of Mary Whiddon

Inside St Michael's church, there's a memorial to a woman named Mary Whiddon. It's dated either 1641 or 1647. Her story might have inspired a famous part of the novel Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore. In the book, the main character is shot on her wedding day as she leaves the church.

The legend says Mary Whiddon was also shot dead on her wedding day right after leaving the church. However, it's not clear if this really happened. Her tomb says she died "a matron, yet a maid" ("a married woman, yet a virgin"). This could mean she died young, even though she was married. The church records from that time are missing.

Today, new brides getting married at St Michael's church often place a bouquet of flowers on Mary's memorial. This tradition is meant to bring good luck to their own marriage.

Some people say the ghost of Mary Whiddon still haunts Whiddon Park House, which is a couple of miles outside the town.

Sports in Chagford

Chagford has good sports facilities. The War Memorial Playing Fields were updated in the late 1980s. They now have a cricket ground with a modern clubhouse. In winter, the ground is used for two football pitches.

There are also public tennis courts and a Tennis Club in the town. Chagford has an open-air swimming pool, which is very popular in summer. A fun local running race called the Two Hills race happens every May. It's a 5-kilometer race that starts at the cricket club and goes up and around Meldon and Nattadon Hills, which are south of Chagford.

See also

In Spanish: Chagford para niños