St Giles on the Heath

The thatched pub and post office in the village

St Giles on the Heath, sometimes hyphenated as St Giles-on-the-Heath, is a village and civil parish in the far west of Devon, England. It forms part of the local government district of Torridge. The village is in the east of the parish and lies on the A388 road about eight miles south of the town of Holsworthy. The parish is surrounded clockwise from the north-west by the parishes of Northcott, Luffincott, Ashwater, Virginstow, Broadwoodwidger and Lifton. Its western border follows the River Tamar which forms the county boundary with Cornwall.^[1] In 2001 its population was 617, significantly higher than the 258 residents it had in 1901.^[2] The village is part of Broadheath electoral ward. At the 2011 census the population was 1,650.^[3]

Church history

Before 1193 the church of St Giles was a chapelry of North Petherwin belonging to the abbey of Tavistock. However, from 1288 it was a chapelry of St Stephen's by Launceston belonging to Launceston Priory. In 1500 the relationship between the two churches was settled; St Giles chapel was granted the right of burial and was thereafter to be served by a chaplain maintained by the priory who also served the chapel of Werrington. At the Reformation it became a donative.^[4]

The parish church, about 1.5 miles north-west of the village, is dedicated to St Giles and dates from the 13th and 15th centuries. It began as a Norman church consisting of a nave and chancel only, to which a south aisle was added in the 15th century. It has a low west tower and a Norman font,^[2][5] and was partially restored in 1868 by J. D. Sedding, and further in 1878 by James Piers St Aubyn.^[6]

The parish of St Giles belonged before 1876 to the Archdeaconry of Cornwall and was then included in the new Diocese of Truro to which it still belongs. St Giles-in-the-Heath forms part of Werrington with St Giles-In-The-Heath and Virginstow United Parish; the benefice is united with the benefices of Boyton and North Tamerton.

References

Media related to St Giles on the Heath at Wikimedia Commons

Towns, villages and hamlets in the Torridge District of Devon, England
	Alfardisworthy Appledore Bideford Bradworthy Buckland Brewer Bucks Mills Bulkworthy Clawton Clovelly Dolton Great Torrington Halwill Hartland Holsworthy Huntshaw Langtree Little Torrington Newton St Petrock Northam Milton Damerel Peters Marland Petrockstowe Pyworthy Quoditch Roborough St Giles on the Heath Stibb Cross Tetcott Welcombe Westward Ho! Woolfardisworthy

Civil parishes in the ceremonial county of Devon
List of civil parishes in Devon
Exeter1,2	None
East Devon1	All Saints Awliscombe Axminster Axmouth Aylesbeare Beer Bicton Brampford Speke Branscombe Broad Clyst Broadhembury Buckerell Budleigh Salterton Chardstock Clyst Honiton Clyst Hydon Clyst St George Clyst St Lawrence Clyst St Mary Colaton Raleigh Colyton Combe Raleigh Combpyne Rousdon Cotleigh Dalwood Dunkeswell East Budleigh Exmouth Farringdon Farway Feniton Gittisham Hawkchurch Honiton Huxham Kilmington Luppitt Lympstone Membury Monkton Musbury Nether Exe Newton Poppleford and Harpford Northleigh Offwell Otterton Ottery St Mary Payhembury Plymtree Poltimore Rewe Rockbeare Seaton Sheldon Shute Sidmouth Southleigh Sowton Stockland Stoke Canon Talaton Uplyme Upottery Upton Pyne Whimple Widworthy Woodbury Yarcombe
Mid Devon1	Bampton Bickleigh Bow Bradninch Brushford Burlescombe Butterleigh Cadbury Cadeleigh Chawleigh Cheriton Bishop Cheriton Fitzpaine Clannaborough Clayhanger Clayhidon Coldridge Colebrooke Copplestone Crediton Crediton Hamlets Cruwys Morchard Cullompton Culmstock Down St Mary Eggesford Halberton Hemyock Hittisleigh Hockworthy Holcombe Rogus Huntsham Kennerleigh Kentisbeare Lapford Loxbeare Morchard Bishop Morebath Newton St Cyres Nymet Rowland Oakford Poughill Puddington Sampford Peverell Sandford Shobrooke Silverton Stockleigh English Stockleigh Pomeroy Stoodleigh Templeton Thelbridge Thorverton Tiverton Uffculme Uplowman Upton Hellions Washfield Washford Pyne Wembworthy Willand Woolfardisworthy Zeal Monachorum
North Devon1	Arlington Ashford Atherington Barnstaple Berrynarbor Bishop's Nympton Bishop's Tawton Bittadon Bratton Fleming Braunton Brayford Brendon Burrington Challacombe Chittlehamholt Chittlehampton Chulmleigh Combe Martin Countisbury East and West Buckland East Anstey East Down East Worlington Filleigh Fremington Georgeham George Nympton Goodleigh Heanton Punchardon Horwood, Lovacott and Newton Tracey Ilfracombe Instow Kentisbury King's Nympton Knowstone Landkey Loxhore Lynton and Lynmouth Mariansleigh Martinhoe Marwood Meshaw Molland Mortehoe North Molton Parracombe Pilton West Queen's Nympton Rackenford Romansleigh Rose Ash Satterleigh and Warkleigh Shirwell South Molton Stoke Rivers Swimbridge Tawstock Trentishoe Twitchen West Anstey West Down Westleigh Witheridge
Torridge1	Abbots Bickington Abbotsham Alverdiscott Alwington Ashreigney Ashwater Beaford Bideford Black Torrington Bradford Bradworthy Bridgerule Broadwoodwidger Buckland Brewer Buckland Filleigh Bulkworthy Clawton Clovelly Cookbury Dolton Dowland East Putford Frithelstock Great Torrington Halwill Hartland High Bickington Hollacombe Holsworthy Holsworthy Hamlets Huish Huntshaw Landcross Langtree Littleham Little Torrington Luffincott Merton Milton Damerel Monkleigh Newton St Petrock Northam Northcott Pancrasweek Parkham Peters Marland Petrockstow Pyworthy Roborough Shebbear Sheepwash St Giles in the Wood St Giles on the Heath Sutcombe Tetcott Thornbury Virginstow Weare Giffard Welcombe West Putford Winkleigh Woolfardisworthy Yarnscombe
West Devon1,3	Beaworthy Belstone Bere Ferrers Bondleigh Bradstone Bratton Clovelly Brentor Bridestowe Bridestowe and Sourton Common Broadwoodkelly Buckland Monachorum Chagford Coryton Dartmoor Forest Drewsteignton Dunterton Exbourne Germansweek Gidleigh Gulworthy Hatherleigh Highampton Horrabridge Iddesleigh Inwardleigh Jacobstowe Kelly Lamerton Lewtrenchard Lifton Lydford Marystow Mary Tavy Meavy Meeth Milton Abbot Monkokehampton North Tawton Northlew Okehampton Okehampton Hamlets Peter Tavy Sampford Courtenay Sampford Spiney Sheepstor Sourton South Tawton Spreyton Sticklepath Stowford Sydenham Damerel Tavistock Throwleigh Thrushelton Walkhampton Whitchurch
South Hams1	Ashprington Aveton Gifford Berry Pomeroy Bickleigh Bigbury Blackawton Brixton Buckland Tout Saints Charleton Chivelstone Churchstow Cornwood Cornworthy Dartington Dartmouth Dean Prior Diptford Dittisham East Allington East Portlemouth Ermington Frogmore and Sherford Halwell and Moreleigh Harberton Harford Holbeton Holne Ivybridge Kingsbridge Kingston Kingswear Littlehempston Loddiswell Malborough Marldon Modbury Newton and Noss North Huish Rattery Ringmore Salcombe Shaugh Prior Slapton South Brent South Huish South Milton South Pool Sparkwell Staverton Stoke Fleming Stoke Gabriel Stokenham Strete Thurlestone Totnes Ugborough Wembury West Alvington West Buckfastleigh Woodleigh Yealmpton
Teignbridge1	Abbotskerswell Ashburton Ashcombe Ashton Bickington Bishopsteignton Bovey Tracey Bridford Broadhempston Buckfastleigh Buckland-in-the-Moor Christow Chudleigh Coffinswell Dawlish Denbury and Torbryan Doddiscombsleigh Dunchideock Dunsford Exminster Haccombe with Combe Hennock Holcombe Burnell Ide Ideford Ilsington Ipplepen Kenn Kenton Kingskerswell Kingsteignton Lustleigh Mamhead Manaton Moretonhampstead Newton Abbot North Bovey Ogwell Powderham Shaldon Shillingford St George Starcross Stokeinteignhead Tedburn St Mary Teigngrace Teignmouth Trusham Whitestone Widecombe-in-the-Moor Woodland
Plymouth2,4	None
Torbay4	Brixham5
Bold text denotes a parish council referred to as a "town council". Non-metropolitan district of the non-metropolitan county of Devon (administered by Devon County Council). Has city status in the United Kingdom. Has borough status in the United Kingdom. Unitary authority not part of the non-metropolitan county, thus not administered by Devon County Council. The remainder of Torbay is unparished.

Coordinates: 50°41′20″N 4°19′12″W / 50.689°N 4.320°W / 50.689; -4.320