A Brief History of Broadhempston

The village was established in the 10th Century by a Saxon named Haema. He sensibly chose a level patch half-way between Beacon Hill and the River Hems where the church and the village square now are. During the early years of its existence it survived several changes of ownership and fortune but by the end of the 11th century had grown into a fairly thriving village with a population of 100.

The parish boundaries as we know them today were approximately fixed during the ownership of the manor by the Borard family from 1166 to 1221. Their name became incorporated in the title of the village, it being firmly established as Brode Hemeston alias Hemeston Magna by the 16th century. The Borard family's ownership coincided with a period of expansion when colonists poured into Devon and cleared settlements for themselves in unoccupied land around original settlements and it was at that time that five hamlets, of which only four remain, became established. These are Beaston, Bicaton, Forder and Hemsford, whilst the fifth, Weston, by all accounts a flourishing community of eleven houses situated on the western slopes of Torcorn, has now disappeared.

The area benefited from the fact that the nearby town of Ashburton had recently been made a borough and stannary town for the tin industry and also had a flourishing wool trade and this wealth encouraged William de Cantilupe to buy the manor of Broadhempston in 1221. It is probable that he built the first stone church here, of which the base of the tower and parts of the chancel still remain.