Moreleigh

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Village in Devon, England

title: "Moreleigh" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["villages-in-south-hams", "former-manors-in-devon", "former-civil-parishes-in-devon"] description: "Village in Devon, England" topic_path: "general/villages-in-south-hams" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moreleigh" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Village in Devon, England ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox UK place"]

FieldValue
static_image_nameAll Saints Church, Moreleigh - geograph.org.uk - 1273516.jpg
static_image_captionAll Saints Church
official_nameMoreleigh
countryEngland
regionSouth West England
os_grid_referenceSX 767 528
map_altMorleigh is in the south of Devon, which is in the southwest of England and forms part of the south and west coasts.
coordinates
post_townTOTNES
postcode_areaTQ
postcode_districtTQ9 7
dial_code01548
constituency_westminsterSouth Hams
civil_parishHalwell and Moreleigh
shire_districtSouth Hams
shire_countyDevon
::

| static_image_name= All Saints Church, Moreleigh - geograph.org.uk - 1273516.jpg | static_image_alt= | static_image_caption= All Saints Church | official_name= Moreleigh | country= England | region= South West England | os_grid_reference= SX 767 528 | map_alt= Morleigh is in the south of Devon, which is in the southwest of England and forms part of the south and west coasts. | coordinates = | post_town= TOTNES | postcode_area= TQ | postcode_district= TQ9 7 | dial_code= 01548 | constituency_westminster= South Hams | civil_parish= Halwell and Moreleigh | civil_parish1= | shire_district= South Hams | shire_county= Devon Moreleigh or Morleigh (formerly Morley) is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Halwell and Moreleigh, in the South Hams, district, in the county of Devon, England. In 1961 the civil parish had a population of 102.

History

Name

Throughout the village history it has been recorded with various spellings, listed below in chronological order, newest first.

; Moreleigh It is currently officially known as Moreleigh. An early 20th century directory of Cambridge University alumni spells it this way in its reference to a long-standing rector. ; Morleigh It is still known and spelt as Morleigh by local inhabitants as evidenced at the New inn several websites and on various older road signs. ; Morley It was also known as Morley for very long periods, and is the name used by Viscount Bovington when he was to be elevated to an earl. ; Morleygh and Morlei There are references to Morleygh in 15th-century historical documents, and to Morlei in Domesday Book.

Morleigh was part of Stanborough Hundred one of the 32 ancient administrative areas of Devon.

Domesday Book

In Domesday Book it was recorded as having nine households and being within Diptford Hundred. Alfred de Breton (AKA Auvrai Le Breton) was the tenant in chief. one of his descendants Richard le Breton went on to kill Thomas Becket

Morleigh is referred to in the BBC Domesday Project from 1986.

Moreliegh Manor and the Earl of Morley

Morley Manor has been dismantled but small signs of existence still survive near Place Barton farm, which is adjacent to the church and rectory. Morley Manor has been recorded as having been owned by the Ufflete and Maynard families, it was also owned by John Shapland Esq before passing to John Seale Esq (listed as Teale in the church records) eventually being bought by Viscount Bovington, who become the 1st Earl of Morley in 1815.

Recent history

The village had a football club in conjunction with the adjacent village of Halwell that is now defunct. The post office branch is also now closed. The closest (3 miles) railway at Gara Bridge railway station which closed in 1965. On 1 April 1986 the parish was abolished and merged with Halwell, Diptford and East Allington.

Facilities

The New Inn is the village pub, historically used as court house and meeting place, it was also the scene of a shooting incident within the pub.

The village also had another Inn called the London Inn, according to census records (1841 - 1861) was situated at Morley cross, which is within the village but technically across the historic Morleigh parish boundary and with in the historic Halwell parish.

The village has now built a village hall and an active village life with various activities for all age groups.

Church and religion

Morleigh ecclesiastical parish is part of the deanery of Woodleigh, the archdeaconary of Totnes and the diocese of Exeter.

All Saints Church

All Saints church is small and ancient building, said to have been built by Sir Peter Fitzacre, who killed the parson of Woodleigh to whose parish Morley then belonged.

For this crime the Pope got the knight to build a church at Morleigh. The Fisacre tomb is part of the church.

It is a Grade 1 listed building.

Chapel

The village had a chapel, the Protestant Dissenters of Union Chapel, which is now a private dwelling again situated within the part of the village in Halwell Parish.

Current events

The population has increased with the number of houses in the village doubling over the last 20 years.

The local catchment schools are for primary age, Harbertonford CofE and for senior age Totnes comprehensive.

References

References

  1. "Population Statistics Moreleigh CP/AP through time". Vision of Britain.
  2. J. Venn and J. A. Venn. "Alumni Cantabrigienses: Edward Seale". Cambridge, University Press.
  3. (17 May 2010). "The New Inn, Moreleigh, Devon. May 1992".
  4. "Moreleigh 1601".
  5. (1751). ["England's Gazetteer: Or, an Accurate Description of All the Cities, Towns, and Villages of the Kingdom ... Vol. I. And Vol. II. Contain a Dictionary of the Cities, Corporations, Market-towns, and the Most Noted Villages; Their Manufactures and Trade ... &c. ... This Work Includes All the Chief Harbours, Bays, Forests, Hills, Mines ... \etc.] and Particularly Shews the Estates that Were Formerly Abbey-lands"](https://books.google.com/books?id=CVUzAQAAMAAJ&q=Sir+Peter+Fitzacre&pg=PT38).
  6. "Bad Credit Loans Online | High Acceptance Rates | Quick Loans Express".
  7. "Hemyock Castle - Principal Holders of Devonshire Manors in the Domesday Book".
  8. "The Britton International DNA Project: The First Brittons".
  9. "BBC - Domesday Reloaded: LIFESTYLES VILLAGE MORELEIGH".
  10. "Welcome to Royal Mail Group".
  11. "Disused Stations: Gara Bridge Station".
  12. "Newton Abbot Registration District". UKBMD.
  13. "Moreleigh".
  14. "DEATH SECRET OF THE AINTREE WINNer's GIRL; Mad gunman stalked Jane. - Free Online Library".
  15. "YOUNGER - United Kingdom".
  16. "Devon Venue Hire Map | Devon Communities Together".
  17. "Church of All Saints Including Fishacre Tomb Adjoining Transept (Formerly Listed Under Parish of Moreleigh), Halwell and Moreleigh, Devon".
  18. (1834). "The Mirror of Parliament for the ... Session of the ... Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland".
  19. "Archived copy".

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villages-in-south-hamsformer-manors-in-devonformer-civil-parishes-in-devon