Cullompton Town

THE SECOND BOOK OF CULLOMPTON

The second book of Cullompton was published in October 2007 priced at £19.99. It is a large format (A4) 160 page hardback book containing over 200 historic photographs, maps, drawings and other illustrations.

If you would like a copy please contact Judy Morris (phone 38249).

There are no known copies of the first Town Book available at the moment. One copy sold on ebay earlier in 2007 for £70.

Cullompton

Cullompton takes its name from the River Culm. Cullompton, meaning 'the settlement on the Culm', is mentioned in the Domesday book in 1086 but is built on the site of a much older settlement - and the outline of a Roman Fort can be found on St Andrew's Hill. The town was granted its first market in 1278 and has been a market town ever since. The medieval layout of Cullompton has changed very little from that shown on a map drawn by Mark Pierce in 1633.

It is to farming, which has gone on since Saxon times, and later to the woollen and cloth trades, that the town owes its early growth and prosperity.

The River Culm, the M5 motorway and the main railway line run to the east of the town and between then they have played a significant role in the development of the community.

The parish, which also includes the hamlets of Langford, Mutterton and Westcott, covers nearly 8000 acres and extends some seven miles along the Culm Valley. Since the early 1970s, the population has increased from 3000 to 7600 with the development of several new housing estates on the outskirts of the town. The Book of Cullompton provides a unique insight into the town and the many changes which it has witnessed through the years.

Community Project

This book was compiled by a working group of the Town Council with a great deal of assistance from many working groups and individuals. Most of the contributors live in the parish, but input has also come from those who have moved away but stayed in contact, retaining a keen interest in the town and its inhabitants. We are grateful to all those who have generously contributed their time, photographs, memories and memorabilia; without their help, this project would not have been possible

A Wonderful Collection of Memories

The beginning of the new millennium is the perfect time to look back at the way in which the town has evolved and to record the present for future generations. The Book of Cullompton traces the history of the town from earliest times, but essentially celebrates daily life in the community over the last century

Cullompton currently boasts a paper mill, several printers, and many small hi-tech businesses. In the past it had a bell foundry, a rope works, two tanneries, a glove factory, a woollen mill, a cabinet makers employing 60 men, and three feed mills served by a man-made leat which is still in existence. The stories of such industries are just some of the many aspects of Cullompton's history illustrated in this volume.

Through this web site, it was possible to purchase the book and to have had your family name inscribed in it so that both present and future generations can share in the pleasure of owning this fascinating publication.

Some of the Family Names Recorded in the First Book of Cullompton.