Eggbuckland History Project

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Visitor No: 2066

Potted History of Eggbuckland

Below is a brief chronological list of the historical events that have occurred in Eggbuckland:

Eggbuckland was first mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. Judhel had an estate called Bocheland held by Heche at the time of Edward the Confessor. For more information on the name derivation click here.

It is almost certain that the church was located in the same spot in Saxon times and the patronage was controlled by Plympton Priory from 1248. Find out more about St. Edward's Church here.
It is from the Augustinian monks of the Priory that the housing estate of Austin Farm derives its name, which was built on farmland of the same name.

In 1385, by order of King Richard II, a Court of Inquiry was held in Eggbuckland to determine whether Sutton Prior had the right to choose an independent mayor, this was before the three towns formed one single city.

With the dissolution of the Monasteries under the reign of Henry VIII, the Priory of Plympton surrendered to the King, who seized the tithes of Eggbuckland.

A number of minor battles took place in the parish during the Civil War (1642-1644), Eggbuckland remained loyal to the King and Prince Maurice, who set up his headquarters at Widey Court.

The first parish registers were written in 1653. A reminder that slavery existed is recorded in the register in 1772 when a negro servant was baptised to a Mr Sutherland.

The foundation stone of the Eggbuckland Church School was laid in 1846, it was built in part of the Vicarage garden, the land donated by the Rev George Hunt. The school remained in use until 1971 when the pupils moved to the current school on Fort Austin Avenue.

In the 1850's the population of the parish was around 1,250 with the number of actual voters only 33 (in 1857).

In the mid 1800's a string of fortifications were built through Plymouth. These 'Palmerston Follies' were to prevent the feared invasion of the French. Five of the forts are within our parish, these being Crownhill Fort, Bowden Battery (currently the Plymouth Garden Centre), Eggbuckland Keep, Austin Fort and Efford Fort.

In 1880 the ratable value of the village was recorded as Ł2,318.16s.8d.

The telephone network came to Eggbuckland in December 1912. An electricity supply was connected to the village at the beginning of 1934.

Until 31 March 1939, Eggbuckland had its own Parish Council (part of Plympton Rural District Council), Plymouth's boundaries were then extended to absorb the parish.

During the Second World War a number of bombs were dropped in Eggbuckland (click here to see a map of where the bombs impacted). One bomb landed near the church, damaging the roof and windows.

The Austin Farm and Miles Mitchell estates were built in the 1950's and considerable residential development has occurred since. Within 50 years, what was a rural, farming area has become just another Plymouth suburb. Where there was just one school, there are now six.

The parish hall was built in 1971, providing a community centre for a wide range of social activities. The hall is still well used today by the community and has just had a new roof fitted.