Modbury
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- For the place in Adelaide, South Australia, see Modbury, South Australia.
Modbury is a village in the South Hams region of Devon in England. The current population is approximately 1500.
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[edit] Etymology
The name Modbury is a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon name, Moot burh or "meeting place". This is indicative of its former significance as a place of trading and also as a judicial centre.
[edit] History
Modbury is recorded in the Domesday Book.
The population of the town was greatly reduced as a consequence of the Black Death.
John Batterson Stetson, founder of the Stetson cowboy hat company in the US, is decended from Modbury natives Robert Stetson Honour Tucker (who emigrated to Massachusetts c. 1634).
[edit] Civil War
It was the site of two battles in the English Civil War. The first battle was a minor royalist victory on December 9, 1642, when a small Royalist force put to flight a smaller Parliamentarian force.
The second Battle of Modbury occurred on February 21, 1643 when the Royalists forces, expecting an attack by Parliamentarian forces assembled at nearby Kingsbridge, had fortified the town. Outnumbered approximately four to one, and running short of ammunition, the royalists retreated. This victory was largely instrumental in the lifting of the Siege of Plymouth, and the driving of the encircling Royalist forces into Cornwall.
[edit] 19th Century
By 1801, the population of Modbury had risen to 1813, with almost half engaged in the wool trade. The impact of the mechanisation of the wool industry was to have a dramatic effect on the economic prosperity and population of the town in the mid 1820s and later. Many workers left the town and headed to large cities in search of employment; others left the country altogether, emigrating to America.
The railway line bypassed Modbury, contributing still further to this decline. Modbury remained an important market town until as late as 1944 when the cattle market ceased.
[edit] 21st Century
Modbury is a growing town with good shopping and notable facilities. The most notable of the shopping areas is 'Your Local Co-Op Modbury', refurbished by the Plymouth and South West Co-Operative Society in 2003. Other shops include a delicatessen, butcher, greengrocer, and bakers.
In terms of sports, there is a recreation field, where you can find the football pitch and tennis courts, as well as a tarmac all-weather surface used mainly for skateboarding.
Plans are currently under debate with regards to the building of a new "pavilion" to be used by the sports clubs and the scouts. The project has been delayed due to numerous re-jigs and submissions, and is currently far beyond a reasonable budget, but the plans remain nonetheless.
The White Hart Inn at Modbury has recently undergone a £150,000 refurbishment and offers fine British food with a Mediterranean twist.
[edit] External links
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The town hosts the historical football team of Modbury Rovers, managed by the talented young Mr. Alexander Pitcher. Modbury are about to top the season by going into the Christmas break top of the league.
