The war memorial is situated at the bottom end of High Street, near the old railway bridge. It commemorates those who died in the two world wars. It is now Grade II listed. Below is a detailed account of how Bampton was affected by the two World Wars. TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE SACRED MEMORY OF FORTY ONE PARISHONERS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN THE GREAT WAR 1914 - 1918 GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN HE GIVETH HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS. Bampton War Memorial The

From the top of St Michael's Church Tower, the whole of the village can be seen nestling in the valley. Climbing to the top is not for the faint-hearted, so why not have a look at the view from the comfort of your arm chair? These views were photographed in August 2010

The 'Tivvy Bumper' was a steam locomotive which used to run on the Exe Valley line through Bampton. The engine itself is preserved in Tiverton Museum and is well worth a visit. Our two Tivvy Bumper sculptures were unveiled on July 2nd, 2016. Watch HERE a video of the event! Watch here a video about how the sculptures were made. The two sculptures remain in Bampton today for all to enjoy, one by Station Road car poark, and the other on 'The Stage' by Newton Square. Pippa (Tive

Little evidence remains in Bampton of the old railway - but in the surrounding area there are obvious lengths of disused railway lines - courtesy of the infamous Dr Beeching in the 1960's. When driving along the Exe valley, it is easy to spot raised embankments and old bridges where the railway used to run. Diesel loco at Bampton station Bampton was once part of the Exe Valley Railway. It was then possible to go by train to Exeter St David's in the south, or to go northwards

It is likely that stone has been quarried around Bampton since the time of the Romans; for some centuries, lime was produced in the local lime kilns to make the mortar. The church is built of local stone, as are many of the older buildings, the bridge, and numerous walls. It was in the nineteenth century that the quarries provided most of the local employment, and Bampton was a noisy, dusty, industrial site. Kersdown Although there are many quarries around the town, it is qui

You may wonder how some of the streets and other locations in Bampton got their names. Here is a list of some of them with explanations of how we think they came about. Of course, if you have others you'd like to add to the list, email us! Bampton Down Downs, in England, tend to be ‘up’! This ridge from which there are excellent views runs to the south east of the town. Barnhay This is a medieaval term for an enclosed meadow. Barton The word ‘barton’ appears in many local pla

Coming soon... And now a real mystery! The object on the right was found in a garden in Bampton. It is made of limestone (probably local) and the 30cm ruler in front gives an idea of scale. There are no holes in the bottom (assuming it's the right way up!). If you think you recognise what it is, do please let us know. We'd be very grateful. Update (October 2012): The photo on the right comes from an advert from English Garden Antiques which describes it as "Rare 19th Century

There were many organisations in the town during the later 19th century to keep people amused, including the Town Band (picture below is from 1911) which used to practise in the cellar of Leburn House, and a Horticultural Society who once hosted the radio programme Gardeners’ Question Time. In 1929 a public subscription was raised to build the Church Institute on land given by the church. Today it is known as St. Michael’s Community Hall. For about ten years after it was buil

METHODISM IN BAMPTON Bampton's Methodist Church in Mary Lane finally closed in 2005 having too few worshippers to be viable. Methodist Church, Bampton In 1766 John Wesley came to Bampton during one of his frequent visits to the West Country. His diary for September 21st records "I preached morning and evening in the market house (Tiverton) and at one in an open place at Bampton". Methodist church Nothing is recorded until 1816 when the Bishop of Exeter issued a licence to hol