High Bray, Devon

Description
Highbray, a parish in Devonshire, on the river Bray, near the boundary with Somerset, 6 1/4 miles NNW of South Mol-ton, and 4 from Filleigh station on the G.W.R. It has a post office under South Molton; money order office. South Molton; telegraph office, Bratton Fleming. Acreage, 4013; population of the civil parish, 226; of the ecclesiastical, 236. Lydcott, the house whence Amy Robsart of Sir Walter Scott's novel of " Kenilworth " went, is now rebuilt as a farmhouse; the ancient chapel of it is now the farm garden, and a shilling of Queen Elizabeth was some years ago found there. The surface of the parish is high and partly moor. An ancient fortification of about 4 acres, a tumulus 114 feet in circuit and 10 high, and several smaller tumuli, are on the moor. Successive strata in the tumuli have been found on examination to contain-first, ashes, Roman coins, and cinerary urns; next, Greek coins; next, Egyptian coins, Phoenician coins, and copper arrow heads. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Exeter; value, £400 with residence. The church is very ancient, and contains a fine ancient font and several old monumental stones.