Crediton
50.789399 - 3.65235860Koordinaten: 50 ° 47 'N, 3 ° 39 ' W
Crediton ( Credington, Cryditon, Kirton ) is a small town of about 6,500 inhabitants in the county of Devon in England, about 12 km north west of Exeter. It is the alleged birthplace of St Boniface.
The village lies between two steep hills in the narrow valley of the River Creedy, shortly before its confluence with the Exe, and consists of the old city in the east and the new town to the west.
The most important building in town is the " Church of the Holy Cross", an imposing red sandstone building with its cruciform layout. Built in the 12th century, it was the turn of the 14th to the 15th century greatly expanded and remodeled. The beautiful clerestory from the 15th century is unique among the churches in Devon. The oldest part of the present church is the lower part of the tower, which dates from about 1150. The Lady Chapel and the chapter house date from the 13th century, during the rest of the building was completely renovated in 1410.
- 2.1 Twin towns
History
Origins
The first indication of the existence of the place can be found in the reports on the birth of Winfried, later Boniface in Crediton to 672
King Ine of Wessex built 705 a bishopric in 100 km eastern Sherborne. 739 was his successor Aethelheard the Sherborner Bishop Forth Here land in Crediton for the construction of a monastery ( " monasterium " or " minster "), which the followed of Canterbury Roman version of Christianity against which maintain propagating in Devon Celtic variant of Wales and Cornwall from and should spread. It is believed that Boniface had an influence on this decision - or at least believed that with this choice, to be able to continue the missionary and church- organizational work of the Bishop of Rome within the meaning symbolically.
Diocese
Beginning of the 10th century the diocese of Sherborne was divided into three smaller, and Eadulf, the first bishop of the new diocese of Devon and Cornwall, Crediton 909 elected as diocesan seat, presumably to tie in with Boniface and because he was able to rely on the existing monastery. It is believed that the then existing wooden monastery church was extended to the bishop's church. From it, no remnants are preserved.
King Æthelstan 933 confirmed the rights of the bishop in Crediton. In the same year a large cathedral was built, but also of it's received nothing. From 926 to Cornwall had its own bishop based in St Germans. This office until 994 as Suffragan Bishop of Crediton, then the diocese became independent. But already in 1030 the diocese of Cornwall Crediton was reintegrated.
Pin
Total Unmanaged to 1050 nine bishops in Crediton. The last was Leofric, who took office as Bishop of Devon and Cornwall 1046. Since the area was sparsely populated and Crediton was still not much more than an unfortified village, which could easily be attacked by Norman and Danish pirates, he asked in 1049 Pope Leo IX. and King Edward the Confessor, to move the diocese in the fortified city of Exeter. The request was granted, and the Cathedra was taken to Exeter 1050. The bischofliche property in Crediton ( palace and lands ) was maintained until the Tudor kings took possession of the best parts.
The wooden cathedral was replaced after the Norman Conquest of England ( 1066) by a stone church in the Norman style, which was occupied as a church with 18 canons and 18 vicars. However, economic constraints already led to the mid-12th century to a reduction to only 12 canons and 12 vicars. While the vicars lived in Crediton, it was released to the canons, whether they resided there or elsewhere, and few of them actually lived in the place. The houses of the canons and vicars, located north of the church were demolished in the mid 19th century.
In the second half of the 13th century, the church was enlarged, especially by growing the Lady Chapel and the chapter house. This had become possible because Bronescombe Bishop (1258-1280) was the pen gives through the transfer of ownership of land and houses additional income. This allowed the same time the expansion of the Kanonikerkollegiums again 18 members. At the turn of the 14th and 15th century then almost all of the building was completely renewed in its current form.
Reformation
As a result of carried out by Henry VIII the Reformation, the English collegiate churches were dissolved 1545-1549. The Crediton was passed in May 1545 Henry, who she gave in September 1545, with all their possessions to Sir Thomas Darcy. Darcy gave in August 1546 back in exchange for other lands to Henry. Since the church was now threatened with demolition, the parishioners began negotiations with the Crown for the purpose of purchase of the church.
In the spring of 1547, the municipality paid 200 pounds to the royal treasury, and Edward VI. , Who was his father Henry VIII followed in January on the throne, confirmed in April 1547 the receipt of the sum, and a new charter for the church administration of Crediton ( 1559 was confirmed by Elizabeth I once again ). The Church, " Church of the Holy Cross", and their property was now managed by 12 governors, and the pastoral care was transferred to a vicar and two curates. Own and manage the 12 governors of the " Crediton Parish Church " the church building today. Only two other parish churches in England have a similar self-government structure: Ottery St Mary in Devon and Wimborne in Dorset.
At the same time the establishment of a royal free " Grammar School " was equipped with the new charter, which was connected to the church. The school started its operations, however, only 1572, in a side chapel of the church. It was not until 1859 's school buildings were purchased. There are now a boarding school and a technical college in them.
As in Plymouth again a Roman Catholic diocese of Devon, Dorset and Cornwall was built in the 19th century, received its cathedral, building on Crediton the patronal feast of St. Mary and St. Boniface.
Since 1897 Crediton seat of a suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of Exeter.
Economic and administrative history
1086, when William the conqueror Doomsday Book, the Domesday Book was to create, the area of Crediton was still largely uncultivated, a condition which had already moved Bishop Leofric to relocate to Exeter, but very soon began an economic recovery under the new Norman Men.
Until the Reformation of Henry VIII, the bishops of Exeter were the landlords, saw themselves but repeatedly confronted with unruly tenants. Order in 1238 established the bishop a " Borough " - ie, a partially self -governing community - in Crediton, but that probably is not seriously developed because of its proximity to Exeter. Only in 1275 there was a renewed mention of the boroughs of Crediton, and for a short time ( 1306-1307 ) sent the community even two MEPs to the English Parliament. A community seal of 1469 is preserved, but not from the 16th or 17th century, there are indications that the community is self-managed, and in the 18th century it was under the supervision of Commissioners.
1306 Edward I wore the municipality the right to hold markets for grain, leather and wool. From this grew a large cattle market, which was held until 1957.
The 16th century brought Devonshire and Crediton an enormous upswing of the wool industry and quite a prosperity, and Crediton was up in the reign of George III. an important wool industry city. Almost all the poorer families had rented a loom, either self-owned or by a contractor, and were employed in addition to their agricultural work with the washing, carding, spinning and weaving of wool. The final products were sold by middlemen to exporters in Exeter.
This development also influenced the architectural image of the western city. Those who could afford to build a house there along the main road, and the wool workers were housed in quarters behind, who were grouped around a series of successive courtyards, as they are still visible today. The eastern part remained a working area. A major fire on 14 August 1743 destroyed most of the western city: 460 homes fell victim to it, more than 2,000 people were left homeless, and 16 were killed.
Towards the end of the 18th century succumbed to the wool industry of Devonshire competition from the factories of East Anglia and Yorkshire, with a significant negative impact on the prosperity of Crediton. In the 19th century, he was transferred to the leather processing and shoe and boot making, both in factories and in homework.
The arrival of the railway in 1851 heralded the end of its importance as a market and industrial town of Crediton. Today it is primarily a residential and dormitory town for workers in Exeter, but also seeks to become a service and tourist center.