Local Towns & Villages

We will develop this section but we initially feature Stratton, the mother town of Bude, and give an introduction to the many delightful villages nearby in Cornwall and in Devon. Each little village has its own identity, community and customs - so please explore ...

STRATTON

STRATTON, the parent town of Bude, probably dates back to Roman times and was mentioned as Stratone in King Alfred's will in 880AD. It also appears in Domesday records of 1087 (then called Straeneaton) as the largest and most important town in the area. Stratton was one of nine Cornish "Hundreds" and consisted at that time of 11 parishes - in fact it was the only market town in the Hundreds and governed the surrounding towns and villages. In 1207 the town of Stratton was granted Charter status by King John. By 1791 it's importance was well established - there were 12 public houses and a variety of trades such as corn merchants, cabinet makers, a candle factory and thriving garlic trade. Today, whilst there are several delightful public houses in Stratton, the town is now more of a friendly village with a welcoming ambience rather than the thriving local business centre it once was.

Stratton is probably best known and best remembered as the stronghold of King Charles and the Royalists in the English Civil War and for the famous Battle of Stratton in 1643. It was the home of the 7'4" Cornish giant, Anthony Payne, who was enlisted as a bodyguard to the Royalist Sir Bevil Grenville. He fought beside Sir Bevil, who commanded the King's army in the victorious battle. Payne lived and died in the Grenville manor house at Stratton - now the Tree Inn. It is said that, when the giant died, the house had to be restructed to allow his huge coffin to be carried in and out. Many of the very fine churches of Cornwall still bear the Royal Crest decreed by the King in gratitude to his loyal Cornishmen during the Civil War.