West Alvington

West Alvington is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Kingsbridge in South Hams, Devon on the A381 road. In 2021 the parish had a population of 606. The appropriate electoral ward is called Westville and Alvington. Its population at the 2011 census was 2,042. It has a primary school and is about a 10-minute walk from the centre of Kingsbridge.

History

It was originally part of the manor of Bowringsleigh, which took its name from the Bowring family, who were lords of the manor from about 1330 to the early sixteenth century. At one time, Alvington was part of the Royal Estates; the town of Kingsbridge formed around a bridge which was built in or before the 10th century between the royal estates of Alvington, to the west, and Chillington, to the east, hence giving it the name of Kyngysbrygge ("King's bridge").

Notable residents

• Thomas Bowring of Bowringsleigh (died 1504), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland and the principal local landowner.
• Robert Bowring (died 1514) eldest son of Thomas, MP for Plymouth.

References

1. Alvington
2. Alvington, Gloucestershire
3. History of Bickford's Australia
4. South Hams
5. Stanborough Hundred
6. Hugh Cuming
7. A Horseman Riding By
8. Heart South Devon
9. South Huish
10. List of United Kingdom locations: Wd-West End
11. Christow
12. Efford
13. Diocese of Exeter
14. B roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme
15. A381 road
16. List of civil parishes in Devon
17. Devon heraldry
18. Robert Bastard
19. High Sheriff of Devon
20. List of schools in Devon