Draft:Tithebarn, East Devon

Tithebarn is a new village being created on the edge of Exeter, in the County of Devon, UK. Though close to Exeter, the new locale belongs to East Devon District Council and resides in the Parish of Broadclyst. In the General Elections of 2024, the area sat under the new Exmouth and Exeter East parliamentary constituency.

Building and groundworks started in 2017. Tithebarn Way Phase Two was officially opened 15th June 2018 by Cllr Caroline Chugg, and residents moved in to the first houses to be built, around Kiln Corner and Shale Row, during the summer of 2018. These houses were part of the Minerva Development by builders Barrett David Wilson. Over the coming years further housing has been built by developers Cavanna Homes on the Equinox Sites and Persimmon on the Ashworth Place and Cherrywood Grange. The area is expected to have around 1500 homes when complete.

In June 2024, Wildlife Devon held a Bio Blitz to count the variety of species found in the Country Park

The area is notable for the environmental considerations given to the design. Wherever possible, the Devon Bank Hedges have been retained to provide homes and corridors for existing wildlife populations, especially bats. Houses have been built with swallow and bat homes included in design and a main feature of the area is the Redhayes Green Corridor which which is a focal point in the layout of the area. The development also includes community orchards and allotment spaces. Heating and hot water are provided to each home through the centralised Monkerton District Heating system run by Eon.

Tithebarn has a large area of recreational country park, with falls within the Clyst Valley Regional Park. This is a re-wilding project extending along the course of the River Clyst, which flows in to the Exe Estuary. The area is a haven for wildlife and during 2024 evidence has been found of Beaver population moving back into the area and exploring the Pinn Brook. Entrance to the Minerva Country Park is via Flint Field Way.

The Topping Out Ceremony for the Tithebarn Green village shop and community space on 30th April 2024. Members of the Parish Council, Planning Officers and the Residents Association Attended

In 2023 residents of the area formed the Tithebarn Residents Association to support the growing community and advocate for its population. The Residents Association meets every two months at the Blackhorse Inn, and all local residents are welcome to come along to find out what is going on in the area and discuss any concerns.

Building work will continue for several years to come. A complex referred to as Tithebarn Green is due to be delivered at the end of 2024. The Topping Out Ceremony for the local shop and a community space, tool place in the rain on 30th April 2024, to mark the completion of the structural work on the building. A piece of yew tree was pinned to the highest point of the building by Cllr Henry Massey, Chair of the Broadclyst Parish Council.

The area takes it name "Tithebarn" from a type of medieval barn which was seen across Northern Europe. Farmers would take their rent (or tithes) to the large barns to be stored. The barns were usually owned by the Church, Monasteries or Councils. Many of these historic tithe-barns can be found across the South West in villages like Dunster, Pilton or Doulting.

Although Tithebarn is a brand new village, and it is transforming the landscape of the area, archaeological excavations have taken place as the building works have started, and these have shown that humans have lived in this area for over 3000 years.

Items which were found in the archeologic digs included a Shale amulet, an Arrow, a Quern, a Buckle and a bracelet or Armlet; as well as flint and amber. Some of the very earliest finds on the Minerva site also included Trevisker style pottery, which dates back to the Bronze Age and is commonly more associated with Cornwall rather than Devon. Evidence of a kiln was found in the dig in the area know named Kiln Corner.

July 2024 saw the arrival of the Flourish and Bott's themed free little library. It is the creation of local artist Corinna Tonberry, and was donated to the area by Broadclsyt Parish Council and Persimmon.

The historic significance of the area has been reflected in the naming of many streets in the area and the Parish Council reviewed the old tithe maps of the area in order to suggest names for the new roads. Elmore's Well was a spring which provided water to the area. Local historian Kathlyn Woodley describes a well with a long pole which used a horse to pump water to a house further up Gipsy Hill up until the early 20th Century.

Stone Barton was the name of an old farm shown on the maps. Barnade, Sharelands and Little Meadow were names of fields on these historic maps and Ford Way is named because this was a crossing point for carts on the Pinn Brook. For the Ashworth Place development, names of farm workers going back to 1840 have been taken for the roads. These include Norrish, Newberry, Channing, Clarke, Stephens and Moore.

Tithebarn's first post box was installed in the first week of May 2023 in the days leading up to the coronation of HRH King Charles III. It is one of the last postboxes to be dedicated to HRH Queen Elizabeth II.

Devon is also famous for its Jurassic Coast and Anning Way was named for the South West fossil hunter Mary Anning.

As the area has grown, further street names have been given in memory of local people who gave their lives in the Great War. These names found on the Broadclyst War Memorial. First World War 1914 - 1919.

• Lance Corporal Harry Garland of the 3rd Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment.
• Lance Corporal William Scott Turner of the 1st Battalion, the Royal West Surrey Regiment.
• Gunner Francis Murch of the Royal Marine Artillery
• Private Samuel Murch of the 2nd Battalion of the Coldstream Guards
• Private Bert Hutchings of the 8th Battalion, the King's Rifles Corps
• Private George Flay of the 1st Battalion, the Royal West Kent Regiment
• Corporal Francis George Selwyn Littleworth of the 72nd Battalion, the Canadian Infantry, born in Clyst Honiton in 1894.
• 2nd Lieutenant Henry Chambers of the 1st Battalion, the Cambridge Regiment.