South Pool

South Pool is a village, parish and former manor in South Hams, Devon, England. It is situated 3 1/2 miles south-east of the town of Kingsbridge and 2 1/2 miles north-east of Salcombe. It is administered by the South Hams local authority. Historically it formed part of Coleridge Hundred. It falls within Woodleigh Deanery^[1] for ecclesiastical purposes. The village is in an area of outstanding natural beauty at the head of South Pool creek.

South Pool
Parish Church of St Nicholas and St Cyriacus, South Pool
South Pool Location within Devon
Population	137 (2021 census)
Civil parish	South Pool
District	South Hams
Shire county	Devon
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
List of places UK England Devon 50°14′53″N 3°43′17″W / 50.2480°N 3.7214°W / 50.2480; -3.7214

Population

The population was 412 in 1801 and 296 in 1901.^{[2] [citation needed]} Population of 137 in 2021. In 1641/2 96 adult males signed the Protestation returns.^{[citation needed]}

Village

The parish church is dedicated to St Nicholas and St Cyriac. The public house is called The Millbrook Inn.

Transport

The nearest transport links are at Frogmore (service 3 between Plymouth and Dartmouth), Kingsbridge (service 164 to Totnes, service 606 to Salcolmbe) and Totnes (train services to/from London Paddington/Plymouth/Penzance/Bristol/Birmingham and the north). Kingsbridge is the nearest town and has a wide selection of shops, including two supermarkets (Morrisons and Tesco).

Local places of interest

Local places of interest are Dartmouth, Salcombe harbour and the creeks towards Kingsbridge and South Pool, the coast path between Bolt Tail, Bolt Head, Prawle Point, Start Point. Salcombe is renowned for sailing, racing taking place regularly, plus a summer regatta. There are many pleasant beaches along this section of the coast path. Slapton Lea near Torcross is a nature reserve. The Start Bay Inn at Torcross is well-known for fish and chips. Other pubs in the area are The Globe Inn (Frogmore), Ashburton Arms (West Charleton), The Pigs Nose (East Prawle), The Cricket Inn (Beesands), The Tradesman Arms (Stokenham).

Southpool was rated as among the "20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland" by Condé Nast Traveler in 2020.^[3]

Historic estates

The parish contains various historic estates including:

 

Scoble, viewed from the east

• Scoble (anciently Scobbahull), about 1 mile west of the village, anciently the seat of the de Scobbahull (alias Scobhill, Scobhul, Scobbhull, etc.,) family,^[4] whose heir was the Speccot family, of Speccot in the parish of Merton, Devon.

Notable people

• Leonard Darr MP. Resident from 1602 until his death in March 1615.^[5]

References

1. The Deaneries are used to arrange the typescript Church Notes of B.F.Cresswell which are held in the Westcountry Studies Library.
2. Figures for other years are available on the local studies website
3. "THE 20 MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN THE UK AND IRELAND, 20 October 2020". Retrieved 14 March 2021.
4. Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.289
5. "DARR, Leonard (c.1554-1615), of Totnes afterwards of South Pool, Devon. - History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 13 June 2021.