Parish Of Kenn
The history of
the parish dates back almost two millennia to
the time of the Romans' arrival (55BC - 400 AD)
when they built a network of military roads
throughout Britain including a section over
Haldon Hill, to link Exeter with Totnes and on
into Cornwall.
Wherever there is
water and a fresh clean stream, people gather to
live along its banks and by the time of the
DOMESDAY BOOK (1058 AD),it was recorded that a
Saxon named Brismer owned the Manor Kenn until
1066 AD when it was confiscated by William the
Conqueror and joined with the Barony of
Okehampton to be ceded to a loyal Norman knight,
Baldwin de Bron.
The 'Happy
Valley' of Kenn, as it has been called, as seen
from the top of the old quarry above Kennford,
or the opposite heights of Haldon, contains
within it one of the many beautiful villages in
Devon, with its old thatched houses and cob
walls, its orchards covered with pink and white
blossoms, or its fields crowned with golden
coronets of ripened corn.
