Copplestone

Copplestone (anciently Copleston, Coplestone etc.) is a village, former manor and civil parish in Mid Devon in the English county of Devon. It is not an ecclesiastical parish as it has no church of its own, which reflects its status as a relatively recent settlement which grew up around the ancient "Copleston Cross" (see below) which stands at the junction of the three ancient ecclesiastical parishes of Colebrooke, Crediton and Down St Mary. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 894, increasing to 1,253 at the 2011 census. It is situated right in the middle of Devon half way between Exeter and Barnstaple on the A377, nestled in a valley. Copplestone is a major part of the Yeo electoral ward whose total ward population was 3,488 at the above census. The Tarka Line railway comes through the middle of the village and calls at Copplestone railway station. Copplestone is surrounded by hills and is not far from Dartmoor, visible to the east and Exmoor to the north, a little farther away. The surrounding countryside has been used for agriculture from before Roman occupation of the area.