28 comments

  1. I lost my walking stick on east hill. Westgate area Sat. 13 Jan. . I parked on the side of the road on the sharp bend (the road that comes out by Putts Corner caravan park. ) It has great sentimental value and I can describe it in detail. Fingers crossed someone found it. Thank you.

  2. I have a selection of photos of Gittisham circa. 1890’ish taken when my Great Grandfather used to work as a gardener for Captain Hody and family who resided in Pomeroy House.
    I believe some of these include photos village school children, Capt’ Hody’s family, various villagers and views of the village.

  3. Hello, My sister and I are planning a visit to Gittisham in March in memory of our mum who was evacuated from London to Kings Arms Farm to a Mr and Mrs Coles and then walked to Gittisham for school. We are planning to walk the same route but understand the school is no longer in Gittisham, can anyone please tell me if the building still remains/where in the village it was?
    Very much appreciated if you can help.

  4. Hello, I wonder if anyone knows anything about an old family from Gittisham called Bland (or possibly Blond), probably in the village during the early eighteenth century. I have a chest of drawers from that period with a label underneath that says: ‘For Mrs Bland Gitisham nr Honiton Devon’. It would be interesting to know more!

  5. Beautiful village!

  6. I can’t believe people are having to leave their homes, after living there for years, the new owner must be very heartless. You will have people coming in & snapping up their homes, while the couples who have lived their all their lives won’t be able to afford to stay there either so the youthful people who could have children just can’t afford the houses & will also have to leave the village & look elsewhere. Such an unkind Landlord to do such a thing. I loved living there during my evacuation, & always wanted to come back to live there. Very disappointed

  7. My great grandmother, Lucy Alford (daughter of William Alford and Matilda Hooper) was born in 1869 in Gittisham, as were her brothers and sisters. I have been fortunate (all the way from Wisconsin USA) to visit Gittisham on several occasions, even once enjoying the village autumn festival, and another time a dance/supper at the village hall – as well as church on a Sunday morn. It is a wonderful village, lovely church, and village green with babbling brook. My great great grandmother, Mary Hooper, lived in her later years in a part of Truents; her photo hangs on my wall. How I wish I could tell my grandmothers and mother that I have visited their dear village!

  8. A fascinating and interesting Village set in beautiful Devon. I have recently found the DOMINY’s of your Village, I am a Domoney ( Dominy ) from Dorset back to the 16th Centuary. I now live in West Australia. Your Dominy livfes in New Zealand. Another DOMINY of Gittisham family lives in Vancouver,Canada. We Dominy’s must be linked centuaries ago. As a young fella back in the 1950s and not knowing ancestry i used to visit Gittisham, Ottery st Mary, Exeter and Rew in your area. Very happy memories and now I am old!! now linked to Dominys’ with ancestry similarities. Happy to communicate with any left n the village. CHEERS. Anthony Domoney.
    tonydom75@gmail.com

  9. Visited the village with our son and daughter-in-law to see the place of my ancestors,and origin of my surname. A beautiful place, with a warm welcome, and signs throughout of a caring community. A memory to treasure. Thank you Paul and Gill , and the people of Gittisham, especially the flower lady at the church. Colin is a cousin.

  10. I have been in touch with Helen Hayman, who has been trying to help me find what I’m looking for. But know you are busy on the farm Helen. I kept in touch with Auntie Win all her life, I only managed to get back to the village once I’m sorry to say. I always wanted to come back there to live but unfortunately I never managed to. I loved my life in the country. I remember the Turner Family as we used to play with the children Mary & Nora. They were a lovely family. I can tell you exactly what Auntie Wins garden looked like from the front garden gate onwards. It was a haven of flowers fruit bushes it was lovely. Even a cherry tree up the side of front door. We spent a Christmas with Mrs Bight one year when she had her baby girl.

  11. I was evacuated with my sister Mary 1939, I was 4 & Mary was 7yrs old. For the 1st year we weren’t very happy, then we moved to live with Auntie Win & Uncle Sid Isaac.
    at West Gate. They had only got married 1939. So were a very young couple to take on 2 girls from London. Uncle Sid was in the army but had broken his leg in an accident as he was a dispatch rider. I loved Auntie Win very much, We went to church every Sunday, we also went to school in Gittisham village. I am trying to find out if there any files on exactly where we were evacuated from, as I can only remember the train journey. I know there were others who were billeted in the village it’self. But sadly cannot remember any of their names. Auntie Wins best friend was Mrs Bright.

  12. Robert dominy I lived in gittisham from 1954 to 1973 what agreat place we used to have a great football team one of best around so I h many good friends still living their and still go out there for walks around the lanes I used to live at riverside with mum &dad &brother peter next door was roy& jean bright we had a great childhood their good neighbours bights chowns clarks Abbott’s heaths marks all in all a great place to live hope to come to the fruit & veg show in August so hope to see you then

  13. My great, great Grand Father lived in Gittisham in the early 1800s and raised a family
    of a dozen or so. He was Thomas Hughes a stone mason by trade. His youngest son
    George left the village and eventually made his way to Petersham near Richmond
    Surrey ( as it then was ). Thomas plus other members of the Hughes family are
    buried in the village church. With such a large base ( Thomas’ children) it’s difficult
    to accept they all left the village and went much further afield. Question—are there
    any of the Hughes family still living nearby ? I did visit Gittisham some 20 years ago
    so I am a little familiar. I currently live in Vancouver , Canada. Brian Hughes.

  14. Thankyou to those who have left comments in our book in church and on this site! GIttisham Memories will be held in our hall on the weekend of May 26th/27 th this year, so do visit and enjoy our exhibition , I am always looking for more information to GIttisham’s past , also for photos of any year!

  15. Beautiful village. I was born here and spent all my holidays here. Love the photos. Great memories.

  16. I was born in Gittisham and lived here for sometime with my parents and grandparents. My mother Lilian Grace Hillier was fostered by Jim and Vi Edwards who lived here for many years. She went to school here. I spent all my holidays in Gittisham and loved smelling the bread being baked. I also walked to the milking sheds which was behind the general store, to collect milk/cream. My godparents were Sid & Margaret Marks who lived here for most of their life. Just wish we didn’t live so far away (now in Australia). Love looking at the photos, thank you. My aunt lived up the waterside (as they called it). Went back in 1990 and loved the visit.

  17. I love Gittisham. I was born here and we lived with my nana and grandad for awhile. (Jim & Vi EDWARDS) were my mothers – Lilian Grace HILLIER, foster parents). She went to school there. The house was opposite St Michael’s Church. I spent all my holidays here with them. My godparents were Sid and Margaret MARKS, they lived next door. I loved the smell of the bread being baked, and would walk to the milking shed behind the general store (run by the ‘BOYERS’) for milk/cream.
    My aunt (Grace EDWARDS/Mayne) lived up the waterside (as they called it). We made a trip back in 1990. Just wish it wasn’t so far away (I now live in Australia).
    A few years ago my mother made contact with one of her school friends – Brenda Abbott, they kept in touch until my mum passed away.
    Love looking at the photos, great memories. Thank you.

  18. I love Gittisham. Visited here every year all my life (Dad originally came from Gittisham – went to Gittisham school and also a bell ringer). We still visit family every year and have sadly just been to a funeral for my Uncle Arthur ‘Archie Down’ in the village. Beautiful service and turn out for one special man.
    This has always felt like our second home.
    I do wish the cottages had more flower pots out. Always remember my Grandad Phillips having lovely flowers at the front of his cottage.

  19. Lovely to read visitors connections to our vibrant village , please keep them coming as each year we are holding a ‘ GIttisham Memories’ weekend , – this year will be 13 th & 14 th May in our village hall, so if you can add to our display please contact us!

  20. Some nice old cottages and church. The whole village needs a good clean up lots of junk and old furniture around some cottages and the stream needs a good clean out. The church is a nice quiet place and well looked after. If not for the mess a very picturesque village.

  21. Hello Colin Gitsham if your Gitsham family originate from Broadclyst area I have family tree going back several generations!

  22. Hello to the people of Gitsham, my wife and I came to your village last year so I could find out where my surname originated from. A very warm welcome indeed,very warm greeting. It made my day looking around the village wondering which cottage my ancestor lived. I am coming down in June to Bovey Tracey,and will certainly visit your charming village again. So if you see a Purple Citroen G17SHM I am back.

  23. Hello and thanks for your comments. We are looking for views on whether people with connections to Gittisham would support more affordable housing in the village. Please see this month’s Gittisham Gazette which you can find on the website. It has details of who to get in touch with.

  24. Have spent many weekends and holidays in gittisham as a child, Lots of amazing memories including; welcoming in the new millenium, spending far too much time in the stream and playing 40-40 all over the village:) wonderful memories

  25. My father William Quaintance was born in Gittisham in 1904-when my elder brother and I took our youngest aunt (only one left alive at the time) back to visit in the 1990’s, she said her mum ( our grandmother) had hated the place. My grandfather, Louis Quaintance, was a labourer to a farmer somewheres about. Grandmother used to have to get her daily water from a spring in a hedge by the brook that ran through the village. The eldest son Percy, first went to work as a bootboy at Coombe Grange.It was a private house then. His first purchase when he saved some of his wages, was a meat plate for my Grandmother, which family tradition has he ceremoniously took back when she died.
    My brother and I thought the place was quite magical when we visited it -but then we didn’t have to live there, in all weathers sans mod cons.

  26. Hi,
    Just a few lines to thank all for making the Jurassic Classic event such a pleasure. Everybody was so kind and the food and drink was lovely. I hope we didn’t cause too much disruption.

    Regards,
    Phil.

  27. We visit Gittisham a lot and always enjoy this lovely friendly village where people seem so good at working together. Long may it remain so!

  28. Beautiful village!
    … and the photos do it justice!

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