Week St Mary is an essentially linear settlement about 7 miles (11km) South-West of Bude and situated North-West of Launceston and reached by narrow lanes from all directions.. It is set high up on rolling hills and the surrounding area of farmland can be seen particularly from the main squares and through slots between dwellings.
"Week" is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for diary farm or village and the village was originally known as St Mary Week.
Near the village to the North-East, the earthworks remain from one of the Castles originally owned by one of the Barons of Cornwall - this is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Another earthwork is within Swannacott Wood to the North-East of the village.
The Church is of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Centuries - various additions being built as prosperity increased. The village appeared to be thriving in the medieval times as a market town and it was in the early 16th Century that the College building just to the South of the Lower Square was founded and this, in turn, generated more trade for the village. However, following the reformation in the mid 16th Century, the school was moved to Launceston because it was felt that the village and school were too remote. The village suffered from this and the village has varied in population at different times through its history since then.
The old maps and even the more up-to-date ones stil show the ancient field patterns bordering both sides of the principal North to South road of the settlement and these important landscape features to be retained and as such those on the South-West fringe of the village have been included in the Conservation Area.
There has been a strong Christian influence in the village which is still evident by the continuing existence of the Methodist Chapel (former Bible Christian Chapel) as well as alongside the Anglican Church. John Wesley, in the mid 18th Century, preached many times in the village to a large congregation who had gathered from miles around.
More recently there has been steady growth in population and the Local Plan regards Week St Mary as a main village, with good facilities, and able to sustain future growth. The current population is approximately 500 and the village is increasing in popularity.
There is a good range of amenities - a Post Office and Store. A gallery and village hall, but no local school. Although the postal address is Holsworthy, Devon the village is in Cornwall.
This community has its own website through which you can find out about local information and how your local council is working for you.
To find out more please click on the link below.
http://www.weekstmaryvillage.co.uk