Bishop’s Nympton

Bishop’s Nympton, King’s Nympton, George Nympton, as well as several Nymets, all take the Nympton or Nymet element of their names from the River Yeo, which in Saxon and earlier times was known as the Nymet, meaning river at a holy place. Bishop’s Nympton has a long sloping main street, lined with thatched cottages, and a 15th-century church whose lofty, well-proportioned tower is considered one of the most beautiful in Devon. For many years the church had a stained glass window erected in Tudor times at the expense of Lady Pollard, wife of Sir Lewis, an eminent judge and leading resident of the village. Sir Lewis told the author of The Worthies of Devon, John Prince, that he was away on business in London at the time and the details of the window’s design were entrusted to his wife. At the time Sir Lewis left for town, he and his wife already had 21 children, 11 sons and 10 daughters. “But his lady caused one more child than she then had to be set there: presuming that, usually conceiving at her husband’s coming home, she should have another. Which, inserted in expectation, came to pass in reality”. The oddest thing about the story is that Lady Pollard not only correctly predicted the forthcoming child, but also its sex.