Stratton
Stratton is an ancient market town, situated near the coastal town of Bude, Cornwall. It probably gets it's name from Stratneat, meaning 'flat bottomed valley of the River Neat' although some historians have argued that Stratton actually gets its name from being a ' settlement on the road'; the specific road being Roman in origin. However, this has not been confirmed by any supporting physical evidence.
Stratton dates back at least to Anglo-Saxon times, and gave its name to one of the nine Cornish Hundreds, units of administration, justice and taxation, thereby confirming its major importance in North Cornwall. It is mentioned in King Alfred's will of c 880 and in the Domesday survey of 1087 which also confirms its standing in pre-Norman times. The town continued to be an important and significant centre throughout the Middle Ages, particularly noted for its leather and agricultural trades as well as being famed for its abundance of local wild garlic which was used to make medicines.
The village triangle from which small streets issue with their small rows of cottages. The church is on the right of the picture.
Stratton only began to lose its local pre-eminence from the mid-19th century onwards with the growth of its larger neighbour Bude, a coastal harbour for shipping and later a seaside town benefitting from the coming of the railway. Stratton remains today a quiet and interesting old town to discover.
The parish church of St. Andrews is a fine example of Norman architecture, added to over the centuries and is probably built on the site of an Anglo-Saxon church.
The picture shows a part of the beautiful Rood Screen in the background and in the foreground is the Norman Font. The picture is from the St Andrew’s Church Guide Book.
The church should be visited to see all its historical imagery and artefacts.
A walk around the village is also a must for is small streets and old cottages.