by Alan Quick

COPPLESTONE, as a civil parish, was formed in 1992 after a long campaign by the residents of the village and area, fuelled by the passion of those at the time who believed that the people of Copplestone wanted to be a parish in their own right.

To mark 25 years since the formation of the parish, the Parish Council, has installed a boundary stone at the edge of the parish, off the A377, at Quarry Foot Cross.

David Brassington, the village parish paths co-ordinator and a former Copplestone Parish Councillor, suggested to the council that a boundary stone would be a good idea.

He explained: “I was one of the first parish councillors when the parish was established.

“When we were doing the beating of the bounds recently, a circuit of 8.5 miles, we found we had no boundary stone.

“I raised it with the council and thanks to the generosity of local farmer Roger Pennington, who donated an old granite gate post, we were able to use that.”

Stuart Penny, chairman, Copplestone Parish Council, explained that F. J. Stevens and Son, memorial masons of Crediton, was chosen to create the boundary stone and he praised the finished result.

He said: “Twenty-five years have passed and the Parish Council is still there working on behalf of the community. 

“The Parish Council is therefore pleased to acknowledge this passing of time and installing the boundary stone is the perfect way to do this.”

Simon Stevens said that the granite post had originally come from Blackinstone Quarry at Moretonhampstead.

He said that a front panel was worked down and lettering engraved into it.

Mr Penny added that the boundary stone “had exceeded our expectations”.

Mr Brassington added that tradition has it that a young person usually has their head knocked on a boundary stone during a beating of the bounds ceremony, warning local youngsters of what was to come!