Cullompton

Cullompton is a town and civil parish in Mid Devon, Devon, England. In 2010 there were 8,639 people living in Cullompton. It is also near Cullompton Services, on the M5 motorway.

 How the town got its name and spelling 
There are two ideas about how the town got its name. The first idea is that its name means farm near the River Culm and that the name Culm means twisted, because the river has lots of bends  The second idea is that it is named after Saint Columba of Tir-de-Glas who some people think came to Cullompton in 549 AD.

In the past there were 40 different ways to spell Cullompton. In the nineteenth century people used 3 different spellings. The Royal Mail who delivered letters, spelt it Cullompton. The first map made by the Ordnance Survey called it Cullumpton. The railway station sign said Collumpton. By 1889 almost everyone agreed to spell it Cullompton.. This book tells you more about the different ideas people had on the correct way to spell Cullompton. It contains some letters published in the local papers and other documents. 

People who live in the town and like it call it Cully.The Book of Cullompton, 2001, p. 9

 History 
A Roman fort was built on St Andrew's Hill above the town. This was later replaced by a second fort. Pottery which was made between 50 and 70 AD was found in the field where the forts were. Some more pottery was found in the middle of Cullompton. This was not as old as the pottery from the fort and was made in the second and third centuries.

The first written record of Cullompton is in the will of the English King Alfred the Great.

 Other websites 
 http://www.cullompton.org/ 

 References 

Category:Civil parishes in Devon
Category:Towns in Devon
Category:Mid Devon