Editing Combe Martin (section)

==History==
{{See also|Manor of Combe Martin}}
[[File:Church of St Peter, Combe Martin.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|left| [[Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Combe Martin|Church of St Peter ad Vincula]]]] 
Evidence of Iron Age occupation includes the nearby [[Newberry Castle]] fort.
The [[Toponymy|toponym]] "Combe" is derived from [[Old English]] ''cumb'' meaning "wooded valley". It derives ultimately from the same [[Brittonic languages|Brythonic]] source as the Welsh cwm,Cornish ''kom'' also of the same meaning. The name was recorded as ''Comer'' in 1128.

The 'Martin' suffix on the place name is from the name of the [[FitzMartin]] family, [[English feudal barony|feudal barons]] of [[Barnstaple]], from which large barony the [[Manorialism|manor]] of Combe was held. The FitzMartins held the barony following the marriage of Nicholas FitzMartin (d.1260) to Maud de Tracy, heiress of the barony of Barnstaple, until the death of his grandson William II FitzMartin in 1326 who left his two sisters co-heiresses.<ref>Sanders, English Baronies, Oxford, 1960, p.104, Barnstaple</ref>

There are several disused silver mines on the eastern ridge and evidence of tunnels can still be seen, as well as the remains of a wheelhouse used to lift ore from the mine. There are items in the [[Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom|Crown Jewels]] made from Combe Martin silver and a large part of the war expenses of [[Edward III of England|Edward III]] and [[Henry V of England|Henry V]] were paid for by the sale of silver mined here.

The unusual dedication of the [[parish church]] [[Church of St Peter ad Vincula, Combe Martin|St Peter ad Vincula]] to [[Liberation of Saint Peter|St Peter ad Vincula]] (''"St. Peter in Chains"'') is derived from the ancient [[Basilica]] of [[San Pietro in Vincoli]] in Rome.

One of the village's unusual features is the [[Pack o' Cards]] [[public house]] built around 1700 by George Ley. Reputed to have been funded by his gambling successes, it originally had 52 windows, 13 rooms and four floors (matching the numbers from a [[playing card|pack of cards]]).

In the 19th century, the village name was spelt as Combmartin.<ref>[https://www.combemartinvillage.co.uk/introduction-to-combe-martin Introduction to Combe Martin]. Combe Martin Village. Accessed 12 January 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/11375064:61265 Combmartin Silver Lead Mining co.]. 1865 London Directory. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription 12 January 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/108579:3997 Edward Cridge]. Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription 12 January 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8978/images/DEVHO107_202_204-0553 1841 Census: Combmartin Page 2 of 13]. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription 12 January 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/6898651:8860 1851 England Census, Combmartin, Devon, England Page 3 of 28]. Accessed 12 Jan 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/24240294:8767 1861 Census: Combmartin Page 17 of 28]. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription 12 January 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/538424:7619 1871 Census: Combmartin Page 12 of 21]. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription 12 January 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3542123:7572 1881 Census: Combmartin Page 12 of 22]. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription 12 January 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2765044:6598 1891 Census: Combmartin Page 11 of 19]. Accessed via ancestry.com paid subscription 12 January 2024.</ref>