West Alvington

West Alvington is a village and civil parish on the outskirts of Kingsbridge in South Hams, Devon on the A381 road. In 2021 the parish had a population of 606. The appropriate electoral ward is called Westville and Alvington. Its population at the 2011 census was 2,042.^[1] It has a primary school and is about a 10-minute walk from the centre of Kingsbridge.

West Alvington
All Saints, West Alvington
West Alvington Location within Devon
Population	606 (2021 census)
Civil parish	West Alvington
District	South Hams
Shire county	Devon
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
List of places UK England Devon 50°16′N 3°49′W

History

It was originally part of the manor of Bowringsleigh, which took its name from the Bowring family, who were lords of the manor from about 1330 to the early sixteenth century. At one time, Alvington was part of the Royal Estates;^[2] the town of Kingsbridge formed around a bridge which was built in or before the 10th century between the royal estates of Alvington, to the west, and Chillington, to the east, hence giving it the name of Kyngysbrygge ("King's bridge").

Notable residents

• Thomas Bowring of Bowringsleigh (died 1504), Lord Chief Justice of Ireland and the principal local landowner.^[3]
• Robert Bowring (died 1514) eldest son of Thomas, MP for Plymouth.