The latest The Pilton Story story is the execution of one of Pilton’s Curates in 1549 for his part in The Prayer Book Rebellion or Western Rising which took place in Devon and Cornwall. This rebellion was against the religious changes implemented by the government of the 11-year-old King Edward VI. The rebels questioned the religious reforms being pushed through by the king’s advisors and continued to use the Catholic ‘rites and ornaments’. ‘One Sir Richard ——- then curate of the parishe of Pilton‘ was arrested and ‘by the martiall lawes was hanged at Pylton aforesaid for his traytoris & Rebellious factes yn cheynes, to the example of all others.’ He was apparently hanged for his part in the Rebellion and his body was hung in chains and left to rot as an example to others. The full story of his misdemeanours and his resulting terrible end has now been published on The Pilton Story archive by the researcher who followed it up, Wendy Clarke.
The recent application to build houses on the much-loved Manning’s Pit has prompted a great deal of activity in Pilton.