https://www.colebrooke.org/tags/colebrooke-name/Historical stories and records from Colebrooke, Coleford & Penstone in Devonen-UShttps://www.colebrooke.org/blog/2026/10/why-is-colebrooke-called-colebrooke/https://www.colebrooke.org/blog/2026/10/why-is-colebrooke-called-colebrooke/Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000Why Is Colebrooke Called Colebrooke? The History Behind the Name The name Colebrooke does not appear in the Domesday Book. A similar name, Colebrucca, refers to an area near Cullompton, but not to Colebrooke itself. At the time of the Domesday survey, the lands later known as Colebrooke would have formed the western part of the extensive Manor of Crediton. Colebrooke in Medieval History The first recorded reference to Colebrooke is said to occur in a letter written by Bishop Bartholomew of Exeter to King Henry II, around 1170. The bishop complained about the actions of Alexander de Colebrooke, a knight believed to have lived at Horwell, who was attempting to wrest the benefice of the manor of Colebrooke from the bishop’s control.