 Lady Rosalie Chichester of the local land-owning Chichester Family is believed to have been involved in the choice of a name and is known to have travelled extensively in Italy where she may have heard of St Sabinus; she may also have been aware of the Barnstaple connection.The original St Sabinus' Church was a small building known as the "Iron Church" erected about 200 yards up the hill out of Woolacombe.This catered for the increasing numbers of Victorian tourists who were regular visitors to the village and was extended in 1895 to include a chancel.