▁a ▁town ▁as ▁it ▁could ▁do ▁under ▁s . 2 4 5 ( 6 ) ▁of ▁the ▁Local ▁Government ▁Act ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁so ▁it ▁does ▁not ▁have ▁a ▁town ▁council ▁and ▁cannot ▁have ▁a ▁town ▁mayor . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁known ▁inform ally ▁as ▁a ▁" market ▁town ", ▁as ▁from ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 1 9 9 ▁the ▁lord ▁of ▁the ▁man or ▁has ▁held ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁regular ▁market . ▁The ▁village ▁is ▁situated ▁on ▁the ▁A 3 7 9 ▁road , ▁which ▁links ▁it ▁to ▁P ly mouth ▁and ▁Kings bridge . ▁The ▁current ▁parish ▁population ▁is ▁approximately ▁ 1 , 5 0 0 . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁The ▁name ▁Mod bury ▁is ▁a ▁cor ruption ▁of ▁the ▁Ang lo - S ax on ▁name , ▁M oot ▁burg h ▁from ▁' M oot ' ▁meaning ▁either ▁' M ud ' ▁or ▁' me eting ' ▁and ▁' bury ' ▁meaning ▁' fort ified ▁en closure '. ▁ ▁History ▁Mod bury ▁is ▁recorded ▁in ▁the ▁Dom es day ▁Book . ▁It ▁has ▁had ▁permission ▁to ▁hold ▁a ▁week ly ▁fair ▁since ▁before ▁ 1 1 9 9 . ▁The ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁was ▁greatly ▁reduced ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁the ▁Black ▁Death ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century . ▁ ▁Civil ▁war ▁ ▁Mod bury ▁was ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁two ▁batt les ▁in ▁the ▁English ▁Civil ▁War . ▁The ▁first ▁battle ▁was ▁a ▁minor ▁royal ist ▁victory ▁on ▁ 9 ▁December