Shebbear was the third largest settlement recorded in North Devon in the Domesday Book, having 76 households, 20 of which were slaves.

It was later centre of Shebbear Hundred, a historic administrative area comprising the land surrounded on three sides by the River Torridge and the island of Lundy.

A symbolic act of reconciliation was held in 2009 between the Methodist and Anglican communities in Shebbear, after the founding of the Bible Christian Church caused an almost 200 year long religious split.

The Devil's Stone is a large boulder that lies on the village green outside of St Michael's church.

At 8 pm on 5 November each year, residents gather outside St Michael's church to watch the village bellringers turn the Devil's Stone.

As apparent evidence of this, the stone was not turned on the 5th of November one year during the Second World War[8] (either due to blackout measures or to most able-bodied men being enlisted), and after a few days of bad news befalling the village a decision was made to turn the stone anyway.