Devonshire England

1850 Gazetteer of Dartington England

DARTINGTON parish, from one to three miles N.E. of Totnes, contains 603 souls, and 3284A. 3R. of land, on the south-western side of the fertile and picturesque valley of the Dart, and includes the small hamlets of Wick, Venton, Brooking, Staple, and many scattered houses. It was anciently the seat of a baronry, which belonged successively to the Falesia, Tours, Martyn, Audley, Vere, Holland, and other families. Henry Champernowne, Esq., owns two-thirds of the parish, and is lord of the manor. His seat, Dartington House, has been the residence of his family for many generations, and was an extensive building, … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Marldon England

MARLDON, a small village, 5 miles E.N.E. of Totnes, has in its parish 470 souls, and 2254 acres of land, including the village of Compton, a mile N. by W. of the church. Parkfield House is the pleasant seat of Francis Garrett, Esq., who owns a great part of the parish, and, a few years ago, purchased the ancient mansion called Compton Castle, now occupied by his gardener. This castellated house was the seat of Sir Maurice de Pole, in the reign of Henry II., and it was afterwards held by the Comptons, Gilberts, and Templers. The manor of Stanton … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Brixton England

BRIXTON, a pleasant village, 4½ miles E. of Plymouth, has in its parish 822 souls, and 2865 acres of fertile land, bounded on the south-east by the Yealm estuary, and including the small hamlets of Spriddleston, Hareston, Winston, and Coombe. The manor of Brixton, anciently called Briticheston, was long held by a family of its own name, but after passing to various other families, it was dismembered many years ago. T. W. Parrott, Esq., is lord of the manor of Hareston, which he derived from the Winters. This manor was successively held by the Reynald, Hareston, Silverlock, and Wood families; … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Shaugh Prior England

SHAUGH PRIOR is a large parish of scattered farm houses, &c., in the valley of the river Plym, and among the hills and dales at the south end of Dartmouth(sic) Forest, extending from 7 to 10 miles N.N.E. of Plymouth. Near Shaugh Bridge, on the Plym, the Dewerstone rock rears its beetling crags in majestic altitude above the channel of the Cad rivulet; and in the vicinity are other granite tors. This neighbourhood is often visited by anglers and the lovers of picturesque scenery. Revels are held here at Easter and Whitsuntide. Th parish contains souls 698 souls and 7170 … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Dittisham England

DITTISHAM, a pleasant scattered village, on the western bank of the estuary of the Dart, 3 miles N. N. W. of Dartmouth, has in its parish 917 inhabitants, and 3089 acres of land, rising boldly from the valley, and including Capton hamlet. Sir H. P. Seale is lord of the manor of Bosom Zeal; but that of Dittisham Wales belongs to the rectory. H. Studdy, W. Roope, G. Holdsworth, and P. Soper, Esqrs., and several smaller owners, have estates here, mostly freehold. Dittisham manor is dismembered, and was held by Baldwin de Bionüs, under the Bishop of Exeter, at Domesday … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Woodleigh England

WOODLEIGH, which gives name to a deanery, is a small village, in a healthy and elevated situation, on the east side of the Aven valley, 3½ miles N. of Kingsbridge. Its parish contains 269 souls, and 2319 acres of land, including the hamlets of Priston and Hendham. The manor belonged at an early period to the Damarells, but it now belongs – 3/8ths to J. B. Swete, Esq., 1/8th to the heirs of F. Wise, Esq., ¼ to the heirs of Mrs. S. Edmonds, and ¼ to the heirs of Mrs. E. Netherton. the chief owners of the soil are … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Rattery England

RATTERY, or Rattrey, a small village on an eminence, four miles W. by N. of Totnes, has in its parish 485 souls, and 2823A. 3R. 23P. of land. Marley House, a large and handsome stuccoed mansion, with a fine lawn, is the residence of the Dowager Lady Carew, who is daughter and heiress of the late Walter Palk, Esq., and carried the manor of Rattery and other estates to the late Sir Henry Carew, Bart. Her eldest son Sir W. P. Carew, is now lord of the manor, but part of the soil belongs to R. Brown, Esq., and a … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Stoke-Gabriel England

STOKE-GABRIEL, 3½ miles S.E. of Totnes, is a neat village picturesquely scattered on the east bank of the estuary of the Dart, where a small creek projects about a mile eastward, and by being dammed up is made to turn the wheel of a tidal corn mill. Its parish contains 691 inhabitants, and 2595A. of land, fertile and well-wooded, and rising boldly from the Dart and the creek. It has several handsome mansions, and the small hamlets, &c., of Ash, Watton, and Portbridge. Henry Studdy, Esq., of Watton Court, a handsome modern Elizebethan mansion, is lord of the manor of … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Ashprington England

ASHPRINGTON, or Ashpreignton, is a small neat village, picturesquely seated on a gentle slope, near the confluence of the river Harbourn with the estaury of the Dart, 2½ miles S.E. of Totnes. Its parish contains 588 souls, and 2644 acres of fertile land, including the hamlets of Washbourn and Yeatson and part of Tuckenhay, where there is a large paper mill, a corn mill, and quarries of hard stone, of which great quantities are exported in vessels of 160 tons, to London, &c., for Macadamizing roads. Richard Durant, Esq., owns a great part of the parish, and is lord of … Read more

Biography of Joseph Holman

JOSEPH HOLMAN. – This pioneer of the North Pacific was born in Devonshire, England, in 1817, and came to the United States when nineteen years of age. Three years later he was at Peoria, Illinois, at which place he listened to a lecture on Oregon by Reverend Jason Lee, and was one of the party organized to cross the plains which left early in the spring of 1839, reaching the Willamette after fourteen months of travel, toil, hardships and privation. Many of the incidents of his trip are mentioned in the biographical sketch of Francis Fletcher in this book, he … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Totnes England

TOTNES, an ancient borough and market town, which retains some portions of its once formidable castle, and gives name to an archdeaconry and deanery, to a large union, and to county court and polling districts; is picturesquely seated on the western bank of the navigable river Dart, opposite the suburb of Bridgetown, 10 miles N.W. by W. of Dartmouth, 22 miles S. by W. of Exeter, 22 miles E. by N. of Plymouth, 9 miles W.S.W. of Torquay, and 194 miles W.S.W. of London. It has a station on the South Devon Railway. The Dart is navigable to it for … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Newton Ferrers England

NEWTON FERRERS is a pleasant scattered village, on rising ground, at the head of a small creek from the estuary of the Yealm, 7 miles S.E. by E. of Plymouth, and 2 miles from the sea-coast. Its parish contains 778 souls, and 2991 acres of land, extending two miles northward along the east side of the estuary, and including the small hamlet of Torr, and a number of scattered farms. There are oyster-beds in the estuary, belonging to companies in London and Southampton; and a variety of other fish are taken here. The manor of Newton anciently belonged to the … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Churchstow England

CHURCHSTOW, a small village on an eminence, 2 miles N.W. of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 542 souls, and 1877 acres of land, including the small hamlet of Venn and Kingsbridge Union Workhouse, as afterwards noticed. P. S. Lowe, Esq., is lord of the manor, formerly belonging to the Petres, and has a pleasant here called White Hall; but part of the parish belongs to John Savery, Esq., and a few smaller freeholders. Ley or Leigh is an ancient house, formerly belonging to the Hayes, Aldhams, and Bickfords. The Church (St. Mary,) has a lofty tower and four bells, and … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Stokenham England

STOKENHAM, or Stockingham, a small pleasant village, 5½miles E. by S. of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 1619 inhabitants, and 5920 acres of land, including six villages, extending 4 miles along the picturesque shore of Start Bay, of which the following are the names and population :- Chillington, 325 ; Beeson, 106 ; Beesands, 104 ; Halsands, 128 ; Kellaton, or Kellington, 105 ; and Torcross, 192. several of them are fishing villages, noted for fine crabs, which are in high repute in London. The parish extends southward to Start Point, where there is a lighthouse. It includes also the … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Diptford England

DIPTFORD, a small village, on rising ground, in the vale of the river Avon, 5½ miles W.S.W. of Totnes, has in its parish 755 souls, and 4144A. 3R. 15P. of land, including many scattered farm-houses, and lying in several manors. The Rev. W.C. Johnson is lord of the manor of Diptford, formerly held by the Boteler, Courtenay, Fitzcourt, Mules, Sture, and Taylor families. The heiress of the latter married the present owner. The manor of Bendley and the barton of Stert belong to Mr. Henry Weeks, and were long the property and seat of the Heles. Diptford Court is the … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of South Huish England

HUISH, (SOUTH) a parish of scattered houses, from 4 to 5 miles S.W. of Kingsbridge, has 368 souls, and 1150A. 2R. 14P. of land, bounded by the beach of Bigbury Bay, and including the hamlets of Silverhill, Galmpton, and Hope Cove, the latter of which is a small fishing village, where lodging-houses are about to be erected for the accomodation of sea bathers, by the Earl of Devon, who owns most of the parish, and is lord of the manors. The Church stands in a deep valley, and is an ancient edifice, with a tower and four bells. The perpetual … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Buckfastleigh England

BUCKFASTLEIGH is a large manufacturing village, in two parts, called Higher and Lower Towns, pleasantly seated on the western side of the fertile valley of the river Dart, 2½ miles S. W. by S. of Ashburton. It has about 300 woolcombers, several corn mills, and four blanket and serge mills; but only two of the latter are at present occupied, and give employment to about 400 hands. Its parish had 1525 inhabitants in 1801, 2445 in 1831, and 2576 in 1841; and comprises 4379A. 3R. 35P. of cultivated land, and 1072½ acres of open moorland, on the eastern side of … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Ermington England

ERMINGTON, which gives name to this Hundred, is a small village upon a bold eminence on the west side of the river Erme, encompassed by high hills, 10 miles E. of Plymouth, and 2 miles N.W. of Modbury. Its parish contains 1607 souls, and 4952 acres of land, including many scattered farm-houses, &c., and a large portion of the village of Ivybridge, noticed below. In 1623, a meteoric stone, weighing 23lbs., fell with a great noise from the atmosphere, at Strachleigh, in this parish, and buried itself a yard deep in the ground. A similar stone fell from the heavens … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of Chivelstone England

CHIVELSTONE, a small village, nearly 6 miles S.S.E. of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 591 souls, and 2696 acres of land, extending southward to the romantic sea cliffs between Start and Prawle Points, near Start Bay and the mouth of Kingsbridge or Salcombe haven; and including the fishing village of Prawle, and the hamlets of Ford and South Allington. Prawle has about 312 inhabitants, and a coastguard station; and below the cliffs is a tract of fertile land. Thos.Newman, Esq., is lord of the manor, but a great part of the parish is freehold, belonging to N. Pitts, Esq., and … Read more

1850 Gazetteer of East Allington England

ALLINGTON, (EAST) a pleasant scattered village, four miles N.E. by E. of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 729 souls, and 3500 acres of land, generally having a light fertile soil, and including Combe, Harleston, Yetson, and other scattered farms. W. B. Fortescue, Esq., owns nearly half the parish, and is lord of the manor, and has a handsome seat here, called FALLAPIT HOUSE, where his family has been seated for many generations. The present house is a large and handsome mansion, in the Elizabethan style, erected about 35 years ago, near the old one, an ivy mantled portion of which … Read more