Villages of the SOUTH HAMS
( Transcribed from
William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Devonshire 1850)
AVETON GIFFORD
AVETON GIFFORD is a neat village, pleasantly situated in the picturesque
valley of the river Aven, 3½ miles N.W. of Kingsbridge, and S.E. of Modbury.
Its parish contains 1057 souls, and 3952A. 2R. 39P. of fertile land, including
the small hamlets of Ashford, Lixton, Waterhead, and many scattered houses.
The river is crossed by a good bridge, and is navigable for barges, and has
a salmon fishery belonging to Mr. Bastard and Mr. Lowe. The manor was anciently
held by the Giffards or Giffords, and afterwards passed to the Dynham, Prous,
Mules, Damarell, and Berry families. It now belongs to E. R. P. Bastard, Esq.
: but here is a small manor called Heathfield, belonging to P. Hyne, Esq., and
the Barton estate belongs to J. M. Woollcombe, Esq. Part of this parish belongs
to several smaller owners. A market and two fairs were granted to the lord of
the manor in 1289, but they have been obsolete some centuries. The Church (St.
Andrew,) is a large cruciform structure, in the early English style of the time
of Henry III. Its tower contains six bells, and is crowned by a lofty circular
turret. It is one of the finest and oldest churches in South Devon, and the
interior would have a very handsome appearance if the mouldings, columns, capitals,
&c., were cleansed of their many coats of whitewash. The rectory, valued
in K.B. at £38. 1s. 8d., and in 1831 at £662, is in the patronage and incumbency
of the Rev. W. P. Pitman, M.A. who has 97A. 1R. 38P. of glebe, and a large and
handsome residence in the Elizabethan style, erected in 1849, and having tasteful
grounds. The Baptists, Wesleyans and Bible Christians, have small chapels here.
There are 2A. of land, and several tenements and rent-charges, given by Peter
Bateman and others, in the reign of Elizabeth, for the repairs of the church,
and now producing £6. 8s. 10d. per annum, exclusive of fines. The poor have 8s. 4d. yearly, left by Mary Magdelene and John
Elliott, and the interest of £20, left by John Horswell in 1711, and vested
with the churchwardens in 1784.
BIGBURY
BIGBURY, a small village on the west side of the Aven valley, about 1½
miles from Bigbury Bay, and 3½ miles S. of Modbury, has in its parish 652 souls,
and 2902A. 2R. 20P. of land. It includes many scattered houses, and a hamlet
called St. Ann's Chapel. The manor was held for nine generations by a family
of its own name, and afterwards passed to the Champernownes, Willoughbys, and
Pawlets. It now belongs to the Duke of Cleveland and the Countess Dowager of
Sandwich, who are also patrons of the rectory, but part of the parish belongs
to W. L. Prettejohn and several smaller owners. The rectory, valued in K.B.
at £28. 7s. 11d., and in 1831 at £688, is in the incumbency of the Rev. Terence
Livingston, who has 99A. 2R. 39p. of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1843
for £500 per annum. The Church (St. Lawrence,) is an ancient structure, in the
perpendicular style, with a tower containing five bells, and crowned by a spire.
Its pulpit was formerly in Ashburton church, and is finely carved. Here is a
small Baptist Chapel. The poor parishioners have the interest of £25, left by
a Mr. Lee and a Mr. Lome.
HOLBETON
"HOLBETON, a large straggling village, on an eminence, west of the Erme
estuary, and four miles S.W. by W. of Modbury, has in its parish 1120 souls,
and 4623 acres of land, extending to Bigbury Bay, and including the hamlets
of Mothecombe, Creacombe, and Ford, and many scattered farmhouses, &c. Lime
is burnt here, and barges of 70 tons come up the estuary. Lady Eliz. Bulteel,
(daughter of Earl Grey, and a relict of the late J.C. Bulteel Esq.,) is lady
of the manor, and has a large and elegant mansion here, called Flete House,
which was long the seat of the ancient family of Hele, one of whom was created
a baronet in 1627. This branch of the family became extinct in 1716, when the
estate passed to the Bulteels. Membland Hall, the seat of Robert Robertson,
Esq., formerly belonged to the Rev. Sir Pp. Perring, Bart., and was the occasional
residence of his family, one of whom, Sir John Perring, was Lord Mayor of London
in 1803, and was created a baronet in 1808. His uncle purchased the estate of
the Bulteels, and rebuilt the house. Rd. Holland, Esq., the Rev. W.J. Pinwill,
and several smaller owners, have estates in the parish. The Church (All Saints,)
is a large and handsome cruciform structure, with a tower, containing six bells,
and crowned by a spire. It is mostly in the early perpendicular style, and in
the south aisle is a canopied monument, with a recumbent effigy of one of the
Heles, and several kneeling figures. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £24. 1s.
8d., and in 1831 at £300, is in the patronage of the crown, and incumbency of
the Rev. Courtenay Bulteel, who has 3A. 1R. 36P. of glebe, and an ancient residence."
SOUTH HUISH
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
curacy is annexed to the vicarage of West Alvington, and the tithes were commuted
in 1840, the vicarial for £90, and the rectorial for £260 per annum. The latter
belong to the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury, but are leased to W. R. Ilbert,
Esq. At Galmpton is a small chapel and school, belonging to the Plymouth Brethren.
The church has 16s. yearly from the churchwardens of Aveton-Gifford, but the
donor is unknown.
SOUTH MILTON
MILTON, (SOUTH) a small village, in a deep fertile valley, 3 miles S.W.
of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 475 souls, and 1556A. 3R. 11P. of land, including
Upton and Sutton hamlets. Mrs. Prideaux is lady of the manor, but a great part
of the parish belongs to W. R. Ilbert, Esq., of Horsewell House, a large and
neat mansion, formerly the seat of the Roopes, from whom it passed to the Ilberts.
Holwell belongs to Mrs. Gilbert and the Rev. E. Reed and the Earl of Devon have
small estates here. The Church is a handsome structure, of perpendicular architecture,
with a lofty embattled tower, containing six bells. The benefice is annexed
to the vicarage of West Alvington, and the tithes were commuted in 1839, the
vicarial for £128. 4s., and the rectorial for £219. 1s. W. R. Ilbert, Esq.,
is lessee of the latter, under the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury. The Parish
Lands, &c., comprises 7 acres, and 4 cottages, let for £15. 6s., applied
to the use of the church and poor.
THURLESTONE
THURLESTONE, 4½ miles W.S.W. of Kingsbridge, is a small scattered village,
on rising ground, near the beach of Bigbury Bay. Its parish contains 437 souls,
and 1768 acres of fertile land, including the hamlets of Buckland, Avenmouth,
and Bantham, the latter of which is a small fishing village, with fine sands,
and a salmon pool and harbour for barges. The Earl of Devon is lord of the manor,
but part of the parish belongs to several smaller freeholders. The river Aven
bounds the parish on the north, and the Bay on the west. On the coast is a remarkable
arched rock, through which boats have sailed. It has for centuries braved the
foaming surge: hence the proverb, "Brave every shock, Like Thurlestone Rock."
It is of the red conglomerate formation. Clannacombe, a large Elizabethan mansion,
which has been modernised, is the seat of H. R. Square, Esq. The Church is an
ancient structure, with a tower and five bells. The pulpit is finely carved,
and partly composed of elegant pannels taken from the screen. The rectory, valued
in K.B. at £25. 10s., and in 1831 at £383, is in the patronage of Sir. J. B.
Y. Buller, Bart., and incumbency of the Rev. P. A. Ilbert, M.A., who has 36A.
of glebe, and a large and handsome residence, erected by himself. The parish
school, established in 1844, is supported by the rector.
WEST ALVINGTON
ALVINGTON, (WEST) or West Allington, is a small scattered village, 1½
mile S.W. of Kingsbridge, but its parish extends four miles southward, and includes
998 souls, 4020 acres of land, part of Malborough village, and the hamlets of
Woolston, Easton, Sorley, and Bawcombe, on the western side of the estuary and
creeks, extending from the English Channel to Kingsbridge. The manors and owners
are, Woolston and Oldaway, Duke of Cleveland; West Alvington, W. R. Ilbert,
Esq.; and Woodhouse, Mr. J. Hingston; but a great part of this parish is freehold,
belonging to the Bastard, Luscombe, Walker, and other families. Combe Royal,
one mile N. of Kingsbridge, is the large and elegant seat of John Luscombe,
Esq., whose family purchased it in 1736 of the Gilberts, who had long been seated
there. Gerston, now occupied by a farmer, is the property, and was, till recently,
the seat of the Bastards, of Kitley. Bowring's-leigh, a large and ancient Tudor
mansion, now a farm-house, was long a seat of the Bowrings, and afterwards of
the Ilberts. It still belongs to the latter, and retains some beautiful ceilings,
&c., but its chapel was burnt down a few years ago. The fragments of an
urn were found in 1818, in a tumulus at Sorley. John de Besill, then lord of
the manor of West Alvington, had a grant for a market and fair, in 1270, but
they were obsolete some centuries ago. On the front of Addlehole farm-house
is a large vine, which has produced a ton of grapes in a season. The Church
(All Saints,) is an ancient structure, with a fine embattled tower, and some
memorials of the Bastard and Holditch families. In the chancel is an elaborately
carved Easter sepulchre. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £62. 16s. 10½d., and
in 1831 at £685, with those of South Huish, Malborough, and South Milton annexed
to it, is in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury, and incumbency
of the Rev. O. Macdonald, who has a good residence. The tithes of this parish
were commuted in 1839, - the vicarial for £330. 2s., and the rectorial for £555.
8s. 3d. W. R. Ilbert, Esq., is lessee of the latter under the patrons. Four
cottages have long been vested for the repairs of the church. The poor have
the dividends of £250, three per cent. consols, purchased in 1794, with money
given by Cath. Ilbert, and other donors.
Go to the main web page of Bob Harris (Harris from Devon and the Channel Islands)