By David E Bell

28 May 2010 (revised 11 January 2016)

I began researching my ancestry in 2000 upon the death of my mother Constance Bell, nee Smith. My father's side originated in Stillingfleet, near York, and is populated mostly with agricultural laborers, with an occasional farmer. My mother's father was born in Ossett from a family of laborers in the rag trade. The only branch that seems to offer any romance begins with my grandmother Lilly Glanville born 1883 in Hull. The Glanville name is alleged to have distinguished Norman origins and in the early 1600's a John Glanville was the Speaker of the House of Commons. Whether or not Lilly is his descendant remains to be seen.

Lilly's father, Richard was born in 1850 in Axmouth Devon. He came to Hull with his father, Thomas, who was in the Coast Guard, and had been transferred (presumably). Richard was a mariner serving on a variety of boats before retiring and running a pub (actually a beer house, called The Ship Inn). Thomas was born about 1813 in Kingsand, a part of Maker, a little town on the Cornwall/Devon border. His father Richard b 1782 and grandfather Edward b 1762 were both born in Maker, almost certainly fishermen (or smugglers or both). Edward's father was Richard b 1735 in Ashburton, Devon.

Establishing this last Richard's ancestry took some time. The "Richard Glanville Mystery" is described elsewhere on this website and was the result of a collaboration with myself, Ray Turner and Barbara Gialousis. Barbara and I continued on trying to solve the "Edward Glanville Mystery" the fruits of which are reported here. Barbara and I share Thomas b 1813 as our closest common ancestor, with Ray it is Richard b 1735.

There is no direct record of Richard, who married Sarah Couch in Plymouth in 1758, as being from Ashburton, but an 1840 will left by one Joanna Adams, nee Glanville, establishes the connection definitively. Richard had grown up in Ashburton, married Mary Halse in 1755 and had a daughter Mary a few months later. His wife died in May 1756 and Richard married Sarah two years later. Sarah was born in Maker which explains how they came to live there, but how he met her we have no idea.

Richard's father, another Richard, was born in 1703/4 in Ashburton. He married an Elizabeth Sainthill in 1722. But which Elizabeth Sainthill? An obvious candidate based on the Ashburton registers is the daughter of Simon Sainthill and Jane Gruit. There is a published family tree of the Sainthills, a distinguished family from Hennock, that says Elizabeth's parents were Thomas Sainthill and Eleanor Dyer. This latter pair owned property in Ashburton, and had a business relationship with a Thomas Glanville ("of Exeter", but which one?), but if Elizabeth is their daughter we can find no record of it, other than the book. Elizabeth did call her eldest son Thomas, however, and there is no reason for her husband to favor that name. A Thomas Glanville ("fuller") sold a building in Ashburton in 1712 (the same year as Edward's lawsuit) and it might be that he had owned it for many years. Perhaps Edward was his son and came to Ashburton to manage the property. Speculating even further perhaps the 1712 sale was precipitated by Edward's involvement in the lawsuit.

Richard's parents were Edward Glanvill and Charity Tinkham, married 1703 in Ashburton. Charity is as much of a mystery as Elizabeth. Again there is an obvious candidate from the registers, since a Charity Tinkham was born in 1682 in Ashburton, daughter of Richard. Another researcher maintains that she was the daughter of Charity Manicom who married a Richard Tincombe in a distant Devon town and in 1684. That connection seems unlikely, despite it linking two Charity Tincombes. A second explanation, from the Glanville historian William Urmston Searle Glanville-Richards (Urmston), is that Charity was the daughter of "J. Tinkham" and Katherine Ilbert. That precise connection is impossible since Katherine was not born until 1675, though a connection with the Tinkham family of Buckfastleigh and Holne remains an intriguing possibility (see Appendix 1).

The most interesting mystery however is the origin of Edward. There were no Glanvilles in the Ashburton registers prior to his wedding in 1703. He died in 1726 leaving children with the unhelpful names of Richard, John, Elizabeth and Joan. He was involved in a lawsuit in 1712 and was deposed. He describes himself as a husbandman (which suggests he self-farmed a plot of land) but his actions in the lawsuit suggest he operated as a carriageman hauling stuff to other towns. A man named John Shipheard was centrally involved and that is perhaps a clue to Charity's origins (and, as we shall see, to Edward's) since his mother was Margaret Gruit, aunt to Jane. The lawsuit does not give any indication that Edward is other than a poor working man. If he was about Charity's age, say born 1680, then he died at age 46 rather young even for that era. Charity died in 1745, age 63.

So, who was Edward?

Theory 1

Appendix 1 shows a single extract from the Devon Record Office archives. It seems a John Glanville, gent, leased some land for 99 years to John Cole of Woodland in 1603. The Coles have dealings with Gruits, Shipheards, Luscombes and properties called Warmstall, Pitleigh and Lawrence Lane. The 1712 lawsuit mentions many of these names. Urmston Glanville-Richards (see later) says that Edward Glanvill came to Ashburton acquiring land. It is possible that the contract in 1603 expired 99 years later and that Edward Glanville came to Ashburton in 1702 to take over that land as his inheritance. The John Glanville in question is most likely the son of Nicholas Glanville of Tavistock who died in 1598. The land in question would have been land next to the river Dart, around Furseleigh (based on other transactions by John Glanville). Nicholas Glanville had married Elizabeth Kedley, daughter of William Poynter als Kedley who owned land in Pridhamsleigh, not a stone's throw from Furseleigh. The land involved in the 1603 deal might have come to John Glanville via the Kedley family. If this theory is true this would make Edward some sort of direct heir to John and therefore to Nicholas, the uncle of the John who became Speaker of the House of Commons.

But where was Edward before he came to Ashburton? That part is reasonably clear, if not proven. A will by another Edward Glanvill written in Mary Tavy in 1654 (he died in 1656) mentions his brothers Tristram and Abel. Tristram Glanvill als Soper has two sons in Mary Tavy, Tristram and John, in 1625 and 1627 respectively. In 1680 an Edward Glanvill marries Katherine Eastlake in Plymouth. They go to live in Mary Tavy and name a son Tristram. No birth record exists for the Edward marrying in 1680 (or for Katherine), but it is reasonable to suppose he is the son of the younger Tristram, or perhaps of John. In 1657 a son is born to Tristram but the name of the boy is obliterated. (More on this later). While we believe that name to have been Edward a caveat is that the space in which the name was written is too small for Edward and the vicar in whose handwriting it is, was not given to abbreviations.

By the early 1690's all of Edward's family except possibly two had died including his wife in 1690. There is no record of Edward remarrying, or dying in Mary Tavy or anywhere else - except perhaps Ashburton. To summarize, we have a widowed Edward in Mary Tavy who disappears sometime after 1690. In Ashburton we have an Edward who appears from nowhere and marries in 1703 and dies in 1726. If he indeed was born in 1657 then he would have died age 69. [Incidentally his grandson Richard b 1735 also disappeared from one place and reappeared in another with a new wife, and also married in St Andrew Plymouth. In another parallel curiosity, Richard had excellent handwriting, or at least an excellent signature. We know this because it appears on his marriage licence to Sarah, and on other documents where he was a witness. The signature was consistent across documents. In the 1712 lawsuit Edward Glanvill signs his name. This is the case because the other signatory has an X.]

Theory 2

In 1880 William Urmston Searle Glanville-Richards published an extensive history of the Glanville family extending from modern times back to the Normans. While we have doubts as to the authenticity of some aspects of his account (to be discussed) the amount of work involved is prodigious especially in an era before computers, the internet, easy transportation etc. It is also a remarkable and surprising feat for someone so young (he was born in 1856). Much of his accomplishment had to have been through assembling prior efforts rather than first hand research, there simply wasn't time otherwise.

Why did he undertake this effort? Perhaps he was commissioned to do so. With a name like his, heavily laced with ancestral references (Urmston, Searle, Glanville, Richards), it perhaps was a family obsession. Assuming he has his own immediate tree correct, he and I first share a common ancestor in the Richard born 1704, who married Elizabeth Sainthill. Urmston is a man who goes to the trouble of assembling a vast history of the Glanville family with a heavy emphasis on the (relatively) rich and famous branches of it, and he faced the same problem we do today: where did Richard's father come from?

His answer is that Edward was a son of John Glanvill and Katherine Fortescue, married 1653. John's father was the famous and very rich Sir John Glanville, Speaker of the House. So Urmston's theory is a very convenient answer for those seeking descendancy from greatness. Is there any truth in Urmston's claim? It clearly is the crux of his 200 page book. There is no reason to doubt Urmston's descendancy from Edward (married 1703) and no reason to doubt his ancestry of John (married 1653) but the connection between these two is implausible. John and Katherine had three children, two daughters and a son John who died childless. They also had a son Edmund christened 25 January 1660/1 in Chippenham Wiltshire, but that son died in 1666. Urmston cited Edward's birth as 16 June 1660, which may have been a transcription error for 16 January 1660 which might indeed have been Edmund's birth date. The names Edmund and Edward were somewhat interchangeable in that era, but little Edmund was clearly named after Katherine's father and it seems unlikely (to me) that it would have morphed casually to Edward. But in any case Edmund died. One could imagine that after Edmund's death John and Katherine might have called a subsequent son Edward but there is no record of such a son, and Urmston says Edward was born in 1660. If Edward was (somehow) the son of John and Katherine then he must have been severely disowned by his parents. His putative brother was married in St Paul's Cathedral and left an extensive will in 1715 which makes no mention of anyone related to Ashburton. This was a very wealthy family. Edward of Ashburton was a husbandman who was mixed up in a lawsuit in which he describes visiting William Browne in jail to collect the 15 pounds owed him and being briefly detained there. Urmston's theory is laughable and deserves no attention here - except that so many genealogists seem to have accepted Urmston's theory at face value. There is a very real danger that Urmston's claim will be accepted for generations to come if the problems with his claim are not understood.

In 1891 Urmston was convicted of defacing a book in the British Library. It would appear that he was doing work for hire on someone else's family and was trying to improve the family line.

Note: 16 FEB 1891: The Times p13 reported he was charged on remand at Bow Street - his address given as Sherwell Cottage, Old Lairn Road, Plymouth. At this time he was committed for trial. He was charged with damaging manuscripts in the British Museum by altering pedigrees, adding the name Leete to the family of Avenel and was paid between �20 and �30 for research by Joseph Leete. He was found guilty and sentenced to two months without hard labour. The following posting was in soc.genealogy.medieval in response to a query about the Glanville "Earls of Suffolk", which is written about by Wm. Urmston S. Glanville-Richards, Esq. in 'Records of the Anglo Norman House of Glanville from AD 1050 to 1880', who describes three "Earls of Suffolk", which is totally false, and is described as "a classic example of 19th century antiquarian mayhem - built from a mass of unquestionably invaluable Glanville source material assembled into a dismally ill-considered narrative/pedigree. (The most blatant and - because it is so patently berserk - ultimately least crucial example being his persistently calling Ran(d)ulph, William and Gilbert de Glanville the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd 'Earls of Suffolk' when no such earldom existed). [Christopher Nash, 1 Sep 1998 posting to soc.genealogy.medieval newsgroup]".

This must be a worrisome turn of events for anyone taking Urmston's own family tree at face value. The man who wrote the preface to Urmston's book even takes him to task for sloppy research!

It's a fair bet that Urmston did know about little Edmund - the date 16 June 1660 is unnecessarily specific if he was inventing out of thin air. If Theory 1 is correct it also matches his actual age more or less. Urmston has Edward dying in 1738 which is a real puzzle. Why would he make that date up when he had no need to? If his goal was simply to tie his own family tree to the rich and famous Glanvilles one can see why he might cite little Edmund's actual birth (hoping no-one will find the death), but why mention a death date, especially when the true date, 1726, is in the Ashburton registers (The date is written in the top left of Appendix 2. It is faintly possible he mis-read it as 1738). Knowing his penchant for falsification, could he be responsible for the missing first name in 1657? (To be fair there is no evidence he knew about the possible relevance of Mary Tavy, but see below about the footnote).

In a footnote in respect of Emma Courtney who marries a John Glanville about 1481 or so, Urmston writes, a little disarmingly, that all he knows of Emma he learned from a family chronology of "Miss Elizabeth Glanville of Ashburton". This surely is a smoking gun. He does not say who this lady is (and for what follows it does not matter) but surely it must be the lady who died in 1840, sister to Joanna Adams whose will was so pivotal earlier in this account. But whoever this Elizabeth was, we are to believe she had a family tree going back at least to the 1400's? There are three possibilities. First of all it is possible that the existence of the chronology is pure fiction. But if so, why mention it at all? The footnote was not at all essential to his pedigree. Second, perhaps Elizabeth's tree existed and corroborates the account Urmston gives of Edward's ancestry. If so why not reference Elizabeth's account to vouch for Edward's parentage? And if Elizabeth's account did not corroborate Urmston's story, why mention its existence? A third possibility is that Elizabeth did have a tree but it started earlier than 1660 and dealt with the ancient Glanville family. To me this is the only explanation that makes any sense. Elizabeth's tree could have been her primary research (in which case why did it not address Edward's parentage?), or a reproduction of some earlier Glanville study not necessarily tied to her roots. If it was a reproduction of an earlier study, why did Urmston need to rely on her for the Emma Courtney reference? And who owned Elizabeth's tree in 1880, and why did he not cite the then current owner? A possible answer is that a contemporary of Elizabeth saw her tree and combined it with his own. Perhaps Urmston plagiarized that work in 1880 explaining how he was able to do so much, so quickly.

For a clue as to who that earlier researcher might have been we need only think about Urmston's own tree. Urmston's last name was Glanville-Richards. His father was William Glanville Richards (no hyphen). His grandfather, William Richards (no Glanville), married Susanna Taylor (born 1804 in Ashburton) whose mother was a Glanville. William and Susanna gave both of their children (b 1830 and 1848) a middle name of Glanville, Susanna's mother's maiden name. (The normal practice would be to give a child a middle name of Taylor). So someone in this family was obsessed with maintaining the connection with the Glanville family. [Susanna's mother (Susanna Glanville b 1774) might well have been alive even in 1848. She gave her son Thomas a middle name of Glanville.] Whoever it was passed the obsession along because Urmston gets a hyphenated name which is pure pretension.

Our Edward Glanville was a key witness in a lawsuit in 1712. Walter Shipheard (of Pitleigh Farm and Warmstable and cousin to Jane Gruit, presumed mother of Edward's daughter in law) was involved. Warmstable had been owned Walter Gruit. Warmstable appears to be in the neighborhood of Furseleigh. In the will of Edward Glanvill of Mary Tavy in 1654 he mentions "Gruite's Rest". The other locations he mentions are all in Mary Tavy, Tamerton Foliot, St Ive and St Cleer, Cornwall. The will never mentions Ashburton. So it is likely that Gruites Rest is in the Mary Tavy locale, though we can find no reference to it. It would make sense though that this Edward might know Gruit and Warmstable ("Warm Stable"?). If our Edward was a carriageman it would make sense that he might make use of stables and "rests". Maybe Warmstable was known as Gruites Rest. Whenever our Edward was born, he cannot have known Edward d 1656. The will of 1654 makes no mention of Edward having children or wife, only his two brothers Tristram and Abel. Nor does he refer to "als Soper" though this is how Tristram is recorded in the registers. [There are two other Glanville "als Sopers". A John ("of Northlew") marries Margaret Turner in 1612 and an Agnes marries in 1672].

Doubtful Entries

The son born to Tristram in 1657 has his first name missing. I am unsure whether the version I have seen at LDS (see Exhibits) is the original or a copy. If it were a copy I think the gap would be replaced by "original missing" or some such statement. If it is the original then the space is not big enough for "Edward" and the vicar whose handwriting it is did not use abbreviations. The birth of Richard in 1704 is recorded in an entirely different handwriting than the other entries on the page. This might have been someone helpfully rewriting what was already there. But knowing Urmston's track record another possibility occurs to me. Urmston could have believed that Edward was the son of a Fortescue, or believed he could fake it. But in order to complete his connection to greatness had to connect the husband of Elizabeth Sainthill to Edward. Could it be perhaps that Richard was the son of the Thomas who owned the barn? That the two children of Thomas Glanville and Thomas Sainthill would marry makes a lot of sense.

Against this conspiracy idea is that Edward did have children at this time, and one would also expect other children of that Thomas to be more evident.

Exhibit 1

Devon Record Office: TORQUAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY COLLECTION

What follows is one continuous sequence of records from the online National Archives.

Devon Record Office 48/14/63 1704-1739
Contents:
ASHBURTON Bundle of deeds, law-papers, etc., relating to a dispute, between John Goswell and Richard Dyer, over �20 rent arising from a messuage called Fursleigh.
They include:
1704, Goswell's Lease to Dyer of Fursleigh, and a Bond for performance of covenants.
1709, Goswell's Assignment to his wife Prudence of �20 rent arising from Fursleigh.
The dispute arose from this Assignment, because Goswell continued to receive the rent, and his wife was intending to prosecute Dyer for payment, while Dyer obtained a judgement against Goswell for non-performance of covenants. The papers also include Bills of Complaint in Chancery, and an Answer, several Agreements between the parties, 1718 and 1719, for settling the dispute, and some letters. 1738.

Devon Record Office 48/14/64/1-3 1803, 1818, 1825
Contents:
ASHBURTON Furzleigh 3 Leases, Ashburton to Michelmore.

Devon Record Office 48/14/65/1 1 January 1603
Contents:
ASHBURTON Feoffment 45 Elizabeth I
(1) John Glanvile of Tavistock, gent.
(2) John Cole of Woodelande, yeo.
Messuage in St. Lawrence Lane, in the borough of Aishburton, together with 2 closes of land.
A messuage, curtilage, garden and orchard situate in the West Streete on the north side of the highway leading from Aishberton to Buckfastleighe. Also 2 closes on the north side of Ballondway; and another close (boundaries given).
A messuage in the East Streete; another messuage, curtilage and garden in St. Lawrence Lane and a plot of land belonging called Bloggishale. The following yearly rents: 13d from lands in Aishburton, 12d from lands of the feoffees of the Chapel of St. Lawrence, and 4d for the liberty of a way.
Consideration: �206.

Devon Record Office 48/14/65/2 24 June 1678
Contents:
ASHBURTON Counterpart of Lease 30 Charles II
(1) John Hyne of Ipplepen, gent. Johane his wife
(2) Thomas Witheare of Aishburton, yeo.
House sometimes heretofore used as a slaughter house but now used as a stable, in St. Lawrence Lane, in the borough of Aishburton.
Consideration: �8.
Rent: 4s.

Devon Record Office 48/14/65/3a-b 30 June, 1 July 1727
Contents:
ASHBURTON Lease and Release in fee 1 George II
(1) Lewis Intsham of Modbury, gent.
(2) John Dunning of Ashburton, gent.
House sometimes heretofore used as a slaughter house but since used for a stable and now fallen down to ground, situate in St. Lawrence Lane, in the borough of Ashburton.
Consideration: �10.

Devon Record Office 48/14/65/4 7 October 1727
Contents:
ASHBURTON Counterpart of Lease 1 George II
(1) John Dunning of Ashburton, gent.
(2) Bartholomew Moore of Ashburton, carpenter
Piece of ground and old walls, formerly a slaughter house, in St. Lawrence Lane, in the borough of Ashburton.
Rent: 4d.

Devon Record Office 48/14/65/5 4 October 1732
Contents:
ASHBURTON Counterpart of Lease 6 George II
(1) John Dunning of Ashburton, gent.
(2) Charity Moore of Ashburton, wid.
New erected dwelling-house (formerly a slaughter house), in St. Lawrence Lane in the borough of Ashburton.
Consideration: �18.
Rent: 4d.

Devon Record Office 48/14/65/6 1736
Contents:
ASHBURTON Right-hand indenture of a Fine (Michaelmas Term 10 George II in 3 weeks of Michaelmas Day)
John Sowter, gent., plaintiff;
John Spreat,
John Sunter the younger,
Margaret his wife,
Samuel Cockey,
Elizabeth his wife,
John Pearse,
John Gavericke,
Elizabeth his wife, deforciants,
One messuage, 1 malthouse, 1 stable, 1 curtilage, 1 garden, 1 orchard, 4 acres of land and 3 acres of pasture in St. Lawrence Lane, Rewborough and Ashburton.
Consideration: �60.

Devon Record Office 48/14/65/7a-b 3, 4 July 1753
Contents:
ASHBURTON Lease and Release in fee 27 George II
(1) John Dunning of Ashburton, gent.
(2) Richard Dunning of Walkhampton, gent., his brother
Dwelling-house, formerly used for a slaughter-house and then for a stable, situate in St. Lawrence Lane in the borough of Ashburton.
Consideration: 5s.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/1 29 March 1604
Contents:
ASHBURTON Bargain and Sale 2 James I
(1) John Codner of Aysshberton, gent.
(2) John Martyn of the city and county of Exon, gent.
A tenement, orchard, garden and 12 acres of land, called Wormestall or Wormestable, situate next to the river of Dart. Also the moiety of another tenement, orchard, garden and 2 acres of land, lying near the brook called Lodiswell. Also a new house, garden and close of land in the borough of Aysshberton, lying on the east part of the great inn called the George.
Consideration: �10.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/2 26 July 1604
Contents:
ASHBURTON Covenant to suffer a Recovery, and Declaration of the uses thereof 2 James I
(1) John Codnor of Aysshberton
John Martyn of the city and county of Exon, gents.
(2) John Cole of Woodland, gent.
Tenement, orchard, garden and 12 acres of land called Wormestall otherwide Wormestable, situate next the river of Dart. Also the moiety of another tenement, orchard, garden and 2 acres of land lying near the brook called Lodiswell. Also a new house, garden and close of land in the borough of Aysshberton. These premises had been bargained and sold, 29 March 1604, by Codnor to Martyn, in order to make a tenant for suffering a recovery.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/3 12 February 1605
Contents:
ASHBURTON Exemplification of a Common Recovery (Hilary Term 2 James I)
John Cole, gent., demandant
John Martyn, gent., tenant
John Codnor, vouchee to warranty
Edward Howse, common vouchee
Two messuages, 4 gardens, 12 acres of land, and 2 acres of meadow, in Aysshberton. Also half of a messuage, 2 gardens and 5 acres of land, in Aysshberton.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/4 6 August 1605
Language: Latin
Contents:
ASHBURTON Quit-Claim 3 James I
John Codnor of Aishberton, gent.
To
John Cole of Woodland
Tenement, orchard, garden and 20 acres of land, called Wormestall alias Wormestable, lying near the river of Dart. Also half another tenement, orchard, garden and 2 acres of land.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/5a-b 6 April 1633
Contents:
ASHBURTON (a) Bargain and Sale 9 Charles I
(1) Christopher Cole of Farneham, in Essex, gent.
(2) Walter Gruite of Aishberton, yeo.
Messuage called Warmestall alias Warmestable, adjoining the river of Dart.
Consideration: �120.
(b) Bond in �200, of even date, whereby Christopher Cole binds himself to Walter Gruite to perform the covenants contained in above indentures.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/6a-b 11 January 1661
Contents:
ASHBURTON Settlement, by Lease and Release 12 Charles II
(1) Walter Gruite the elder of Aishberton, yeo.
(2) William Dench of Aishberton, innholder
Messuage called Warmestall alias Warmestable, adjoining the river of Dart.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/7 5 October 1677
Contents:
ASHBURTON Probate of the Will (21 August 1676)
Of Walter Gruite
Tenements called Warmestable alias Warmestable.
Proved in the court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter of Exeter.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/8 14 April 1708
Contents:
ASHBURTON Covenant to levy a Fine, and suffer a Recovery, and Declaration of the uses thereof 7 Anne
(1) John Gruite of Ashburton, yeo.
Katherine his wife
(2) Robert Wolcombe of the city and county of Exon, esq.
(3) John Luke of Lyons Inne, Middlesex, gent.
(4) John Cridford,
John Lowton, of Exeter, gents.
Tenement called Warmestable and a barn belonging in the borough of Ashburton.

Devon Record Office 48/14/66/9 23 June 1708
Contents:
ASHBURTON Exemplification of a Common Recovery 7 Anne
John Cridford,
John Lowton, demandants
John Luke, gent., tenant
John Gruite, vouchee
John Cooke, common vouchee
A barn, 18 acres of land and 4 acres of wood, in Warmestable, in the borough of Ashburton.
Seal of Court of Common Pleas.

Devon Record Office 48/14/67/1 30 September 1605
Contents:
ASHBURTON Bargain and Sale 3 James I
(1) William Mathewe of Aishberton, yeo.
John Mathewe of Woodelande, yeo., son and heir of above William
(2) Thomas Addiscott of Ayshberton, draper
Parcels of lands called Blackmore, bounded on the west by the river Darte, (other boundaries given)

Devon Record Office 48/14/67/2 15 May 1669
Contents:
ASHBURTON Counterpart of Lease 21 Charles II
(1) Henry Addiscott the elder of Aishberton, yeo.
Henry Addiscott the younger, his son and heir apparent
(2) Thomas Skreigh the younger of Aishberton, worstedcomber
Messuage called Blackmore, heretofore considered to consist of 2 moieties, the higher and the lower, bounded on the west by the river Dart, (other boundaries given).
Consideration: �20.
Rent: 6s.

Devon Record Office 48/14/67/3-5 1803, 1818, 1825
Contents:
ASHBURTON Blackmore
3 Leases, Ashburton to Hooper.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/1 30 June 1624
Contents:
STAVERTON, ASHBURTON Settlement 22 James I
(1) Barnard Harris of Aishberton, tanner
(2) Thomas Harris the younger of Aishberton, tanner, brother of said Barnard
Moiety of a great close of land called Chewley Park.
Consideration: �135.
Attorneys for livery of seisin: George Knowling and John Fabian.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/2 16 December 1634
Contents:
STAVERTON, ASHBURTON Declaration of the Uses of a Recovery 10 Charles I
(1) Peter Gawde of Aishberton, tanner
John Ogier of Aishberton, blacksmith
(2) Nicholas Harris of Aishberton, tanner
Moiety of lands and meadows called Chewly Parke. A Recovery of these premises was suffered in Michaelmas Term last past.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/3 31 December 1634
Contents:
STAVERTON, ASHBURTON Feoffment to Uses 10 Charles I
(1) Nicholas Harris of Aishberton, tanner
(2) John Ogier of Aishberton, blacksmith
Peter Gawde of Aishberton, tanner
Moiety of lands called Chewly Parke (20a.).
Consideration: For the better maintenance of Charity his wife.
Attorneys for livery of seisin: George Fabian and Barnard Fraunces.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/4 12 January 1647
ASHBURTON Feoffment 22 Charles I
(1) George Cruse the elder of Aishberton, gent.
Thomas Caunter of Aishberton, yeo.
(2) Nicholas Harris of Aishberton, tanner
Two closes of land, one of which is called Huntabeare alias Huntabeeres, and the other the Splatt. Consideration: �49.
Attorneys for livery of seisin: George Cruse the younger, gent., and Peter Gawde.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/5a-b 1649
ASHBURTON (a) Feoffment 30 September 1649
(1) John Cole of Woodland, clothier
(2) Nicholas Harris of Aishberton, yeo.
Messuage, curtilage and herb-garden in the borough of Aishberton in the East Streett there, bounded on the south by the garden belonging to the Schoole House and on the north by East Streett, (other boundaries given); also the following 5 closes of land belonging to the said messuage: one near the east end of the town (3/4a.), one at Banckes Brymme (1/4a.), one at Rooborough (11/2a.), one adjoining Ballond Way (11/2a.) and one called Hempey, adjoining Alson Way (13/4a.). Also the moiety of Canne Meadowe lying on the south of a way leading from the church-yard to Chewly.
Consideration: �231 5s.
Attorneys for livery of seisin: Roger Caunter and Peter Gawd.
(b) Bond in �400 30 September 1649
John Cole of Woodland, clothier
Thomas Caunter of Aishberton, yeo.
To
Nicholas Harrys of Aishberton, yeo.
Condition of the obligation: performance by Cole of any act in the law required to strengthen and assure above conveyance.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/6 22 March 1649/50
ASHBURTON Bond in �100
John Cole of Woodland, clothier
Thomas Caunter of Aishberton, yeo.
To
Nicholas Harris of Aishberton, yeo.
Condition of the obligation: Performance by Cole of a covenant for levying a Fine, contained in indentures of even date whereby he conveyed to Harris a messuage, curtilage, garden and orchard in the borough of Aishberton.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/7 28 March 1670
ASHBURTON Probate of the Will (3 July 1668)
Of Nicholas Harris of Aishberton, tanner
Messuage in the North Streete of the town of Aishberton; also 3 closes called Longabrendon.
Messuage in the East Streete of Aishberton.
Proved in the court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter of Exeter, 28 March 1670.
Devon Record Office 48/14/68/8 14 April 1670
STAVERTON, ASHBURTON Marriage Settlement 22 Charles II
(1) Thomas Harris of Aishberton, tanner
(2) Nicholas Ford of Ugborough, yeo.
Thomas Luscombe of Aishberton, tanner
Moiety of a close of land called Chewley Parke (10a.), in Staverton; also closes called Mannings Parke, Coles Close, one lying in landscore called Huntabeere, Higher Hemphay, Lower Hemphay, Hill Park, the Yonder Claw, Kittaparke and Forty Acres, all being in Aishberton.
Consideration: Marriage to be solemnized between Thomas Harris and Elizabeth Ford, daughter of John Ford late of Ugborough, yeo., dec'd.. Also �300 being her marriage portion.
Devon Record Office 48/14/68/9 13 March 1684/5
Probate of the Will (8 November 1684)
Of Thomas Harris of Aishberton, tanner
No realty.
Proved in the court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Dean and Chapter of Exeter, 13 March 1684/5.
Devon Record Office 48/14/68/10 14 June 1701
ASHBURTON, STAVERTON Mortgage for �200, by Demise for 1,000 years 13 William III
(1) Nicholas Luscombe of Aishburton, yeo.
(2) Samuell Wotton of Ingleborne, esq.
Close called Chewley Parke (11a.), in Aishburton and Staverton. Also the following closes in Aishburton: one at Rooborough (11/2a.), another adjoining Balland Way (11/2a.), and another called Hempey adjoining Alson Way (13/4a.).

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/11 June 1701
Language: English and Latin
Contents:
Bond in �400 13 William III
Nicholas Luscombe of Aishburton, yeo.
Thomas Luscombe of Aishburton, yeo.
To
Samuel Wotton of Ingleborne, esq.
Condition of the obligation: performance by Nicholas Luscombe of covenants contained in indentures of even date.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/12 22 September 1701
Contents:
ASHBURTON Mortgage, for �100 by Demise for 1,000 years 13 William III
(1) Nicholas Luscombe of Aishburton, yeo.
(2) Samuel Wotton of Engleborne, esq.
Dwelling-house, curtilage and herb-garden in the borough of Aishburton, bounded on the south by the garden belonging to the Schooll Howse, and on the north by East Streett, (other boundaries given); also 2 closes of land belonging, one near the east end of the town (3/4a.) and the other at Bancks Brimme (1/4a.); and 2 other closes called Huntabeer alias Huntabeers and the Splatt.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/13 9 September 1704
Contents:
ASHBURTON, STAVERTON Further Charge of �110 on Mortgages 3 Anne
(1) Nicholas Luscombe of Aishburton, yeo.
(2) Samuel Wotton of Engleborne, esq.
Close of land called Chewley Parke (11a.), in Aishburton and Staverton. And also the following closes in Aishberton, one at Rooborough (11/2a.), one adjoining Balland Way (11/2a.) and one called Hemphey adjoining Alson Way (13/4a.). All the above premises were mortgaged for �200, by Luscombe to Wotton, by Lease dated 14 June 1701.
Also a dwelling-house, curtilage and herb-garden, bounded on the north by East Street and on the south by the garden belonging to the Schole Howse, (other boundaries given). Also 2 closes of land belonging to said dwelling-house, one situate near the east end of the town of Aishberton (3/4a.), and the other lying at Bancks Brimme (1/4a.). Also 2 other closes called Huntabeer and the Splat (boundaries given). These premises were mortgaged for �100, to Wotton, by Lease dated 22 September 1701.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/14 16 October 1706
Contents:
ASHBURTON, STAVERTON Release of Equity of Redemption (Lease for a year missing) 5 Anne
(1) Nicholas Luscombe of Aishburton, yeo.
(2) Samuell Wotton of Englebourne, esq.
Close of land called Chewley Parke (11a.), in Aishburton and Staverton. Also the following closes in Aishburton: one at Rooborough (11/2a.), another adjoining Balland Way (11/2a.). and another called Hemphey adjoining Alson Way (13/4a.). All these premises were mortgaged for �200 by Demise dated 14 June 1701.
Also a dwelling-house, curtilage and herb-garden in the [...] boroug of Aishburton; also 2 closes of land belonging, one lying at the east end of the town (3/4a.) and the other lying at Banksbrim (1/4a.), also 2 closes called Huntabeer alias Huntabeeres and the Splatt. These premises were mortgaged for �100 by Demise dated 22 September 1701. A further charge on all above premises was made by indentures dated 9 September 1704.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/15 9 November 1708
Contents:
ASHBURTON Assignment of the residue of a term of 1,000 years 7 Anne
(1) Samuel Wotton of Engleborne, esq.
(2) Joseph Warkman of Aishburton, innholder
Close of land lying adjoining Balland Way (11/2a).
Consideration: �50.
Recites indentures of mortgage, by demise for 1,000 years, dated 14 June 1701 and 9 September 1704, of above and other lands, and Release of the equity of redemption, dated 16 October 1706.

Devon Record Office 48/14/68/16 31 December 1708
Contents:
STAVERTON, ASHBURTON Letter
From Giles Inglett
To Andrew Tinckam, at Brooke in Buckfastleigh
It gives Inglett's opinion on a conveyance of Chewley Parke, a draft of which is given inside the letter; and it is written on the same paper as a letter, dated 26 December, written by Andrew Tinckam to 'Mr. Giles Inglett, att his house in Chudleigh', in which Tinckam askes for the opinion.
The draft conveyance is as follows: January 1709
STAVERTON, ASHBURTON Assignment of a term of 990 years (draft) 7 Anne
(1) Samuel Wotton of Engleborne, esq.
(2) Henry Caunter of Withecombe, yeo.
Close of land called Chewley Parke (11a.).
Consideration: �200 and 2 guineas.
Rent: 20d.