Henscote
in Bradford Parish, Devon

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BRADFORD, is a parish in the Torridge valley, 8 miles from Hatherleigh, is a village and parish containing 3468 acres of land.
The manor of Bradford, anciently held by the Dabernon and other families, was sold by the late Geo. Cary, Esq., to Messrs. Vivian, Grylls, and Kendall the bankers of Helston.
Dunsland, a large and ancient mansion, with an estate of about 1000 acres, is the seat and property of W.H.B. Coham, Esq., who was lord of the manor of Lashbrook. Dunsland was successively held by the Cadiho, Arscott, and Bickford families. . . .

Hengscott Barton Farm , is large farm , formerly belonged to a family of that name, and in C19th was the property of the Earl of Stanhope

Hengescot Manor was held by the Henscots from the C13th until the death of John Henscott in 1572 .

His daughters Elizabeth & Thomasine were his heirs:

Elizabeth Henscott married Thomas Pomeroy was 25, and brought the Hengscott property in Bradford to the Pomeroy' s as her dowry. She died in 1599 having given her husband 6 children.
Sister & co heir Thomasine Henscott married Sir Nicholas Prideaux son of Roger Prideaux of Soldon as the 1st of his 3 wives; they had 1 son before she died in 1573; Nicholas was knighted in 1606 and married twice more.

Henscott was Engestecota in Domesday. It was held by Drogo of the Bishop of Coutances.
Before the conquest it was held by three thanes, Gola, Edric and Godric. In the Testa de Nevil, 1241, it was held by William le Cornu.( of Cornwall)
Heritage Gateway Reichel, O. J., 1928 - 1938, The Hundred of Black Torrington in Early Times, 195,227-8,237 (Article in Monograph). SDV2105.

Henscott is mentioned as 'Hainghestecota' & 'Engescota' in 11C, 'Hengestecoth' in 1242, 'Heyngstecote' in 1244 & 'Heynstecote' in 1333.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 341-2 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Henscot Barton, now a farmhouse, mentioned in Domesday, was the home of the Henscotts from the early 13C until 1572.

All Saints Church Black Torrington- There were Kelloways in Black Torrington

There are a number of 16th century memorials on the floor at the east of the north aisle

The earliest is to Elizabeth Fortescue (of the Henscott family) dated 1563 (or

There is one to John Hengescott in 1572, and to his daughter, Elizabeth Pomerey (sic) in 1599:

also to Humfrey Arscott 1580. There were once two brass memorials, one to John Dabernon, 1432,
and one to John Hengescote, 1500, but these were removed sometime in the 19th century.

Laid on the floor of the nave are a number of 17th century Barnstaple tiles of varying designs.

Thomasine, daughter and heir of John Hengscott, esq. of Hengscott, in Devon, had a sonHumphey Prideaux , by her husband

Sir Nicholas Prideaux of Soldon died 1627. He built 'Place' near Padstow in 1592 was MP for Camelford 1558+13= 1571

2nd wife of Cheston Vyall of St Breock in Cornwall

The Benolt visitation of Devonshire, 1531, gives the children of Thomas Pomeroy & his wife Agnes Kelloway as
(1) Richard Pomeroy whose 1st wife was Elenor, third daughter of John Coker of Dorsetshire, from which union derived a Henry and a John,
(2) Amy Pomeroy who married Thomas Tresoyell of Cornwall, with Joan for issue
(3) Anne Pomeroy who married Tristram Henscote of Exeter, with John Henscote Nicholas Henscote and Agnes Henscote their offspring. (Devonshire Visitation, 1531: Ashmole MS. 763.) “

Henscote John of Henscote d 1472

Thomasine married NicholasPrideaux. d 1573

Elizabeth married Thomas Pomeroy of Ingsdron

Prideaux pedigree page 611 gives us

Sir Nicholas Prideaux of Solden son of Roger Prideaux & his wife Phillipa Yorke had

4 children Elizabeth Perriam, Wilmot Mapwder & Edward of Netherton who married 1st Bridget Chichester 2nd Katherin Edgecombe &

Nicholas Prideaux MP for Camelford Sheriff of Cornwall 1605 Knighted 1606

died 1627 West Fulford PCC Probated 1628 IPM

1st wife Thomasine Henscote dau & heir of John Henscote d 1573-

son Humphrey Prideaux married Honor Fortescue

2nd wife Cheston Viel dau of William of Breock M 1576 d 1610 -

son John Predeaux of Brooke Bb 1583 Sherif Of Cornwall d 1649 married Anne Moyle

3rd wife M 1611 Mary Castle of Ashbury widow of Dr Evan Morian outlived Nicholas died 1647. no issue recorded

Hengescot Manor was held by the Henscots from the C13th until the death of John Henscott in 1572 .

John Henscote had 2 daughters were his heirs:

Elizabeth Henscott married Thomas Pomeroy in 1575
and brought the Hengscott property to the Pomeroy' s as her dowry. She died in 1599 having given her husband 6 children.
Thomasine Henscott married Sir Nicholas Prideaux son of Roger Prideaux of Soldon as the 1st of his 3 wives; they had 1 son before she died in 1573; Nicholas was knighted in 1606 and married twice more.

Thomas Pomeroy & his wife Elizabeth Henscot married in 1575 had the following children:

1 Richard Pomeroy born 9 April 1578 parents not recorded baptised in Bradford parish Devon . Died as a child buried 28 May 1581
Bradford ref 134A/PR/1/1
South West Heritage Trust Archive ref 134A/PR/1/1

1. Richard Pomeroy head of the Ingsdon branch in his turn. Born on 9 Apr 1578 in Bradford, Devon. On 9 Nov 1602 age 24, he married Agnes Anne Coplestone Of Bowden,near Yealmpton, born abt 1580, daughter of Henry Coplestone & Joan Northway, in Yealmpton, Devon. Richard died in 1616, buried on 31 Aug 1616 in Ilsington, Devonshire. See children below ##
After Richard's death Anne /Agnes married James Lowman of Whitstone at St Mary Major in Exeter on 15 feb 1619. She died age 70, in abt 1650; parish registry

2. Captain Thomas Pomeroy (1579-1622) Born in 1579 at Ingsdon Manor in Ilsington read law entering ( Inns of Court/Lincolns Inn ) in 1634.Captain " of St Erney” . On 1 May 1598, at the age of 19, he married 1st wife Marie GIFFRIE Jiffrie: Widow of John Jeffrey of Tredinnick in St Erney, Cornwall

4. Dorothy Pomeroy. On 1 Feb 1613 who married in Bickington, near Ashburton to Hugh Wychalse of Barnstaple son of a cloth merchant of Chudleigh and Barnstaple, who it seems were a dubious family of Watermouth smugglers near Coombe Martin !
In 1627 at the time of an outbreak of plague Hugh moved his family to his house, old Grange Farm at Ley, on the cliffs above Lynton. ( The current property was built in the C19th & now called Lee Abbey but was never a monastic establishment )

5. Barbara Pomeroy On 30 Dec 1611 she married Stephen Southcott in Ilsington, who died in 1613. Her 2nd marriage 1620 was to Arthur Seccombe. His daughter by his 1st wife Grace Bligh was Maria Seccombe who was just 13 when they married her to Barbara's brother John .see below

3rd son . John Pomeroy born about 1580 “Put To The Law” (1588->1655) When he was about 40 , on 22nd Sept 1626 in Lynton North Devon he married the 13 year old Mary Marie Seccombe. They had 8 children & their son Arthur became Dean of Cork from whom came the Armorial line of Lord Harberton in Ireland, created in 1791.

Heritage Gateway tells us that Henscott is the site of a Manor House mentioned in Domesday

Protected Status

SHINE: Traditional farm buildings dating to the 19th century or earlier at Henscott Barton

Other References/Statuses

Old DCC SMR Ref: SS40NW/15

Monument Type(s) and Dates

MANOR HOUSE (VIII to Late Medieval - 701 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Williams, H. F. F., Untitled Source (Unknown). SDV321857.

Henscott has traces of 16C work. Other details: ND-cited by OSA.

Ordnance Survey, 1906, Untitled Source (Cartographic). SDV48223.

Henscott 'On Site of a Manor House' shown on OS 6" (1906) map.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SS40NW3 (Site Visit). SDV5647.

The farmhouse appears to be of late 19C or early 20C work, except for one semicircular lintel of indeterminate date.

Gent, T. H., 2005, Archaeological recording at Henscott, Bradford (Report - Watching Brief). SDV321861.

Associated Monuments

MDV11693 Related to: Hengiscot Enclosure (Monument)

MDV117872 Related to: Henscott Barton, Bradford (Monument)

MDV71408 Related to: Henscott Field System (Monument)

MDV71407 Related to: Henscott Post Holes (Monument)

MDV71404 Related to: PIT in the Parish of Bradford (Monument)

MDV71406 Related to: Roman Hearth to the east of Henscot (Monument

The Hengecots appear to have heldEast Rightedown Farm close by the Cookworthy Forest and Prestcot in Bradford parish from Henry Ill (1216-1272) until the heiresses daughters of John Hen-gescot (d 1579) carried it to Prideaux and Pomeroy.

Thomazine wife of Nicholas Prideaux is buried at Sutcombe, the inscription is given under that name. Engosdon or Ingedon in Isington, South Devon, which passed from the Beaumonts to the Pomeroys - Edward IV (1461-1483) and the arms of both families are carved on the bench ends in the Church there. In north chapel is a C16th floor memorial dated 1599 to Elizabeth Pomeroy, two others are very worn.

Westcote gives also the following inscription as having been in Bradford Church to a member of the family that gave the parish its secoud appellative, Bradford Daberzon :-

Hie jaet Jolunes Debernoun de Deseland qui obiit A.D, 1432, cujee anime propitieler Deus.
Here lies Jolunes Debernoun of Deseland, who died in April A.D. 1432, may God have mercy on his soul..

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