STAVERTON

STAVERTON means Stony Ford ; over the centuries, boundaries have moved and manors have been split.

By the 15th century, Sparkwell Manor consisted of Sparkwell, Beara and Blacker, names which still survive today.

The names probably derive from Old English or Saxon words describing the geographical situation.
Many smaller local settlements have a descriptive place Saxon origin include Hele, Bowden, Trayne, Hole and Slew.

Beara: place name is Old English bearu, meaning 'a grove', and is very common in Devon with over 100 examples

Bowden probably from Old English boga, meaning 'curved' and dun meaning 'hill',

Hole probably comes from Old English hol, describing its position in a hollow

Trayne is probably from Old English, meaning 'at the trees'.

Yarde this place name is probably from the Old English gyrt, meaning an 'area of land of varying extent'.

These fields may have been the demesne land, worked for the benefit of the nearby Saxon Manor of Hele.

Barkingdon and Kingston were separate manors from Saxon times. The Wolston family was associated with the area, originally with Sparkwell and later with Blackler and Beara. Their name survives today in Wolston Green, a hamlet within the parish boundary.

Sparkwell and Kingston were later owned by the Barnhouse family, and passed via Agnes Barnhouse to her husband John Rowe. Barkington was owned bythe Worths until the 17th century.

The boundaries of the manors were not always as they are now, but where field names were recorded, it is easy to trace the historical boundaries of ownership. Some are still referred to as they were over a thousand years ago.

The manor of Staverton continued to provide income for the Chapter of Exeter. Changes to legal title were made in 1148 concerning the church at Staverton. The Chapter of Exeter was instructed to appoint an "upright man as Vicar and allow him sufficient maintenance."

Barnhowse bought the property from John Hext a wealthy wool merchant of Totnes who had built the house.

Dates suggest some time in the C15th and his descendant sold to Barnhowse after 1585, the last mention of Hext at Kingston in the Visitations pedigree

Agnes Barnhouse was daughter of William Barnhouse and Elizabeth Pomeroy, daughter of Sir Richard of Berry Pomeroy by his 2nd wife Elizabeth Densell widow of Fortescue .

Papers at National Archives, called the Chichester papers, cover the lands and properties of John Rowe/who married daughter of William Barnhouse, of Staverto. (..Barbara Pomeroy b 14 Dec 1560, daughter of Hugh Pomeroy of Ingsdon & his wife Barbara Southcott, married Phillip Chichester 7th May 1602 at Whitestone)

Rowe, of Kingston in Staverton, afterwards of Bearton, in Broad Hempston, said to have been descended from a Kentish family.—Sir William Pole mentions

William Rowe, Esq., among "the persons of very good rank formerly residing in Totnes." His son John, who was sergeant-at-law in the reign of Henry VIII., married the heiress of Barnhouse of Kingston: the descendant of the sergeant, the late John Rowe, Esq., took the name of Hussey, on succeeding to the estates of Hussey of Marnhull, in Dorsetshire. Bearton is now a farm-house belonging to his widow. Kingston has passed into other hands.

His son of the same name is the representative of the family. De La Pole connects to Compton Castle -

Record proving Edward Pomeroy's daughter Elizabeth Married William Barnhouse;

C 1/348/25 Edward Pomerey, knight, executor of Elizabeth Fortescue, executrix and late the wife of Richard Pomerey, knight. v. William Barnhows and Elizabeth, his wife, daughter of the said Elizabeth.:

Bond given by William Barnhouse, the elder, for payment to the said Richard of a sum of money on the marriage of defendants.: Devon. 1504-1515

William Barnhows, husband of Elizabeth and Pomeroy: (father of Agnes) 1512:

Recovery of land, gardens meadows in Broadhemstead called HEMPSTON CANTLOWE.

Will of William Barnhouse: Will and Settlement

Of William Barnhows, son and heir of Thomas Barnhows

Manors, lands, etc. in: Kyngestone, Sparkwyll, Beare in Staverton; Rake in Churchstow; Dodbroke, Kyngesbrigge, Plymouth, Newton Abbot; Potisfenne and Grenyshyll in Kingsteignton. c 1501

NOTE He altered his will to the prejudice of his 2nd daughter Margaret, owing to her disobedience in marrying a Cruwys. She was disinherited and lost 5 marks yearly from his lands.

T he Daughter of William and Elizabeth Agnes Barnhouse to marry John Rowof Totnes.

Chief manor of Kyngeston. Witnesses by William Hokemore of totnes. 1501.

John Rowe Marriage Agreement: [no title or date] 50/11/13/1a

Election of lands (indented) Made by John Rowe, serjeant at the law, In fulfillment of marriage articles, 8 April, 1502, drawn up in consideration of his marriage with Agnes, eldest daughter of William Barnehous, dec'd. In these articles, it was agreed that the said John should have the chief manor or mansion place of Kingeston, and other lands of the said William, to the value of £20 a year. These he now chose:

All the lands in the villages of Kingeston, Sparkewyll and Beare (not being parcel of the capital messuage of Kingeston) except for lands in Kingeston called Remmys otherwise Underhyll.
Connection to Chichester: Daughter of John Rowe of Staverton

“John Chichester: Visitations of Devon Vivian p 56

John Chichester is shown having one wife, the daughter of John Rowe of Staverton:

And 100 years later – in 1602 Phillip Chichester married Barbara Pomeroy widow Incledon , from the Ingsdon branch dau of Barbara Southcott and Hugh Pomeroy

Staverton et al-

Pridhamsleigh Manor - a manor house and nearby farm these days lies right beside the expressway A38 just past Ashburton going south.

There are records for the manor going back to 13th century and in 1343 John de Proudhome was granted the right for mass to be celebrated at the manor at a portable altar (not a chapel). There was therefore a substantial farmhouse at Pridhamsleigh by the late 13th and 14th centuries.

There may have been a house there before the Norman conquest the Manor House has what appears to be a Norman door way to a chapel.

Tradition has it that Pridhamsleigh was lost as a gambling debt by the Gould family, who inherited it as part of Lewtrenchard estate which included Pridhamleigh Mnaor - inherited by Edward the third son of Henry and Ann Gould, who built Lew Mill House as the Dower House for his mother in 1664.

from the A38 Expressway it is possible to see the dovecot - built circa C16. small round building with conical roof a scheduled Ancient Monument.

illustration ©R.W. Parker 2004

Blackler has a Barton Farm there must have been one for there to be a home farm ( barton)..

Formerly part of the ancient Sparkwell Manor at the time of the Domesday Survey (and not owned by the church) the name Blackler Barton was first recorded in 1219 and means 'Black Alders' (Barton meaning farm). The Wolston family owned Blackler for many years from the early middle-ages until the nineteenth century.

Staverton and Lanscore

Beara

Formerly part of the Sparkwell Manor at the time of the Domesday Survey (and not owned by the church), Beara is now a tiny hamlet of 6 properties dating back to the 17th century, some of which were built as properties for farm workers. The current agricultural buildings date from the 1960's when Tom and Sandra Hext developed a respected pig farm.

Memory Cross

An extract from a website dedicated to the Mitchmore family: "Fred Mitchmore and Rose Tucker went to live at Landscove in the parish of Staverton, where their only son, Stanley Douglas, was born in 1927, in a house named Memory Shop (named after the blacksmith’s shop situated opposite the signpost to Staverton and Totnes). The area was known as Beara Park for several years, until it began to be known as Memory Cross, a name which survives to the present day."

Memory Cross is the postcode border for Landscove and Staverton. The council houses referred to in the article above are situated in Landscove while the houses on the opposite side are still known as Hillcroft, Staverton (formerly the site of a successful cider orchard/business owned by the Hill family who lived at Barkingdon Manor at the time).

Berkendon is now Barkingdon was owned by Worthe

Formerly part of the Sparkwell Manor at the time of the Domesday Survey (and not owned by the church) Barkingdon is the only manor within the Parish to retain its manorial rights. Predating 1066, the manor house today (built 1874) stands very close to the original. An old stone font in the garden may well have come from the chapel of the orginal building. The Manor was gifted to the de Berkadone family by William the Conqueror and from which the name Barkingdon is though to derive.

land records

Devon Record Office 3799M-0/ET/17/1 1451

Contents: Deed of gift

1. Margaret of la Pomeray, widow [Bevile]

2. William Bourchier knt., lord Fitz Waryn, Henry of la Pomeray esq., Thomas Mannying clerk, Nicholas of la Pomeray esq., John Southcote and John Wode

Premises: 1.'s manor of Berkedon (Barkingdon) and all the messuages, lands, tenements, reversions, rents and services which 1. has in Berkedon, Sperkwyll, Berkedon Hoke, Aylescote and Southdon

Witnesses: Henry Crokke, John Brussheforde, Richard Tukker, Geoffrey Veale, Henry Southcote, Henry Noreys, Thomas Tassell

Date: Monday after the feast of St Michael the Archangel, 30 Henry VI

so Nicholas henry 2 of the 5 sons of Henry & Moels inthe 5 son entail were still livingwhen this was made in 1451

Devon Record Office 3799M-0/ET/17/2 1460

Contents: Bond

1. John Wynard

2. John Reymy and Henry Brokke

In 1,000 marks that 1. and Thomas Werthe and Isabel his wife will obey the judgement of Nicholas Hervy, John Orchard and Christopher Cooke on behalf of 1., Thomas and Isabel, and of John Denys, Thomas Dourisshe the younger and William Fouhell on behalf of Margaret of la Pomeray, as to the title to the manors of Berkedon and Sparkewyll [Totnes] and lands and tenements in Hooke in the parish of Ashreigney, also of manors, lands and tenements in Pengerseke, Pengelle and Methele in Cornwall provided that the arbitration is made before the next octave of the Nativity of St John the Baptist

Date: 1 March, 38 Henry VI

Other People

Sibley Dench marriage: 24 April 1620 Staverton, spouse: Ricd. Pondye (Pomeroy/Pomery)

there is also

Laurence White marriage: 22 November 1620 Staverton, spouse: Protesie Dench

Sibil Finch (Dench) christening: 9 October 1636 STAVERTON,father: Hugh Finch mother: Protesa

Proteza Finch marriage: 23 September 1656 Staverton, spouse: William Bowerman

Sibil Finch marriage: 10 February 1661 Staverton, spouse: John Scobble or Scobel/Scoble

Possible Connections The Will of William Pomeroy of Plymouth

Pomeroy, William. Plymouth 1580. Will dated 13 August 1580. Principal Registry B. of Exeter.

Proved 21 Jan 1580-1

To be buried in the Churchyard of St. Andrews Plymouth

To the mawdlyn of Plymouth xijd. 22 pennies- (The Lazar house at the top of North Hill in Plymouth )

To my son WILLIAM POMEROY a horse, and all thereunto belonging, and xxs. 20 shilling

To my daughter TAMSIN Pomeroy iiijl. amd my best myddel penne of brasse. £3

To my wife JANE to have the house which I do hold by lease of the deyme of Chapter (etc) and after her death to my sonnes William and LYNNARD. (Leonard.)

To Elizabeth, wife of John Rowe sx.

The rest to my wife Jone Pomeroy. sole exectrix.

Nicholas Kanne and Thomas Pomeroy my dear friends to be my overseers. (If this was another son of Foolish Thomas and Joan Edgecombe then Thomas was his brother)

Wittnesses

John Raw (Rowe)

Will Peryman, William Peryam

Robert Coyming Comyn Newfoundland connections

Staverton Baptism the record in Newfoundland is date error 1681 - see images

image Richard the son of Richard Pomeroy baptised 21 Jan 1682 … begotten out of wedlock

page all uniformly and beautifully written & looks like Bishops Transcripts

STAVERTON Richard Pomeroy & Grace Hawkins marriage 8th Oct 1682

the year running from March 25 to March 24th the child was born 3 months later so 'begotten' before the marriage but born in wedlock

1696 Richard Pomery Bb Abbotskerswell son of Richard & Elizabeth NOT FOUND FMP I only found Elizabeth Pomroy Bb 7 May 1699 Abbotskerswell father Richard mother Elizabeth Pomroy other records around that date

Rechod Pomery ( a female ) Tormoham marriage to John Allward 3 Nov 1687 Richard Pamore Marriage 1689 to Hannah Ward at South Molton ( Mid Devon) Buckfastleigh marriage Richard Pomroy 2 Feb 1686 to Elizabeth Stanner/Sanger Richard Pommery burial Holne 26 June 1689 ( looks like adult )

STAVERTONOver the centuries, boundaries have moved and manors have been split. By the 15th century, Sparkwell Manor consisted of Sparkwell, Beara and Blacker, names which still survive today.

The names probably derive from Old English or Saxon words describing the geographical situation.