CHITTLEHAMPTON

From Kelly's Directory of Devon, 1889

Provided by Lindsey Withers

CHITTLEHAMPTON is a parish and village, situated on the river Taw, 2 miles north-east from Umberleigh Bridge station on the North Devon branch of the London and South Western railway (which is in this parish), 5 west from South Molton and 8 south0east from Barnstaple, in the Northern division of the county, hundred, petty sessional division, union and county court district of South Molton, rural deanery of South Molton, archdeaconry of Barnstaple and diocese of Exeter. The church of St. Heriswitha (queen) is an ancient building of stone in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, transepts, south porch and an embattled western tower, with pinnacles, containing a clock and 8 bells, all cast by William Evans, of Chepstow, in 1739: the north chancel aisle has a good panelled roof: the stone pulpit, of the same period as the tower, is adorned with carved figures of saints, under canopies: and the east window is stained: in the north transept is an altar tomb with effigies, and two kneeling figures (male and female) below, and an inscription to John Giffard, esq. of Brightley, and Honor, his wife, and their children, erected in 1625 by John Giffard, his grandson: in the north aisle of the chancel is a recumbent effigy of a lady, with inscription to Mistress Grace Giffard, ob. 1667: there are other fine monuments to the Rolle and Giffard families, including inscribed stones to Caesar Giffard esq. d. 1715: John Giffard, of Athelington, d. 1725, and Elizabeth, his wife; John Giffard esq. of Dublin, d. 1819 and Sir Ambrose Giffard kit. Chief Justice of Ceylon, d. 1827: on the floor of the chancel are brasses, with effigies and inscriptions, to John Cobleigh, Isabella, his wife, ob. 1 Oct. 1446, and Joan, his wife, ob. 30 Sep. 1480; and to Henry Cobleigh, ob. 30 July 1470, and Alice, his wife: there are also memorials to the Morris and Saunder family:  the church was restored in 1871, at a cost of over £4,000, and has 450 sittings. The register of baptisms dates from the year 1575: marriages and burials, 1576, and the earliest entries are those of the Saunder family. The living in a vicarage, tithe rent-charge £575, net yearly value £569, with residence and 41 acres of glebe, in the gift of the trustees of the late Lord Rolle, and held since 1867 by the Rev. Robert Edward Trefusis M.A. of Exeter College, Oxford. Here is a Wesleyan chapel. There are charities of £40 yearly value, derived from church lands in Alverdiscott and one of £1 yearly for the poor, arising from a gift made in 1887 by W. H. Kelland esq. of Kelland, Lapford, as a memorial to his mother, the representative of the Saunder family. Near the village, on the South Molton road, is an ancient stone cross, standing on a lofty pedestal. The manor formerly belonged to the Clares, ancestors of Lady de Bathe, and now to the Hon. Mark Rolle, in whose family is has been for 180 years. Brightley was several descents in the Giffards of Halsbury, from whom the present Lord Chancellor; it now belongs, with the barton of Head, to the Hon. Mark Rolle. Brightley Park has been ploughed over and the remains of the mansion converted into a farm; the walls of the ancient domestic chapel are still standing. Here are the outlying hamlets of AMBOW, BITTACOTT and STOWFORD. The second is the property of I. S. Willett, esq. of Monkleigh. East Stowford is the property of A. C. Chichester esq. West Stowford belongs to W. Boncombe esq. Newton was purchased in 1668 by Arthur Saunder esq. the representative of an ancient family who had been resident here since 1542 to 1864: North Newton belongs, by inheritance from her mother (a Saunder), to Miss Eleanor Kelland, of Southsea: South Newton was sold by the Saunder family and now belongs to the Hon. Mark Rolle: Bradbury, formerly the residence of the Saunder family, now belongs to Earl Fortescue, the owner of South Bray: Hudscott, formerly the residence of the Misses Rolle, is now the property of the Hon. Mark Rolle: Hawkridge, to John Fleming esq. of Bigadon. George Saunder, esq. of Warwickshire, and John Troke esq. of Morchard Bishop, still possess land here by inheritance, and represent the old Saunder family. The Hon. Mark George Kerr Rolle D.L., J.P. of Bicton House, the Earl Fortescue J.P., D.L., and Mrs Bater, of The Manor House, Chittleham-Holt, are the chief landowners. The soil is loamy; subsoil is principally schistous rock. The chief crops are oats, barley and turnips. The acreage is 8,720; rateable value, £6,119; the population in 1881 was 1,473.

By a Local Government order which came into operation March 25, 1884, a detached part of this parish known as Leary was amalgamated with West Buckland.
EASTACOTT is a hamlet 1 1/2 miles south-west.

Parish Clerk and Assistant Overseer, William Seage.

POST OFFICE. - John Pedler, sub-postmaster. Letters through South Molton. The mail arrives at 9 a.m.; dispatched at 4.40 p.m. The nearest money order office is at South Molton & nearest telegraph office, Umberleigh railway station. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid.
POST OFFICE, Umberleigh Bridge. - Thomas Murch, receiver. Letters through Barnstaple arrive at 8.25 a.m.; dispatched 5.30 p.m. The nearest money order office is at High Bickington telegraph office is at Umberleigh Bridge railway station. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid.

INSURANCE AGENT. - Sun Fire, Mary Ann Howard.
National School (mixed), built in 1865, for 200 children; average attendance, 129; & endowed with £10 4s. by the late Lord Rolle; William Denley master; Miss Fanny Vickery, sewing mistress.
Railway Station, Umberleigh Bridge, Thomas Ayres, station master.

Chapple William
Fortescue Capt. Hon. Arthur Grenville, Hudscott
Furse Edward, Bloden hill
Ogilvie Mrs. Pitt house
Smoldon William, Bloden hill
Spicer Rev. Angel B.A. [curate]
Trefusis Rev. Robt. Edwd. M.A. Vicarage
 

COMMERCIAL.
Ayres Thomas, station master, Umberleigh Bridge
Balman Richard, farmer, Shilstone
Boucher Thomas, Rolle's Arms - P.H.
Breayley Mary Ann (Mrs.), farmer, Ash farm
Breayley William James, saddler *c
Buckingham Jas. farmer, Furze barn
Buckingham John, farmer, Hawkbridge Barton
Burgess Arthur, tailor & farmer
Burgess John, butcher & farmer
Burgess John, farmer, Moor
Cheriton Henry, farmer, Bradbury
Congram Frederick, shopkeeper
Corney George, farmer, Lower Langaton
Courtenay Richard, farmer, Eastacott
Crocker Samuel, farmer, Eastacott
Cruwys Thomas, show maker
Diamond William, miller (water & steam), Ford mills
Dyer Thomas, farmer
Dyer William, farmer, Fullabrook
Ellicott James, farmer, Parsonage farm
Ellicott John, blacksmith
Facey William John, farmer, Gambuston
Furze Henry, farmer, Boden hill
Greenslade Thomas, farmer & cattle dealer, Collacott
Guard Geo. farmer, North Nethercleave
Hancock John, farmer, Oldridge
harris James, farmer (Deptford
Harris James, farmer, North Newton
Nartnoll John Morris, farmer, Lerwell
Haywood Elizh. (Mrs.), farmer, Caveyland
Howard Mary Ann (Mrs.), shopkeeper
Howard Richd. farmer, Higher Blakewell
Howard Stephen, farmer, Coombe
Hunt & Vickery, blacksmiths
Huxham Wm. Hy. Great Whitestone
Huxtable John, carpenter
Lewis William, baker
Manaton John, thatcher, Watergate
Manning Henry, farmer, Winson
Mildon Hednry, farmer, Hallswell
Mildon William, farmer, Upton Furze
Mortimer John, farmer, Brightley Barton
Mules George, tailor
Much James, coal merchant
Murch Thomas, farmer, Hoe
Murch Thomas, wheelwright, Post office, Umberleigh Bridge
Murch Wm. jun. blacksmith, Umberleigh Bridge
Ogilvie Sarah (Mrs.) farmer
Palmer William, clerk of works to the Hon. Mark Rolle
Phillips Thomas, farmer, Way
Pope Geo. miller (water, Clappery Mills
Rawle David, veterinary surgeon
Rendle John, farmer, Narracott
Sanders John, carpenter
Seage William Epphras, blacksmith & assistant overseer
Shapland George, farmer, South Bray
Skinner James, farmer, Bradbury
Skinner John, carpenter
Skinner John jun. carpenter
Skinner Jane (Mrs.), farmer, Cleave
Skinner Susan (Mrs.), shopkeeper
Slape Inkerman George Southy, farmer, South Newton
Smalbridge Fk. farmer, Higher Bittacott
Smoldon James, farmer, Bray hill
Smolden Robert, farmer, Oldridge
Smolden Wm. carpenter, Clabworthy
Smolden Wm. jun. carpenter, Bray hill
Snow John, farmer, Furze
Stark George, farmer, Heywood
Stone Thomas, butcher & farmer
Taylor William, shopkeeper
Thomas James Wm. farmer, Deptford
Tucker Richard, jobbing gardener
Veysey Frederick cattle dealer, Bratton
Vickery Samuel, Bell P.H.
Watts Carder, mason
Watts Harry Carder, brewer & maltster
Watts Mary Judith (Miss), shopkeeper
Watts Thomas, stone mason
Watts William, farmer, Lower Bittacott
Webber Phillip, shoe maker
Westacott George, tailor, Hill head
Woolaway Wm. miller (water), Brightley mill