MARY TAVY

From White's Devonshire Directory of 1850

Transcribed by Neil Stanton

TAVY ST. MARY, or Mary Tavy, a scattered village in the Tavy valley, and on the western side of Dartmoor, 4 miles N.E. by N. of Tavistock, is chiefly inhabited by miners. Its parish contains 1552 souls, and 4180 acres of land, including about 2100A. of open moorland; the village of Horndon; the high moorland district of Black Down, and, other parts of Dartmoor, where there are five valuable copper, tin, and lead mines, called Wheal, and North, South, and East Wheal Friendship; and Kingscott and Bedford. Wheal Friendship has been worked half a century, and is the most profitable in the neighbourhood, except one of those named at page 624. John Buller, Esq., is lord of the manor, owner of a great part of the soil, and patron of the rectory, valued in K.B. at £14.5s.7½d., and in 1831 at £260. The Rev. Anthony Buller is the incumbent, and has 30A. 1R. 10P. of glebe, and a small parsonage. The tithes were commuted in 1843, for £207. 10s. per annum. The Church is a small antique edifice, with a tower and three bells. Mrs. Carpenter and several smaller owners have estates in the parish, mostly freehold. The Bible Christians have one, and the Wesleyans two small chapels in the parish. The Church Land 2½A., is at Lidford. The National School was established in 1837. Marked 1 are at Black Down; and 2, at Horndon.

Brian Randell, 2 Sep 2003