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RACKENFORD DEEDS

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An Index to the Calendar of the Deeds Enrolled Within the County of Devon in pursuance of the Statute, 27 Henry VIII, 1536-1673

Compiled by John C Tingey, M.A., F.S.A., 1930.

Transcribed by Debbie Kennett

The Tingey volumes of Devon deeds are held at the Devon Record Office in Exeter. Copies are also held at the West Country Studies Library. They consist of typewritten transcripts of enrolled deeds. Deeds relating to land transactions from all over England were 'enrolled' (i.e. copied into a Roll) under a law introduced by Henry the Eighth in the 27th year of his reign (hence the words in the volume title above). They were enrolled centrally either in one of the King's Courts at Westminster in London, or at County level. Enrolment involved copying the contents of the deed into a Roll before the Master of the Rolls, at Westminster, London, or else (if copied out locally in Devon) before two Justices of the Peace for the County, and the Clerk of Peace for the County. The original enrolled deeds are on long rolls (parchment membranes rolled up) in the Devon County Quarter Sessions records at the Devon Record Office. Some particular types of deeds (fines and recoveries) recording land transactions were only enrolled at Westminster and these rolls are held in the National Archives. Some types of land transactions (conveyance by lease and release) were not enrolled at all. It should be remembered that the enrolled deeds are copies of the originals. The clerks who did the copying did not necessarily recognise all of the personal names and place names, so these could sometimes be wrongly interpreted and thus mis-spelt or wrongly copied out into the rolls.

Membranes 64d. to 66d. Deed 1752

10 October, 3 Chas. I. 1627

RACKENFORD.-Agreement by Lewes Cruse of Morchard Cruise, esq., Alexander Cruse, gentleman, his son and heir apparent and Frauncis, (Alexander's) wife, with John Kelland of Rackenford, gentleman, John Voysey jun. of the same, yoman, Edward Wyott of Exeter, William Gruite of Loddiswell, Daniell Cudmore of Loxebeare, Robert Kelland of Rackenford, gentleman, Robert Bowring of Rackenford, clarke, Georg, son of Alexander Veysey of the same, yoman, George Hanford, son of Agnes Hanford of the same, Widowe, Richard, son of Richard Chapman jun. of Witherudg, yoman, and Robert Mortimer, alias Tanner, of Rackenford, yoman, Henrie Shapcot of Bradninch and Thomas Shapcot of Exeter, gentleman,-for the conveying of the mannor, messuages, landes etc. and the advowson and patronage of Rackenford to the persons and uses hereafter expressed-to levy a fine before the feast of The Nativity 1628, to the use of John Kelland and John Voysey and the heirs of one of them, in such manner as they and their fellows shall advise, of: The mannor and lordshipp of Rackenford Magna with the members; Their royalties, liberties, jurisdiccions, freewarrens, fishinges etc. in the parish; The advowson and patronage of the rectorie and church with the tithes, oblacions, obvencions, members etc. thereto belonging; And all landes, tenements, houses, mills, toftes, gardens, dovehouses, woodes, warrens, marishes, commons, waters, fishings, rentes, reversions, services, courtes, courtleates, veiwes of franckpledg, franchises, jurisdiccions, goodes of felons and felons of themselves, deodandes, wreckes of the sea, waifes, estrayes, free warrens etc. belonging to the premises; To the end to make them perfect tenantes of the freehold whereby a good recoverie may be had by Edward Wyott and William Gruit against Kelland and Voysey as tenantes who shall vouch over to warrant the premises Lewes, who shall vouch over to the warrantie Alexander, who shall vouch over to the same the Common Vouchee, and the cognizeees, tenantes and demaundantes shall stand seised thereof to the uses, purposes etc. hereafter declared. That is to say, Concerning the following parcells of the mannor; Two messuages or tenements called Over Thorne and Thorne or Lower Thorne in the occupation of John Sellake and John Crooke, with all landes, gardens, houses, woodes, pastures, marishes, commons, waters etc. thereto appertayning; one moitie to John Kelland and the other to the said Robert Kelland; A messuage or tenement called Bulworthy in the occupation of John Voysey sen. with the like appurtenances, to the use of John Voysey jun. Another called Westblackston and a wood called Okespray Wood in the occupation of Robert Cudmore, with the like appurtenances, to the use of Samuell Cudmore; The peeces and parcells of land, meadowe and pasture called Okespry Moore, Oldhaies and Broadmeadowe or Oldhaies Meadowe containing about 36 A. and the messuage or tenement called Barnes Tenement in the occupation of Robert Bowring, with the like appurtenances, to the use of the said Robert; The messuage or tenement called Meadweldowne, the messuage or dwelling house, three closes called Broomecloses now devided into five closes or parcells of land, three other closes, meadowe and pasture, belonging to the dwelling house, and the meadowes called Pittmeadowes in the occupation of Alexander Voysey and Elizabeth Hunt, with the like appurtenances, to the use of George Veysey; The messuage or tenement and mill called Blackdon Mill and a parcell of land called Burrough Peece containing about 1 A. in the occupation of Agnes Hanford, with the like appurtenances, to the use of Georg Hanford; The close or parcell of land called The Broad Close containing about 7 A. and the meadow groundes now devided into four closes called Combmeadowes containing about 5 A. in the occupation of Richard Chapman, grandfather of Richard the son of Richard Chapman jun. with the like appurtenances, to the use of Richard the son; A messuage or tenement in the occupation of Robert Mortimer, alias Tanner, with the like appurtenances, to the use of the said Robert; And the residew of the mannor, and the advowson and patronage of the rectorie with the tithes etc. to the use of Henrie and Thomas Shapcott. Subject to the leases and copiholds expressed in the schedule annexed.

The Schedule

A lease of the messuage or tenement called Over Thorne in the occupation of John Sellake for the lives of Robert Sellake, Johan his wife and John Sellake.

A lease of the same in reversion of the said John Sellake made to Elenor, wife of the said John Sellake for life.

A lease made by Lewes Cruse and Sara his wife of a messuage or tenement called Thorne or Lower Thorne to John Crooke and Richourd his wife for ninety nine yeares, if she and William and Georg their sons so long live.

An estate made to John Voysey son. in a messuage or tenement called Over Bulworthy for life by copy of courtroll.

Another of the same in reversion of the said John to John Voysey jun. for life by like copy.

A lease made by Humfrey Cruse of a messuage or tenement called West Barston and the wood called Okesprey Wood to John Cudmore for ninety nine years, if he and Robert and Christian Cudmore live so long.

Another of the same made by Lewes and Sara in reversion of the said Robert Cudmore to Marie his wife for ninety nine yeares, if she and Elizabeth Cudmore so long live.

A lease made by Lewes and Sara of the closes and parcells of land and meadowe called Okesprey Moore, Oldhaies and Broade Meadowe containing 36 A. to Henrie Storey of Wiverlescomb in Somerset for ninety nine yeares, if Charitie, wife of Robert Bowring of Rackenford, clarke, John Bowring their son and Robert Roades so long live.

A lease made by the same of the messuage and tenement called Barons Tenement to the said Henrie for ninety nine yeares on the like condition.

A lease made by Alexander Cruse and Fraunces his wife of the said closes and tenement in reversion of Charity, John and Robert to the said Robert Bowring for ninety nine yeares, if Anne and Charity Bowring his grandchildren so long live.

An estate which Agnes Handford, widowe, holds by copy of courtroll in the tenement and Mill called Blackdon Mill and a parcell of ground called Burrow Peese for life.

A lease of the same in reversion of Agnes made to John Hadford for ninety nine yeares, if his sons, Anthony, John and William Handford so long live.

A lease of the same to the said Agnes for ninety nine yeares to begin after the determination of the former estates.

An estate which Alexander Voysey holds by copie of courtroll in the messuage or tenement called Meadwelldowne for life.

A lease of a messuage or dwelling house in the occupation of Elizabeth Hunt, widowe, made to John Hunt for ninety nine yeares, if he, Elizabeth his wife and Margarett Barnehowse so long live.

A lease of the same made to Alexander Voyse for ninety nine yeares to begin after the determination of the former estates.

An estate made to Richard Chapman sen. in the close called Broade Close containing about 7A. and in the meadowe groundes called The Coombe Meadowes for life by copie of courtroll.

An estate in the same in reversion of Richard to Richard Chapman his grandchild by copie of courtroll.

An estate which Robert Mortimer, alias Tanner, holds by copy of courtroll in the messuage or tenement in his occupation for life.

And all other estates made by Humphrey or Lewes Cruse of the residewe of the mannor, rectorie and parsonage.

Enrolment 26 October

Membranes 72d. to 77. Deed 1759

20 October, 3 Chas. 1627

RACKENFORD.-Here follows a series of Enrolments of Bargains and sales all bearing the same dates, by Lewes and Alexander Cruse of most of the properties in Rackenford as on mm.64d.-66d. ff. 686 to 688, to certain of the tenants, which Lewes, Alexander and Frances his wife will assure.

Membranes 72d. & 73.
To John Kelland and Robert Kelland of Rackenford, gentlemen,-one moitie to John and the other to Robert as tenants in common-of the two messuages or tenements called Over Thorne and Thorne, alias Lower Thorne; Subject to the lease of Over Thorne dated 26 September, 27 Eliz. (1585), made by Humfrey Cruse to Robert Sellake and others; To another of the same in reversion, dated 6 November, 6 Jas. (1608), made to Ellooner Sellake; And to another of Thorne or Lower Thorne, dated 25 May, 22 Jas. (1623), made by Lewes Cruse to John Crooke and Richaurd his wife.

Membrane 73d. Deed 1760
To Richard Chapman jun. of Witherudg of a close called Brodeclose and the meadow groundes called Combmeadowes in the occupation of Richard Chapman, grandfather of the vendee; Subject to the estate of his grandfather and to his own in reversion.

Membrane 74 & 74d. Deed 1761
To George Voysey, son of Alexander Vysie, of the messuage called Meadwelldowne, the messuage, dwelling house and three closes called Broomecloses, three other closes belonging to the house, and the meadowes called Pitmeaddowes, in the occupation of Alexander and of Elizabeth Hunt; Subject to the estate Alexander has in Meadweldowne, to the lease dated 16 March, 44 Eliz. (1602), made of the residue to John Hunt of Okeford, and to the lease dated 3 September, 3 Chas. (1627), of the same to Alexander.

Membrane 75. Deed 1762
To Robert Mortimer, alias Tanner, of his holding.

Acknowledgement:
The transcriber wishes to thank Elizabeth Glover Howard who kindly provided photocopies of the pages to enable this transcription to be prepared.