The Manor of Ludbrooke

by

Ivan Edwards

The Manor of Ludbrooke is listed in the Domesday book and belonged to Reginald, Earl of Mortain.Reginald held Ludbrooke from the start. It was held freely by Colbert before the conquest in 1066.

The Earl of Mortain, the uterine brother of William the Conquerer, held a considerable amount of land as a reward for his services during the Norman invasion and subsequent defeat of Saxon England.

In 1200 Ludbrooke was in the possession of Jolland de Ludbrok. In 1252 it was held by Stephen de Ludbrook and it is recorded that he held Baucombe, Dyneston and Yedmareston of the same fee,manor and honour.

It remained with this family until 1303 when it was held by Richard Uppehull.

By 1346 Ludbrooke was in the hands of Reginald Baucombe,Though it is not certain how he came by it,though it is probable that it was purchased to extend theBaucombe family Estates. It seems that the Baucombes held Ludbrooke for only a short time, for in 1350 it was in the possession of Philip Mescheney.

The Lordship then descended to the Fowell family. It remained with the Fowells for some time when it passed to the Parker family in the late 1600's.

The Lordship then passed to Thomas King of Plymouth in 1794, and remained in that family for a century before coming into the possession of the Carew family.

On the 7th of June 2004 Sir Rivers Carew signed the deeds of the manor of Ludbrooke in the County of Devon over to me.