Christow

From White's Devonshire Directory of 1850

CHRISTOW, a straggling village on the western side of the river Teign, 9 miles S.W. of Exeter, and 4½ miles N.W. of Chudleigh, has in its parish 624 souls, and about 3600 acres of land. Viscount Exmouth owns a great part of the soil, and is lord of the manors of Christow and Canon-Teign, which were purchased by his father of W. Helyar, Esq., in 1812. L. Palk, Esq., and several smaller owners, have estates here. Both manors were held by abbeys in Normandy, and were granted at the Reformation to John, Lord Russell. Canon-Teign was successively the seat of the Berry, Gibbs, Gibbon, and Davy families, and was garrisoned for Charles I. in the civil wars, but was taken by Fairfax in December, 1645, and placed under the command of Colonel Okey, who afterwards suffered as one of the regicides. The Church (St. James) is a small ancient fabric, with a tower and six bells, and was appropriated to Bec Abbey, in Normandy, and afterwards to Tavistock Abbey. The great tithes were purchased by the landowners in 1812. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £8. 6s. 8d., and in 1831 at £176, is in the gift of Viscount Exmouth, and incumbency of the Rev. Wm. Woolcombe, who has a neat residence, and £170 a year in lieu of tithes. New Canon Teign House is an occasional seat of Viscount Exmouth, and in its pleasure grounds is a beautiful waterfall. The mine in this parish, called Adams William, was opened about forty years ago, and was long worked for copper ore, manganese, &c. It is now sunk to the depth of 60 fathoms, and yields lead, from which a portion of silver is extracted, but it is not very prolific. A Friendly Society was established for this parish and neighbourhood in 1839. John Stooke, in 1691, left Smyth's Hay farm for charitable uses, &c., in this and other parishes. It comprises 26A., and is let for about £26 per annum. Out of this yearly income, the vicar of Christow receives about £11, and the poor have five 4d. loaves weekly. Of the remainder £5 belongs to the poor of Ashton, and £5 to the rector of Trusham.

Viscount Exmoutb, New Canon Teign House (and Treverry, Cornwall)
Adams Jane, school and postmistress
Bowley John, blacksmith
Guscott Fras. cattle doctor & shopr
Dunrich Wm. vict. Artichoke
Hill Wm. surgeon
Norrish John, shoemaker
Price Wm. stone mason
Sandford Jno. vict. Teign House Inn
Scanes Edward, tailor
Smerdon Hugh Jno. gent. White Farm
Toms Joseph, parish clerk
Woolcombe Rev Wm. Vicarage
Woon Bartholomew, shopkeeper

FARMERS. (* are Owners.)
Adams Joseph, Bowden
* Adams Nathaniel, Clampit
Adams Nicholas, Moor Barton
*Archer Wm. Seahill Farm
Braddon Joseph Gray, Newhyner
* Delvebragg John, Wells Farm
Edwards John, New House
Endicott Samuel, Orphan
Gidley James, Loomscroft
* Hamlyn James, Lower Bennah
* Hamlyn Jno. (regr.) Higher Bennah
Hemens Robert, Court Farm
* Lovies Thomas, Kennick
Oldrey Richard, Canon-teign
Peters Wm. Water Well
* Pinwill John, Cleaps House
Stranger Richard, Shootimoor