Transcript

of

Acland Family

Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. VII, (1912-1913), Exeter: James G. Commin. 1913, p. 106-107.

by

James C. Marshall

Prepared by Michael Steer

The Acland family is first recorded at Acland Barton, in Landkey parish to the west of Exmoor. Hugh de Accalen owned land there in 1155. By the 15th century the house had been rebuilt and a chapel had been added; the family had moved from the yeoman to the gentry class. By the 1550s they held land in Loxbeare, Chittlehampton, Tedburn St. Mary, High Bray and Swimbridge. Later in the 16th century the younger son bought Culmjohn Manor, in Broadclyst parish, and then Killerton was purchased. A century later Killerton became the centre of the estates held by the family.The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Note 74. ACLAND FAMILY. - The brothers Lysons (Magna Britannia, Devonshire) say that John Acland, who lived about the latter end of the 15th or beginning of the 16th century, had two sons, the younger of whom, Anthony, left posterity settled at Hawkridge, and afterwards at Fremington; and they add that this John was the grandfather of John Acland who married a co-heiress of Radcliffe. Thus they rightly make Anthony of Hawkridge to be the uncle of the last mentioned John Acland. Now it is a curious fact that Colonel Vivian (Visitations of Devon), Mr. Chadwyck Healey in his pedigree of the Aclands (Hist, of Part of West Somerset) and Mr. Worthy (Devonshire Wills) all without comment (relying apparently upon the Devonshire Visitation of 1620) make Anthony to be the younger brother of the John Acland who married Margaret Radcliffe, and was at the date of his grandfather's death in December 1539 between 17 and 18 years old. If this had been so, then Baldwin Acland (Anthony's son and heir), who was 35 years of age at the death of his father in 1568, was born when his father's "elder brother was about 10 or 11 years old, which is absurd.

The Lysons are indisputably right when they make Anthony of Chittlehampton to be the founder of the Hawk- ridge branch of the Acland family; but are they equally correct when they include the Acklands of Fremington amongst his posterity ? If they are, then Lewis Ackland of Braunton, who Mr. J. F. Chanter tells us (Trans. Devon Association, 1906) married Mary Lamprey, 17 Jan., 1610, and became the father of Richard Ackland who purchased the manor of Fremington and left it to his descendants, must have been either a son, or (if two consecutive generations married very young) possibly a grandson of one of the eight sons of Anthony of Hawkridge by his wife Agnes, daughter of John Courtney. The descent from Anthony is to some extent confirmed by the fact, which I learn from Mr. Sydney Harper of Barnstaple, that the coat of arms of Richard Ackland (son of the above named Richard) on Queen Ann's Walk there bear a crescent for difference.

Does anyone know who was the father of Lewis Ackland? 

                                           JAMES C. MARSHALL.