HARTLAND

From White's Devonshire Directory of 1850

HARTLAND, a small decayed market town, spoken of in ancient records as a borough, is situated near a rivulet about the middle of that north-west corner of Devon which juts out into the Bristol Channel, at Bideford Bay, opposite Lundy Island. It is 13 miles W. by S. of Bideford, and two miles from the sea, but its large parish extends to the point, and to both coasts of the promontory, and comprises 2223 souls, and about l6,700 acres of land including many scattered farm-houses, &c., the hamlets of Millford, Meddon, Cheristow, Elmscott, and Pilham, and the village of STOKE, from 1 to 2 miles W. of the town, where there is a quay, on the western coast, where corn, &c., is exported, and coal, limestone, &c., imported. Hartland had a grant for a market every Tuesday, in 1280, but it has been obsolete more than sixty years. It has still two annual fairs, on the Wednesday in Easter Week, and the 25th of September. This high and bleak parish is bounded on the south by some boggy heights, where the rivers Torridge and Tamar have their sources; and on the west by Hartland Point, called by Ptolemy, the Promontory of Hercules, and by Camden, Harty Point. There is a small pier at the point, near which fishing vessels find good shelter from south westerly winds, under the rocky eminences which skirt the shore. L. W. Buck, Esq., of Moreton, is lord of the manor, and at the court leet and baron, a portreeve, and other officers are appointed. Hartland Abbey, the seat of George Stuckley Buck, Esq., stands near Stoke village and the church, in the narrow vale, whose sloping sides are richly mantled with hanging woods, and form a spacious deer park, through which a rivulet winds westward to the sea, about a mile below. This abbey, called in ancient writings, the Monastery of St. Nectan, was founded by Githa, wife of Earl Godwin, for canons secular; but in the reign of Henry II., Geoffrey de Dinant, then lord of the manor, consented that they should be changed into canons regular, and gave them the church of Stoke Nectan, now the parish church. At the dissolution of the abbey, its revenues were valued at £336. 13s. 2½d. per annum. Its site was granted, with the manor, in 1545, to Wm. Abbott, and afterwards passed by heiresses to the Lutterrells and Orchards. The mansion was nearly all rebuilt about 50 years ago, by the late Paul Orchard, Esq., and includes the site and some portions of the ancient abbey; the cloisters now forming the basement story of the east and west fronts. When making these improvements, several fragments of richly ornamented mouldings, and a monument of a crusader, were dug up. The Church (St. Nectan,) stands more than a mile west of the town, on a lofty eminence near the sea, Stoke village, and the Abbey. It is a large and handsome building, consisting of a tower, a nave, two aisles, and a chancel; the latter of which is divided from the nave by a richly ornamented screen. It was repaired and beautified in 1849-'50, at the cost of about £800. The advowson and the great tithes of the parish were purchased in 1615, by the founder of the Charter House, London, and settled as part of the endowment of that excellent institution, to which they still belong. The great tithes were commuted in 1842, for £560 per annum, and are now held on lease by J. H. Furse, Esq. The perpetual curacy was valued in 1831, at only £97 per annum. The next presentation has been purchased by Thomas Chope, Esq., of Bideford. The Chapel of Ease, in Hartland town, is a small structure, formerly the market house, but converted to its present use in 1839, at the cost of about £400, raised by subscription. Here is a small Independent Chapel, built in 1818, and a Wesleyan Chapel, erected in 1829. G.S. Buck, Esq., supports a school, for 80 children. The Church Lands, which have been vested in trust from an early period, for the use of the church, comprise a farm of 54A. 3R. 36P., at West Staddon; and a farm of 16A. 2R. 39P., and a house and garden, at Hartland, let for about £44 per annum, which is carried to the churchwarden's account. Four small dwellings for paupers, have been partitioned off from the two church houses. Here is an Almshouse for three poor widows, founded by Wm. Mill, in 1618, and supposed to have been endowed with 1A. 3R. 8P. of land, let for £4, which is applied with the poor rates. Adjoining the almshouse is a building, which was formerly the parish workhouse. In 1812, Paul Orchard left for the poor parishioners £700 three per cent. consols, and £334.14s. 7d. three per cent. reduced annuities, and directed the dividends of the former to be distributed in coals or other fuel; and the dividends of the latter in bread.

Addy Mr Giles
Heal Rev A. Indept
Bailey Robert, corn miller, Tosbery
Buck Geo. Stuckley, Esq. Abbey
Carter Daniel D. merchant, Quay
Carter Wm. sen. & jun, gents
Chanter Rev Wm. incumbent
Hockin Edward, maltster
Prust Wm. tanner
Reynolds Rev Jas. Jones, B.A. curate
Rowe Wm. gent. Down

INNS AND TAVERNS.

Anchor, John Randall
Hoops Inn, Thos. Colley, Quay
King's Arms, Richard Ashton
New Inn, Charles Prowse
West Country Inn, Wm. Steer
Beer House, Thos. Southwood

BLACKSMITHS.

Clarke John
Johns John
Miller John
Parsons John
Snow John

BOOT & SHOE MKS.

Ashton Wm.
Beer John
Beer Joseph
Burnard Wm.
Goodenough Wm.
Jewell John
Lemon Wm.
Score Thos.
Souch Richard
Souch Wm.

BUTCHERS.

Heard Richard
Randall John

COOPERS.

Downing Wm.
Kellaway Wm.

FARMER

S. Ashton Francis
Avery Ann
Baglole Samuel
Binley John
Bailey Thos.
Barch Richard
Barfitt Charles
Barfitt Philip
Bond Wm. Tosbry
Braund Thos.
Braunton John
Burrow John
Cann Thomas
Carter John
Carter Richard
Ching Hugh
Chope Richard
Chope Wm.
Cleverdon John
Cleverdon Thos.
Coldwell John
Coldwell Wm.
Cook Jno. Troy
Cook Rt. Milford
Cook Mary, Mill
Damond John
Dennis Richard
Foley Pr. Millfd
Fulford Richd.
German Samuel
Grills Wm.
Hamlyn John
Hamlyn Thos.
Harris Thos.
Haynes John
Heard John
Heard Richard
Heard Thomas
Hobbs John
Hobbs Richard
Hockin Wm.
Hopper John
Hopper Roger
Howard Joseph
Howard Thos.
Howard Wm.
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Richard
Jeffrey Thos.
Kellaway John
Littlejohn John
Littlejohn Wm.
Moore Edw.
Moore James
Moore Richard
Moore Wm.
Moss Jno. Millfd
Mountjoy Hugh
Mountjoy John
Mountjoy Wm.
Mugford Wm.
Oake Wm.
Pennington Mrs
Pennington Wm.
Pillman John
Prowse James
Prowse John
Prowse Johna.
Prowse Thos.
Prowse Wm.
Pridham Wm.
Prust Daniel
Prust Wm.
Randall John
Randall Joseph
Randall Jph. jun
Rowden George
Rowe Thos. W.
Shepherd John
Shutt John
Shutt Mrs
Sillick Geo. H.
Stone Betty
Stone John
Vine John
Vine Samuel T.
Walter James
Walter John
Watcher Rt. mill
Williams John
Williams Richard
Wood Philip

GROCERS, &c.

(* Drapers also.)
*Burnard Wm.
*Cann Mary
Cory Thomas
*Dennis John
Heard Richard
Kellaway Philip
Prust Wm.

JOINERS, &c.

Cory Thos.
Curtis Richd.
Evans Wm.
Kellaway Philip
Prust Wm.

MASONS.

Cann Samuel
Cann Saml. jun.
Cann Wm.
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Wm.
Jeffrey Thos.
Southwood Thos.

PAINTERS, &c.

Cory Thos.
Jenn Thos.
Kellaway Philip
Prust Wm.

SURGEONS

Carter Dl. Quay
Rowe Chas. H.
Vine Wm.

TAILORS.

Avery Wm.
Evans Wm.
Parsons Richd.
Powley Wm.
Westlake Thos.

WHEELWRIGHTS.

Curtis Richd.
Heal John

POST OFFICE at Rd. Heard's. Letters desp. 8 morning

CARRIERS to Bideford, Tues. Thu. and Sat
Cooke Chas.
Williams Thos.

Brian Randell, 26 Aug 1999