High Bray 1850

                      HIGH BRAY


   From William White's Gazetteer & Directory of Devon 1850


   Transcribed by John Bishop


A pleasant village on the Eastern activity of the Bray valley, 6 miles NW
of South Molton has in its parish 314 souls and 4259 acres of land,
including part of Brayford hamlet & a number of scattered farms.
Sir P.F. Acland, Bart, is lord of the manor and patron of the rectory
valued in KB at £14. 6s. 8d and in 1831 at £300, & now in the incumbency
of the Rev Charles Melhuish, who has a neat small residence & nearly 64A of
glebe. 
The tithes were commuted in 1842 for £360 per annum.The church is an
ancient structure in the perpendicular style with a tower & 4 bells.
The Rev J.W.Bryan, R Harding Esq. & a few smaller owners have estates in
the parish. In 1703 Jacob Sloley left 2 annuities namely 36s. for the poor
" £3.12s for schooling poor children. The poor also have the interest of
£14.00 left by  R. Dalling & Henry Moreman.

Huxtable, John            Blacksmith
Huxtable, Richard         Wheelwright.
Melhuish, Rev. Chas,      Rectory

FARMERS
Burrow, John
Channings, Nehs.
Parminter, John
Pattison, Aaron
Radley. George
Robins, Thomas.
Rook, Philip
Rook, John D.
Skinner, James
Slader, Peter.
Squire, James
Thorne,  J & Rd
Thorne, Wm.