MARWOOD

From White's Devonshire Directory of 1850

MARWOOD, a village on the Ilfracombe road, 3 miles N.N.W. of Barnstaple, has in its parish 1012 souls, and 5596 acres of land, including the scattered hamlets of Mudford, Milltown, King's Heanton, Guineaford, and Prixford. Part of the parish is in the Earl of Devon's manor of Braunton, and the rest belongs to Chas. C. Drake, Henry Ley, Thomas R. Harding, Thos. Bridges, and John Crang, Esqrs., Dr. Yeo, the Rev. F. Mules, the Rev. J.H. Mules, and several smaller owners. Marwood was the seat and property of the Mervin family, and Whitfield was the seat of a branch of the Bastards. Church Marwood was long held by the Lords Martin and Lords Audley, and afterwards by the Bourchiers; and Westcote was originally the residence of the Westcote family. The Church (St. Michael,) is an ancient structure, with a tower and six bells, and a finely carved screen. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £24. 8s. 6½d., and in 1831 at £400, is in the patronage of St. John's College, Cambridge; and incumbency of the Rev. Richard Riley, B.D., who has a good residence, and 26A. 3R. 36P. of glebe. The tithes were commuted in 1844. Here are two chapels, belonging to the Independents and Wesleyans, and the former is a neat structure, in the early English style. The Parish Land, about 6A., let for £11, was derived from the gifts of Arthur Acland, and other donors. The rents are distributed among the poor. In 1779, Richard Harding left £150 for schooling poor children, and £100 to be invested for the relief of the poor. These sums were laid out in the purchase of £389.15s. three per cent. consols. The dividends of £100 of the same stock, left by Wm. Westacott, in 1810, are paid to a schoolmistress for teaching three poor children.

Berry Thomas, shoemaker
Born Samuel, machine maker
Bridges Thomas, Esq. Hill House
Chugg Thomas, beer seller
Crang John, gentleman
Geen John, blacksmith
Hill Henry, parish clerk
Hussell James, cooper, &c
Jones Thomas, schoolmaster
Lerwell Walter, corn miller
Ley Henry, Esq. Lee House
Mules John, gent., & Rev Fras. rector of Bittadon
Marshall John, tailor and draper
Riley Rev Rd., B.D. Rectory
Riley Rev Rd. jun., B.A. curate
Rock John B. corn miller
Slocombe Harriet, shopkeeper

INNS AND TAVERNS.

Fry's Hotel, James Pearce
Maltsters' Inn, George Richards
Mervin Arms, Wm. Corney, auctionr.
North Devon Inn, Fras. Fairchild
Ring of Bells, James Pearce

FARMERS.

Marked 2, at Kings Heanton; 3, Metcombe; and 4 Warleigh.
Alford Wm. || Balment John
Balsdon Wm. Westcote Barton
Carder Thomas || Clement John
2 Corney Geo. || 3 Delve Peter
Corney Wm. Milltown
2 Heywood Wm. || Gammon Philip
3 Irwin Joseph || Isaac Thomas
Joslyn John, Prixford Barton
Kelly John, Blackwell
4 Kelly Rd. || 4 Kelly Thomas
Lamprey John || Laramy John
Richards Wm. || Smith George
2 Watts Pp. || Smith Jas. Huish

Brian Randell, 26 Aug 1999