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Okehampton

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"OKEHAMPTON, or Oakhampton, is a small but busy market town, and ancient borough, which gives name to a large union, deanery, and polling and county court districts; and is picturesquely sited near the northern extremity of Dartmoor Forest, in the valley of the river Okement, . . . The town is on the high road from Falmouth to Exeter, 22 miles W. by N. of the latter . . . . Its large parish had 1430 inhabitants in 1801, 2055 in 1831, and 2194 in 1841, and extends over 9552 acres of land, including the scattered hamlets of Chicecott, Brightley, Lower Fatherford, Meldon, and KIGBEAR, the latter of which includes Southcott, Maddaford, Nethercott, and Croft farms &c., and comprises about 1460 acres, all in Black Torrington Hundred. The parish extends several miles around the town, and includes several large commons and moorland tracts, containing slate, limestone, and granite. . . . The parish now belongs to A.B. Savile, J.M. Woollcombe, H. Hawkes, J.C. Luxmoore, and Jas. Crotch, Esqrs.; the Rev. C.T.C. Luxmoore, Sir R.R. Vyvyan, and many smaller owners. . . . The Parish Church (All Saints,) stands on a bold eminence, nearly half a mile west of the town, and was destroyed by fire, except the tower, on the 13th Feb., 1842. . . . The Rev. J. Downall, M.A. is the incumbent . . . . " [From White's Devonshire Directory (1850)]

A market town and parish partly in Lifton Hundred and partly in Black Torrington Hundred (according to Wilcox's 'Parish Registers of Devon', though other sources just list it as being in Lifton Hundred), the Archdeaconry of Totnes and the Diocese of Exeter. Regarded as part of the Dartmoor area.

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Archives & Libraries

Museum of Dartmoor Life, Okehampton, web-site.

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Biography

James Meadows Rendel F.R.S. (1799-1856) - from the Retired Chartered Engineers Club website.

Adams, Malcolm, Rev. W. John Dunning Prickman [Obituary] Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol. 45, (1913). pp. 45-46. [Transcript]

Harpley, Rev. W. Windham Hunt Holley [Obituary] Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol. XXX, (1898), p. 44. [Transcript]

Webb, Nigel and Webb, Caroline. Mr. Sugar Face and His Moll, Legini Press (2019) 216 pp. [ISBN 978-0-9553311-2-1][George Webb Medley, a.k.a. Mr Sugar Face, (1828-1898) and his wife Maria ('Molly') Selous (1839-1919).]

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Census

Transcription of the 1861 Census entries for the Okehampton Union Workhouse, by Betsy Rubel.

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Church History

Oakhampton - from J. Stabb. Some Old Devon Churches (London: 1908-16).

Hughes, T.C. Notes on the Vicars of Okehampton. Trans. Devon Assoc. 57 (1925) pp.235-255. [16th-20th cent.]

Prickman, J.D. A chapter in the history of the Chapel of St.James in the borough of Okehampton. Trans. Devon. Assoc. 33, (1901) pp.640-650. [Index]

Scantlebury, Gerald. New Weslyan Methodist church and Sunday School, Okehampton: ninety years of worship at Fairplace 1904-1994. [Okehampton]: The Author (1994) [32]p: ill, plan. [Westcountry Studies Library - px287.1/OKE/SCA]

Taverner, R.L. The History of the Churches of Okehampton with Inwardleigh: All Saints', Okehampton Parish Church; St James', Okehampton; St Ann, Meldon; St Petroc, and Inwardleigh Parish Church. (1966) [Westcountry Studies Library, Plymouth Library, Torquay Library]

Young, Edward Herbert. The story of the chapel of St. James the Apostle at Okehampton. Trans. Dev. Assoc. vol 61 (1929) pp311- 326.

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Church Records

Parish Registers going back to 1634 are held in the Devon Record Office.

Indexed transcripts of the Parish Registers going back to 1634, and of the Bishops' Transcripts going back to 1608, are held in a special collection in the Westcountry Studies Library.

The Devon FHS publishes indexes covering (as of June 2004): Marriages 1754-1837, Burials 1813-1837, together with Okehampton Independent Chapel Burials 1813-1837 - for details see their Devon Parish List.

Other churches and chapels (with pre-1840 records):

  • Ebenezer Independent/Congregational Chapel, North Lane: Registers for 1799-1810, 1821-36 (ZC), 1829-37 (B) in PRO RG 4/446, 447, 1214
  • Okehampton or Moretonhampstead Wesleyan Circuit: Registers for 1815-37 (C) in PRO RG 4/1089
  • Wesleyan Chapel: Registers for 1806-31 - see Cullompton (PRO RG 4/958)

Entered into the IGI (as of Jan 1993): Parish Church Christenings 1608-1843, Marriages 1608-1706, 1717-1837 (entries in part from Bishops' Transcripts); Ebenezer Independent Chapel Christenings 1799-1836, Wesleyan Chapel Christenings 1815-1837.

The Deanery of Okehampton: An index of baptisms, marriages and burials in the parishes of Ashbury, Beaworthy, Belstone, Bratton Clovelly, Broadwoodkelly, Exbourne, Germansweek, Hatherleigh, Highampton, Honeychurch, Inwardleigh, Jacobstowe,Monkokehampton, Northlew, Okehampton and Sampford Courtenay. Photographs of the churches and extracts from White's Devonshire Directory 1850. CD-ROM, Exeter, Devon FHS (2011). [Ashbury Mar: 1755-1810; Beaworthy Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1758-1837, Bur: 1760-1837; Belstone Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1755-1835, Bur: 1813-1837; Bratton Clovelly Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1754-1837, Bur: 1813-1837; Broadwoodkelly Bapt: 1813-1839, Mar: 1754-1839, Bur: 1813-1838; Exbourne Bapt: 1813-1839, Mar: 1755-1837, Bur: 1813-1837; Germansweek Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1756-1837, Bur: 1813-1840; Hatherleigh Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1754-1837, Bur: 1813-1837; Highampton Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1747-1837, Bur: 1813-1839; Honeychurch Bapt: 1813-1842, Mar: 1757-1837, Bur: 1813-1842; Inwardleigh Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1754-1838, Bur: 1790-1837; Jacobstowe Bapt: 1813-1852, Mar: 1755-1837, Bur: 1813-1851; Monkokehampton Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1755-1838, Bur: 1813-1837; Northlew Bapt: 1813-1839, Mar: 1754-1837, Bur: 1813-1837; Okehampton Bapt: 1813-1840, Mar: 1754-1837, Bur: 1813-1837; Okehampton Independent Chapel Bur: 1829-1837; Sampford Courtenay Bapt: 1813-1839, Mar: 1754-1837, Bur: 1813-1837.]

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Description & Travel

Okehampton Town Council Website.

Section on Okehampton from Samuel Lewis: A Topographical Dictionary of England (1831), provided by Mel Lockie.

Okehampton. Devon Life vol. 6 no. 48 (1970) pp.28-31; ill.

You can see pictures of Okehampton which are provided by:

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Directories

Transcription by Neil Stanton of the entry for Okehampton in White's Devonshire Directory of 1850.

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Emigration & Immigration

Gray, Sue. 1911 Census Bonus, Devon Family Historian, vol. 133, (2010) p.28. [Emigration of Thomas Paddon to Canada in 1911.]

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Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for this parish from the National Gazetteer (1868), provided by Colin Hinson.

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Genealogy

The Online Parish Clerk scheme's representative for this parish is Maureen Carroll. (Resources: Baptisms 1801-1856; Burials 1801-1812.)

Dartmoor Press Online Magazine's page for this parish (archived copy), with articles, transcriptions, publication details, etc. - highly recommended.

Cole, Charles F. Dodge Family. Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. VI, (January 1910 to October 1911), p. 94. [Transcript]

Geen, Maurice S. An ordinary Devon family: Geen of Okehampton. Crediton: The Author (1975) 39p: ill , tables. [Westcountry Studies Library - p929.2/GEE ]

Gryde, Marina. J.R. & Dorothy Pound - a Devon Connection, Devon Family Historian, vol. 170, (2019) pp.36-37. [Dorothy Pound neé Vernon]

Luxmoore, Chas.F.C. Cunningham family. Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries 3:8, (1905) pp.254-257. [Pedigree set out.]

 

Varney, Dave. Who was the other Langmead, Devon Family Historian, vol. 178, (2021) pp.31-32.[Partridge, Langmead]

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History

Bridges, W.B. Some account of the barony and town of Okehampton .. antiquities & institutions with notes genealogical, descriptive, explanatory. (New ed. with additional chapters edited by W.H.K.Wright) Tiverton: William Masland (1989) xxvii, 242p, plates: ill. [Westcountry Studies Library - B/OKE/0001/BRI]

Brooking-Rowe, J. (ed). Eleventh Report of the Committee on Devonshire Records. Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol 34 (1902), pp. 147-159. [Index]

Burd, Edmund P. Okehampton, some minor chronicles. Trans. Devon. Assoc. 57, (1925) pp.227-233.

Burd, E.P. Okehampton turnpikes. Trans. Dev. Assoc. (1937) pp307-323: ill.

Lauder, R.A. Market Towns of North Devon, Bideford, Badger (1983) 60 pp.

Lawrence, Judith. The Manufacture of Agricultural Hand Tools Family Tree Magazine, (Sep 1998) p.3. [About the Finch Foundry, Sticklepath, Okehampton]

Martin, E.W. The Shearers and the Shorn: A study of life in a Devon Community. Dartington Hall Studies in Rural Sociology. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul (1965) vii, 250p: map. [Concerns Okehampton from 1800]

Northmore, John. Honour and Barony of Okehampton. Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. VI, (January 1910 to October 1911), pp. 131-2. [Transcript]

Radford, Roy and Radford, Ursula. The Book of Okehampton: Portrait of an Ancient Market Town, Tiverton, Halsgrove Press (2002) 160 pp. [ISBN: 1841141526] [Index]

Reichel, Oswald J. Honour and Barony of Okehampton. Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. VI, (January 1910 to October 1911), pp. 169-171. [Transcript]

Rendell, Paul. Okehampton Through Time, Amberley Publishing (2011) 96 pp. [ISBN-10: 1445601346]

Williams, John. The Morning Chronicle - London, Saturday November 2nd 1811, Devon Family Historian, vol. 135, (2010) pp.37-38. [An account of an escape by "six French officers who were on their parole at Oakhampton", and a murder carried out by their guide.]

Worth, R.N. Okehampton beginnings. Trans. Devon. Assoc. vol. 27, (1895) pp.93-112. [1066-1500] [Index]

Worth, R.N. Okehampton Castle. Trans. Devon. Assoc. vol.  XXVII. (1895), plans, pp. 124-136. [Index]

Worth, R.N. Notes on the Geology of Okehampton. Trans. Devon. Assoc. vol. XXVII. (1895), pp. 297-310. [Index]

Wreford, Mike & Hilary. Okehampton Collection. Pinhoe, Exeter: Obelisk Publications. [ISBN 0946651728].

Wreford, Mike & Hilary. Mike and Hilary Wreford's Okehampton collection. II. Exeter: Obelisk Publications (1995) 48p: chiefly ill. [ISBN 0946651884]

Wreford, Mike & Hilary. Mike and Hilary Wreford's Okehampton collection. III. Exeter: Obelisk Publications (1994) 48p: chiefly ill. [ISBN 1899073124]

Wreford, Mike & Hilary. Okehampton of Yesteryear. Pinhoe, Exeter: Obelisk Publications. [ISBN 1899073825].

Wreford, Mike & Hilary. Okehampton People. Pinhoe, Exeter: Obelisk Publications. [ISBN 1899073604].

Young, E H. Short account of the Okehampton market. Trans. Devon. Assoc. 57 (1925).

Young, Edward H. Okehampton during the civil war 1642-46. Trans. Dev. Assoc, vol.60 (1928) pp277-298.

Young, Edward H. Copy of a collection of transcripts of documents &c. relating to Okehampton & Brightley Priory. Typescript [1931?] 1 vol. [Westcountry Studies Library - sxB/OKE/0001/OKE]

Young, Edward H. Parochial Histories of Devonshire No. 1: Oakhampton. Devonshire Association (1931) [4], 81p, pls: ill, maps. [Westcountry Studies Library - B/OKE/0001/YOU]

Remembering yesterday: a collection of memories. Okehampton & Dist. Loc. His. Cen. [1988] 13p. [Westcountry Studies Library - px301.34/OKE/REM]

The people's war 1939-1945: the experiences of people in and around Okehampton during the Second World War. Okehampton & Dist. Loc. His. Cen. [1988] [21] leaves: ill . [Westcountry Studies Library - pxB/OKE/1939/PEO]

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Land & Property

Transcription of a lease agreement between John Palmer and William Knapman (1800) provided by Elizabeth Howard.

Peskett, H.M. Two Twelfth Century Charters of the Honour of Oakhampton. Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries 32, 4 (1972) pp.103-104. [Raymond: Lists many witnesses.]

Reichel, O J. The early descent of Devonshire estates belonging to the honours of Mortain and Okehampton. Trans. Dev. Assoc. 38 (1906). [Index]

Westcott, Margaret. Surveying the Estates of Henry Courtenay, Earl of Devon, Marquis of Exeter and Traitor, 1543-4. In Devon Documents (ed. T. Gray). Tiverton: Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries, Special Issue (1996) [ISBN 0925836203] pp.199-203. [Okehampton, Chulmleigh, Tiverton, Broadclyst, Colyton, Exminster]

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Maps

Map of the area from OldeMaps (circa 1950).

View a map of the boundaries of this town/parish.

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SX588952 (Lat/Lon: 50.739197, -4.002458), Okehampton which are provided by:

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Military History

Brewer, Dave. Napoleonic prisoners of war at Moretonhampstead, Okehampton and Tavistock. Dartmoor Magazine no. 13, (1988) pp.9; ill

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Names, Personal

Okehampton contributors to a 1678 brief for the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral.

Names from an 1822-23 edition of Pigot's Directory.

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Newspapers

Okehampton Times - regional electronic journal.

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Probate Records

Will of Jonas Squire (1836) transcribed by David Davy.

Taylor, M. Jane.  Lawrence Arscott - A Tudor Yeoman of Okehampton, Devon Family Historian, no. 185, (2023) pp.44-46. [Contains transcript of the will, dated 25 ebruary 1627/8, and inventory.]

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Schools

Hunter, W. History of Oakhampton Grammar School. Trans. Devon Assoc. 57 (1925) pp.213-225. [Raymond: Lists schoolmasters, 1619-1806, and Latin scholars, 1696-1700.]

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Societies

The Masonic Lodge in Okehampton ("The Lodge of Obedience No 1753") - A Short History of the First Hundred Years 1878-1978