SHERFORD

Transcribed from William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Devonshire 1850, by Terry Partridge.

SHERFORD, a small ancient village, in a pleasant valley, three miles E. of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 450 souls, and 2326 acres of land, including part of the village of Frogmore, which is situated at the head of a navigable creek, three miles E.S.E. of Kingsbridge, and has 232 inhabitants, of whom 90 are in this parish, 77 in Charleton, and 65 in South Pool parish. Here are lime kilns, coal wharfs, and granaries, where vessels of 100 tons load and unload their cargoes. The manor is dismembered, and the parish now belongs to W. Y. Clarke, W. Pollard, and L. Howard, Esqrs., and a few smaller owners. It anciently belonged to St. Nicholas's Priory, Exeter, and afterwards to the Willoughby, Trevelyan, and Templer families. Kennedon, an ancient farm house of the early Tudor period, was successively the seat of the Prall, Halls, and Aldam families, the latter of whom sold it to L. Howard, Esq. Its tower was taken down by the Aldams. Malston, another farm house of the same age, was the seat of a family of its own name, and afterwards of the Stighulls and Reynells. The Church (St. Martin,) is a fine specimen of the decorated style, and has a lofty tower and five bells. There are stoups to the north and south doors, and in the chancel is a fine trefoiled piscina. The benefice is a curacy, annexed to the vicarage of Stokenham. The tithes were commuted in 1842, the vicarial for £171.5s., and the rectorial for £249. 19s. 8d. per annum. Of the latter, £105 belongs to the Vicar of Townstal, and the rest to several impropriators. Here is a small Weslyan Chapel. Poor seamen or their widows, of this parish, have 3A of land, purchased with £50 left by George Dottin, in 1701.

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