SOWTON

From White's Devonshire Directory of 1850

SOWTON, a small village and parish in the picturesque valley of the Clist rivulet, 3½ mi1es E. of Exeter, contains about 1360A. and 382 inhabitants, of whom 215 are in the village and tithing of CLIST SACKVILLE, which has also 71 inhabitants in Farringdon parish on the opposite of the valley in East Budleigh Hundred, and is sometimes called Bishop's Clist, from its having been for some time the property and one of the seats of the Bishops of Exeter. John Garratt, Esq., owns most of the parish, and is lord of the manor of Clist Sackville, or Bishop's Clist. and Sowton, alias Clist Fomeson. The former was held by the Sackville family till the reign of Edw. I., when it was mortgaged to Bishop Bronscombe, who built a mansion here, and afterwards annexed the manor to the See of Exeter; but in the reign of Edward VI., it was given to the Earl of Bedford, from whom the mansion was called Bedford House, till the civil wars of the 17th century, when it was garrisoned and fortified by Sir Thos. Fairfax, during the blockade of Exeter. It is now called Bishop's Court, and is the seat and property of J. Garratt, Esq. The house is a commodious building, pleasantly situated on a commanding eminence, in a well-wooded park, on the east bank of the small river Clist, and was the seat of the late Lord Graves, who purchased the manor of the executors of Miss Beavis, in 1802. The manor of Sowton was long held by the Fomeson and Ash families, and was sold to the late Lord Graves by the heirs of Miss Salter, in 1800. The Church (St. Michael,) is a handsome structure of perpendicular architecture, with a tower and eight bells. It was erected on the site of the old one in 1844-5, at the cost of about £4700, and has an elegant stone pulpit, richly sculptured with figure of St. Michael, St. Paul, and the four evangelists. The east window is enriched with stained glass, and the living is a rectory, valued in K.B. at £11. 16s. 3d., and in 1831 at £245. The Bishop of Exeter is patron, and the Rev. Henry Sanders, M.A., is the incumbent, and has 18A. of glebe, and a neat residence. There is a small National School at Sowton, and another at Clist Sachville, or Satchfie1d, as it is sometimes called. The latter is connected with the parish of Clist St. Mary. Sowton has £3. 15s. yearly for schooling four children, from Weare's Charity. (See Clist Honiton.) The poor parishioners have three yearly doles, viz., 17s. 6d., left by Lawrence Seldon; 20s., left by John Forward, in 1699; and £4 as the interest of £100, left by various donors, and vested in the Exeter turnpike.

Marked * are in Clist Sackville, and the others in Sowton.
* Bambury Joseph, shopkeeper
* Burge Jas. roper
Batty Wm. sexton
* Burgoin Jas. steward and vict. Cat and Fiddle
* Cook John, blacksmith
* Coward John, tailor
* Dennis John, corn miller
Dummett Mary, schoolmistress
Fogden Charles, gamekeeper
* Franklin Richd. shoemaker
* Garratt John, Esq. Bishop's Court
* Hayward Miss E.
Pring J. school
* Horn Hy. manager of brick & tile yd
* Langford Wm. wheelwright
* Manning Wm. blacksmith
Maunder Isaac, baker and vict. Half Moon
Saunders Rev Henry, M.A. Rectory
Shute John, shopkeeper
* Skinner Thos., National schoolmr
* Simmonds Mr Thos.
Teed Miss E.
* Snell Geo. baker
Treel J. gardener
* Taylor John, maltster & vict. Maltsters' Arms

FARMERS.
* Dennis Wm.
Froom Robert
* Parsons Henry
Pidsley Richd.
Pidsley Rd. jun
Ware Thomas

Brian Randell, 3 Jul 1998