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STOKENHAM
Transcribed from William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Devonshire 1850, by Terry Partridge.
STOKENHAM, or Stockingham, a small pleasant village, 5½ miles E. by S. of Kingsbridge, has in its parish 1619 inhabitants, and 5920 acres of land, including six villages, extending 4 miles along the picturesque shore of Start Bay, of which the following are the names and population :- Chillington, 325 ; Beeson, 106 ; Beesands, 104 ; Halsands, 128 ; Kellaton, or Kellington, 105 ; and Torcross, 192. several of them are fishing villages, noted for fine crabs, which are in high repute in London. The parish extends southward to Start Point, where there is a lighthouse. It includes also the hamlets of Bickerton, Dunstone, Cornborough, and many scattered houses. TORCROSS, near Ley lake and Slapton Sands Hotel (see Slapton), is a pretty little bathing place, with several lodging-houses for visitors. An annual regatta is held here. The parish is generally fertile, and it extends westward in a picturesque vale to Frogmore, where there is a creek from Kingsbridge estuary.Sir R. L. Newman, Bart., of Mamhead, is lord of the manor of Stokenham, and has a neat marine residence, called Stokely House, built about 35 years ago. The manor has been held by the Fitzjohns, Fitzherbert, Courtenays, Hastings, and Carys, and was sold by the latter to the Newmans. Miss Burnell is lady of the manor of Kellaton, and A. B. E. Holdsworth, Esq., owns Stokenham Priory estate, and has a picturesquely situated mansion near the bay called Widdecombe, rebuilt about 1725. Coleridge, a handsome new mansion, in the Elizabethan style, is the seat of John Allen, Esq., who owns the estate which gives name to this hundred. The Nicholls, Edmunds, Pitts, Randall, Cole, and other families have estates in the parish, mostly freehold. The Church (St. Barnabas,) is a large antique structure, with a low tower and six bells. It is mostly in the perpendicular style, but the stone mullions of the windows have been replaced by wood. When repairing the chancel in 1846, a beautiful cinquefoiled and crocketted double piscina was discovered. The vicarage, valued in K.B. at £48. 7s. 8½d., and in 1831 at £625, with the curacies of Chivelstone and Sherford annexed to it, is in the patronage of the Crown, and the incumbency of the Rev. Hy. Taylor, M.A., of South Pool Rectory. The Parsonage is small, but neat, and the glebe is only 2A. 21P. The tithes were commuted in 1843, the vicarial for £350. 5s., and the rectorial for £309. 14s. 11d. per ann. Of the latter, £171 belongs to A. B. E. Holdsworth, Esq., and the rest belongs to 41 other impropriators, in sums varying from £16 to 2d. The rectory was appropriated by the Earl of Salisbury to Bisham Priory, in Bucks. The hundred court was anciently held here, and there are some remains of an old building called the Prison, near the church and the site of an ancient manor house. There was anciently a market and a fair at Stokenham, but they were removed to Dodbrooke after a long dispute between the lords of the two manors. The old Independent Chapel here was built by Presbyterians about 1715, and at Torcross is a small chapel, erected by Admiral Pearson, about 20 years ago, and now occupied by the Home Missionary Society. As noticed with Exeter, this parish has from Jeffery's Charity £4 a year for the dissenting minister, and has hats, shoes, and stockings for three poor men. The Parish School is conducted on the British system, and occupies, rent-free, a building belonging to R. Peek, Esq.
DIRECTORY
In the following Directory of Stokenham Parish, those marked 2, are at Chillington ; 3, Beeson ; 4, Beesands ; 5, Halsands ; 6, Kellaton ; 7, Torcross ; 8, Bickerton ; 9, at Dunstone ; and 10, at Cornborough.
Allen John, Esq. Coleridge 7 Baker Wm. gent 2 Bowden John, tea dealer 2 Brooking Wm. tailor 3 Bucknell Rev -- (Independent) 2 Cove Stephen, painter & glazier 4 Croker Susan, beer seller 2 Dare Mr W. Diggle Rev Chas. Wadham, curate Edmunds Mr Philip, Cornborough 2 Edwards Mrs S. Gillard Jno. P., surveyor and auctioneer, Matscombe Gillard Peter, surveyor, Cotmore 7 Hannaford Mrs E. Holdsworth A. B. E., Esq. Widdecombe 7 Johnson Miss 2 Loye Mr P. Lyde Jas. surgeon Maye Eliz Meldrum Arthur, schoolmaster Mitchell Robert, gardener Newman Sir R. L., Bart. Stokely 7 Newman Miss Nicholls Roger, miller, Landcomb 2 Patey John, parish clerk 7 Pepperell Mrs. My. Perrott Mr John 5 Perrott Wm. thatcher 7 Pike John, basket maker Pike Mary Pitts Mr Nicholas Shoemack Wm. Start Point Light House Tolcher D. schoolmaster 7 Tucker Edward, butcher Webb Mr Rt. 7 Westlake John, stone & slate merchant INNS AND TAVERNS. 7 Anchor, Wm. Pepperell Church House, Joshua Creber 7 Dartmouth Inn, Betsy Crispin 5 London Inn, Samuel Mingo 2 New Inn, Wm. Luscombe New Inn, Richard Shepherd 2 Union, John Ingram BAKERS. 2 Clements Jas. Mitchell John BLACKSMITHS. 8 Dunn John Harraden Henry 2 Harraden Wm. 6 Patey Henry 2 Randall John BOAT BUILDERS. 5 Adams Wm. 7 Pepperell Pp. 8 Pepperell P. sen CARPENTERS. 6 Burgoin Wm. 2 Farr Geo. bldr Kelland Henry Kelland H. jun Kelland John 2 Pilditch Wm. | FARMERS. (* are owners.) * Adams John 3 Cockram John 10 Cole John 6* Cole Philip 8 Cole Wm. * Cole Wm. & Son 10 Drew Wm. 3 Earle Samuel * Gillard J. P. 2 * Helmer Fnx. 9 Helmer Nichs. 3 Jarvis John Letheron George Lidstone George 3 Lidstone Wm. 9 Lizard Thos. Loye Philip, jun Maye Thomas * Paige John 2 Patey Wm. Parnell Samuel * Pearce John Pepperell John Pepperell Saml. 10* Perrott B. * Pitts John * Pitts Nicholas 3 Prettejohn Geo. * Prettejohn Ntl. * Prettejohn Thos. 3 *Randall Abs. 3 Randall A. & G. 3 * Randall Geo. * Randall George Randall John * Randall Ptr. & Nichls. millers Soper Samuel 10 Timewell Jas. 2 Tolcher Geo. 6 Wood Eli MASONS. 2 Brooking Jas. 2 Edgeland John Pedrick John 2 Rhymes Peter SHOEMAKERS. 6 Dure Edw. Issell John 2 Perrott Thos. 2 Shepherd John SHOPKEEPERS. 3 Loggin Mary 2 Randall Nichs. 7 Pepperell Pp. 7 Tucker My. A. WHEELWRIGHTS. 2 Brown Henry 6 Patey James POST OFFICE at J. Issell's. - Letters via Kingsbridge |