Notes on the Parish from 1842 to 1939

 

1842 The tithes were commuted in for £168. The poor had an interest of £35, left by various donors.

1850 The parish contained 240 souls and 3245 acres of land, but only 2500 acres were tithable, and the greater part of the remainder was open moorland and plantations. The principal landowner at that time appears to have been the Rev. John Froude, vicar of Knowstone and Molland, and who resided at The Barton, described as being built in 1848 on the site of “the old mansion”.

The rectory was described as “a commodious thatched mansion” and the glebe lands extended to 100 acres 1 rood and 9 perches. The church was described as “a small ancient building, with a tower and four bells”.

1866 The principal landowner was John Froude Bellew of Rhyll House, while a Mrs Froude residing at Barton House was another large landowner. William Tapp had, by then, taken over the Hare & Hounds.

1873 It is recorded that the village has a station on the Devon & Somerset Railway. It is also recorded that the “soil is clay on the south-west of the parish, and skillet on the north-east; subsoil clay and skillet. The chief crops are oats, barley and cereals.”

1875 A School Board of 5 members was formed.

1878 John Froude Bellew is listed as Lord of the Manor, while other principal landowners were A. Smith, Thomas Hoskins of Oak and Mrs Froude of Barton House. Also in this year the “Froude’s Arms” is first mentioned.

1880 A Board School was built for 60 children, average attendance 44 and that Miss Anne Buckingham was mistress. John Froude Bellew was still the principal landowner. William Tapp of the “Hare & Hounds” is now called a farmer, possibly the competition from the “Froude Arms” (the apostrophe has been dropped!) required an additional source of income. The landlord of the “Froude Arms” is now John Smith. Thomas Bowden previously of High Town Farm is now at Barton Farm. Major George F. Morant is recorded as residing at Blackerton.

1883 The annual revel is described as a “woodcock revel”.

1890 We are told that the poor have an interest of £100 left by the Rev. G.P.Norris, the late rector. George Harper was the police constable.

Later the principal landowner and lord of the manor is shown as William Legassick Bellew of Henspark, while Edward C.Dawkins occupies Rhyll Manor and John Charles Hawker resides at Barton House.

1902 The trustees of W.L.Bellew are stated to be the lords of the manor and principal landowners; Selwyn Jasper is at Rhyll Manor and Highertown, Lt.Col. Beadon at Blackerton and John Charles Hawker at Barton House. Thomas Hoskins, who has been shown in earlier years as farming at Oak, is now shown as living at Oak Cottage. William Hancock is now at Oak. Thomas Singerton is now at the “Froude Arms” and apparently earns extra income as a tailor!

1914 We are told that “a woodcock revel is held the first week of October”. By now the principal landowners are E.L.Hancock of Rhyll Manor and William Halse Drake at East Liscombe. There is now a Post & Telegraph Office at Oldways End. Two new houses are recorded namely Knapp House occupied by James Stapledon and Broomball occupied by Robert Thomas. Mrs Singerton now runs the “Froude Arms”, possibly her husband has died while Benjamin Tarr, farmer, is at the “Hare & Hounds”. Farming continues to be the main occupation and the chief crops continue to be oats, barley and cereals.

1919 The school, now a mixed Public Elementary School, has been enlarged for 75 children.

1923 The principal landowners were E.L.Hancock of Rhyll Manor, Samuel Webber Morey, and William Halse, the latter two apparently not residing in the parish.

1930 The principal landowners are E.L.Hancock of Rhyll Manor, Mrs Moore and Mrs Drake, again the latter two not apparently residing in the parish.

It is also recorded that part of the kennels of the Dulverton Foxhounds are at Rhyll and that Lord Poltimore was master and E.L.Hancock assistant master. The pack comprised 50 couples of hounds and hunted Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

There is also now a reference to a monthly cattle market being held on the 4th Monday of each month. Farms of 150 acres and over were Netherwoodburn, East Liscombe, Barton Farm and Highertown.George Pursey was at the “Froude Arms” and Benjamin Tarr continued at the “Hare & Hounds”.

1939 E.L.Hancock and Mrs Drake are the principal landowners while the principal crops are now oats and roots. In this year there is no reference to a woodcock revel.

One often thinks that during the later part of the 19th century and the first part of the 20th century there was reasonable stability and that families in rural areas such as East Anstey were not inclined to move that much. It is, therefore, interesting to note how often the occupiers of the various farms in the parish changed. During this time most of the farmers were tenant farmers, mainly being tenants of the Rhyll Estate.

Some 50 family names are recorded over the period occupying about 14 farms and only a few seem to have stayed for any length of time.

The Carter family were at Yaney for about 40 years, then at Dunsley, then at Higher Radnidge with more Carters at Lower Radnidge for about 20 years.

The Vicary family were at Parsonage Farm, presumably tenants of the rector, for about 20 years, then moved to Dunsley for a short time.

The Nott family were at Cruwys Ball for about 40 years at the start of the 20th century.

The Webber family were at Higher Radnidge for about 50 years over the turn of the century.

The Taylor family were at Bungsland and then at Dunsley.

Only two families farming in the period up to 1939 are still around. Frederick Jones became the tenant of Highertown around 1939 with his son, Derek, taking over the tenancy on his father’s death in 1967, and later buying the farm when the Rhyll estate was sold, and continuing to farm there today.

During the first World War there was an Edward Bawden at Barton Farm. Harold Bawden, who was born in Hawkridge and later farmed in Wiltshire bought West Liscombe in 1939 and the family farmed there for many years. His son, Alan Bawden, still remains in the village.