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Ancestral Search 36

July 2020

Hi, My daughter's mother-in-law is adamant that her grandfather William Miller from Croakham Farm served in Alexandria during WW1.   Are you able to shed any light on this?    Many thanks,     Archie Needs

Steve Horner replies:   Thank you for your enquiry, most fascinating.   I have had a quick look at the records.   There is no mention of a William Miller from Yarcombe having served in the armed forces in World War I, at least his name is not on the plaque in the Baptist chapel.   I have done a search in the 1911 census and no William Miller is shown as living in Yarcombe.   Also I believe the tenant of Croakham farm at that time was James Loosemoor.   However oral family tradition is usually right , therefore can you give me details of William Miller, his approximate age would help.   Also details of your daughter's mother-in-law, her name and date of birth and her parents name and dates of birth would enable me to track this William Miller.

Archie Needs writes:   William Miller was born in 1896 and died in 1988.   He is buried in Yarcombe Cemetery (details here).   I don't think he purchased Croakham Farm until just after the war.   His son Arthur James "Jim" Miller (1922-1998) was living there with his parents (William & Charlotte) in the 1939 Register.   Jim is also in your WW2 Home Guard photo and is buried in Yarcombe Churchyard as well.   William Miller's daughter Brenda May Miller was born in 1955 and grew up at Croakham Farm.   Let me know if you need any more info.
 

Ancestral Search 35

June 2020

Hello, I wonder if you can help me.   My 8th great-grandfather Robert Rowland was born in Upottery Devon (as were all his children).   It is thought that his wife was named Susannah Mather, but I have no confirmation of this.   He was baptised at St Marys Church Upottery 28th July 1633.   I have a copy of the parish record for his baptism.   He MAY have been married a number of times as it is understood his children were born between 1666-1688, all in Upottery Devon.   His Father was named as Edward Rowland.   To date I have been unable to trace a birth for Edward Rowland circa 1600 – 1605 in the St Marys Church Upottery baptism records.   I have been communicating with other researches and there is a thought that Edward Rowland MAY have been in the Yarcombe area 1600 – 1605 but we have not been able to locate any documentation to confirm this.   Do you have any information on this or if not can you maybe point me in the right direction?   Thanking you in advance,   Regards,   Mr Les Fitzgerald
 

Steve Horner replies:   I have a great interest in the history of our parish and I do try to help solve questions such as you have posed - as you know this is a really tough one.   The standard work on the history of our parish is From Monks to the Millennium written by Ruth Everitt and there is no reference to Edward Rowland mentioned therein.   I do have in my office a hard copy of a document to which Ruth did not have access when she wrote her book and this document is the pleadings of a court case, Drake vs Major, filed 23 November 1600 – it’s a transcription made by a historian I suspect was working for the Drake family.   The case is a claim by the then vicar of Yarcombe against the Drake family in respect of a dispute over Tithes.   This is a fascinating document listing all land holdings, the names of the owners / occupiers / tenants and the name of the holding.   Almost all the names of fields / farmsteads / meadows remain the same today.   I have looked for the name Rowland in the document but it does not feature.   It is entirely possible that your ancestor moved between Upottery and Yarcombe which are adjoining parishes in the county of Devon.   I did have a quick look on Ancestry where there is mention of Edward Rowland born in 1603, but the tree on which he is displayed does seem to be rather uncertain.   Please do not hesitate to come back to us if you have any further questions, and good luck with your researches.

Les Fitzgerald writes:   Thank you for the information.   The Ruth Everitt books sounds fascinating.   The name Drake is also in my Family ancestry.   A John Drake 1784 to 1839 was born in Topsham.   His father was Robert Drake of Sandford, near Crediton.   He married a Mary Clash.   Edward Rowland was her 2 x Great Grandparent!   As you say it is quite possible that he moved between Upottery and Yarcombe which as the crow flies is about 2 ½ miles.   I am aware that there are a few trees on Ancestry.   One of them links him to William Rowland both in London 1570 !!!   Not sure that I will ever resolve this but will keep plugging away.   Once again thank you for your time.

Steve Horner adds:   It is always gratifying to receive a prompt reply which demonstrates your appreciation of our work.   Ruth Everitt's book is indeed a wonderful record of our parish, Miranda Gudenian was a good friend of Ruth who sadly passed away about five years ago, however Miranda has an electronic version of her book and I know she is pleased to let anyone who applies to her to send out a copy in exchange for a donation to our local magazine which Miranda edits.   However your reply indicates your family are related to Drake family and illustrates the value of our ancestral search web site.   If you look at Ancestral Search 34 you will see a photo of the diamond wedding celebrations of Robert Drake Rich which was held in Upottery in 1951.   Robert Drake Rich farmed here in Yarcombe until he retired to Upottery.   Robert Drake Rich (1865-1952) was the son of Charles Rich (1824-1893) and Lydia Drake (1838-1921).   I am not certain if there is a connection between the Drake family who have long associations with Upottery and your family who seem to have come from Topsham.   This parish has a proud association with Sir Francis Drake who died without issue, although Sir Francis was born near Tavistock so there may be a connection way back to his family and yours.   Please keep in contact and may I wish you every good luck in tracing your family tree.

Les Fitzgerald writes:   Thanks for the information.   There used to be a family myth that there were people related to Sir Francis.   So much so that my 1st cousin 1x removed has the name Drake as a Middle name.   He in turn gave one of his sons Drake as a middle name as well!   As you say we may be some connection somewhere within his family.   56 people at the diamond wedding celebrations was a very good gathering indeed!   What is also great is that everybody has been identified.   Unfortunately I have several old family pictures, with no indication of name on them.   Some people I have managed to identify and other I cannot.   Regrettably the people who may well be able to identify them are no longer with us!   I have a further lead on Edward Rowland.   I have a baptism for what MAY be our Edward Rowland baptised in 1603 in Runnington Somerset.   This is only about 12 miles as the crow flies from Yarcombe and about 10 miles from Upottery.   The search continues.
 

Ancestral Search 34

June 2020

I have found your excellent site and wanted to say how good it is.   I am currently researching my son-in-law's family, who seem to have come from Yarcombe and surrounding area for many many generations.   Amongst the family names are Spiller, Drake, Rich, Satterley, Gollop and Knight (to name a few).   I wish to purchase a digital copy of Monks To Millennium.   Could you please let me know what I need to do.   Thanks in advance,
Helen East

Miranda Gudenian replies:   Thank you for your message.   Your family names have deep roots in Yarcombe.   I would be most willing to send you a copy of Ruth Everitt's book "From Monks to the Millennium".   I always ask for a donation, however; Ruth was a dear friend of mine and on her death a few years ago her family gave me the the rights to the book.   All donations go to Yarcombe Voices, the village magazine which I started nearly twenty years ago and produce each month.   I look forward to hearing from you.

Steve Horner writes:   I was pleased to read that you have found our Yarcombe web site of use to you in your researches into your son in laws family tree.   I hope by now that you have received a copy of from Monks to the Millennium and in that book I feel certain you will find many references to your family , certainly the surnames you mention are very familiar here in Yarcombe.   The web site essentially carries on the researches carried out by Ruth and which are recorded in her book, and thus any information about your family that you can feed back to us will be recorded for posterity and available to others who are also researching their roots.   If we can help in any way please let us know.

Helen East replies:   As soon as I receive the copy of the book, I’ll be back to you with more enquiries.   In the meantime I’ve wandered off into Otterford and Churchstanton in search of Willies and Loosemores.

Helen East adds:   Thank you so much for the will, I think you may have given me a clue in the next line of my research.   Also have read through the ancestral searches on the site.   With the Willies, I am at John Willie (son in laws 6 x GG) 1737-1822, his Daughter Elizabeth who marries Peter Loosemore then Francis Drake is the direct line down.   I am having trouble finding a baptism record for John Willie.   But having read his will and the one you sent me today , and reading one of the queries on the website I see that John Willie is the son of Henry.   Would love to see the rest of that family tree in Otterford village hall, I will have to send the son in law over there when lockdown is lifted.   I am loving researching this family as they all seem to have stayed nearby, only wish my own was as good.   Poor old William Willie, I wonder if he gave up drinking !!

Steve Horner replies:   Undoubtedly we are both on the same track, you for the Willie family tree, whilst I am searching for the history of my house, which certainly has its origins in the 15th century but over the years has been repaired and altered by its various owners.   In my researches I have photographed various parts of the Willie tree which is displayed in the Otterford village hall and I am sending a selection of the best of my working papers that may give you some further leads.   The scanned copies are not good but will indicate to you the sort of information that I have on the Willie family.    In return if you do notice any reference to Woodend please send this to me.   You are lucky because the Willie family seem to have based themselves in Somerset and the Somerset Wills have been preserved whereas Devon Wills were destroyed by the Luftwaffe when the County Records office was bombed.

Helen East writes:   I will most definitely let you know if I come across any other references to Woodend.   I am constantly amazed at how many members of this family come from Yarcombe, and I will definitely visit Yarcombe when we are down, our daughter and son in law are in Melksham.

Just got the book from Miranda and think that Nellie Rich & Dulcie Rich (in the acknowledgements) are the daughters of Page Robert Rich, (my son in laws 2 x Gt Uncle).   If they are I have a family group photo of their parents Robert Drake Rich & Sarah Longs (from Upottery) wedding anniversary in 1952 (see below, click to enlarge).   Have included the list of names as well -all identified.   My son in law is a Hutchings, his Father & Grandmother still live in the area.   Son in law most Happy.
 

Steve Horner replies:   What a most wonderful photo which records a very happy event in the lives of all these people; indeed what care someone has taken to preserve the names for posterity.   Interestingly the Denning family and the Rich family are all related and the Dennings were the last tenants of this farm before it was sold by the estate in 1970 to meet a death duties.   Phyllis Denning (#16) has often visited us here at Woodhayne and sent us photos and written letters to us describing the family`s happy memories when they lived here.

Some years ago when I was researching the Home Guard in the parish a lady produced some formal group photos of the unit which I copied and one of these now hangs in the village hall with all the members identified by name (also on the World Wars page here).   Perhaps the Rich Diamond Wedding may similarly be featured, its such an important event in the history of our parish and its people.

Incidentally it is notable that not one person in the photo is overweight, probably as a result of war time austerity and hard work on the farms.

Helen East adds:   The photo and an email of memories of various relatives was what I started with in February this year, 2020.   My son in law is a Hutchings and his dad and grandmother came up with the photo a collection of as many relatives that they could remember.   I have been working on it since, lockdown has been very handy.   If you're on Ancestry you might want to take a look, they are certainly a family that is interwoven into Yarcombes past.   Let me know I’ll send a link if you like.   The reference in Phyllis’s letter to Drake is interesting, of course everyone wants to be related to someone famous, strangely the family legend of being related to Francis Drake, had turned itself into Sir Walter Raleigh in this branch!!, but hey ho you never know.   I have no doubt that the family would be proud for the photo to be featured, social history is so important, didn’t you just hate as a kid being lined up for those family photos!!, only now we wish we had more.   Thanks for the letter, it's putting a lot of this into prospective.

Ancestral Search 33

June 2020

I have been researching my ancestry during lockdown and discovered numerous links to Yarcombe through Broom and Newbury families.   I am very interested to obtain the book written by Ruth Everitt ' From Monks to the Millenium' which I have noted from your website.   I grew up in Axminster but had no idea of my roots in these local villages.       Kind Regards,    Lesley Crook

Steve Horner writes:   I was delighted that you have found our web site and I hope by now that you have received a copy of Ruth Everitts excellent history of our Parish.   The name Newbery Is very familiar to me, one John Newbery sided with the Duke of Monmouth being part of his rebellion in 1685.   The family were substantial land owners in the south of the Parish and I believe one branch of the family headed off to the fledgling colonies in North America.   I did not recognise the name Broom so I found reference to Henry Broom who lived at Blackhall in 1832.  I traced Henry in the 1841 census when he was still living at Blackhall with his wife Grace and their three children Thomas, William and Elizabeth.   Henry and Grace are recorded as being aged 40 in that census ,which may give you some leads for your tree.   In any event it would be very helpful if you could feedback to us any further information you unearth about the history of our parish so we can record it for posterity.   Please let me know if we can be of further assistance.

Lesley Crook replies:   The day after I discovered the website, I discovered your excellent section of ancestral posts and recognised one or two names.   Thanks to the lockdown I have been able to access the Ancestry library edition via my local library link, and also to obtain free PDF copies of wills for the Broom and Newbery families which have been very enlightening from the National Archive website at Kew.   The furthest ancestor I have discovered is Thomas Broome who died in Yarcombe in 1645. His will left property to Moses Broom, his grandson.   He was married to Thomasin Richard who he married at Upottery 1590.   Their children were Josiah, Thomas,Grace, Richard and John.   Thomasin is also listed as dying in Yarcombe in February 1645.   Their son Thomas was born in 1593 and married Anne Beade at Yarcombe 7/11 /1616.   Their children were all born in Yarcombe :- Elleyn 1617, Edward 1619, Moses 1620, Swithin 1621, Marie 1623, Adrian 1625, Thomas 1630.   His wife Ann died in Yarcombe in 1645.
  Edward married Elizabeth Hussey 11/05/1641 at Stockland and their children were Moses 1642, Mary1643, William 1647 and James 1656 all born at Yarcombe.   Edward died in 1670 and Elizabeth in 1670 at Yarcombe.   Their son Moses married Joan Quick at Stockland in 1675 and they appear to have had only one son Moses born at Broadhembury in 1682.   Moses died 1708 in Yarcombe and Joan in 1712, also in Yarcombe.   Their son Moses married Susanna (Broom) and their son Amos was born in 1714 at Upottery.   I believe they had other sons called Moses and Aaron and a daughter called Margaret but I have not confirmed this.   Moses (father) died in Upottery in 1723.

Amos has proved to be a very interesting character as he had 2 children, Mary 1738 and Moses 1739, born prior to his marriage to Mary Newbery in Honiton in 1739.   I have been unable to establish which branch of the Newbery family she belonged to but the most likely contender seems Mary born in Cotleigh in 1712, father Richard.   Amos and Mary had 4 children born in Yarcombe -John 1742, Amos 1744, Robert 1746 and Mary 1747.   Their daughter Jenny was born at Dunkeswell in 1752 and their son William born at Sheldon in 1779.   They obviously moved to Dunkeswell between 1747 and 1752.

I then have a gap but Amos left his will in 1779 showing he was a wealthy yeoman, although not owning any property.   He left his wife £1 but most was left to 4 children of a Joanna Richards who moved on to change their names to Broom and become prominent gentlemen in Uffculme and surroundings thanks to their links with other members of the Richards family.   In the 1841 census the family are farmers at Sheldon Grange and Abbey Farm Dunkeswell.   William -the Dunkeswell farmer was then farming and living also at Sheldon Grange with his family in the 1851 census, and the 1840 Tithe apportionment lists William Broom as Occupier of Sheldon Grange.   I believe the infamous Amos was my 6x Grandfather and William as my 4xGrandfather.

I purchased all the available Parish registers for Yarcombe from Devon FHS but found virtually no entries for the Broom family.   Obviously most of mine were before these published records and I cannot get to the Archives at present so the search continues.   I have however also enjoyed reading the numerous wills of the prominent Newbery family which must be linked to Mary somehow.   It clearly illustrates how the estates were divided up until none seem to remain in the 1840's tithe apportionments.   I even came across a bankruptcy sale in the 1800's for a Newbery sheep and cattle dealer so I guess they had all moved on - some to Stockland, Membury and surrounding villages.

My grandparents moved to Axminster in 1925 in an apparently random move from an estate in Rockbeare (my grandmother was from South Devon and had been a servant on the estate prior to marrying the Yeoman's son).   It has since come to light that the Brooms and the Chapples (my grandfather Broom's mother) are all deeply rooted in East Devon and I myself was born in Honiton, although we lived in Axminster.   My grandparents had 9 living children most of whom settled in the same area and were very prominent in the town and especially the football team.   Many still live in Axminster.

I would be very glad to hear if you can tell me where any more of the older records are to be found.   By the way I believe the Henry you mentioned is from Amos's Richards connection as I found a will from a Henry in Yarcombe which suggested that.   I look forward to receiving the digital book very soon to flesh out the bones of life in the village during these times.

Steve Horner writes:   Wow!   You have been working hard, how long has it taken you to accumulate all this information?   I do have in my office a hard copy of the pleadings of a court case Drake vs Major filed 23 November 1600 – it’s a transcription made a historian I suspect working for the Drake family, the case is a claim by the then vicar of Yarcombe against the Drake family in respect of a dispute over Tithes.   This is a fascinating document listing all land holdings, the names of the owners/occupiers/tenants and the name of the holding.   Almost all the names of fields / farmsteads / meadows remain the same today.   I have looked for the name Broome in the document but it does not feature, perhaps from the Wills you can give me a farm name occupied or owned by the Broome family.   Keep up the good work and I hope you keep fit and well during the lockdown.

Ancestral Search 32

May 2020

Hi, I just came upon the website and have been delighted with the history and ancestral searches!   I have established, through a combination of hard digging through parish registers and DNA connections that I descend from Samuel Matthews (b. 1751/2 & baptized in Yarcombe) and Mary Flood (b. 1753 & baptized in Yarcombe).   I first found Samuel & Mary in Liskeard Cornwall, and it was their granddaughter Mary Chapple who emigrated to Canada where I live.   There were no Matthews in Liskeard before the birth of Mary's mother Susanna Matthews so I set out to find where the Matthews family came from originally.   I tracked Matthews families all over Cornwall, but eventually came to the conclusion that perhaps they originally came from Devon.   Susanna's older son ended up working in Devon and she died in Devon in Ullfcumbe so it seemed likely there were family ties.   I traced all the couples with the name of Samuel & Mary Matthews who baptized children between 1770 and 1800 and came up with the couple from Yarcombe.   They appear to have been an adventurous couple as they married in 1776, had several children baptized in Membury, then moved to Ashcombe for 10 years before moving north and having several more children in the Holsworthy area before they landed in Liskeard.   My 3x great grandmother Susanna was the last child born in Liskeard in 1796.   Samuel settled in Liskeard and the tax records of 1798 show that he ran an Inn called the White Horse and leased a number of fields and farm buildings.   Although all the dates and names lined up I was not sure that I really had the right family or if it was all wishful thinking.   However the Ancestry DNA test now appears to confirm the paper trail as I have had matches with descendants of Mary Flood's sisters and from descendants of the older children of Samuel & Mary Matthews.   This was exciting as it confirmed many long hours of work.   Last year my husband & I stopped in Yarcombe, visited the church, and had a quick look around at the beautiful area on our way to Cornwall.   We were very impressed, but unfortunately the Inn wasn't open that day or we would have stayed longer.   I have no idea exactly what status the Matthews, Bonds and Flood families had - although it seems they were of the yeoman class. I have been reviewing wills and Charles Flood (d. 1751) Mary's grandfather left a wonderful will (Prerogative of Canterbury) that confirmed all the members of that family.   Unfortunately most of the Matthews wills were Devon wills and I don't think they exist anymore.   The Bond family (Samuel's mother was Susanna Bond) seems to have farmed in the Crawley area, and if I have the right family Susanna's father was John Bond Esquire on the burial record in Combe St. Nicholas in 1728.   I have been through the National Archives Discovery Catalogue to see if there are any references to the Matthews, Bonds and Floods and have seen some transactions which might relate to my ancestors.   I have read every Bond, Flood & Matthews will I can get hold of but I would be interested to know if anyone has any other suggestions for research into my families.   I am currently working with Miranda to obtain a copy of the History.       Best regards,     Jane Briant, Toronto Canada

Steve Horner writes:   Jane,  This is very exciting.   I firmly believe that you are on the right track.   Please look closely at Ancestral search 18 which includes many references and photos of the Matthews family who lived at South Waterhayne farm which is close to Crawley.   There are members of the Matthews family still living in the parish and there is a known connection between the Bond family and the Matthews family.   Please come back to me with your observations once you have had time to digest this information.

Jane Briant replies:   Thank you so much for getting back to me.  I have spent some time looking at the various Matthews families including the family from the South Waterhayes Farm.   I don’t think my Matthews family is directly related to that family.   My 4x great grandfather Samuel Matthews (b. 1751) seemed to have ties to the Matthews of Membury.   He and his new wife, Mary Flood (m.1776), moved to Membury for 5 years after their marriage, as that is where their first 2 children were born.   Samuel’s brother William married Bridget Warry Wyat in Membury (m.1773).  I have combed the parish records back as far as they go and built up a family tree for the Membury Matthews.   I have made one major assumption, which if it is not right means the entire tree is wrong.   I have assumed that Samuel’s father William Matthews was married twice.   I have a William Matthews from Membury who married Sarah Newbury in 1725 at Yarcombe.   I do not see any children for a couple named William & Sarah, but I see a Sarah Matthews buried at Yarcombe in 1743.   Then I have a William Matthews who married Susanna Bond in 1750, and both of their sons had ties to Membury.   So I am making the assumption that this William is the same person and Susanna was a second wife.   Alternatively, there could be a missing generation.

In the National Archives there is a record of William Matthews of Membury taking on an apprentice for his property in Upottery in 1711.   It seems likely this William was Samuel’s grandfather.   William Snr. was married to a lady named Grace and they had 5 children baptized in Membury.   They farmed at Luggs Estate.   It looks like son Henry stayed and took over the family farm at Luggs Estate in Membury and lived with his mother Grace (d. 1760), while his brother William may have moved to the Upottery property.   Henry of Membury was found hiring apprentices and prosecuting a court case over property (National archives) in 1750.   Samuel’s brother William stayed in the Yarcombe area.   He and his wife Bridget Warry Wyat moved to Stockland to farm.   At least 2 of his sons, Richard & John also farmed in Stockland.   John & his wife Mary Hellier had 10 children, and Richard & his wife Mary Hounsel had 8 children.   I looked at the 1841 census and found Mary Hellier Matthews as a widow in Stockland with 4 of her children: Samuel, Elizabeth, Gladwise & Henry.   By 1851 none of them were there.   I did not find any of Richard’s family on the 1841 census or after.   I did find Gladwise Matthews in Canada, where she married in 1846 in Kingston Ontario, having come to Canada in 1829.   A number of the family may have come to Canada as well.

Steve Horner responds:   I am delighted to work with you on this search for your ancestors, it is very rewarding when we are able to help someone who has contacted us and receive back well researched replies.   It all helps piece together the history of our parish and neighbouring parishes here in East Devon.   Although I am not an expert I feel certain that William Matthews (b 1706 d 1755) married 1st Sarah Newbery (b 1705 d 1743) in 1725 without issue.   William married 2nd Susanna Bond (b 1727 d ? ) in 1750 and produced Samuel in 1750.   The facts and places fit perfectly.

I had an almost exactly similar situation in my own family tree.   Charles Wallington, an Inn Keeper near Berkeley in Gloucestershire, married twice - Mary Fryer in 1724 and Ann Fowler in 1767, Ann being much younger than Charles when they married.   Certainly the Newbery family were prominent in the southern part of Yarcombe at this time.   You also mention Luggs farm which lies just over the southern border of Yarcombe in Membury Parish.   This property came on the market about five years ago, here is a link which will enable you to view the house where your ancestors lived and the beautiful Yarty valley where we now live:   5 bedroom detached house for sale in Membury, Axminster   I hope this is helpful.   PLease keep in contact.

Peter Tarrant adds:   Your family trees would certainly be of interest - we would gladly make them available on the website if you would send copies.

Jane Briant replies:   Thank you for your note.   What a gorgeous house!   If my ancestors lived in that house they were doing pretty well for themselves.   I would really love to learn to read the Manner Rolls as it must be really interesting to see how the property moves from 1 family to another.   Thanks for your thoughts on the 2nd marriage for William Matthews.   I have had that scenario before as well, and in that case we were able to prove it with a will.   Poor Devon without its wills.   So frustrating.

As I said in my first note my husband & I stopped at the Yarcombe Church last October and had a look around.  It is such a beautiful area, and one day I hope we can come back.   However the world has changed and we may have to stay home a lot more now.   Maybe the world will be open for business again in the not too distant future.    We can only hope.

I would be delighted to pass over my family trees, which I am still working on .   At the moment I am tracing from older records forward and also now looking at the 1841 & 1851 censuses and working back.   I haven't yet met in the middle but getting much closer.   I'm afraid I get a bit obsessive when I am searching and I build large data bases of BMDs.   When I started looking for my Matthews family of Liskeard I checked as many surrounding Cornish parishes (and input all that info to an excel spreadsheet), but after getting nowhere I decided to try Devon and finally found my Samuel Matthews & Mary Flood in Yarcombe.   DNA has now confirmed my work!   All to say that my data base is huge as I am currently collecting BMDs for the parishes surrounding Yarcombe.   There are several wonderful village websites - including yours - which have been very helpful with parish records.   Yesterday, with the help of the 1851 census I traced the Waterhayes Matthews family back to Otterford and a couple of generations back.   The Matthews Family in Membury in 1841 go back to Upottery for about 4 generations I think.   Once I have done a bit more work I will gladly send you my family trees.

Steve Horner responds:   I am certain we would very much like to receive the other completed trees when completed, Peter and I very much work together on this project.   I take your point about the lack of Wills in Devon, we have to blame Herr Hitler and his Luftwaffe for the terrible destruction that they wreaked on Exeter during the blitz.   However we are lucky in Yarcombe, as you may know Sir Francis Drake first acquired land here in the parish in 1582, and his family (not direct descendants) steadily increased their land holdings over the centuries.   The records of the land holdings were carefully deposited in the Exeter County Records office by the land agents and lawyers so we have some very detailed records available for inspection.   Some 30 years ago I was sorting through a deed box and came across the Great Seal of Elizabeth 1 attached to a deed!   I suspect these have now been more carefully catalogued.   Have you read – or obtained a copy of - Ruth Everitts history of our parish “ From Monks to the Millennium”?   The source of much of her work was found in the Records Office.

On the first tabs I have identified the individual Matthew families in Yarcombe, Membury, and Stockland on the 1841 - 1911 censuses, and followed as each individual appears and disappears.  My notes on the families are down below the date.

On the second tab I put together family trees of those appearing on the censuses, with a bit of added information from the civil registration info on Find MY Past & Family Search.

The 3rd tab contains much more comprehensive Family Trees for the various Mathews families in the area.  This information is taken from a much larger Excel file where I have gathered BMDs for as many Matthews as I could find in the area. I use the sort function to find the family groups by date and place.  That was how I found my Matthews Family that appeared in Liskeard Cornwall and tracked them back to Yarcombe & Membury.  My paper trail has been confirmed by DNA so I am very pleased to know I was on the right path.

Anyway - this might be of interest to other people who have Matthews Ancestors from the Yarcombe area.  On my larger spreadsheet I also track the extended families - in particular the family of my ancestor Susanna Bond who married William Matthews of Membury & Upottery in 1750.  There are lots of Bonds in the area too.  The other family names include Cook, Flood, & Pinney.  This data is not as complete as the Matthews data.  This worksheet is always a work in progress, which is why I have just sent a copy of my Matthews Family Trees as opposed to sending you the whole file.

 

Ancestral Search 31

May 2020

Hi,  I am based in Scotland, and picking up the threads of family history research that I started 40 years ago - lots of spare time on my hands for the last few weeks!   Technology is making such a difference and I have discovered so much using sites like Ancestry.co.uk.   I have also come across the Yarcombe website's Ancestral Search page and was particularly pleased to read some correspondence concerning the Spiller family, particularly with Clare Evans in Ancestral Search 13.   We share the same ancestor in Robert Spiller and Margere Colliar.   I’ve located Robert’s father John Spiller 1528 - 1582 married to Elizabeth Ricarde.   And John’s father John Spiller b 1495 - all this from Ancestry.co.uk.   The Spiller family moved to Netherbury by 1830s, and then to Boxworth in Dorset from mid 1800s.   If you could kindly indicate how I may purchase a digital copy of any local history books that you have referred to and let me know how I can transfer the payment.   Secondly, I noted that Clare Evans was making enquiries of Huguenots in France, and wonder how I can link up with her regarding this?   Any help you can offer would be appreciated.             Kind regards,   Fiona Gillespie

Peter Tarrant writes:   Thanks for your enquiry.   I have passed your request for a copy of "From Monks to the Millennium - A History of Yarcombe" to Miranda Gudenian and you should hear from her soon.   In Ancestral Search 13 you can click on Clare's name at the foot of her enquiry to follow up your Huguenots lead.

Ancestral Search 30

April 2020

I'm currently researching the history of our house, Mount Pleasant Cottage (at the top of Yarcombe Hill), and I'm wondering whether any of the local residents could help me?   I'd like to find out more about who lived here and what the house looked like over time. I've been able to find out snippets of information such when the house was built, and think it was sold by the Yarcombe Estate in 1931 but could have been later.   I have found records of a Simon Pavey who lived here in 1881 and was recorded as a Woodsman on Manor.   In 1913 there was a sale at the house after the death of a Mr Pavey, which included various poultry.   The Monks from the Millennium book has been very helpful researching the area (as has the Yarcombe website), but there is little information relating to the cottage in the book.   I know it's a long shot, but any old estate maps or tithe maps that might show the cottage and grounds and any photographs would be great!   I would love to find out more and would be most grateful if anyone can help me.   I'm wondering if it would be possible to post my message on the Ancestral Search part of your website or send around in the e-version of the Yarcombe Voices bulletin?      Thanks in advance.    Mrs Taylor

Ancestral Search 29

April 2020

Hi, I’m researching my family history and have traced some of my ancestors to Yarcombe. In 1756, Betty Wale married Samuel Bond (my 5th great grandfather) in Yarcombe by Banns. Whilst I have been able to trace Samuel lineage further back, there are three possible Betty Wales in Yarcombe as follows:

I have discounted the 1740 birth as this would put Betty at 16 when she married and so she would have required parental consent under the Marriage Act of 1753 and this is not recorded marriage Banns of 1756.   I haven’t found any burial records for Betty Wale between 1731 and 1756 so cannot rule out either the 1731 or the 1733 Betty.   In addition to the Betty Wale/Samuel Bond marriage of 1756, there is a marriage between a Betty Wale and John Bastable in 1761 in Yarcombe, which could therefore be any of the three Betty Wales. I haven’t been able to find a burial for Betty Bastable.   The only possible burial record I have found is for Elizabeth Bond in 1809 (no age given).

I wondered if there are any monumental inscriptions in the church yard which might help me determine which Betty Wale married Samuel Bond (or John Bastable).   Any assistance you could give would be very much appreciated.     Kind regards,   Chris Sane

Steve Horner writes:   Chris. you have clearly spent much time puzzling over this part of your family history and I suspect there is little I can add. Both Bond and Wale are familiar local names, and so far as I am aware, local gravestones and monumental inscriptions in the early 18th century no longer exist in our church or churchyard.   It may be worth your while in extending your search into the neighbouring parishes of Churchstanton, which was transferred from Devon in 1896 and Otterford, both in Somerset, and Stockland in East Devon.   I did spot one burial in Churchstanton that may fit, Betty Bond buried December 11 1785.   I am sorry I cannot help further, however if you do find an answer please let us know we are always keen to record local history on our web site.

Ancestral Search 28

March 2020

I would like to access your digital version of the book, FROM MONKS TO THE MILLENNIUM- A History of Yarcombe.   Angela Lane, a volunteer at SDFHS, suggested that I find this book, as she had found references to Spillers in it.   I'm Jane Arni, & my Mother was a Spiller.   Her family immigrated to the US in the early 1800s.   I have now traced them back to Somerset/Devon area.   I'm hoping to find a tidbit or two that would make my ancestors come to life.   While factual, only dates are soo boring!     Thank you for your help,  Jane Arni

Miranda Gudenian replies:   The Spiller family have very deep roots in Yarcombe and the surrounding area.   Steve Horner, our village historian would be able to tell you much more than I can, and you will find references to the family in Ruth Everitt's book on the history of the Parish.   I should be delighted to wing you a copy of the book; Ruth, who was one of my dearest friends, died a few years ago and her family have given me the rights to the book.   Ruth wanted any donations from sales to go to the non-profit making village magazine, Yarcombe Voices, which I produce.   If you would be willing to donate a small sum I should be very grateful.

Steve Horner writes:   We are always pleased to receive queries from descendants of those who once lived in our Parish, it adds to our store of knowledge about our history.   May I assume you live in the USA?   Can you give me the full details of the acronym SDFHS which may give me a further clue as to your location.   If you provide me with the full names and any dates of your family members who emigrated to the USA in the early 1800s I may be able to provide a more detailed answer, indeed in some instances in reply to queries I have been able to send photos of where ancestors lived in the village.

Jane Arni replies:   Thank you for your quick reply.   Yes, I live in the USA.   I contacted the Somerset & Dorset Family History Society (SDFHS) when I had researched enough to believe that my ancestors were from Wellington, Somerset.   A society volunteer, Angela Lane, has been doing her own research to verify my conclusions.   She came to the same conclusions without me revealing who I believed to be my ancestor.   I wanted confirmation before I continued researching.

My immigrant ancestor was Joel M Spiller (the M was believed to stand for Morris).   He & John Spiller (whom I believe is his brother) came to New York City ca 1824.   He married Mary Adaline Savoie in the 2nd Presbyterian Church in NYC.   She was listed in the census as being born in Dominica.   They had four sons, Charles Henry, Robert Joel, John A & George Washington Spiller.   His naturalization papers dated 30 Oct 1840 stated he was born in England.   The NY City Directories from 1828-1842 state that Joel & John worked in several occupations including hairdresser, clockmaker, & bell hanger. In early 1840s they had moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, & were working as clockmakers.   They also started the first Masonic Lodge in Ohio in 1842 according to a newspaper article commemorating it’s 50th anniversary in 1892.   Joel moved to a small town in southern Illinois between 1850 & 1859.   He died in 1860 of typhoid fever at the age of 59 so he was probably born about 1801-2.   His occupation was listed as Masonic Lecturer at that time.   His possessions at death did not exhibit opulence, but were certainly more than most would have in a small fruit growing community including 78 books.   Yes, he, his wife & sons all could read and write.

Would you like for me to suggest who his parents might be, and from where? Or would you like to take this information and come to your own conclusions?   Please feel free to ask questions as needed as I may have omitted information that I have inadvertently.   Thank you for your willingness to search & share any information you may have about my Spiller ancestors.

Steve Horner responds:   I am delighted at your prompt response, as you will have seen from our website we always try to answer Ancestral Queries however on occasions we do not get a response which is disappointing.   I had a quick look at Ancestry and noted a Joel Spiller christened 21st March 1802 Yarcombe died 4th April 1802.   Parents were Henry Spiller and Mary Hall who had many children including a John.   If you look at the Index extract of the book on Yarcombe in Ancestral Search 6, you will note that there are very many Spillers recorded in Yarcombe, if there is a connection to our Parish you should buy an electronic copy from Miranda.   I am also interested to learn Joel was a very active Mason.   Are your family still connected to a local Lodge?   Many of the founding fathers of your nation were masons and masonic symbolism is much in evidence in your country, and has links back to the British Isles.   Have you approached the Grand Lodge in Ohio who will in all probability have detailed records of your ancestor?   My own family have long connections with the Craft going back generations.

Finally I have spent much time on business in the USA and on one visit to Houston I travelled down to Galveston where I spent a few happy hours looking over a tall ship, a barque involved in the cotton trade if I recall correctly.   In any event I look forward to helping you find your family roots which I strongly suspect lie here in Yarcombe, just give me a few more leads please.
 

Jane Arni replies:   Thank you for the information on the index for the book on Yarcombe.   Miranda’s has winged a digital version to me and I’ve have scanned it finding many Spiller possibilities.   I’m trying to be methodical and take my research one generation at a time.   Angela has purposed Joel’s parents as being Robert Spiller & Hannah Morrish.   They are the same as what I had thought without suggesting them to her, so it is nice to now have them verified.   I know nothing of Joel’s siblings, S(L)illian 1799, Mary 1801, Joel 1804, John 1806, Henry 1814.   These are found in the Nonconformist Records.

Thank you, also, for the suggestion of contacting the Grand Lodge in Ohio.   I have called, left a message and hope to hear back from them soon.   Many of my grandfather’s 14 siblings were involved as well as my Mother’s brother.   I’ll have to ask the question at our next Spiller Reunion to see if my generation is involved.

You certainly pegged my location quickly.   I was born in Galveston & raised in the area.   After university, I took a teaching job in Denver, Colorado where I’ve lived for over 50 years.   We now summer in Colorado, and winter in Texas.   The tall ship you mentioned is the Elissa.   Galveston is proud to museum a tall ship from that era.

Steve Horner writes:   I believe you and your friend Angela have already dug deep into the records and have gleaned as much information as is possible.   I was interested to discover that Robert Spiller and Jane Morrish were married in July 1798 in the Church of St John the Baptist in Wellington, which would have been a Church of England ceremony, perhaps because Jane`s family were members of the Church of England.   However their four children Lilliana born 12th January 1799 (!) Mary born 25th May 1801 Joel born 11th January 1804 and John born 30th July 1806 were all christened on 15th February 1809 in the Independent Lower Meeting House in Wellington, which was undoubtedly a Non-Conformist place of worship although I have a feeling a Meeting House describes the place where Quakers worship.   I recall you told me that Joel was later married in a Presbyterian ceremony in New York so he followed the pattern of religious practice later in his life (click to see scan).   Our local Baptist Minister Thelma Clarke is quite an expert on such matters and I could ask her more about the Meeting House in Wellington if you so wished.   One point fascinates me, how did you make a connection to Yarcombe (County of Devon) which lies about ten miles to the South West of Wellington ( County of Somerset)?   I hope this exchange of information has proved useful to you, in any event please keep in contact and let us know any further local connections to your family.

Jonathan Spiller writes:   Thelma Clarke included me into some correspondence you have been involved in with Jane Arni regarding a Joel Spiller.   I do have a couple of Joels in my tree….one died in infancy the next was born about 1738.   I have been having some difficulty identifying some of the people being referred to eg Robert Spiller as there are several people with the same name.   Perhaps if their dates (b. d.) were added it may be possible for me to see if they are indeed the same people in my tree.   Perhaps Robert that is referred to is one of those.   Nellie Rich did a good job of researching ancestors including some Spiller tree and I have managed to get this into an ancestry Tree that I am willing to share if you wish.    Regards,    Jonathan Spiller

Steve Horner writes:   Very many thanks for your reply, I will leave it to Jane Arni to reply.

 

Ancestral Search 27

February 2020

I have been researching my family history and have found I am directly descended from an Abraham Knight b.1764 Yarcombe and May Loosemoore b. 1769 in Yarcombe.  Also with direct links to the Spiller family, which I believe has had a connection with the parish for many centuries.  I came across the Yarcombe website and reference to the book 'From Monks to the Millenium - A History of Yarcombe'.  I would be very interested in receiving an electronic copy of the book if available and would be willing to make a donation.  I look forward to hearing from you.   Many thanks,  Paul Gebbett

Miranda Gudenian writes:   Thank you for your most interesting message. I am copying in to my reply our village historian, Steve Horner, who may be able to assist your further with your quest regarding your family history.  Yes, the Spiller family have very deep roots in Yarcombe.  I would be most willing to send you a copy of Ruth Everitt's book "From Monks to the Millennium".  It is very kind of you to offer a donation - I now hold the rights to the book and all donation go to Yarcombe Voices, the village magazine which I started nearly twenty years ago and produce each month.

Ancestral Search 26

March 2020

Hi, I would be very interested in acquiring a digital copy of the book From Monks to the Millennium – A History of Yarcombe.   On researching my family history recently I’ve discovered my Welsh ancestors actually originated from Yarcombe.  My Gt Grandfather Thomas Northam who died in WW1 was born in Cotleigh, Honiton in 1886 before moving to Wales as a young boy.  His father, Thomas was born in Yarcombe around 1861 (though died in 1909 in Wales from injuries sustained in a pit accident).  Records show that Thomas’ father Eli was born (around 1838) and lived in Yarcombe as did his father Thomas Northam (born around 1791).  It would be interesting to see if there’s any mention of the Northams in the book but if not, I would enjoy reading some more background history on Yarcombe.  Many thanks.  Alison Redfern
 

Miranda Gudenian writes:   Thank you for your most interesting message.  I am copying in to my reply our village historian, Steve Horner, who may be able to assist your further with your quest regarding your family history.  Yes, there is most certainly mention of Northams in the book - indeed, a farmstead called Northams Farm.  I would be most willing to send you a copy of Ruth Everitt's book "From Monks to the Millennium".  I always ask for a donation, however - Ruth was one of my dearest friends and her family have given me the rights to the book; all donation go to Yarcombe Voices, the village magazine which I started nearly twenty years ago and produce each month.  I look forward to hearing from you.
 

Ancestral Search 25

January 2020

Hi, I was in Yarcombe yesterday and was looking for the plaque put up from the evacuees of Lambeth Walk. Just wanted to know where it is, as my Dad was the one who paid for this.   Peter Sullivan

Ancestral Search 24

January 2020

I have a copy of Ruth Everitt's book, but also want to praise you for all your ongoing local history research and the support you offer others.  The web pages are something of which Yarcombe should be proud.  I have family roots in Yarcombe but they are some way back.  The first thing I discovered was the 5th January 1789 marriage at Yarcombe of Anna VINCENT and Elias CARTER (from Harpford).  Question 1 - How might they have come to meet?  I think Elias CARTER may have been living in Yarcombe a few months but after marriage the couple settled in Harpford where they had 10 children, all of whom survived infancy.  Elias became a yeoman farmer, churchwarden, overseer etc.  Interestingly Anna had an illegitimate daughter, Rachel VINCENT who was baptised at Yarcombe in 1787.  I have never found any mention of the child's father but when Anna left Yarcombe with her new husband, it would appear Rachel VINCENT remained in the care of her maternal grandparents, John VINCENT b1727 and Hannah.  Question 2 - Have you any idea who might have been Rachel's father?

I know a lot about John VINCENT b1727 of Dennington and have a copy of his will.  He died in 1812 and left money to both his married daughter Anna CARTER of Harpford and to his grand daughter Rachel who had married Francis WYATT at Yarcombe in 1810.  She had a big family and died a grand old lady (formally a cow keeper!) in 1875 at Smeatharp, Upottery (aged 88yrs).  I don't think it a coincidence that one of her sons Thomas WYATT b1826, married Sarah Hare CARTER, a grand daughter of her mother (Anna CARTER nee VINCENT.)   With a fair degree of reliability I can go back several generations with the VINCENT family to the marriage of James VINCENT and Prudence DARE c 1680.  However I have never been able to validate this marriage in any parish register.  The DARE family that Ruth Everitt wrote about at Clifthayne, Yarcombe are my ancestors and I believe came from Kilmington/ Axminster in the late 16th century/ early 17th century.

Question 3 - My BIG QUESTION - There are two babies named John VINCENT baptised at Yarcombe in 1727.  I believe they were cousins!  I have always gone with John, son of Benjamin VINCENT and Rachel, only because Anna VINCENT called her illegitimate daughter Rachel.  I would love to have some collaborating document of this.  The other John VINCENT was son of James VINCENT and Elizabeth nee TURNER.   Question 4 - How come in John VINCENT's 1812 will did he have property (Simpson's Court) in Thurlbear? I know his wife came from Pitminster but I've never worked out the Thurlbear connection.   Sorry this is so long but when I get on to talking about family history, I find it difficult to stop.  I am happy if you wish to add my comments on the Yarcombe webpage or to share anywhere else that you fancy.  If you know others, I would love to make contact with people researching the same names.   With kind regards, Anne Speight, Loughborough, England

Peter Tarrant writes:   Thank you for your enquiry and kind comments about the Yarcombe website.  I added the Ancestral Searches page nearly 2 years ago thinking it may perhaps encourage a couple of enquiries, but have been pleased to see them arriving at a steady pace ever since!   We are very fortunate to have someone in Yarcombe as dedicated as Steve Horner and much of this would have been impossible without him.   Having said that I suspect some of your questions are a little deeper than the average.   I await Steve's response with interest!

Steve Horner writes:   I was of course delighted to receive your kind wishes and the information about various local families with whom you have a connection.  As you know this information will now be out there on the world wide web and be collected by powerful search engines such as Google so your names may well be picked up by others researching the same names.  I am afraid I cannot answer any of your detailed questions, however one question for you please.  Over the years starting in 1582, the Drake family gradually acquired much of the land in the parish of Yarcombe.  My house now called Old Woodhayne Farm adjoins Clifthayne Farm where the Dare family lived.  Old Woodhayne Farm was sold by the estate in 1970, and I am writing a history of the house which has its origins in the 15th Century.  As Ruth suggests in her book, Clifthayne was probably purchased by the Drake estate between 1786, when it was owned by John Willie, and 1794, when it is mentioned in the Estate timber survey.

Now here comes the tricky part - my farm, then called Woodend, was owned by Henry Willie who died in 1792, and I suspect John Willie and he were related.  I am almost certain that the Drake family acquired Woodend upon the death of Henry Willie.  The dates of late 1790s might well indicate a sale of both properties to the Drake family (Lord Heathfield).  Do you have any record, perhaps in a will, as to when the ownership of Clifthayne passed from the Dare family to John Willie?

I am sorry I cannot help more with your questions, however perhaps others will have some clues for you.

Anne Speight writes:   Thank you for your reply. I realised my questions were difficult ones.  By several centuries this is the furthest back I have got on any of my family history branches.  I have attached the Dare wills that I have but this there may be others.

Joan Dare Will 1626	John Dare Will 1636	Robert Dare Will 1590	Robert Dare Will 1667

Steve Horner writes:   You are quite right, yours is a difficult tree to work out.  However, I spent about an hour on the Ancestry.com web site and there are several trees there for the Dare family of Yarcombe, although I am not certain these are complete and correct in all detail as there are inconsistencies for the information as shown.

It is the Will of John Dare, died 1637, whose wife was called Prudence in his Will, that is of interest to me as in it he bequeathes "all my estate of lease of my tenure of Clifthayne" to his son his eldest son Robert, born 1621.  There is no doubt that John Dare was of some stature in the parish describing himself as a Yeoman.

I have one further clue for you which relates to a Court Case filed 23rd November 1600 called Drake vs Major.  Thomas Drake was the brother of Sir Francis Drake who inherited the estates of his late brother and Major was the Vicar of Yarcombe 1579-1627.  The Vicar claimed his entitlement of tithes from Drake and in his pleadings show all the holdings in the Manor of Yarcombe farm by farm and the name of the person who held the land.  A Robert Dare is shown as holding both Clifthayes and land in Dennington.  This leads me to the conclusion that this Robert Dare was the son of Robert Dare* whose will was dated 23rd July 1590.  BUT by 1637 the holding of Clifthayne was in the ownership of John Dare so your hypothesis that Robert Dare* died and thus the estate went to his brother John may be correct.


Anne Speight writes:   Thank you.   I received the photo of Cliffhayne.  Looks a place full of history!  Many thanks.  You also asked for my family tree as it pertains to Yarcombe.  There are 2 interconnected parts - the DARE tree and the VINCENT tree:

VINCENT

Hannah VINCENT was the person who left Yarcombe and moved with her new husband to Harpford in the Lower Otter valley.  All dates given are from registers at Yarcombe (unless described differently).

Hannah Vincent b. 13 March 1768 and m. 5 Jan 1789 to Elias Carter (before this marriage Hannah had an illegitimate child Rachel b.1787 but when Hannah married, Rachel remained with her Vincent grandparents. I know a lot about Rachel. One of her son's married a grandchild of Hannah Carter. The families must have kept in touch). Hannah Carter d 1852 Harpford.

John Vincent b.1727 and m. 12 Feb 1765 Hannah Beer, widow. John Vincent was described of Dennington, he made a detailed Will, d.1812. Hannah died 12 Jan 1822.

Benjamin Vincent b.5 Feb 1700 and m. 21 Sept 1725 Rachel Denham at Pitminster. Their children baptised at Yarcombe. Benjamin died 16 Dec 1764 and Rachel died 13 March 1769.

James Vincent b.22 Jan 1636 and m Prudence Dare (no record found of this marriage) but they had a large family baptised Yarcombe. James died 1721. Prudence died 3 Feb 1724

Robert Vincent b.1 Oct 1587 and m. 27 November 1625 Jane Way. They had many children. Robert died 21 Jan 1669. Jane died 4 Jan 1662.

DARE

Prudence Dare b. 5 March 1658 married James Vincent about 1680.

Robert Dare b.24 Jan 1618 (son of John & Prudence). Married Ann? (Ann is noted in baptism registers as mother of his children but no marriage found, probably c1657. Maybe her surname was Titus???). Possibly Ann died c1668 and Robert had a 2nd wife. In his Will, Robert describes his wife as Agnes. Robert died 1667.

John Dare - no idea when or where born, but his father was Robert Dare and John was only the 2nd son. (The elder son was Robert Dare who as a bachelor died sometime after 1600, but with no heirs). John married Prudence Mathew, possibly at Yarcombe. Their children born 1616-1630. John Dare died 1636. His wife outlived him but I don't know when she died.

Robert Dare of Clifthayne. No idea when or where born or who was mother of his children - Agnes, Joane, Robert, John. Robert Dare snr died at Yarcombe in 1590. Will.

I hope you can put together a tree from all this.  It does get confusing when the same names are used over and over again.  As you will notice there are several places where I lose track of people but the records are patchy and difficult to read this far back.  The Vincents are known to move around local parishes and just possibly the Dare family originally came from Kilmington / Axminster.

Many thanks for all your interest.  Please let me know if you find any new 'leads'.

 

Ancestral Search 23

December 2019

Hi, Have just been browsing your excellent site; I am looking into my wife’s ancestor, a John Wiscombe (or Wescombe) who was born in Yarcombe around 1775.   I think he married Anna Mutter in 1805 and had 3 or 4 children, then married Mary Brewer in 1815 with whom he had a further 10 children!   I can only find a single birth record so it looks like he married twice, although I am not sure what the circumstances were.   I believe his parents were Robert and Jemima, who I assume also lived in Yarcombe.   He was in the 1841 census in Yarcombe but I cannot decipher the address given as the image quality is very poor. Any help would be gratefully received.   Thank you.   Allan Bicknell.

Peter Tarrant writes:   Thanks for visiting the Yarcombe website.   I have scanned the publication 'From Monks To The Millennium'  and Wiscombe/Wescombe drew a blank, but there are references to Mutter and Brewer reproduced below.   Much may be irrelevant, for example the second extract for Mutter refers to a property rather than a surname, but I have included each paragraph in full for completeness:

The references to Brewer follow:

Steve Horner adds:   Many thanks for your enquiry and we are always pleased to try and help with such enquiries, it all adds to our pool of knowledge about the history and people of our village.   I looked at the 1841 census and as you know it is possible to decipher that John Wiscombe was living with his son Walter aged 12 and his daughter Charlotte aged 21 - his occupation is shown as a Cobbler.   The location is perhaps Mannings Common and this fits with other properties in the area which would have been covered  by the enumerator walking or perhaps riding from door to door in the area.   If you look at Ancestral Search 1, you will find more information about the cottage(s) at Mannings Common which no longer exist.   You will probably have noted at this time there were other families in the parish with the name Wiscombe, doubtless progeny of your prolific ancestor!   Good luck with your continued research, we always appreciate feedback.

Ancestral Search 22

December 2019

Hi. My great, great grandfather, William Lentell (b.1829) came from Yarcombe and he and his father before (Matthew Lentell) lived at Williambeer Farm on the parish border of Yarcombe and Upottery.   I wondered if you might have any information on the farm in the village book ‘From Monks to the Millennium’.   Many thanks,   Clare Foss

Peter Tarrant writes:   Thanks for your enquiry.   A scan of 'From Monks To The Millennium' reveals 15 references to Williambeer Farm over 7 pages.   There is no mention of the Lentell surname but a John (or J) Lental is mentioned twice, in connection with Knapp Farm and Williambeer Farm (see below).   If you would like a digital copy of the book I believe a modest donation to our village magazine, Yarcombe Voices, would suffice - please contact the editor, Miranda Gudenian.

I note that Ancestral Search 8 refers to a similar surname (Lenthal) and was wondering if you have any evidence of a connestion..
 

Ancestral Search 21

October 2019

My name is Heather and I live in Appleton Cheshire, my Gt Gt Grandfather was John Lee who I believe lived according to the 1881 census at Axiviney cottage and then later at the Rising Sun Inn as both the landlord and also a bootmaker.   Do either of these premises exist, and are there any Lee family still in Yarcombe?   I also have Childs, Sartin and Spiller in my family tree, wondered if you could help at all.   Heather Coulson

Steve Horner writes:   Many thanks for your enquiry.   You are correct, I have located your great great grandfather John Lee (aged 29) on the 1881 census living at Axviney cottage with his wife Emily aged 25 and his daughters Blanche aged 6 and Mabel aged four.   This cottage no longer exists, although we have reason to believe was located just below Whitehorns on the scanned map (click here).   As for mention of the Rising Sun public house this set us scratching our heads as there are/were several pubs of that name in the area.   However I have located John Lee as landlord of the Rising Sun in Stapley which is in the neighbouring parish of Churchstanton:

I am not certain if this pub still exists as a licensed premises, but I feel certain the building will still be there.   In the 1901 census he is shown as living in the Rising Sun with his family, Emily his wife and their children, Lucy Mary (12), William George (9), Herbert Jack (9) and Margaret Gillian (3).   In the late 1890s there were several families with the surname Lee in this area but to my knowledge the name has died out.   The family name Spiller crops up very often in the records and a branch of the family still live in Yarcombe.   I hope this is of help to you.   If you give me a few more clues perhaps I can answer more specific questions.

Heather Coulson writes:   Thanks for that information.   My Spillar connection is Mary Bromfield Spillar who married Joseph Board.   They were the parents of Emily, John Lee's wife.   I am sure they were from Churchstanton but could they have relatives in Yarcombe?

Steve Horner replies:   The Spiller family are very much part of Yarcombe history and there are still members of the family in the parish.   I carried out a quick check on Ancestry.uk.com and you are correct, your branch of the Spiller family (note spelling) were residents of Churchstanton and Mary married Joseph Board on 23rd August 1852 in the parish church in Churchstanton.   Mary and Joseph (a blacksmith) later in their lives lived in Marsh which is a hamlet of Yarcombe Parish.   I hope this is helpful.

Heather Coulson writes:   Thank you Steve for that, it's amazing there are still members of the family still in the parish.   Would be interesting to find out what branch they are from.

Steve Horner replies:   That is a very difficult question to answer without constructing the whole Spiller tree!   In the Bishopswood village hall there is a very large tree almost covering one wall which amongst others shows a large number of Spillers.   If you are ever in the area it's worth obtaining the key and having a look.   Great to work with you.
 

Ancestral Search 20

September 2019

I have been tracing our ancestors, the Spiller family back to Yarcombe.   They were living there in the 16th century, if not before.   I understand that there may be some information about them and about the village in the book ‘From Monks to the Millenium’.   I understand that you may be able to put your hands on a copy of the book.   If you can I would love to purchase one or borrow one.   Perhaps I could make a donation to a local charity.   Please let me know if this would be possible.   Kind Regards,   Andre Evans

Miranda Gudenian replies:   Yes, your family has deep roots in Yarcombe, and there is a lot of historical information (here) on the village website.   Local historian Steve Horner may be able to answer a number of your questions about the Spiller family.   Hard copies of the book 'From Monks to the Millennium' are no longer available, though occasionally a second-hand copy does come up for sale.   However, a pdf is available for a donation to Yarcombe Voices, the village magazine.   Do let me know if you would like it.

Andre & Clare Evans respond:   Thanks so much for your help.   This is of great interest to us.   We did find a number of Spillers in the churchyard.   We would like to have a copy of the pdf.   We will make a donation to Yarcombe Voices.

Miranda Gudenian replies:   Thank you so very much.   From Monks to the Millennium was written by a dear friend and neighbour of mine, Ruth Everitt.   Her research continued after its publication in 2000.   Ruth died in 2014 but her historical research is continued by Steve Horner who I have copied in to this email.   I have also copied in Yarcombe Voices' Treasurer, Maggie Tomkinson, who will send you bank details.   I will send the pdf in a separate email today.

Steve Horner adds:   As Miranda has explained I would be delighted to assist further, I assume that you are the same Clare Evans whose initial queries are covered in Ancestral Search 13 here in our Yarcombe website.   Please let me know if you do uncover more of your families connection to our village so that we may add to our pool of knowledge.   Good luck.

Andre & Clare Evans reply:   Thank you Steve, yes this is one and the same Clare Evans.   Clare’s mother was Heather Spiller whose father RG Spiller ran a building business in Chard.   I believe that you can still see the RG Spiller vans running around the area.   We have got as far back as Robert Spiller who lived in Yarcombe between 1579 and 1617.   His father was John Spiller.   We understand that the Spillers were originally Huegenots who came over from the continent for religious reasons.   So far we have no more information than that, but we will keep trying.   I will send a copy of the family tree over.   If my IT skills are up to it, I will do a screenshot.   We are now happily settled in Cornwall having moved around quite a lot. Will be in touch.

Steve Horner writes:   Many thanks for your reply, it is a pleasure to work with you to find out more about our Parish and its history.   Indeed I can remember when RG Spiller had a builders yard and building business in the centre of Chard, although that land now has been built over, the business is now based on servicing and selling kitchen ranges such as Aga and Rayburn they have a very good reputation in the area.   I believe Eagle Plant was also part of the RG Spiller Group but is now a separate business – coincidentally I am about to visit their premises in Chard to hire an excavator for use here next week!    Good luck with your researches into the early origins of the Spiller family.   I might just add that it is a pleasure to work with you, we have responded to several queries in our Ancestral Searches section of the website, never to receive any further response!
  

Ancestral Search 19

September 2019

Hi, I have recently been doing some research into my family's history and have come to find that my mother and two uncles were evacuated from London to Yarcombe.   In fact, I found a picture that has the three of them in, Jean, Fred and David Crump, on your brilliant website.   I have really enjoyed finding this website and reading about Yarcombe and how it treated its evacuees.   It has left me yearning for more information - would you be able to recommend any other websites or museums, or anywhere I could find more information from, please?   Somerset must have left an impression on my mother as she returned when I was a child and it is where I live now, and only an hour away from Yarcombe.   Lorraine Clements

Steve Horner replies:   I was delighted that you have located our website.   It certainly has attracted a lot of attention and interest over the past year or so.   First may I assume that you have identified your Mother Jean and Uncles Fred and David from the photo of the evacuee class of school children – on our World War II page:   Fred Crump second row first on LHS and your Mother Jean second row last on RHS  - Is this correct please ?   Can you spot them in any other of the photos we have on the website?   I understand David and Fred were twins and were billeted with the Venicott family here in Yarcombe - I need to find out the exact address.   Your Mother was billeted with the Moore family at Four Elms.   The entire class came down from London from St Anne`s Roman Catholic School Lambeth London, with their teachers, Miss Stringer and Miss Marsh.   I have written twice to the school secretary asking for more information but have not had a reply – perhaps this might be another source of information for you.   I may be able to dig up some more information if you can give me more background, for example dates of birth and possible street address where your family lived in London.   Do you have any reminiscences or stories that they told you about their time in our village?   I look forward to hearing from you.

Ancestral Search 18

August 2019

Hi, I came across your website about the Yarcombe World Wars which I found very interesting.   My family has very close links to the village.   My father's, my uncle's and my aunt's ashes (respectively Gordon Hayne, David Hayne and Sheila Hayne) are interred in the Baptist churchyard as well as those of my grandmother's cousin and her mother (respectively Lily Salter and Hattie Bailey).   I'm writing because, with my cousin, I shall be visiting my great Uncle's tomb in Ponte Sur Sambre in France (Ernest Bibbs), who was my grandmother's elder brother (Ada Jesse Bibbs).   I notice you have some details of his campaigns in France on the website, do you have any more details of these?   And I was wondering too if the photo you mention of all the family at Waterhayne farm is visible anywhere, or whether you can get hold of a copy?   Nice to think he was remembered by the village last year with a bonfire!   Thanks for any help or details.   Dr Jeremy Hayne

Reminiscences of Hays Farm, written by Jeremy's father Gordon in December 1995 (above)

Steve Horner explains:   Dr Jeremy Hayne contacted me from Milan, he is a relative of Ernest Bibbs, Sergeant in the Machine Gun Corps who was killed on the last day of the war and whose family are descended from John Matthews ( 1798-1879 ) who farmed South Waterhayne.   John Matthews' children were John, Harriet (Hettie) Henry and Mary (Polly) and lived at Hay farm.   Polly married Robert Henry Bibbs and moved to Birmingham where they had one son, Ernest and 6 daughters, Alice, Laura, Ada, (Jesse) Doris, Hettie and Constance.   Ada married George Hayne and their children were Gordon, Peter David and Joyce.   Gordon is the father of Dr Jeremy Hayne.   Although John Mathews senior farmed at South Waterhayne, this family were farming Hay farm, but I await comment from Elaine Munt on this point.

Steve Horner replies:   I was delighted to receive your e-mail explaining your close connection to Yarcombe.   I had a quick look at the website as I am not certain how much information is to be found there.   I have much more information on Ernest Bibbs in my filing system and I am almost certain that the photo of South Waterhayne came from Elaine Munt whom I see regularly, as she is related to the Mathews family.   I shall give you every assistance possible and I wish you well on your trip to Belgium.   I look forward to hearing from you!

Jeremy Hayne responds:   In your first email you said you had more information on Uncle Ernie Bibbs.   When you have a moment perhaps you could send something on, I'd be very grateful.

Referring to above photos, here is a list of all the people.   Matthews, of course, was my Great grandmother's maiden name and I always like the photo of her two brothers looking very dapper (John and Henry - who died young).   John, as you can just see, had a missing left forearm and was, according to my grandmother (Ada Jessie) a bit of a scamp, teasing his nieces.   In the second photo:  Adults from the left: Lily, her mother Hattie, Auntie Dolly (Doris), Auntie Connie, behind Connie there is Auntie Laura though we can't see her very well, Auntie Olive is next to her.   At the back is Uncle Billy Cox (Doris's husband), Grandma Jessie and Cousin Ernie (Laura's eldest), Joyce (my father's eldest sister) is on the end and next to her Joan (Laura's second) - I think she has Gordon (my father) in a head-lock, Connie is holding on to Laurie (Olive's youngest), then Peter and David (my father's elder brothers).

What relationship does your friend Elaine have to the Matthews?   I guess we are related somewhere along the line.

Going back to Ernest and Evelyn it's interesting that my grandmother named my father Gordon Ernest and his elder sister Joyce Evelyn.

Ernest's fiancé Evelyn	Ernest Bibb's mother & sisters	Lily & Arthur Salter. Lily took over the running of Hay Farm with her mother Hattie, they are both buried in the Baptist churchyard there. My father and his family spent all their summers there with their mother. I think my aunt Sheila was evacuated there during the war.		Aunty Polly with sister and brother -.John Matthews, Hettie Matthews and Great Grandma Polly

Uncle Ernie		Ernest and mum Polly

 Steve Horner adds:   Some years ago, when I was researching those men from Yarcombe who gave their lives in the great war Elaine Munt kindly permitted me to copy the attached photo (below, left) of the Matthews family who lived at Hay farm.   The photo includes Ernest Bibbs who was killed in action on 10th November 1918.   The key person in this photo is John Mathews (3rd from left in back row) who was the tenant of Hay farm at this time; he was born in 1840 and died in 1921 aged 61.    I have been able to date the photo as being 1910 or thereabouts from the baby, Constance Annie Bibbs who was born in 1908 and I guess she is about 2 years old.   Previously Jeremy Hayne sent us his father’s reminiscences of Yarcombe and in that he explained that John Matthews daughter Mary Jane (Polly) married Robert Henry Bibbs and they moved away to Birmingham, however at every opportunity the family headed back on the train to Yarcombe.   The children of Robert Bibbs and Polly were Ernest*, Alice, Laura*, Ada*, Doris*, Hettie*, Constance*.   Those marked with * are all present in the photo.   (See Jeremy Haynes' comment below.)

Back Row left to right: Laura May Bibbs married Harold James Ernest John Benjamin Bibbs Killed in action 10th November 1918 John Mathews Hay farm Died 1921 Ada Jessie Bibbs married (George ) Hayne George Salter married Emma Helena Hurford Birch Mills Lily Salter married (AG ) Bailey + Frank Salter married Emma Summers Lily Berry married Jones Olive Kathleen Bibbs married Evan Thomas Front Row: Mary Jane Matthews married Robert Henry Bibbs (Polly) holding Connie * Harriet Darby Matthews married George Salter of Hemyock (Hattie) Jane Joan Clarke Brought up by Frank Spiller Julia Anne Matthews married Alfred Berry a Policeman ( from Worcester) Kneeling: Doris Emma Mary Biddle married Cox Hettie Lilian Bibbs died 05/01/24 aged 24 Notes *Constance Annie Bibbs on Aunt Polly`s lap died 05/01/1977 aged 6 +Lily Bailey last survivor of this group		In this smaller photo are an elderly couple who I have been able to identify as John and Elizabeth Matthews (nee Newton) at Mount Cottage Yarcombe on 25th March 1845.   This identification is again thanks to Elaine who enlarged the inscription for me.   This is a very early example of a photographer's work and it is certainly the oldest photo we have which was taken in Yarcombe.

The above information came to us from two people Elaine Munt and Jeremy Hayne who are obviously related through the Matthews line and it has taken me some time to work out the relationship.   The key ancestor is John Mathews who married Elizabeth Newton born in Otterford in 1796 and died in 1879, during which time he and his family farmed at South Waterhayne, they had three daughters Mary, Hannah and Elizabeth and two sons John Junior (born 1828) and Henry (born 1835).   John junior was a tenant at Hay farm and he married Mary Jane Darby whose photo was sent to us by Jeremy Hayne, and is already up on the website; it is John Junior's son, again called John, who is shown in the photo and who died in 1921.
 

Elaine is descended from the second son Henry born 1838, whose photograph Elaine has kindly provided to me (right), as well as manuscript extracts for her family Bible which permitted me to put together the tree (below), which is in my own hand writing.
Finally the piece de resistance: A portrait of John Matthews which I believe is still hanging in a house in Combe St Nicolas: It is really quite amazing what can be found on the web !

Jeremy Hayne responds:   Thanks for this.   As you know I visited Ernie Bibbs grave at Ponte Sur Sambre with my cousin and it was a moving experience.   This information is very interesting and it's great to be able to fill in details of the family.   There are just a couple of errors. Ernest Bibbs was killed on the 10 November not the 11. Ernest's next youngest sister was called Olive (Olive Kathleen Bibbs).   I think the Alice you have written (children of Robert Bibbs and Polly) must be a misreading, so all the Bibbs children are in the photo.   It's nice to be able to pick up on another branch of the family, namely that of Elaine (hello!) and I've added all the info onto my Ancestry.co.uk family tree.   I attach a couple of photos (below) from my recent trip to France.   One shows me and my cousin Catherine Eddy (second daughter of Joyce Hayne).   Thanks for all you work and interest!

              

Steve Horner replies:   Many thanks for your prompt reply, it really is a pleasure working with you.   I am also pleased and deeply moved that you paid your respects at the grave of Ernest Bibbs and that his memory lives on.   If we find out any more information about the Bibbs/Matthews family I will pass this on to you.

Ancestral Search 17

August 2019

Hi, I’m wondering if you can give me more information on the Popes who lived in Yarcombe in the 1700s and 1800s and appear to be my ancestors.   My 5th Great Grandparents appear to have been John Pope (born c1767) and Ann Thomas (born c1766, died c1797).   My 4th Great Grandparents Joseph Pope (born c1792) and Ann Cooke (born c1795) married in Yarcombe (Aug 1816).   My 3rd Great Grandmother Anne Pope (born c1822).   The 1841, 1851 and 1861 censuses have various family members living in Axviney, Pithayne & Grovewell Cottages.   I’ve been reading Ruth Everitt’s Book which mentions the arrival (or rearrival??) of the Popes to Yarcombe on page 14, presumably after the death of Ann Thomas, but I’m wondering if there’s any more information on them or their parents.   Any help you can give would be very much appreciated.   Regards,  Dave Johnson

Steve Horner replies:   Many thanks for this information about the Pope family who lived in Yarcombe in the 18^th and 19^th Centuries, it certainly adds to our store of information.   Apart from the mention in Ruth Everitt's book I have little information to add to that which you have already accumulated.   If you so wish I can take photos of the cottages where your family lived, although from memory Axviney no longer exists.   However perhaps we have a family connection although it’s a long shot.   My great aunt Maria Horner born Lyme Regis in August 1850 and died in Chagford on 22^nd February 1923 married Henry JJ Pope who was born in Seaton on 30^th December 1839.   Maria owned a haberdashery shop in East Street Taunton and had two children Maria Beatrice Pope and James John Horner Pope who was a photographer in Taunton. 

Peter Tarrant writes:   Thank you for your comments.   Steve and I are very pleased that the website, and the Ancestral Searches page in particular, is proving so useful.   On Photograph Page 8 I have posted a few shots of Lower Pithayne, firstly from a southerly aspect, then from the east.

Ancestral Search 16

July 2019

Hello.   I am asking if you can help with a bit of tracing on the maternal side of my family tree.   As you see my name is Angus Passmore.   My maternal grandfather was Alfred Samuel Lawrence born it appears in Yarcombe around 1883/84, his father was Alfred Richard Lawrence and his mother Rhoda or Rodha (as it appears on the 1861 Census).   It would seem that my grandfather may have been born outside marriage as the birth is registered in both names?   Rodha was born in Yarcombe around 1850/51.   Her mother (my GGGGM) was Charlotte Spiller born 1820/21 again in Yarcombe, she is listed as widow in 1861 Census.   Rodha it appears had two sisters and one brother.   In addition there are three other males listed on the Census, two of their job descriptions would indicate farm workers.   Unfortunately the address is unclear but the last word could be “farm” but that is only an educated guess.   Any information would be gratefully received.   Regards,  Angus Passmore       (07834 547406)

Ancestral Search 15

May 2019

Hi, very impressed with your site and your ancestry pages.   My great grandparents x 4, Hugh Pavey and Joan Trenchard were married at Yarcombe on the 23rd June, 1797.   They had two children William and Frances Pavey (my great grandmother x 3).   Frances was baptised in Yarcombe on the 3rd August, 1800.    Any information that you may have about Hugh Pavey or his family would be greatly appreciated.   I have already been considerably assisted by Michael Haynes with the Trenchard family following his earlier post on your ancestry pages.  Many thanks,   David Thomas

Steve Horner writes:   I will be very pleased to help you in any way possible with your researches.   Let me begin by explaining that we are very fortunate in Yarcombe because much of the land in the parish has been in the hands of one family since the time of Sir Francis Drake who started accumulating land hereabouts since 1582.   The estate records were deposited in the Devon County Records office in about 1950 and thus remain as a source of our knowledge, and from which my dear departed friend Ruth Everitt was able to compile her book "From Monks to the Millennium".  

I therefore attach a scan (below) of the relevant pages of this history which contain references to the Pavey family and their land holdings. The first mention is of one Charles Pavey who was occupier of Broadley in 1600 so your family have been well embedded in this area for many generations.   Let me know if I can further assist you, sight of your tree might give me some more clues.

David Thomas replies:   Thank you so much for the very prompt response and the useful information provided. We have a lot to be grateful to Ruth Everitt for and people like you who are happy to share the knowledge of past records with others.

Ancestral Search 14

February 2019

Hi what a great site, thank you.   I'm currently researching Pattimore and Dommett.   I have a marriage certificate for James Pattimore and Caroline Dommett, married in 1892 in Yarcombe church.   Any information regarding either would be fantastic thank you.   Mandy Trimby

Steve Horner writes:   Thank you for visiting the Yarcombe website.   Like you, we are keen to learn more about those who have lived in our village.   I can immediately provide you with two documents (below) that will help trace your ancestors.  

	Document 1	Document 2

The first is an extract from the record of Baptism in Otterford church.   Caroline was baptised 16^th July 1871, daughter of Thomas (a cobbler) and Louisa (? poor writing) Dommett.   The second is a copy of the 1881 census for Yarcombe.   Caroline is shown as living in Marsh - a hamlet in the parish of Yarcombe - with her mother, Louisa (now a widow) and her five siblings.   Her father Thomas must have died within the previous two years - James her brother is aged 1.   Her mother Louisa is shown as having been born in Buckland St Mary, an adjacent Parish in Somerset to Otterford.   Yarcombe is also adjacent to Otterford but across the border in Devon.   At this stage I cannot find any more about Caroline.   However if you can scan and send her marriage certificate to me  I can carry out more research for you into her husband James Pattimore.   Incidentally how are you related to Caroline ?

Mandy Trimby replies:   Thank you so much for that.   Caroline was my great grandmother.   I know she died at the young age of 43 in Taunton and James her husband was a coal porter in Taunton.   Not sure how they ended up here though.   I believe the witnesses were Fowler.   Can't seem to find a birth certificate for James although he is in the workhouse in 1871 and 1881.   Thank again for all your help.   (Marriage Certificate below.)

	Document 3

Steve Horner responds:   Yes, you are correct - James was in the Union workhouse as a child in Chard in 1881 (Document 5).   The mention of Union confirms that Caroline who lived in Union no5 in Marsh, that this was also a workhouse.   In 1871 (Document 4) he was living in Crewkerne with his mother Sarah Jane Pattimore.   He was aged 4 at the time and was born in Crewkerne.   No sign of his father Simeon who perhaps had died?

I thought you may be interested to see the 1911 census  (Document 6)

I guess you know the rest of your tree.   If I find any further record of the Dommett family in Otterford I will let you know.

	Document 4	Document 5	Document 6

 

Ancestral Search 13

December 2018

Ancestral Search 12

August 2018

I stumbled upon your excellent site whilst researching the Mullett family tree.   They were resident at Whitehorns and Beacon farms.   I see there was a Mullett mentioned in the memorial to those who lost their lives in WW1 in the Baptist church on the site.   My father is registered as being born 3rd June 1919 at Beacon farm Yarcombe.   My grandfather William Mullett (married to Grace Wakley) is registered as resident Beacon farm in 1911 census.   The 1891 & 1901 census shows the Mullett family as registered at Pithayne Cottage.   The 1861 shows my great grandfather Charles Mullett (married to Sarah Miller) registered at the Mill in Yarcombe.   Evidently the Mulletts were long term residents of Yarcombe but I cannot figure out the relationship between the people and all these different residences.   I have tried to track down a copy of the book, "From Monks to the Millenium" but it is out of print.   I hope you can help.   Kind regards,   Chris Mullett       Steve Horner writes:   Here is a map (click to enlarge) of our Parish identifying the various house/cottages where your family lived in Yarcombe.   Yes you are correct, there is a W Mullett mentioned on the Baptist Chapel memorial, however this is an indication he served King and Country, he is not recorded as “Our Brave Dead”.   This may be your Grandfather William Mullett ????   Can you check the spelling of Grace Wakley please, it is confusing there are two  families with different spellings Wakley and Wakely in our records.   Just out of interest do you know when your family left the village ? Steve Horner adds:   Let me start with some historical background for you; a large part of Yarcombe parish was and still is  held by one family, which started when Queen Elizabeth 1 presented to Sir Francis Drake a part of the Manor.   The estate grew under careful management by Sir Frances` indirect  descendants – Sir Frances did not have children.   Whitehorns was part of the estate until it was sold with other properties in 1931 when the sitting tenant Mr F Mullett purchased the property.   Up until about 1880 Whitehorns was an outlying part of the adjoining Parish of Membury which does cause confusion!   In more recent times the Yarcombe Estate repurchased Whitehorns which is a beautiful thatched house nestling in a quiet valley.   Please see the map (right) which indicates the properties where your relatives lived.   I do hope we shall have more details about your family to post into our website. Joan Berry writes:   I think that  Thomas Wakely may have been a relative of my Godfather (George Wakely, who was a Thatcher)  but unfortunately I know nothing of his family apart from the fact that they were connected to the Mullet family of Whitehorns Farm. Steve Horner adds:   Below is a scan of the 1901 census covering Whitehorns which shows the Yarcombe Wakelys in residence.   Up until about 1880 Whitehorns was an outlying area of Membury Parish.   The Walter Wakely I am researching came into Yarcombe from Otterford and thus I suspect not connected to your family –all very confusing but very interesting none the less. 1901 Census:        Miranda Gudenian writes:   Chris Mullett may be interested to know that one of his family, Bill Mullett, owned the house I now live in, The Beacon (as it became known in the 1970s).  I would have to check our deeds but I think the house was sold after Mr Mullett's death in the early or mid-1950s. Miranda Gudenian adds:   If my memory serves me correctly Bill Mullett lived in one half of the house - which was turned into two cottages when the Estate bought the place in the late 19th century - and he let the other half.   Again if my memory is correct Bill Mullett purchased the house in 1931 in the Estate sale of properties.   Both Bill (Boy) Doble and Frank Wale remembered Bill Mullett. Kirth Gensen writes:   I've been going through several boxes of stuff I’ve inherited from my eldest brother and found this pamphlet and press cuttings about Yarcombe:         The Yarcombe Story Cutting 1 Cutting 2 Cutting 3 Cutting 4     Steve Horner replies:   Thanks a million for all this information about our Parish.   There is a lady in the village called Barbara Salter who remembers Mr Mullett from Whitehorns, and the processional cross for which he donated the wood is still in use in the church.   The booklet is also most interesting.   Barbara tells me that the author was Freddie Orchard who was the organist in the church in about 1969/70 and that Bishop John Armstrong, who had  hand in the research for the booklet, was Vicar of Yarcombe at that time and was previously Bishop of Bermuda.   This enabled me to trace Freddie Orchard through a genealogy website, and I came up with the following information:   Frederick Theodore A Orchard was a school master who was born on the 1st January 1904 and died in Honiton in the second quarter of 1982.   His wife Gwendoline Mary Orchard was born on 9th December 1903 and is buried in the Yarcombe churchyard.   Bishop John Armstrong was obviously quite a character.   He was a chaplain in the Royal  Navy for 28 years and rose to be Chaplain of the Fleet and served in this position from 1960-1963.   Immediately upon his retirement from the Royal Navy he was consecrated Bishop of Bermuda in 1963 where he served until 1970.   It can be assumed he then retired to Yarcombe where he was the Parish Priest for some years.   He died in 1992.   Barbara told me he was very high church but “we soon put him right about those practices !“     I also attach (right, click to enlarge) a photo of your family gravestone in Yarcombe churchyard which you may find interesting.     Please keep in contact and if you require any further information I shall be pleased to help. Also see Ancestral Search 17.

Ancestral Search 11

July 2018

Steve Horner writes:   Michael, I am at present (Oct 2019) researching the history of my house and in the course of my work I have come across the name John Saturley who is mentioned in the Will of Henry Willie who died in 1792 (PCC PROB 11/1226).   Henry Willie possessed land holdings in the adjoining parishes of Yarcombe, Otterford and Upottery amongst which he held Woodhayne (where we now live) variously called at that time Woodend and Woodhayes.   In his will is“I give and xxxx to William Willie son of John Willie our cottage late Saturleys in North Common ….”.   

The estate map of 1809 shows John Saturlays in green on North Common (just below the right hand punch hole on the map below, click to enlarge).   From your own family tree posted on Ancestry I note that the Saturley family originated in Bovey Tracey starting with Nathaniel (born 1605) who married Hannah Price; their son Simon was born 1672 in Yarcombe and Simon`s daughter Mary (born 1703 in Yarcombe) who married John Trenchard.   Thus it would seem to me that the Saturley family were well established in Yarcombe from 1672 through to Mary (died 1747) and her siblings .

It puzzles me that there is no mention of the Saturleys that I can find other than the cottage which belonged to John Saturley mentioned in Henry Willie`s will.   Perhaps you may have more information to hand that I might study.

Ancestral Search 10

June 2018

I am researching my husband’s family and have just found the Yarcombe webpage with all the interesting information it contains.  I was particularly interested in the Ancestral Searches page and the reply comments by Steve Horner to Lefayre Palmer’s enquiries regarding the Spiller family ( Ancestral Search 6 ).   My husband is Lyndon Spiller and below I give details of his family tree as far as we have been able to ascertain.       Timon (alt Tymon) Spiller 1743 – 1804   Yarcombe     + Sarah Moore 1729-1795     ...... Abraham Spiller 1765 – 1834   Yarcombe     ...... + Elizabeth Clarke 1772-1842     ............ Naboth Spiller 1802-1878  Yarcombe – died in Rose Cottage Chard     ............ Eliza Knight 1816-1905     .................. Naboth Spiller 1845-1918  Combe St Nicholas died in Clyst St George     .................. Mary Warren 1851-1906     ........................ Willliam John Spiller 1885 – 1975  Wandsworth Common/Clyst St George/Canada/ New Zealand/died in Melbourne, Aus     ........................ + Ruby Baker 1881-1977     .............................. William Clarence Spiller 1918- 2010  Melbourne Australia     .............................. +Nada Veronica Tasker Burr 1916-2003     .................................... Lyndon Stuart Spiller 1945-     Australia     .................................... +Julie Lynette King 1947 –   I note that Timon and Abraham Spiller are listed in the Index to From Monks to The Millennium and wonder if it is possible to gain any further information about any of our  family members.   Any help that you can give will be really appreciated.   Julie Spiller Steve Horner writes:   Once again I am delighted to be able to try to help you.   There are still a good number of Spillers living hereabouts, however I strongly suspect their knowledge of the ancestors does not go back more than one or two generations!   It would certainly be a coup if we could find a Yarconian (or is it a Yarcombite?) who is related to one of the Pilgrim Fathers.   Do you have a copy of ”From Monks to the Millennium”?   If you do not please look at the index to any particular Spiller and I will scan the entry for you. Julie Spiller replies:   Thanks for your prompt response.   No, I do not have a copy of the book but note that Abraham Spiller and Timon Spiller are both listed.   Amy Spiller could be Abraham’s daughter and there is also a Robert – but then there were so many Roberts in the church register that it could be any one of them.   I am currently working my way through the register and finding that there were so many Spillers listed as well families who married into the Spiller clan.   If you could scan a copy of relevant information for Abraham and Timon it may give me some background information.   Unfortunately we will not be any help with your dream of finding someone who is related to the Pilgrim Fathers.   Our grandfather left England later and finally settled in Australia – which is where we are living – even though my email may suggest USA. Steve Horner replies:   See Extracts 1 to 4, below.   One reason that we know so much about our local history is that most of the land in the Parish belongs to one family, who are descended from Sir Francis Drake of Armada fame, and this family or perhaps their lawyers presented all the estate records to the Devon County Record Office.   From a quick glance your family appear to have Baptist connections.   The Baptist Chapel is still a thriving congregation.   If I can help further please let me know. Extract 1: MARSH During the nineteenth century Marsh was a „hive of industry‟. The Census of 1841 gives the following trades, all based in the village of Marsh:- Richard Wyatt - Baker.  James Glade - Horse Keeper,  John Stone - Wheelwright,  William Spiller - Baker,  Thomas Stone - Blacksmith,  John Spiller - Horse Keeper.  Thomas Hurford - Carpenter. There would have been no shortage of employment with a major coaching inn, "The Heathfield Arms", close by. The group of cottages opposite "The Flintlock" was once used in conjunction with "The Heathfield Arms". One of the middle cottages, known as "Wayside", had a large archway and, although this has now been blocked, remnants of the composite stones can still be seen. Originally the carriages were able to pass through the arch and make an overnight stop. Sleeping accommodation was provided in rooms immediately above the arch for the Coaching Company‟s employees. An Indenture of 1835 shows that there was a dwelling house, smith‟s shop and office and a messuage, dwelling house, wheelwright‟s shop and office on a piece of land known as "Lower Shop Close". The cottage next door to "Wayside" is known as "Lower Shop Cottage" and at the opposite end of the terrace is a cottage known as "The Old Forge". Probably these are the premises referred to in the Indenture. On the other side of the Marsh road there are two other older cottages, Ivy and Rose Cottages. Latterly one of these was inhabited by Sparke, who was a carpenter, so maybe they were the two cottages listed separately on the 1841 Census sheet, housing J. Spiller and T.Hurford, but there can be no certainty. Lye House was once the home of the garage owner, Douglas Leach. The other properties on the Marsh road are listed separately. MARSH CHAPEL (now Old Chapel House) It was in 1849 that services were held in a house lent by Timon Spiller. After two months the house became too small for the congregation and the spacious club room was taken, the rent being paid by a Mr. Crabb and a friend. The building was legally licensed so that the services would not be interrupted. In 1854 the Meeting House was erected on behalf of the Yarcombe Baptist Church for the sum of £4. The trustees were mostly local:- Joel Knight - Yeoman, Richard Coleman - Yeoman, James Knight - Yeoman, Charles Crabb - Cooper, Henry Bayell Lockyer - Yarcombe (Minister), William Bond - Yeoman, Chardstock and Richard Keeping, Chard. Services were held regularly until the Chapel was closed in the 1970s. The property was sold in 1981 and is now the Old Chapel House. Extract 2: BROADLEY Broadley was mentioned in the Court Rolls of Henry VI and the name is probably a corruption of Broad Lea (wide clearing and field). Charles Pavey was the occupier of the tenement and cottage at Broadley in 1600. The tithe he was required to pay was 8d. The owner in 1727 was Robert Newbery and in 1798 Broadley was combined with Brimbley. Timon Spiller was the tenant of Lord Heathfield. It was noted in the Estate Timber Survey that Brimbley house needed repairs and that there were 46 oak, 54 ash and 16 elm on the properties. In 1810 Abraham Spiller was the tenant of Broadley and Brimbley and it was in 1827 that Greenwood‟s map showed an asylum clearly marked close to Broadley. However, no documentation has been found to support the location of such an establishment there. It could have been a private secure house, but there was an asylum at Broadhayes, Stockland, so perhaps it was an error by the mapmakers. Abraham Spiller was still the tenant in the Electoral Roll of 1832-3, when Broadley was shown as a rented estate of over £100 per annum. An interesting field name was listed in the crop book of the Yarcombe Manor Estate under Broadley; it was Higher Old Church of Bushams. Two external stone plaques on buildings at Broadley Farm bear the initials of Thomas Trayton Fuller Eliott Drake, who inherited the Estate in 1813 and who showed great interest in its administration during the remaining 57 years of his life. There is some documentary reference to a fire at Broadley and perhaps some features in the kitchen bear witness to such an event. The large fireplace has Hamstone jambs which support a fine and massive monolithic bressumer cut from the same material. Its girth is no less than 9ft. 6ins. and its exposed depth, 31ins. An ogee moulding is finely carved to soften the angle between the front planes of jambs and bressumer and those of the recess. The actual fireplace opening measures 8ft. 2ins. by 4ft. 6ins., and now holds a modern cooker. Carved into the upper left front of the stone bressumer is what must have been a small cuboidal cupboard, any earlier wooden fittings such as a door having disappeared long ago. Perhaps this was a cupboard for the storage of salt in pottery vessels? The style of the fireplace surround indicates a Tudor or early seventeenth century date, but it is unusual to find such a grand one in a farmhouse. Until relatively recently it had been covered in dark-coloured paint. The features which may bear out the possibility of replacement due to fire damage are the doors and the beams. The timbers in the kitchen ceiling are sawn rather than adzed and chiselled, as would have been the case in the Tudor period or the seventeenth century. They are not chamfered. In other words, they are typical of what might have been made in the early nineteenth century. The doors are mostly of the traditional farmhouse plank and batten type of the same period, with contemporary ironwork hinges and latches. Proof of these conjectured dates is the poker-burnt..... "1827" on the main door to the kitchen. In fact that year is indented twice on the same door, one image being upside down. Could it be that this celebrates completion of the work of restoration of a fire-damaged part of the farm? Extract 3: LIVENHAYES (also known as Levenhays or Livehayne) This is one of the oldest surviving properties in the Parish, dating from the early sixteenth century and constructed of local stone and flint rubble with Beerstone ashlar chimney shafts. It began as an open hall house, (see foreword), heated by an open hearth. The hall was probably floored over in the late sixteenth - early seventeenth centuries and the partition in the original jettied chamber includes the ladder access doorway, which is a two-centred arch with moulded surround. The high standard of modernisation in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was probably ordered by the owner/occupier Samuel Newbery. A plaque dated 1662 with his initials carved on it can be seen in the chimneyshaft at the service end of the house. Was this the same Samuel Newbery who had been seen in Monmouth‟s Camp in 1686? He was eventually pardoned, but at what cost? In 1600 there were two Livenhayes. Alice Helliar, (widow), lived in one and John Pullen and Maude Browinge were the occupants of the other. Both properties paid a tithe of 8d. The 1727 Land Tax Survey shows Robert and Susanna Newbery as the two owner/occupiers. By 1794-5 the Yarcombe Estate owned Higher and Lower Livenhayes. The will of Robert Newbery made in 1748 doesn‟t show either of the Livenhayes - but perhaps the Newbery support for Monmouth led to impoundment of property or large fines. The Livenhayes were valuable property, the saleable timber being worth a total of £362. 16s. 9d. and comprised of 146 oak, 186 ash and 23 elm. Lord Heathfield is shown as the owner of the „Two Livings‟ in 1810, and John Burrow is the tenant. There was a change of tenant by 1832, when Abraham Spiller was farming the two Livenhayes and Broadley. In the 1850 White‟s Directory Charlotte Edwards, (widow), was the tenant. She took in a lodger, one of the under-steward/gamekeeper‟s sons, who was handicapped with a „gammy‟ leg. The Estate paid Mrs. Edwards 3/- per week for his keep. In 1896 Thomas Spiller was the tenant and it was during his tenure that 5 acres of land slid away. The Estate gave him an allowance of 5s. per acre on his rent. The Yarcombe Estate sold the property in 1931, when it was described as „a Choice Dairy and Stock- Rearing Farm of 84 acres 3 rods 1 perch.‟ The Farmhouse had an entrance lobby, living room with open hearth, sitting room with a fine oak mantel, together with a beamed and quartered ceiling and a cool dairy. Upstairs there were 4 Bedrooms and a Cheese Room. The sitting tenant was Mr. P.R.Rich. It remains with the Rich family and provides one of the best examples of a medieval house in the area. MOORHAYNE In 1600 three properties were listed; a cottage combined with Cornhill and two cottages occupied by Elynor Witcombe (widow). In those days the road (or trackway) would have been well used. HIGHER MOORHAYNE (also known as Legot‟s Moorhayne) Elianor Legett paid a Land Tax on a property on this site in 1727. It was usually included with Cornhill and sometimes the Land Tax was combined. In 1766 a Jacob Legget was killed by a horse and slide. (Slides were used instead of carts on steep slopes.) Could he have lived at Legot‟s Moorhayne? In 1798 Widow Bond was the owner, with John Spiller as the occupier. It is probable that the Yarcombe Estate had a lease or mortgage at this time, as it is listed in the Estate Timber Survey with another cottage at Lower Moorhayne as having 10 oak, 17 ash and 4 elm ready for sale. John Spiller was still the tenant in 1810, but by 1832 Sir Thomas T.F.E.Drake had a new tenant, Hugh Crabb. He was a cooper and a shed near the house used to contain a large fireplace - could this have been where the barrels were made? In 1935 George Phillips, the village carpenter/builder, installed a cider press at Higher Moorhayne, which was sold by the Yarcombe Estate in 1931 together with 12 acres. The dwelling house was described as substantially built of stone, with stuccoed walls and slate roof and a lean-to tiled cider cellar. The buildings included a pound house, a small hard-bottomed yard and a cow house with a hay loft over. Extract 4: THE BAPTIST CHURCH AND FOUR ELMS In Calways Cottage Baptists were meeting as early as 1787. Four people were mentioned; William and Grace Trott, S.Knight and Maratha Crabb. It was Samuel Vincent (Senior) of Churchstanton who was responsible for the erection of the Chapel, and the builders were the Trott family. There were 12 trustees and local names were William Wale - Farmer, Yarcombe, James Trott - Mason, Yarcombe, Abraham Spiller - Farmer, Yarcombe, John Trott - Mason, Whitestaunton, Samuel Vincent (Junior) - Farmer, Churchstanton and Samuel French - Farmer, Dalwood. Others were from Chard, Taunton and Wellington. The Indenture conveying the site on which the Chapel and three houses, (the Manse, Mount Cottage and Chapel Cottage) were built was dated 15th May 1829. It was between Betty Bishop of Yarcombe, Widow, and John Wale of Yarcombe and the twelve trustees, and is in the following terms, “All have contracted and agreed together for the absolute purchase of the fee and simple inheritance of the piece or parcel of land herein after described, being part of the said close called Four Elms at the price of £12. 10s. and the said trustees having erected a Meeting house to be kept and enjoyed and used as a common free and Public meeting house of Particular Calvinistic Baptist.” One rule was that no person should be buried within the said Chapel. It was James Trott, one of the first trustees who lived at Newcott, who was buried outside the chapel front door. This was the spot where he used to stand to shake hands with the congregation. Seating will now accommodate about 100 people, and the baptistery is under the front of the pulpit. There are two memorials for those who gave their lives in the First and Second World Wars. The 1914-1918 memorial also contains 80 names of those from the Parish who served for a temporary period?   Julie Spiller replies:   Thanks for the help on the Spiller family.  It has been most useful.  The information on Brimbley, Broadly and Livenhayes was most interesting.   I am now following down the families of the wives of the Spillers.   Abraham Spiller married Elizabeth Clarke – daughter of Naboth Clarke.  I am wondering if your helpful book – or any other source - has information on Naboth Clarke or any other members of that family.   Naboth Clarke and Elizabeth Stickland married in April 1770 at Yarcombe.  I believe that Naboth and Elizabeth had at least seven children - Elizabeth, James, Richard, Mary, Grace, James and Sarah between 1772 and 1781.   I believe that Naboth died around 1784.   Elizabeth Stickland’s parents were John Stickland and Mary (?Dean).   Abraham’s son Naboth Spiller married Elizabeth or Eliza Knight daughter of James and Elizabeth Knight.  I note that on page 50 there is reference to James Knight being one of those who were trustees of the Yarcombe Baptist Church in 1854.   Any further information you may have on any of these will be really appreciated. Steve Horner replies:   I am delighted to be able to help you.   Herewith information on Naboth Clarke, Extract 5, below.   The author of the book, Ruth Everitt spent time in the Devon Records Office so the letter which provided her with this information must be on file.   Also information on John Stickland of Moorpit farm, Extract 6, who is almost certainly one of your forebears.   Elsewhere another Stickland relating to 1832 can be found.   Your reference on page 50 is to James Knight  Marsh Chapel - Marsh being a hamlet in Yarcombe Parish - this chapel was closed in the 1970s.   I am not certain where the original Charter  can be found, perhaps in the records of Yarcombe Baptist church.   If you can provide me with further details of Naboth Spiller marriage to Eliza Knight I will further research this line for you.   The name Spiller is very common in these parts.   I look forward to hearing from you again. Extract 5: Although the Drake family owned a large Estate at Yarcombe, there were other quite substantial land owners, notably the Newberys, Vincents, Stephens, Cossins, Bovetts and Spillers. Some of these families prospered, others disappeared; in those turbulent times it was necessary to be supporting the right religion, the right heir-apparent and remain healthy, in order to retain one‟s property. Sir Francis must have taken quite an interest in his Estate at Yarcombe. Letters show that in 1709 he was greatly concerned about the appointed rector, Gamaliel Chase, who is described as being a drunkard and a debtor. As authorised in the original bill of sale for the manor, Sir Francis possessed the right to select the Rector for the Parish. However, perhaps he felt it was more politic, in those religiously volatile times, to keep quiet, as he didn‟t pursue the matter, and the appointment remained with the Crown. The next Sir Francis, the 4th baronet, made little effort or impact. His son, Sir Francis Henry Drake, who inherited the title in 1739, was made of „sterner stuff‟. Consolidation and improvement of all his estates was his format. Agriculture in England was undergoing a revolution: techniques had improved, there were better implements, and the land was beginning to be enclosed, so making farming a „fashionable‟ and prosperous trade in which to engage. (George III had a model farm at Windsor). It was at this time that some of the farmhouses in the Parish, such as Livenhayes, Underdown, North Waterhayne, Clifthayne and Coburns were improved and made larger. Letters from Drake‟s bailiff, John Cooke, who lived at Longbridge, show that Sir Francis was kept well informed about his Yarcombe Estate, although resident in London a great deal as Master of the King‟s Household. The Estate at Yarcombe seems to have been let out on very commercial lines, with the bailiff keen to get the best rental, but also considering relevant factors such as time of year, fences or lack of fences and keep already taken by potential bidders. Great attention was paid to timber and orchards, both of which were valuable commodities. Several farms had land set aside as nurseries, in which to grow trees for sale later on. In one of Mr. Cooke‟s letters there is a detailed description of an ash sapling that had been stolen, the top half being left propped up in an upright position in the hedgerow! There must have been some rogues around Yarcombe at this time, because in the same letter he mentioned that Mr. Williams of Sheafhayne had been to see him about the prevalence of the night-hunting of hares. Sir Francis had already offered a reward to bring the poachers to justice; now several Yarcombe worthies wished to join with him, Thomas and Robert Newbery, John Williams and Naboth Clarke being the most prominent. Extract 6: LOWER MOORHAYNE Benjamin Bright was the owner of this property in 1727 and it was probably the same Benjamin Bright who was documented in a marriage settlement of 1716. Moorhaine, Jonathan‟s Plot and part of Sellwood (an orchard) was the settlement that Benjamin Bright, sergemaker, offered to Peter Roberts, a clothier in Exeter, for Mary Robert‟s hand. In exchange Peter Roberts gave Benjamin Bright £200 and his daughter. The Land Tax Survey of 1798 shows a tenement and a cottage at Lower Moorhayne. Southcott‟s Moorhayne and Southcott‟s Town were both named after the owner, Jane Southcott. By 1810 Lord Heathfield had acquired the properties and his tenant was John Spiller. More land was added to the property by 1832 when James Knight was the tenant. In 1931 Lower Moorhayne was sold by the Yarcombe Manor Estate, when it was described as a dairy farm of 62 acres. The farm buildings were around a courtyard and there was a pound house with an apple loft over, cow stalls for 17, and by the road was a 3-bay cart and wagon shed with a thatched roof. There is no real indication as to where the cottage was sited, but in a nineteenth century O.S.map there were two cottages shown near the present-day „Hamperlands‟ which were marked as "Moorhayne Cottages". Roger Perham writes:   Julie, I have just revisited the excellent Yarcombe Ancestry page and read, with great interest, your communication with the researchers there.   It is clear that your husband and I share a common ancestor in Naboth Clarke (my paternal ancestor married Elizabeth Clarke's sister Mary).   If you are still involved in the research I would be interested in hearing from you.   Thank you.   Roger Perham Julie Spiller replies:   Hi Roger, I am currently spending more time on my own family history research – but I do hope to get back to the Spiller/Clarke research.  Not enough hours in the day!   I would be happy to hear from you and follow through.   Julie Spiller

Ancestral Search 9

June 2018

Ancestral Search 8

January 2018

Ancestral Search 7

January 2018

Ancestral Search 6

November 2017

Ancestral Search 5

 

				I am hoping that someone out there could give me any information about my grandmother's family the Paull's of Yarcombe.   Any help would be gratefully received.   I have several photos of the Paull family, particularly of my great great grandfather (pictured left) on an early 1900s postcard with the caption printed on the front "Yarcombe's oldest parishioner".   The Paull's were connected to several other Yarcombe families such as the Bright, Harris and Vincent family. Ellen Hawkins (nee Harris) is connected to the Paull line via the Harris family. My great grandmother was Mary Jane Harris (married to Thomas Paull).   Not exactly sure what relation that would make Ellen to me, but we are connected somewhere along the line. Alan Bartlett
James Paull, 1824-1914				Sep 2017

Hawkins family Stockhouse Yarcombe		Hawkins family details		Ellen Hawkins Stockhouse Yarcombe
Steve Horner writes:   I have had a quick look at the census records and in 1911 James Paull was living in Crislands which is a cottage about ½ mile from the centre of the village.   According to the 1901 census he was living in Webble Green just across the Yarcombe Parish border In Membury.   The photos you sent are quite exceptional especially of the pig cull, all the family obviously taking part - my guess is that the photo was taken in about 1900.   I do not recognise the farm, so I suspect it may be in Membury - I will make enquiries. I know an Accountant who lives in Chard called Ed Paull, perhaps he is a relation?   The name Paull with a double ll is perhaps unusual.   Do you have any knowledge of your family tree? Alan Bartlett replies:   Thank you very much for the info, Steve.   The Paull family are definitely more connected to Membury than Yarcombe, but like you said, the border between the parishes is very close.   I have done a fair bit of research into the family history.   The family has some connection to a few Yarcombe families through marriages.   I had a chance to have a look at the gravestones in Yarcombe churchyard and noticed several family names that I regonised (Bright, Harris, Hawkins, Vincent etc).   If you have access, you may care to have a look at my Spurway family tree on ancestry.co.uk.   Interesting to hear about someone in Chard with the name Paull.   The double L not being all that common, so I would definitely we must be related some where along the line. The photo of the pigs being cut up is a great picture, so amazingly clear so that you can see incredible detail. (like the water running from tap into the tub in the background).   They definitely weren't a family of vegetarians ... again many thanks.

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		This photo is a bit of a mystery.   Does anybody know where this was taken?   I assume this is a farm building. Is it in Yarcombe or perhaps Membury?   Who are the people in the picture?   Does anybody know who they are or where it was taken?   It has always intrigued me...even if nobody recognises it, it is still a great photo showing life in days gone by. Alan Bartlett

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CAN YOU HELP ME TRACE MY LOOSEMORE RELATIVES? My name is Gary Brennan; my mother's name was Millicent Loosemore, born to John Loosemore who was born in Yarcombe in 1865.   I came here recently to retrace his steps to moving to the USA and in the hope of getting in touch with any other Loosemores in our clan in the area.   If you know any and they would like to find out about John, please would you ask them to email me at: garyb1956@comcast.net or 1(559)351-6165 by phone. Thank you for your attention, Gary Brennan Diane Rees writes:   Gary, I sent you an email at the beginning of June (2019) with regard to your search for any Loosmores.   My maiden name was Loosmore and my father's ancestors are buried in Yarcombe Cemetery.   I am also writing up the family tree and in my research found a link to your mother.   Perhaps you did not receive my email?    dianerees21@gmail.com Gary Brennan replies:   I want to thank you for your information, I did get your email and my own investigation in my family tree has taken me in a different direction.   I have found that my grandfather's family in England is in Yarnscombe, Fremington, Atherington birth, death and burial records.   My great grandmother (Mary Ann Moore) is buried in Yarnscombe with my great grandfather John Loosemore who died in 1865.   I did not know that Yarcombe and Yarnscombe were not that far from each other and that they were so close in name.   I want to thank everyone in Yarcombe who were looking into this matter and trying to help.   This gives me an excuse to visit your beautiful country again.   If you have any information on my mother, I would like you to send that information to me!   This Loosemore family has to stick together!   Haha.   I enjoyed touring through England and Scotland, you have a wonderful country. Steve Horner adds:   I believe Yarnscombe is in North Devon near Barnstable, about 100 miles away as the crow flies!   I would also mention Ancestral Search 8 in which Jennie Brock is also searching for a Loosemore relative, but she did not reply!   We would always be pleased to learn more of Diane's (and Jennie's) relatives from Yarcombe.

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I am a Bowyer from Canada, and am researching my roots to your beautiful area, does anyone you know have any suggestions for me?   Sad to hear about the Inn, it looks great! Chris Bowyer Canada Peter Tarrant writes:   FYI: I'm happy to say The Yarcombe Inn reopened in August 2019 after concerted efforts by villagers and the Parish Council!   Your enquiry was made several years ago but I am unaware of any response you may have received.   Perhaps you could update us?   We have recently had the ability to scan the digital version of the publication "From Monks To The Millennium" and there are several references to the Bowyer (or Boyer) name which I have posted below: BIRCH MILL One of the last working mills in the Parish. Little remains of the mill, but older "Yarcombites" can still remember the miller Hurford, his old grey horse, and the way the bags had to be carefully arranged on the cart to maintain a good balance. Another feature of the mill was an abundance of rats! Birch Mill was always linked with Shepherds (Springfield) and Panshayne, and until 1884 it was in Membury Parish. When Lord Heathfield bought the Panshayne Estate from Christopher Codrington in the early nineteenth century Birch Mill was included in the sale. The sitting tenant was William Boyer (Bowyer). A complicated action of trespass in diverting a watercourse between Drake (plaintiff) and Codrington took place in 1788. This possibly referred to the water at Birch Mill. Various statements from villagers are recorded; one is from John Johnson, whose Great-Grandfather occupied the mill. He states that the water used to run along the bottom of the mill garden, obliquely across Brick Lane to the south, under an arched bridge in the lane, and then through Honeylands. Another version is reported from Nathaniel Case, which has a note rather unkindly in the margin stating, "Witness deaf as a haddock"! Birch Mill is now a private house. NORTH WATERHAYNE In 1727 Sarah Spiller (daughter of Zachary) was the occupier of Crymeshays. This was probably the site shown on the 1817 Enclosure Map in a field known as „Grimsey‟ on the left hand side of the driveway, just before the turning to the main farm yard. Thomas Bovett (-the Bovett family supported Monmouth-) was the occupier of the larger Estate, but by 1794 the Drake Estate owned all the properties at North Waterhayne; the saleable timber was 88 oak, 62 ash and 54 elm. The Land Tax of 1798 shows Bowyer's Waterhayne tenant as William Jennings, who paid a tax of 2s. ½d, Smythe‟s Waterhayne, tenant William Wale, who paid a tax of £4. 16s. 9½d. (this was the present day North Waterhayne) and Cross Waterhayne (Crymeshays), tenant John Seward, who paid £2. 14s. 8½d. By 1810 Cross Waterhayne and Smythe‟s Waterhayne have been combined and William Jennings is the sole tenant. Bowyer's Waterhayne is separately listed, but has the same tenant, William Jennings. The North Waterhayne driveway used to continue towards Crisland, bearing left half way along the drive and joining with what was once a larger road starting near Four Elms. The Estate still owns North Waterhayne and it was substantially modernised in the mid twentieth century. Waterhayne Cottage is on the left hand side of the entrance to North Waterhayne and was formerly a farm worker‟s cottage; it is now privately owned. SPRINGFIELD COTTAGE (also known as Sheppards, Shepherd‟s Cottage and Marsh School) This cottage was closely associated with Birch Mill, having had the same tenant. Originally it was on the Panshayne Estate and William Bowyer was the leaseholder. In 1808 Lord Heathfield bought the property, and Sir Francis Drake paid for a schoolroom to be added to the cottage in 1875, so providing educational facilities for Marsh children. Desks and seats for the new schoolroom cost £3. 5 shillings; the school was largely funded by Sir Francis, who gave £15 yearly, and by the vicar, who gave £10. Two of the later schoolmistresses were Mrs Pengelly and Mrs Sparks. The schoolroom was licensed for divine services in 1907. Steve Horner adds:   I would stress the importance of the fact noted by Ruth Everitt that Panshayne, Birch, Whitehorns, part of what is now Yarcombe Parish, was prior to 1883 an outlying part of Membury Parish and therefore a search of Yarcombe Parish may not reveal details of for example births deaths and marriages which probably appear in the Membury records.

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March 2011 Researching my family history I have an ancestor called William Michael Laurence (1871-1954), who, according to his death certificate lived at The Vicarage, Yarcombe, as a retired fruit farmer.   His wife was called Louisa.   He died 29 March 1954.   Please could you tell me whether there are any local memories of him or his wife?   Thankyou for your time and patience.   Kind Regards,   Paul Brookes Peter Tarrant writes:   Hi Paul, your appeal was received before this webpage was created in 2017 and has been copied from your original email.   It has been on the website for some time now but I don't know if anyone contacted you directly.   Going by the responses I got it seems no one has any real information, but I'll cut and paste the emails I've already received and forwarded to you below for reference.   All verbal enquiries I made were met with blank faces I'm afraid.   I'll leave the website entry here unless you want me to delete it. Frank Weeks writes:   Only thing I remember about the Vicarage is that there used to be a Filbert Nut tree on the front lawn.   A filbert is a large hazel nut if I remember correctly.   In order for young schoolboys to go raid the tree the method was to run to the tree, grab what one could and then flee before any retribution from anybody at the house as the tree was in full view.   I don’t recall anybody being caught.   Though we were probably watched with amusement by the residents.   One will never know.   Frank (NZ) Joan Ewins writes:   At the time of the death of William Laurence the Revd. H.C. Thompson lived at the Vicarage.   I remember from my childhood that Revd. and Mrs Thompson used to let some of the rooms at the Vicarage to a couple of retired ladies with the surnames of Freeman and Stanley.   Perhaps Mr. Laurence had rooms prior to that.   Shirley Briant may know as her mother seems to have kept in contact with past Vicars.   I hope this is helpful.   Kind Regards,   Joan Ewins Lesley Sutton writes:   The Churchwardens could look in the chest to see whether he was buried here.   Unfortunately there are not many of us who lived in the village and are still alive.   Shirley Briant has lived here all her life and John Salter of course may have some knowledge. Neither have internet access. Paul Brookes replies:   Thank you for all your hard work on my behalf.   I have not had any responses from it but I am very glad for the comments you have provided.   In response to one of those I do not know whether he was buried in the local churchyard and would dearly like to find out. Please can anyone help me in that respect?   Also, I would be very grateful to take up your kind offer of keeping the request on the site.   Kind Regards,   Paul

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March 2017 I wonder if you can help me?   I am the Great Granddaughter of Mary Hurford who married James Willie in 1873 and who lived in Yarcombe at Holly Cottage.   Many times as a little girl my Grandmother told me stories of her Mother who was a wonderful lady, she was not only a herbalist but midwife to the local people who would walk miles across the fields to ask for her help and advice.   She was also a wonderful seamstress and gardener growing all her own  herbs for her medicines.   She also kept a pig and chickens so she was virtually self-sufficient apart from general supplies which once a month she would walk across the fields 8 miles there and back to Honiton to buy. I grew up in Yeovil and my Grandmother and Grandad also moved there from Chard after they were married, so as a little girl I loved to hear all their stories. A few years ago I tried to find my Holly Cottage but was not successful, I am enclosing some old photos for you to see, they are of my Great-grandmother, my Grandmother and her sister Sarah Ellen, also the cottage and garden, maybe, just maybe you will be able to tell me if the cottage is still standing! I would love to know.   I now live in Teignmouth and am coming up to 76 years old (Mar 2017)!!   It would be lovely to have some history to pass  on to my children, Grandchildren and Great grandchildren!! I look forward to hopefully hearing from you and thank you in advance.  Kind regards and best wishes, Joan Quinlan (Mrs) UPDATE It is believed the property referred to as Holly Cottage was more likely to have been Manning Common Cottage at Manning Common, close to Black Allers, a short distance from, and the other side of the A303 from Knighthaynes Farm and Cottage.   Unfortunately the building was demolished, it is believed, in the 1930s, although this has yet to be verified.   During investigations it was found that a great uncle of Joan's, Jack Willie, who was believed lost at sea during WWI actually died of pneumonia whilst still on active service in 1919 in Malta and a photograph of his grave there was obtained.   Memorials, including one to J H Willie, can be seen in the Baptist Chapel here in Yarcombe (see the World War I page). Jennie Brock writes:   Hi Joan, I saw your post from 2017 on Yarcombe Ancestry and wondered if we may be related.   My 6x great grandfather was John Willie of Yarcombe b1737.   If you have any information on the family I would be very interested to hear the stories.   Jennie Brock (refer to Ancestral Search 4 & Ancestral Search 8) Steve Horner writes:   Jennie, In the Otterford Parish hall, which Parish adjoins our Parish, is a large family tree of the Willie family, and your branch is shown very clearly (see section of the Tree right, click to enlarge). I live in a farm house in the most northern part of the Parish which is now called Old Woodhayne farm, which was called variously Woodend or Woodhayes in the 18th century.   In the will of Henry Willie (born 1699 died 1792) he left Travellers Rest, which was both a small holding and Public House, to his son John with mention of Woodhayes House where Mary Willie, wife of William Willie, was living at the time of Henry`s death.   Travellers Rest and Woodhayes House are adjoining farms.   However it is certain that Lord Heathfield , the owner of the Yarcombe estate purchased Woodhayes in the late 1790s, probably from the Executors of Henry Willie. However your letter prompted me to have a look at your Great Grandfather John Willie born 1737 died 1822.   In his Will he mentions his property of Travellers Rest, which proves at that time of his death Travellers Rest was still in the possession of your family.   This property was eventually purchased by Sir TTFE Drake in 1842, who was by this time owner of the ever expanding Yarcombe estate.   You may be interested to read the paragraph below from Ruth Everitt`s history of Yarcombe about the Travellers Rest, in which there is mention of John Willie being the Inn Keeper in 1801.   I am not certain if this John Willie was your ancestor - I would be interested to receive your opinion.   DRAKE'S ARMS FARM (also known as The Travellers' Rest) This property is shown on all the early maps, although it is not situated on the main Taunton road as it is today.  There was a slip road, (now no longer in existence) off the more important Dennington Lane, which afforded access to what is now the road to Taunton.  The property belonged to the Willie (Willey) family, and in 1792 it is mentioned in the probate of will of Henry Willie.  The first documentation of the "Travellers' Rest‟ in the Quarter Sessions is in 1801, when the landlord and owner is listed as John Willie. 1833 seems to have brought a financial crisis for the Willie family, and they granted the property (as a fee) to a Mr. Faun and Mr. Marchant, (a surgeon), both living at North Curry in Somerset.  In 1839 the property was mortgaged by Henry Willie to Mr. John Claxton, and Sir Thomas Trayton F.E.Drake bought the property from Henry Willie in 1842 for the sum of £1,000.  This included about 14 acres of land.  The property continued to trade as a Public House and small holding, the name changing from "The Travellers' Rest‟ to "The Drake's Arms‟.  One of the Drake‟s long serving landlords was Abraham Knight. A fire severely damaged the property in 1899 and "The Drake‟s Arms‟ ceased trading as a public house.  With its acreage increased to 75 acres it became just a farm.  The Estate sold the holding in 1931.

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