White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of the County of Devon, 1878

White's History, Gazetteer and Directory
of the County of Devon, 1878

YARNSCOMBE, a parish and village, 5 miles N.E. of Great Torrington, and 7 miles S. by E. of Barnstaple, is in the Northern division of the county, Torrington union, rural deanery, and county court district, Great Torrington petty sessional division, Hartland hundred, and Barnstaple archdeaconry. It had 384 inhabitants (102 males, 102 females) in 1871, living in 81 houses, on 3047 acres of land, and includes part of the hamlet of Lang-ridge Ford. The Hon. Mark Rolle is lord of the manor of Yarnscombe, but the Misses Bellew and several smaller owners have estates in the parish. It was formerly in two manors, called Great and Little Yarnscombe, and there were two churches in the parish—one at Chapel (then called Little Yarnscombe), dedicated to St. John the Baptist, and the other at Chircombe (Churchcombe). The Church (St. Andrew) was erected in the reign of Henry III., as being in a more central position than the old parish church at Chircombe. It is a handsome structure, and consists of nave, chancel, south (or Rolle) aisle, south porch, and tower containing four bells. All the windows were formerly of stained glass, but several of the windows were restored and filled with new glass in 1877, at a cost of £40. The pulpit is modern, and of Caen stone. In the south aisle is a curious recess, thought by some to be the remains of the Easter sepulchre. In the chancel is a curious monument in memory of Nicholas Cockworthy, who owned the manor of Yarnscombe in the reign of Henry V. In the Rolle aisle is a tablet in memory of Avice, daughter and heiress of Nicholas Cockworthy, who married John Trevelyan, who descended from the Earls of Cornwall, and of Anthony Trevelyan, who married Cecilia, daughter of Hugh Fortescue, of Wear Gifford, and died in 1623. There are also many other tablets, in memory of the Champneys, Pollards, Lovebands, and other families. The Register dates from 1663. The living is a vicarage, valued in K.B. at £7 11s. 11d., and in 1831 at £132, in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, and incumbency of the Rev. Henry John Dixon, M.A. The vicarage house, a pleasant and commodious structure, overlooking a picturesque valley, and from the grounds of which a good view of the Bristol Channel and Lundy Isle can be obtained, was erected in 1867, at a cost of £1600. The glebe is 30 acres, and the vicarial tithes are commuted at £136 10s., and the rectorial at £152; the latter belong to the Hon. Mark Rolle. The Bible Christian Chapel will seat about 100 persons. The parish lands comprise 30 acres, called Ashridge, now let for £28 a year, a third of which is paid to the school, and two-thirds for the repairs of the church. The poor have 40s. a year, left by Edward Warren, in 1603, out of a tenement called North Westcott, in the said parish, for the purchase of ten twelve-penny wheaten loaves four times a year; and they have also the interest of £50 New Three per Cent. Annuities, given by Mr. Champneys and Mrs. Nichols. The School Board was formed on November 20,1877, and consists of the Rev. H. J. Dixon, and Messrs. Richard Oatway, Frederick Thorne, George Arthurs, and Charles Baker. Mr. Henry Thorne is clerk.

Post from Barnstaple, which is the nearest Money Order Office. There is a Wall Letter Box, cleared at 12.30 p.m. week days only.

Baker Charles, farmer and corn miller, Bucks mills
Bolt John, farmer, Sitty cleave
Bowden John, farmer, Lower Greylake
Clarke Thos. carpentr. Langridge ford
Clement Mr William, Lower Ward
Darch John, carpenter
Dixon Rev Henry John, M.A. vicar, The Vicarage
Fisher Matthew, corn miller, Court ml
Fisher Richard, farmer, Gibbins
Fisher Richard, jun. farmer, Bude
Garnish Anthony, farmer, Chapel
Hopper John, farmer, Sherwood
Isaac Henry, farmer, Portford
Jewell John, farmer, Lower Ward
Joyce Jas. farmer, Higher Delworthy
Kerslake Jno. farmer, North Church
Kerslake William, farmer, Delly
Lake Wm. farmer, Higher Greylake
Moore Mr Thomas
Moore Thomas, jun. bootmaker
Muxworthy George, blacksmith
Muxworthy Saml. vict. Hunter's Inn
Oatway Mr John
Oatway Richard, farmer, Court Barton
Oatway Thomas, farmer, Ley
Pearce Thos. farmer, Lower Orchard
Pengelly Richard, carpenter
Pengelly William, farmer, Orchard
Richards Thos. frmr. Lower Delworthy
Stediford John, tailor
Thorne Francis, farmer, Cogwortby
Thorne Henry, farmer, Langridge ford
Topley Miss, schoolmistress
Tout Wm. pig butcher and shopkeeper
Tucker Anthony, bootmkr. & shopkpr
Tucker Richard, blacksmith
Yeo William, farmer, Chircombe

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