Kelly's Directory of Devon, 1902

TAWSTOCK is a parish and village, on the west bank of the river Taw, 2 miles south from Barnstaple station on the London and South Western railway, in the North Western division of the county, Fremlington hundred, Braunton petty sessional division, Barnstaple union and county court district, and in the rural deanery and archdeaconry of Barnstaple and diocese of Exeter. Chapelton station is in this parish. The church of St. Peter, picturesquely situated on rising ground and surrounded by fine trees, is an ancient cruciform building of stone, in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel with south chapel, nave, aisles, transepts, south porch and a lofty embattled central tower of three stages, with pinnacles at the angles and containing 6 fine-toned bells, dating from 1753 to 1794; the aisles are also embattled: there are two very good screens: the east window in the south transept is stained, and the chancel retains a piscina and credence: in the church is an altar tomb, with recumbent effigy to Frances (Kitson), wife of John (Bourchier), Lord Fitzwarine, ob. 1586; another altar tomb bears the recumbent effigies of William (Bourchier), 5th Baron Fitzwarine, and 3rd Earl of Bath, ob. 1636, and the Lady Elizabeth (Russell), his 1st wife; on the tomb are also three small kneeling effigies; to Henry, 5th and last earl, ob. 1634, there is a large tomb with griffin supporters, and to his wife, the Lady Rachel (Fane), there is a standing figure of white marble, on a pedestal: within a recessed arch on the north side of the chancel is a recumbent effigy of a lady of the 14th century, in wimple and mantle: in the Wrey chapel is a fine cenotaph, to the late Lady Wren, d. 1896; it was designed by her daughter Florence, and executed by Hems, of Exeter: the churchyard is entered from the south by a good lych gate: there are 350 sittings. The register dates from the year 1538. The living is a rectory, with the chapelry of Harracott annexed, net yearly value £550, with residence and 111 acres of glebe, in the gift of Commander Sir Robert Bourchier Sherard Wrey bart. R.N. and held since 1893 by the Rev. Albany Bourchier Sherard Wrey M.A. of Hertford College, Oxford. There is a Baptist chapel at Eastacombe and Bible Christian and Baptist chapels at Hiscott. The poor of the manor of Tawstock have the rent of 22a.. 2r. 27p. left by the Countess of Bath; this and other charities produce about £94 yearly. Tawstock Court, the property and residence of Commander Sir Robert Bourchier Sherard Wrey bart. R.N. is a handsome mansion, beautifully situated, with an ancient gateway, dated 1574, the only remains of the original house, burnt down in 1787; the grounds cover 11 acres. Commander Sir R. B. S. Wrey bart. R.N. who is lord of Tawstock manor, and Lord Alington lord of Templeton manor, are the principal landowners. The soil varies, and in some parts is rich; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, oats, barley, mangold, turnips &c. The area is 6,597 acres of land, 26 of water ; assessable value, £6,247; the population in 1901 was 1,206.

Post Office.—John Ridd, sub-postmaster. Letters received from Barnstaple at 7.55 a.m.; dispatched at 9.35 a.m. & 6 p.m. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Barnstaple, 2 miles distant

Wall Letter Boxes.—Harracott, cleared at 4.45 p.m. week days only; Chapelton, cleared at 4.45 p.m.; Lake, cleared at 9.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; St. John's Chapel, cleared at 8.25 a.m. & 5.35 p.m. week days only

LAKE is a hamlet, 2 miles north.

HARRACOTT is a hamlet and chapelry, 3 miles south. Trinity church, a chapel of ease to St. Peter's, was built by the Rev. Sir H. B. Wrey bart. M.A. rector in 1844, together with parsonage house, and is a building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave anid south porch: the Rev. Thomas Frederick Daffen M.A. has been curate in charge since 1897.

ST. JOHN'S CHAPEL is a hamlet, 1 mile west.

COLLIBEAR is a hamlet, half a mile south-west.

SCHOOLS.
National (mixed), built in 1830, for 120 children; average attendance, 71; John Shapland, master; Miss Mary Shapland, mistress
Harracott (mixed), partly supported by the rector; built in 1860, for 60 children; average attendance, 43; Mrs. T. Symons, mistress

Railway Station, Chapelton (L. & S. W.), William Salter, station master