BRAUNTON, the large ancient village which gives name to this
Hundred and Petty Sessional Division, is situated on the banks of a
rivulet about 2 miles from the sea coast and the Taw estuary, and 5
miles W.N.W. of Barnstaple. Its extensive parish contains 2274
inhabitants, and 9951 acres of land, extending to the sea coast and
the estuary of the Taw, and including the scattered hamlets of
Saunton, Lobb, Nethercott, Knoll, Winsham, Halsinger,
Pipppacot, and Boode. Near the sea is a large tract of
land covered with sand, called Braunton Borrow, abounding in
rabbits and having two lighthouses for the security of
mariners navigating the Bristol Channel, or crossing Barnstaple
bar. The principal manors in the parish, and their owners are,
Braunton Abbots, the Earl of Devon; Braunton Arundell and
Gorges, A.D. Bassett, Esq.; Bere Charters, Sir B.P.
Wrey; Buckland, C.H. Webber, Esq., of Buckland House; and
Saunton, the heirs of the late Col. Cleveland; but a great
part of the parish belongs to the Executors of the late Lord Rolle,
the Dean and Chapter of Exeter, Richard Dyer, Esq., and several
smaller owners. Braunton was an ancient demense of the Crown, and
was given by Richard I. to Odo, ancestor of the Carews. Henry III.
gave two-thirds of it to Clive Abbey, in Somersetshire. In the
reign of Chas. I. it belonged to Sir Richard Reynell, from whom it
passed to the Courtenays. The Church (St. Brannock,) is a
large antique structure, remarkable for having no pillars. Its
tower contains six bells, and is crowned by a spire. The
vicarage, valued in K.B. at £16. l2s. 6½d., and in
1831 at £504, is in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of
Exeter, and incumbency of the Rev. J.W.R. Landon, who has 41A. 1R.
10P. of glebe, and a good residence. The patrons are lords of the
manor of Braunton-Dean, and appropriators of the great tithes,
which are leased to C. Trelawney, Esq. The tithes have been
commuted, the vicarial for £536, and the rectorial for
£514 per annum. Here is an Independent Chapel, which
was rebuilt in 1836,, and has a house for the minister, erected in
1848. Schools are attached to the church and chapel. The CHARITY
SCHOOL was founded by Wm. Chaloner, who, in 1667, left about
£450 for that purpose. Of this sum, £400 was laid out
in the purchase of a house and 36 acres of land at Georgeham, now
let for £33 per annum. The remaining £50 was laid out
in purchasing one equal moiety of 32 acres of land at Morthoe, now
let for £21, half of which belongs to this school, which has
also 10 acres of land, called Goad-gate, left in 1690, by Arthur
Acland, who also left 40s. a year to schoolmistress, for
teaching twelve young children to read. The school room is near the
church, and the master derives upwards of £65 a year from the
endowment, and for this he teaches reading, writing, and arithmetic
to all the children of the parish sent to him by the trustees. The
schoolmistress's annuity is paid out of an estate called Chapel
Hill, which is also charged with £3 per annum for
distributions of bread among the poor, by the wills of
Arthur and Richard Ackland. The poor parishioners
have £10. 10s. yearly from one moiety of the above-named
estate of 32A., purchased with £50 left by John Wheak,
in 1702. A schoolmistress has 40s. a year, as the interest of
£50 left by Nicholas Beare, in 1713, for schooling 12
poor girls. The overseers distribute 48s. yearly among the poor, as
the interest of £60 left by Amos Pollard and Henry
Incledon. For the relief of poor widows and orphans Ann
Commyns, in 1767, left £60, which was vested in the
purchase of £l00 three per cent. consols. In 1809 Thomas
Bower left £100, to be invested at interest for the
relief of the poor parishioners.
Alven Francis, gent Lower Boode
Brinley Mr Jph. || Dyer Mr Robt.
Chugg Wm. saddler, &c
Darracott James, tanner, &c
Drake Capt Robt. H., Prospect Lodge
Dyer Richard, gent. Bloomfield Cotg
Fosse Mr Wm. || Harris Mrs E.
Gammon George, carrier
Harris Edward, lime burner
Harris Wm. gent. Millbrook
Jennings Thomas, Buckland Mills
Kent Rev Samuel C. (Independent)
Landon Rev. J.W. Ready, Vicarage
Law Mr John || Parkin Mrs E.
May Thomas, tinner and brazier
Mock Mr Edw. || Mortimer Mr Thos.
Nutt Anthony, edgetool maker
Paddison Wm. corn miller
Pick Josiah P. surgeon
Reed Thomas, nurseryman, &c
Robins Thomas, currier
Robins George, lath render
Rooke Mr John || Pilcher Mrs A.
Squire Ephraim, tinner, &c
Tardrew Thos. Esq. || Symonds Geo.
Tucker J. warrener
Vellacott ---, surgeon
Vickery Wm. relieving officer
Warren Henry, cooper
Webber Chas. Hy. Esq., Buckland Hs
Webber Arthur, Esq
Western Philip, coal dealer
Widlake and Dummett, maltsters
Willis Thomas, corn miller
Woulds and Kent, serge, blanket, &c., manufacturers, Acorn
Mill
INNS & TAVERNS.
Barnstaple Inn, Maria Evans
Black Horse, Thomas Clarke
Mariners Arms, John Gould
New Inn, Mary Elliott
Red Lion, Wm. Gammon Beerhouse, Wm. Bale
ACADEMIES.
Cridge Richard
Gregory Amelia
Passmore Eliz.
Passmore John
Sloat Eliz.
BLACKSMITHS.
Edwards Richd.
Evans Robert
Tamlyn James
BOOT & SHOE MKS.
Martin Henry
Mock John
Reed John
Reed Ths. & Wm.
Webber Charles
BUTCHERS.
Drake John
Lane Joseph
Widlake Wm.
CARPENTERS AND WHEELWRIGHTS.
Atkins John & Ptr.
Dunn Jas. & John
Gammon Edw.
Hartnoll John
Passmore Thos.
Sherwill John
Williams John
FARMERS.
(2 at Boode; 3, Knoll; 4, Lobb; and 5, at
Hartsinger.)
Andrew Wm.
Atkins Joseph
3 Avery Berry
Avery Geo., Upct
Bidder Thos.
3 Brailey James
4 Chichester Geo.
Conibear John
4 Cousins Geo.
Day George H.
Day Saml., Bere Charters
5 Dyer John
Dyer Richard
Dyer Wm.
Elliott H. Wnshm
Evans Robert
Fairchild John
Gordon Robert
Gould Wm.
Hammond John
Harris Wm.
Hartnoll Geo. P.
Hartnoll Robert
Heddon Richard
Hodge Smn. & W.
Howe Ths. & Wm.
Huxtable James, Saunton
5 Iles Richd. R.
Jones Richard
Jones Wm.
Jury Richard
Lovering J. & W.
2 Passmore Hy.
Peard John
Perryman J. & T.
Pike George
Robins John
4 Scamp Philip
Smith Wm.
2 Snow John
2 Snow J. jun.
Symonds Robt.
Tucker George
Tucker John
GROCERS, &c.
Darracott Thos.
Dummett Robert
Huxtable Wm.
Lock Susan
Milton Thomas
Pettle Geo. baker
MR. MARINERS.
Cory Wm.
Hammond Thos.
Heddon Wm.
Lamprey George
Manley Richard
Reed George
MASONS.
Hammond Saml.
Reed John
Reed Samuel
Reed Wm.
TAILORS.
Clogg John
Darracott Thos.
Gammon Wm.
Hunt John
Webber John
POST-OFFICE at W. Huxtable's
Brian Randell, 27 Oct 1996
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Braunton 
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