HARTLAND, a small decayed market town, spoken of in ancient records
as a borough, is situated near a rivulet about the middle of that
north-west corner of Devon which juts out into the Bristol Channel,
at Bideford Bay, opposite Lundy Island. It is 13 miles W. by S. of
Bideford, and two miles from the sea, but its large parish extends
to the point, and to both coasts of the promontory, and comprises
2223 souls, and about l6,700 acres of land including many scattered
farm-houses, &c., the hamlets of Millford, Meddon, Cheristow,
Elmscott, and Pilham, and the village of STOKE, from 1 to 2 miles
W. of the town, where there is a quay, on the western coast, where
corn, &c., is exported, and coal, limestone, &c., imported.
Hartland had a grant for a market every Tuesday, in 1280, but it
has been obsolete more than sixty years. It has still two annual
fairs, on the Wednesday in Easter Week, and the 25th of September.
This high and bleak parish is bounded on the south by some boggy
heights, where the rivers Torridge and Tamar have their sources;
and on the west by Hartland Point, called by Ptolemy, the
Promontory of Hercules, and by Camden, Harty Point. There is a
small pier at the point, near which fishing vessels find good
shelter from south westerly winds, under the rocky eminences which
skirt the shore. L. W. Buck, Esq., of Moreton, is lord of the
manor, and at the court leet and baron, a portreeve, and other
officers are appointed. Hartland Abbey, the seat of George Stuckley
Buck, Esq., stands near Stoke village and the church, in the narrow
vale, whose sloping sides are richly mantled with hanging woods,
and form a spacious deer park, through which a rivulet winds
westward to the sea, about a mile below. This abbey, called in
ancient writings, the Monastery of St. Nectan, was founded by
Githa, wife of Earl Godwin, for canons secular; but in the reign of
Henry II., Geoffrey de Dinant, then lord of the manor, consented
that they should be changed into canons regular, and gave them the
church of Stoke Nectan, now the parish church. At the dissolution
of the abbey, its revenues were valued at £336. 13s. 2½d.
per annum. Its site was granted, with the manor, in 1545, to Wm.
Abbott, and afterwards passed by heiresses to the Lutterrells and
Orchards. The mansion was nearly all rebuilt about 50 years ago, by
the late Paul Orchard, Esq., and includes the site and some
portions of the ancient abbey; the cloisters now forming the
basement story of the east and west fronts. When making these
improvements, several fragments of richly ornamented mouldings, and
a monument of a crusader, were dug up. The Church (St. Nectan,)
stands more than a mile west of the town, on a lofty eminence near
the sea, Stoke village, and the Abbey. It is a large and handsome
building, consisting of a tower, a nave, two aisles, and a chancel;
the latter of which is divided from the nave by a richly ornamented
screen. It was repaired and beautified in 1849-'50, at the cost of
about £800. The advowson and the great tithes of the parish
were purchased in 1615, by the founder of the Charter House,
London, and settled as part of the endowment of that excellent
institution, to which they still belong. The great tithes were
commuted in 1842, for £560 per annum, and are now held on
lease by J. H. Furse, Esq. The perpetual curacy was valued in 1831,
at only £97 per annum. The next presentation has been
purchased by Thomas Chope, Esq., of Bideford. The Chapel of Ease,
in Hartland town, is a small structure, formerly the market house,
but converted to its present use in 1839, at the cost of about
£400, raised by subscription. Here is a small Independent
Chapel, built in 1818, and a Wesleyan Chapel, erected in 1829. G.S.
Buck, Esq., supports a school, for 80 children. The Church Lands,
which have been vested in trust from an early period, for the use
of the church, comprise a farm of 54A. 3R. 36P., at West Staddon;
and a farm of 16A. 2R. 39P., and a house and garden, at Hartland,
let for about £44 per annum, which is carried to the
churchwarden's account. Four small dwellings for paupers, have been
partitioned off from the two church houses. Here is an Almshouse
for three poor widows, founded by Wm. Mill, in 1618, and supposed
to have been endowed with 1A. 3R. 8P. of land, let for £4,
which is applied with the poor rates. Adjoining the almshouse is a
building, which was formerly the parish workhouse. In 1812, Paul
Orchard left for the poor parishioners £700 three per cent.
consols, and £334.14s. 7d. three per cent. reduced annuities,
and directed the dividends of the former to be distributed in coals
or other fuel; and the dividends of the latter in bread.
Addy Mr Giles
Heal Rev A. Indept
Bailey Robert, corn miller, Tosbery
Buck Geo. Stuckley, Esq. Abbey
Carter Daniel D. merchant, Quay
Carter Wm. sen. & jun, gents
Chanter Rev Wm. incumbent
Hockin Edward, maltster
Prust Wm. tanner
Reynolds Rev Jas. Jones, B.A. curate
Rowe Wm. gent. Down
INNS AND TAVERNS.
Anchor, John Randall
Hoops Inn, Thos. Colley, Quay
King's Arms, Richard Ashton
New Inn, Charles Prowse
West Country Inn, Wm. Steer
Beer House, Thos. Southwood
BLACKSMITHS.
Clarke John
Johns John
Miller John
Parsons John
Snow John
BOOT & SHOE MKS.
Ashton Wm.
Beer John
Beer Joseph
Burnard Wm.
Goodenough Wm.
Jewell John
Lemon Wm.
Score Thos.
Souch Richard
Souch Wm.
BUTCHERS.
Heard Richard
Randall John
COOPERS.
Downing Wm.
Kellaway Wm.
FARMER
S. Ashton Francis
Avery Ann
Baglole Samuel
Binley John
Bailey Thos.
Barch Richard
Barfitt Charles
Barfitt Philip
Bond Wm. Tosbry
Braund Thos.
Braunton John
Burrow John
Cann Thomas
Carter John
Carter Richard
Ching Hugh
Chope Richard
Chope Wm.
Cleverdon John
Cleverdon Thos.
Coldwell John
Coldwell Wm.
Cook Jno. Troy
Cook Rt. Milford
Cook Mary, Mill
Damond John
Dennis Richard
Foley Pr. Millfd
Fulford Richd.
German Samuel
Grills Wm.
Hamlyn John
Hamlyn Thos.
Harris Thos.
Haynes John
Heard John
Heard Richard
Heard Thomas
Hobbs John
Hobbs Richard
Hockin Wm.
Hopper John
Hopper Roger
Howard Joseph
Howard Thos.
Howard Wm.
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Richard
Jeffrey Thos.
Kellaway John
Littlejohn John
Littlejohn Wm.
Moore Edw.
Moore James
Moore Richard
Moore Wm.
Moss Jno. Millfd
Mountjoy Hugh
Mountjoy John
Mountjoy Wm.
Mugford Wm.
Oake Wm.
Pennington Mrs
Pennington Wm.
Pillman John
Prowse James
Prowse John
Prowse Johna.
Prowse Thos.
Prowse Wm.
Pridham Wm.
Prust Daniel
Prust Wm.
Randall John
Randall Joseph
Randall Jph. jun
Rowden George
Rowe Thos. W.
Shepherd John
Shutt John
Shutt Mrs
Sillick Geo. H.
Stone Betty
Stone John
Vine John
Vine Samuel T.
Walter James
Walter John
Watcher Rt. mill
Williams John
Williams Richard
Wood Philip
GROCERS, &c.
(* Drapers also.)
*Burnard Wm.
*Cann Mary
Cory Thomas
*Dennis John
Heard Richard
Kellaway Philip
Prust Wm.
JOINERS, &c.
Cory Thos.
Curtis Richd.
Evans Wm.
Kellaway Philip
Prust Wm.
MASONS.
Cann Samuel
Cann Saml. jun.
Cann Wm.
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Wm.
Jeffrey Thos.
Southwood Thos.
POST OFFICE at Rd. Heard's. Letters desp. 8 morning
CARRIERS to Bideford, Tues. Thu. and Sat
Cooke Chas.
Williams Thos.
Brian Randell, 26 Aug 1999
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Hartland 
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