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WEST ANSTEY

Select map to view parish boundaries in detail.

"ANSTEY, (WEST) is a small scattered village, on the acclivities of a lofty eminence, near the source of the river Yeo, and the borders of Somersetshire, 5 miles west of Dulverton, and 9 miles E. by N. of South Molton. It has in its parish 279 souls, and 3008 acres of land, including more than 1000 acres of open moorland, rising abruptly from the Duns Brook, which divides the two counties. Yeo Mill and a number of adjacent dwellings are on the banks of the river, a mile S. of the church. Lord Clinton is lord of the manor, which was held successively by the Le Moigny, Pillond, Cornu, Speccot, and Rolle families. The Hon. Newton Fellowes, Jas. Hill, Esq., Mrs. and Misses Fisher, J. Partridge, A. Smith, Esq., and several smaller owners have estates in the parish. The Church (St. Petrock,) is an antique structure, in the perpendicular style, with a tower and three bells, two of which were damaged, and the tower much injured by lightning, about ten years ago. The interior has several neat mural monuments, and a small gallery, erected in 1839." [From White's Devonshire Directory (1850)]

• General historical and descriptive information, area map from 1765, details about administrative boundaries, etc., about West Anstey from the Devon Library's Local Studies Service.

Cemeteries

Census

Snetzler, M.F. North Devon Surname Index to the Census. Microfiche: M.F. Snetzler, Barcott, Buckland Brewer, Bideford, Devon EX39 5LN. [Covers 1841, 1861, 1871 and 1881 census records for this parish]

Church History

Best, B.M. St. Petrock's church, West Anstey: historical notes and guide. [West Anstey?]: [The Church?] (1983) 18p: ill, map. [Westcountry Studies - p726.5/WES/BES]

Church Records

Transcripts of the Parish Registers going back to 1653, and of the Bishops' Transcripts going back to 1608, are held in a special collection in the Westcountry Studies Library - for details see Parish Registers in the Devon & Cornwall Record Society's Collection.

The Devon FHS publishes indexes covering (as of June 2004): Marriages 1754-1837, Burials 1745-1837 - for details see their book list.

Entered into the IGI (as of Jan 1993): Parish Church Christenings 1608-1812 and Marriages 1608-1631, 1665-1809.

Directories

Gazetteers

The transcription of the section for this parish from the National Gazetteer (1868), provided by Colin Hinson.

History

Freeman, Edward Vere. Notes on the history of the parish of West Anstey, North Devon with a list of birds and flora. London: Vacher & Sons (1893) 52p. [Westcountry Studies - B/WES 05/0001/FRE]

Names, Personal

Ryall, David. Lest We Forget, War memorials around South Molton. South Molton Archive, 68pp. [ISBN 0 951236 1 4] [Provides an indexed list of names]

Societies

South Molton and District Archive Local History Society web-site (archived copy) - provides details of archive holdings for the twenty-eight parishes in what used to be the South Molton Rural District, lists of publications, etc.

Last updated: 17 Aug 2009 - Brian Randell

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