Saturday 29 January 2011

Rackenford Henry VIII



10 October, 3 Chas. I. 1627
RACKENFORD.-Agreement by Lewes Cruse of Morchard Cruise, esq., Alexander Cruse, gentleman, his son and heir apparent and Frauncis, (Alexander's) wife, with John Kelland of Rackenford, gentleman, John Voysey jun. of the same, yoman, Edward Wyott of Exeter, William Gruite of Loddiswell, Daniell Cudmore of Loxebeare, Robert Kelland of Rackenford, gentleman, Robert Bowring of Rackenford, clarke, Georg, son of Alexander Veysey of the same, yoman, George Hanford, son of Agnes Hanford of the same, Widowe, Richard, son of Richard Chapman jun. of Witherudg, yoman, and Robert Mortimer, alias Tanner, of Rackenford, yoman, Henrie Shapcot of Bradninch and Thomas Shapcot of Exeter, gentleman,-for the conveying of the mannor, messuages, landes etc. and the advowson and patronage of Rackenford to the persons and uses hereafter expressed-to levy a fine before the feast of The Nativity 1628, to the use of John Kelland and John Voysey and the heirs of one of them, in such manner as they and their fellows shall advise, of: The mannor and lordshipp of Rackenford Magna with the members; Their royalties, liberties, jurisdiccions, freewarrens, fishinges etc. in the parish; The advowson and patronage of the rectorie and church with the tithes, oblacions, obvencions, members etc. thereto belonging; And all landes, tenements, houses, mills, toftes, gardens, dovehouses, woodes, warrens, marishes, commons, waters, fishings, rentes, reversions, services, courtes, courtleates, veiwes of franckpledg, franchises, jurisdiccions, goodes of felons and felons of themselves, deodandes, wreckes of the sea, waifes, estrayes, free warrens etc. belonging to the premises; To the end to make them perfect tenantes of the freehold whereby a good recoverie may be had by Edward Wyott and William Gruit against Kelland and Voysey as tenantes who shall vouch over to warrant the premises Lewes, who shall vouch over to the warrantie Alexander, who shall vouch over to the same the Common Vouchee, and the cognizeees, tenantes and demaundantes shall stand seised thereof to the uses, purposes etc. hereafter declared. That is to say, Concerning the following parcells of the mannor; Two messuages or tenements called Over Thorne and Thorne or Lower Thorne in the occupation of John Sellake and John Crooke, with all landes, gardens, houses, woodes, pastures, marishes, commons, waters etc. thereto appertayning; one moitie to John Kelland and the other to the said Robert Kelland; A messuage or tenement called Bulworthy in the occupation of John Voysey sen. with the like appurtenances, to the use of John Voysey jun. Another called Westblackston and a wood called Okespray Wood in the occupation of Robert Cudmore, with the like appurtenances, to the use of Samuell Cudmore; The peeces and parcells of land, meadowe and pasture called Okespry Moore, Oldhaies and Broadmeadowe or Oldhaies Meadowe containing about 36 A. and the messuage or tenement called Barnes Tenement in the occupation of Robert Bowring, with the like appurtenances, to the use of the said Robert; The messuage or tenement called Meadweldowne, the messuage or dwelling house, three closes called Broomecloses now devided into five closes or parcells of land, three other closes, meadowe and pasture, belonging to the dwelling house, and the meadowes called Pittmeadowes in the occupation of Alexander Voysey and Elizabeth Hunt, with the like appurtenances, to the use of George Veysey; The messuage or tenement and mill called Blackdon Mill and a parcell of land called Burrough Peece containing about 1 A. in the occupation of Agnes Hanford, with the like appurtenances, to the use of Georg Hanford; The close or parcell of land called The Broad Close containing about 7 A. and the meadow groundes now devided into four closes called Combmeadowes containing about 5 A. in the occupation of Richard Chapman, grandfather of Richard the son of Richard Chapman jun. with the like appurtenances, to the use of Richard the son; A messuage or tenement in the occupation of Robert Mortimer, alias Tanner, with the like appurtenances, to the use of the said Robert; And the residew of the mannor, and the advowson and patronage of the rectorie with the tithes etc. to the use of Henrie and Thomas Shapcott. Subject to the leases and copiholds expressed in the schedule annexed.

Historical Rackenford

RACKENFORD

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)]


"RACKENFORD, a parish in the hundred of Witheridge, county Devon, 8 miles N.W. of Tiverton, its post town, and 10 S.E. of South Molton. The village, which is chiefly agricultural, is situated on the Little Dart river. It was formerly a market town under a charter granted in 1235. The soil is of a clayey but productive nature, with a subsoil of gravel. Stone is quarried for building. The glebe comprises 48 acres. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Exeter, value £311. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is an ancient structure, with a tower containing five bells. The interior of the church contains several monuments. The parochial charities produce about £8 per annum. There is an endowed National school for both sexes, also a place of worship for the Bible Christians. Crewshay House is the principal residence. Charles Devon, Esq., is lord of the manor and principal landowner, by whom courts leet and baron are held annually. A fair for the sale of sheep and cattle is held on the 8th July."





Rackenford Village History



Rackenford  Church


Rackenford Village History
 

Rackenford Village History

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Historical Rackenford


Picture of Historical Rackenford


Picture of Historical Rackenford
 Rackenford is an old village and small parish made up of many scattered farms and dwellings.  The parish was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Racheneforda which means "a ford suitable for riding by a river or stream”. The Little Dart River, rising near Rackenford, receives another smaller stream, the Sturcombe, and falls into the Taw Rackenford is, in ancient records, described as a borough and was at one stage established as a market town. It is a parish of North Devon which covers approximately 4000 acres of land elevated moor land on the southern slopes of Exmoor.
A market was granted at this place to Robert de Sydenham, in the year 1235, to be held on Thursday; together with a fair for three days, at the festival of All Saints. It covers some 4000There is now a small cattle-fair on the Wednesday before the 19th of September, established in the year 1776.
The old manor house in the parish was Cruwyshaye House and formerly was the seat of the SYDENHAM and CRUWYS families.  The Lord of the Manor held court leets and barons annually, these are also mentioned later in Kelly's (1893) but no mention is made of the frequency in which they took place. At an early period the manor was in the family of Sydenham. It was afterwards divided into moieties. One moiety, with the advowson of the church, and the manor of Little Rackenford, belonged to the Crewys family, who, about the year 1620, sold this estate to the several tenants. The other moiety, with the Barton of Leigh, was in the Tirrells, who sold to Hache of Aller. It was afterwards in the family of Shortridge. In 1772 it belonged to William Lyddon, Esq., and is now the property of Mr. William Leigh, who is lord of the manor, and holds a court-leet and court-baron. Among the presentments in the manor-court, the following very singular one is recorded:—"That one Richard Taillour, on the 12th day of March, 1 Richard III., with force and arms, viz. with swords, staves, and daggers, at Great Rackenford, made an assault, and was there lying in wait to destroy himself, against the peace of our Lord the King." The offender was fined 2s. (fn. 2) The Rev. John Comins is patron and incumbent of the rectory.

Holy Trinity is Rackenford's parish church which was built in the 15th century; however its font dates from the reign of Henry II (1154 - 1189) which indicates the presents of an earlier church here.  White (1850) mentions its name as Holy Trinity although later Kelly (1893) gives its name as All Saints which is its name today.   

Picture of Historical Rackenford
Picture of Historical Rackenford

 Historical Populations of Rakenford

1801:240  1851:473  1901:302  1931:371  1961:291  1971:282  1981311  1991:329  2001:311

Pictures of Historical Rackenford

Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford


Monday 24 January 2011

History of Rakenford


Pictures of Historical Rackenford

Rackenford


Picture of Historical Rackenford


Picture of Historical Rackenford


Picture of Historical Rackenford

Rackenford School


Picture of Historical Rackenford

Picture of Historical Rackenford
 Rackenford is an old village and small parish made up of many scattered farms and dwellings.  The parish was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Racheneforda which means "a ford suitable for riding by a river or stream”. The Little Dart River, rising near Rackenford, receives another smaller stream, the Sturcombe, and falls into the Taw Rackenford is, in ancient records, described as a borough and was at one stage established as a market town. It is a parish of North Devon which covers approximately 4000 acres of land elevated moor land on the southern slopes of Exmoor.
A market was granted at this place to Robert de Sydenham, in the year 1235, to be held on Thursday; together with a fair for three days, at the festival of All Saints. It covers some 4000There is now a small cattle-fair on the Wednesday before the 19th of September, established in the year 1776.
The old manor house in the parish was Cruwyshaye House and formerly was the seat of the SYDENHAM and CRUWYS families.  The Lord of the Manor held court leets and barons annually, these are also mentioned later in Kelly's (1893) but no mention is made of the frequency in which they took place. At an early period the manor was in the family of Sydenham. It was afterwards divided into moieties. One moiety, with the advowson of the church, and the manor of Little Rackenford, belonged to the Crewys family, who, about the year 1620, sold this estate to the several tenants. The other moiety, with the Barton of Leigh, was in the Tirrells, who sold to Hache of Aller. It was afterwards in the family of Shortridge. In 1772 it belonged to William Lyddon, Esq., and is now the property of Mr. William Leigh, who is lord of the manor, and holds a court-leet and court-baron. Among the presentments in the manor-court, the following very singular one is recorded:—"That one Richard Taillour, on the 12th day of March, 1 Richard III., with force and arms, viz. with swords, staves, and daggers, at Great Rackenford, made an assault, and was there lying in wait to destroy himself, against the peace of our Lord the King." The offender was fined 2s. (fn. 2) The Rev. John Comins is patron and incumbent of the rectory.

Holy Trinity is Rackenford's parish church which was built in the 15th century; however its font dates from the reign of Henry II (1154 - 1189) which indicates the presents of an earlier church here.  White (1850) mentions its name as Holy Trinity although later Kelly (1893) gives its name as All Saints which is its name today.   

 Historical Populations of Rakenford
1801:240  1851:473  1901:302  1931:371  1961:291  1971:282  1981311  1991:329  2001:311