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 15^th 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