EAST LYDFORD
The irregularly shaped parish of East Lydford lies
5 miles east of Somerton, extending about 1½ mile
from north to south, and from east to west. The
course of the Foss Way forms the whole of its
north-western boundary; its northern boundary is
marked by the river Brue and a small stream, and
the southern by the river Cary and an old road to
Foddington, now overgrown and represented in part
by Hook Lane. The western boundary with Wheathill and Lovington runs NNW. from the Cary in
a straight line which becomes irregular north of the
Somerton to Castle Cary road. The ancient parish
contained 708 a. in 1838. (fn. 1) A detached part of the
parish, known as Fourfoot and situated about 2
miles north-east, was transferred to West Lydford
in 1884. (fn. 2) By 1901 the parish contained 644 a. (fn. 3)
The civil parishes of East and West Lydford were
amalgamated in 1933. (fn. 4)
The soil of the parish is clay over lias with
estuarine alluvium along the banks of the Brue and
Cary. (fn. 5) Most of the land lies below the 100 ft. contour, falling away slightly towards the river Brue
on the north. The ground rises to 120 ft. in the area
of Cross Keys, and to about 130 ft. on the boundary
with Wheathill. Apart from the Brue and Cary the
parish is watered only by a small stream running
north from Cary Road, marking the eastern boundary of fields and orchards in Church Lane and
entering the Brue near the old church in the north.
Until the 19th century the principal route through
the parish was the Somerton-Langport road,
adopted by the Langport, Somerton, and Castle
Cary turnpike trust in 1753, (fn. 6) and known as Cary
Road from the 19th century. (fn. 7) The Foss Way subsequently became of more importance and the
hamlet of Cross Keys, now known also as Lydford-
on-Foss, grew up around an inn at the junction.
The older village lies along Church Lane, leading
from Cary Road northwards to the site of the old
parish church on the banks of the Brue. This may
have been the area of early settlement in the parish,
deserted because of persistent flooding. Church
Farm, Manor Farm, and Home Farm are all in
Church Lane, as are the Old Rectory and Old
Schoolhouse. A number of cottages and modern
houses lie in the area of its junction with West Lane,
so called by 1544, (fn. 8) which runs west to the Foss Way.
Lydford Lane, known as Cross Keys or West Field
Drove in 1838, (fn. 9) runs south from Cross Keys to
Babcary. A parallel road, known as Honeypot
Lane by 1744, (fn. 10) also ran south into West field.
Perry Road, known as Perry Mead Lane in 1725, (fn. 11)
runs south-west from Cary Road near its junction
with Church Lane. It cuts off part of East field,
crosses the Cary at Perry bridge, mentioned in
1481, (fn. 12) and continues to Foddington in Babcary.
From this road runs Rubbery Lane, serving Rubbery Farm, and a lane dividing East field from
Perry mead, known as Wheathill Drove in 1838. (fn. 13)
Large numbers of ox shoes found on the banks of
the Cary south of Rubbery Farm suggest a watering
place for oxen and a droveway north over lands
belonging to the farm. (fn. 14)
The Cross Keys hotel lies on the south side of
Cary Road just east of its intersection with the Foss
Way. The inn was first mentioned by name in
1759. (fn. 15) It served both as tavern and small farm
during the 19th century, (fn. 16) and a weighbridge was
installed behind it c. 1899. (fn. 17) Eighteenth-and nineteenth-century buildings developed along Cary
Road from the inn. Amongst these were two cottages built on the north side of the road in 1711, (fn. 18)
and a rectory house was erected to the west of them
soon after 1872. (fn. 19) Two inns in the parish whose
sites have not been located were the Lamb or Royal
Lamb, 1755–9, and the Buck in 1778. (fn. 20)
Lydford Hall on the north side of West Lane
was owned and occupied in 1838 by the rector,
James Hooper (d. 1849), (fn. 21) and J. J. Moss, a former
rector, lived there in 1872. (fn. 22) Cecil Henry Paulet
purchased it before the First World War (fn. 23) and
it was held by a member of his family in 1970.
Rubbery farm takes its name from Rowborough,
a medieval common pasture field, and lies south
of Cary Road. The first buildings on the site were
erected shortly before 1688. (fn. 24)
The detached part of the parish at Fourfoot was
originally demesne woodlands, known as Raynes
wood in 1587 (fn. 25) and Reynolds wood in 1639, (fn. 26)
presumably after the Reigny family, lords of East
Lydford manor by the 13th century. (fn. 27) It is now
known as Park wood. In 1669 a house had been
recently erected there, (fn. 28) and it was probably this
that by 1732 had become an inn called the Maiden
Head. (fn. 29) It was subsequently known as the Three
Horseshoes in 1759–60, (fn. 30) the White Swan in 1763–5, (fn. 31)
and the Nut Tree in 1769–78. (fn. 32) The inn was known
as the Blue Boy from 1783 until 1787, (fn. 33) and the
Buffalo's Head between 1808 and 1832. (fn. 34) By 1838
it had been acquired by Edward Francis Colston, (fn. 35)
lord of West Lydford manor, and by 1859 was
known as the Colston's Arms after its owner. (fn. 36)
Between 1872 and 1875 it became a farm-house, (fn. 37)
and the property is now known as Fourfoot Farm.
Cottages were built along the Foss Way, southwest from the farm.
Most of the buildings in the parish date from the
18th century and are principally of lias with tiled
roofs.
There were two arable open fields mentioned in
1396 and inclosed in 1838: (fn. 38) West field, formerly
south of Cross Keys, and East field, south-west of
Cary Road and east of Perry Road. (fn. 39) Apart from
Lydford moor, there were three common pastures;
Herbrooks, called Hurtebrok in 1396, (fn. 40) lay in the
south-western corner of the parish. Rowborough,
occasionally called South field in the late 14th
century, (fn. 41) may represent the original third field of
a three-field system. It lay between East field and
West field and formed the present site of Rubbery
farm. Broad mead, called Bordemed in 1396, (fn. 42)
lay south-west of East field and may originally
have included the lands later known as Perry
mead.
The Great Western rail link between Castle Cary
and Charlton Mackrell, running through the south
of the parish, was opened in 1905. (fn. 43) Keinton
Mandeville station, which lay in the south-western
corner of East Lydford, was closed to both passengers and freight in 1962. (fn. 44)
In 1801 the population of the parish was 143.
This figure increased to 194 in 1841. Thereafter it
fell to 130 in 1901. A recovery to 156 in 1911 was
followed by a further decline to 113 in 1931. (fn. 45)
No individual population statistics are available for
East Lydford after its union with West Lydford.
Manor and Lesser Estates.
The manor
of EAST LYDFORD was held in 1066 by Alward,
a thegn, under Glastonbury abbey, 'nor could he
be separated from the church'. In 1086 it was held
by Roger de Courcelles under the abbey, (fn. 46) but no
further reference to the abbey's overlordship has
been found, and by 1342 the manor had never
rendered homage or service to Glastonbury within
memory. (fn. 47) Thereafter the manor formed part of
the honor of Curry Mallet. Roger de Courcelles
was succeeded in the honor by Robert Malet (possibly before the death of Henry I), and before 1156
had been followed successively by William Malet
(I) (d. 1169), Gilbert Malet (d. 1194), and William
Malet (II) (d. c. 1216). (fn. 48) The last left three daughters
and coheirs, Helewise, Mabel, and Bertha. Bertha
died unmarried before 1221; Mabel's half share
descended to William Forz, her son by her second
husband Hugh de Vivonia. William died in 1259
and his four daughters received ⅓ of the barony
each. (fn. 49) Helewise Malet married Hugh Pointz (I)
(d. 1220), and the moiety of the overlordship descended to her son Nicholas Pointz (I) (d. 1273), who
acquired the other moiety rated as a whole fee. (fn. 50)
The overlordship passed through successive generations of the Pointz family until Sir Nicholas Pointz
(III) sold it to Sir Matthew de Gournay in 1358. (fn. 51)
On the latter's death it was granted by Gournay's
assignees to John Tiptoft for life with remainder to
the duchy of Cornwall, to which it passed on his
death in 1443. (fn. 52) It was held by members of the
royal family (fn. 53) until 1566 when it was granted to Sir
Hugh Paulet (d. 1573). (fn. 54)
In 1600 the manor was stated to be held of the
heir of Sir Hugh's grandson Anthony Paulet (d.
1600). (fn. 55) Thereafter the honor reverted to the duchy
of Cornwall which leased Curry Mallet manor to
Thomas Cary in 1627–8. (fn. 56) In 1631 a third of East
Lydford manor was held of Thomas Cary as of his
manor of Curry Mallet. (fn. 57)
It is not known when the manor was subinfeudated, but Thomas de Reigny was concerned in
litigation with the incumbent over rights of pasture
on Lydford moor in 1230. (fn. 58) In 1278 Richard de
Reigny was trying to replevy his lands in East
Lydford, confiscated by the Crown. (fn. 59) William de
Reigny occurs in 1286 and 1312 as holding one fee
in East Lydford, described as ¼ fee in 1303, and
in 1316 was holding Lydford with William Martin,
lord of West Lydford. (fn. 60) In 1329 William de Reigny,
possibly son of William, and Elizabeth his wife,
settled a messuage and lands in East Lydford on
their son Walter, (fn. 61) and in 1332 the manor, with the
exception of this property, was settled on John son of
William de Reigny, probably their grandson, with
remainder to their younger children, to be held by
William and Elizabeth for their lives. (fn. 62) William de
Reigny appears to have died by 1336 and to have
been succeeded by Sir Ralph de Middleney, probably husband of the widowed Elizabeth de Reigny. (fn. 63)
In 1346 Sir Ralph (d. 1363) held ¼ fee in East Lydford. (fn. 64) Elizabeth his widow still held a life interest
in the manor, which she brought to her third
husband Sir Robert de Ashton. (fn. 65) In 1368 Sir Robert
and his wife settled the manor on Robert's daughter
Eleanor and her husband, John son of Thomas de
Berkeley. (fn. 66) On Ashton's death in 1384 Sir William
of Windsor (d. 1384) entered the manor under a
conveyance from Ashton to his wife Alice Perers,
mistress of Edward III. (fn. 67) The manor was committed to John of Windsor in 1386, but the heirs
of the Reigny family successfully proceeded against
him for its recovery in 1388 and 1392–3. (fn. 68) The
manor was thereafter divided between the descendants of three daughters of William and Elizabeth
de Reigny: William Banastre (II), John Montfort,
and Catherine wife of John Wykyng. (fn. 69)
William Banastre (II) (d. 1395) was succeeded
by his daughter Joan, wife of Robert de Affeton. (fn. 70)
After Robert's death Joan married John Stourton of
Preston Plucknett, who held with others ¼ fee in
East Lydford in 1428. (fn. 71) Stourton died in 1439,
leaving a daughter Cecily, wife first of John Hill
of Spaxton (d. 1434), and secondly of Sir Thomas
Keriell. (fn. 72) In 1472 this third of the manor passed to
Genevieve, wife of Sir William Say and daughter of
John Hill son of Cecily. (fn. 73) Sir William Say survived
his wife and died without issue in 1529. (fn. 74) Genevieve's coheirs were the descendants of her father's
sister Elizabeth, wife of John Cheney of Pinhoe
(Devon). Elizabeth's son John Cheney had issue
Joan, who by her two husbands, Thomas Say and
Sir Richard Pudsey, left four daughters, whose
children succeeded jointly to the Hill estate. (fn. 75)
One moiety and a third of another moiety of his
portion of the manor were held by John Waldegrave,
grandson of Thomas and Joan Say, at his death in
1543. (fn. 76) He was succeeded by his son Sir Edward
Waldegrave (d. 1561), and the third of the manor
evidently continued intact in the Waldegrave family
until James, Earl Waldegrave (d. 1741), sold it to
Edward Phelips of Montacute (d. 1734) between
1725 and 1730. (fn. 77) In time the lands in East Lydford
which made up this third were considered to form
part of Wheathill manor, as indeed was the third
presentation to East Lydford rectory. (fn. 78) In 1761,
in accordance with a wish contained in the will of
his mother, (fn. 79) Edward Phelips (d. 1797) conveyed
Wheathill manor to his brother the Revd. John
Phelips of Yeovil, at which time its value was increasing and, 'from the age and condition of the
tenants on life, likely every day to become more
considerable'. (fn. 80) On his death in 1766 John Phelips
left the manor to his wife Mary, (fn. 81) who in turn left
it in 1803 to her niece Rhoda, daughter of Edward
Phelips and wife of William Harbin of Newton
Surmaville. (fn. 82) Rhoda Harbin survived her husband
and died in 1846, leaving all her lands to her son
George Harbin, who had sold Wheathill manor by
1849. (fn. 83) In 1838 lands held by Rhoda Harbin in
East Lydford totalled only 30 a. (fn. 84)
A further third of the manor passed to John
Montfort, described as a tenant in fee of a third of
the manor in 1400, (fn. 85) and he was holding lands there
in 1412. (fn. 86) He was succeeded by his daughter Eleanor,
wife of Geoffrey Rokell of Wormingford (Essex),
and she and her husband were granting leases there
in 1431. (fn. 87) By the late 15th century, like other
former properties of the Montforts of Nunney,
it was held by Simon Wiseman of Essex, (fn. 88) who
claimed to have descended in the fifth generation
from John Wiseman and his wife Magdalen Rokell. (fn. 89)
In 1494 Wiseman sold his third of the manor to
Richard Mawdeley of Nunney (d. 1509), (fn. 90) from
whom it descended successively to John (d. 1531), (fn. 91)
Roger, Richard (d. 1600), (fn. 92) and Roger Mawdeley
(d. 1630). (fn. 93) Under a settlement of 1630 the property
passed to Roger's daughter Frances, wife of Robert
Clarke, (fn. 94) who conveyed it to Thomas Coteel in
1637. (fn. 95) Coteel appears to have been succeeded by
Susan, wife of Thomas Garrard of Lambourn
(Berks.), and Jane, wife of Calvert Wright of Nuneham Courtnay (Oxon.), apparently daughters and
coheirs of Sir John Blagrave of Southcote in
Reading (Berks.) (d. 1655), husband of Coteel's
sister Magdalen. (fn. 96) The two couples presented
jointly to the rectory in 1660, (fn. 97) but by 1669 the
lands had evidently descended to Robert Wright
of Windsor (Hants), son of Calvert and Jane. (fn. 98)
An interest in the share was also held by John
Deane of Oxenwood in Shalbourne (Wilts.), whose
wife Magdalen was daughter of Magdalen, wife
of John Stroughill of Barkham (Berks.), another
daughter and coheir of Sir John Blagrave. (fn. 99) By
1679 Deane held the whole third, which he described
as the manor of East Lydford, (fn. 100) In 1681 he mortgaged an undivided third part of his share to George
Duke of Sarson (Hants), who obtained the freehold from James Deane of Salisbury (Wilts.), son
of John, in 1696. (fn. 101) George Duke (d. c. 1721) was
succeeded by his son John (d. 1744), who mortgaged
the share to John Allen Pusey of Pusey (Berks.)
in 1742. (fn. 102) The share was sold by an Order in Chancery in 1771 to pay off the mortgage and other debts
of John Duke's estate, and conveyed in the following
year to John Blake of St. Clement Danes, London,
and Ralph Etwall of Andover (Hants). (fn. 103)
The remaining two thirds of John Deane's share
were mortgaged to Elizabeth Low of London in
1686, whose representatives assigned it in 1738 to
John Allen Pusey as trustee for Thomas Deane,
rector of Witchampton (Dors.), grandson of John
and Magdalen Deane. (fn. 104) Thomas Deane secured the
freehold from Edward Deane, great-grandson and
heir of John and Magdalen Deane, in 1739, and the
following year, with his father John, conveyed the
share to John Allen Pusey. (fn. 105) Pusey died in 1753
and was succeeded by his two sisters Elizabeth
(d. 1757) and Jane Allen. (fn. 106) Jane presented to the
rectory in 1763, (fn. 107) but sold her share to Thomas
Wyld of Speen (Berks.) in 1772. (fn. 108)
In 1775, by agreement between Thomas Wyld,
John Blake, and Ralph Etwall, the Deane share was
divided between them. Wyld, as owner of two
thirds, secured 56 a. in East Lydford, 91 a. in
Foddington and Charlton Adam, and a third of the
advowson. (fn. 109) Blake and Etwall received 86 a. in
Charlton Adam in respect of their third. (fn. 110) By will
proved 1789 Wyld left his share to his son George
Wyld, who evidently sold it to John Davis between
1789 and 1791. (fn. 111) Thereafter it appears to have
formed part of the Davis estate sold in 1848. (fn. 112)
The final third of the manor passed to the Knoyle
family of Sandford Orcas (Dors.), possibly by
marriage with the Wykyng family or their descendants. Thomas Knoyle, son of Robert (d. c. 1412)
and Joan Knoyle, held lands in East Lydford in
1412 and died in 1416. (fn. 113) William Knoyle (d. 1502)
held it by 1475, (fn. 114) and thereafter the property
descended successively to Peter (d. 1508), (fn. 115) Leonard
(d. 1532), (fn. 116) and Edward Knoyle. (fn. 117) John Parham
of Poyntington (Dors.) married Edward's eldest
daughter in 1571, (fn. 118) and Edward Knoyle and his
son William conveyed the third to Parham in
1583. (fn. 119) John Parham and his son, Sir Edward, sold
it to John Foyle (I) of Shaftesbury (Dors.) in 1620. (fn. 120)
Foyle was succeeded in 1647–8 by his grandson
John Foyle (III) of Chute (Wilts.), son of John
Foyle (II) of Kympton (Hants). (fn. 121) The latter's son
Edward (d. 1720), who was granting leases in East
Lydford in 1692, left a son, Edward Foyle of Somerford Keynes (Wilts.). (fn. 122) Edward entered on his
father's East Lydford property in 1730, (fn. 123) and 'Mr.
Foyle' was stated to be one of the three lords of the
manor c. 1736. (fn. 124) The descent after this date is confused, but this was evidently the third which John
Ryall devised to his nephew the Revd. Narcissus
Ryall in 1781, together with a third of the advowson. (fn. 125)
It is not apparent when or from whom he acquired
it. Narcissus Ryall died in 1829, (fn. 126) but the subsequent
descent of this final third has not been traced.
The manor-house, probably still in existence
when the manor was divided in the late 14th
century, (fn. 127) has not been located. It may have stood
near the field called Court Orchard in 1476 (fn. 128) and
Court Close by 1587, (fn. 129) which was divided equally
between the owners of each third of the manor. (fn. 130)
The freehold settled by William de Reigny on his
son Walter in 1329, described then as a messuage,
a carucate of arable, 10 a. of meadow, 60 a. of
wood, 11s. rent, and pasture for 60 oxen on Lydford
moor, may represent the demesne land. (fn. 131) This can
be identified with a messuage, a carucate of arable,
and 10 a. of meadow, held in fee by John Reigny
in the late 14th century. (fn. 132) By 1587 this was held by
the heirs of James Smyth, (fn. 133) and John Smyth occurs
as a free tenant of the manor between 1588 and
1599. (fn. 134) In the early 17th century it was held by
the Goodwin family of Bower Hinton in Martock.
From Thomas Goodwin it passed to John Goodwin,
who died before 1674. (fn. 135) He was succeeded by his
widow Mary, and son William, who conveyed it in
that year to Richard Duke of Otterton (Devon). (fn. 136)
In 1679 Duke sold the property to Henry Scrase (I)
of Blatchington (Suss.), who was succeeded by his
son Henry (II) and grandson Henry (III). (fn. 137) The
assignee of a mortgage on the property, Caleb
Dickinson of Kingweston, proceeded against Scrase
in Chancery for repayment, and in 1747 the property
was conveyed to him. (fn. 138) During the 18th century the
holding was known simply as 'the Farm' or as East
Lydford farm, (fn. 139) the name Manor farm not being
attached to it until the 19th century. (fn. 140) The Dickinsons still held the premises in 1931, but appear to
have sold them by 1935. (fn. 141)
The estate which John Ryall of South Cadbury
built up during the 18th century in East Lydford
was devised by him in 1781 to his nephew John
Davis, and to Davis's daughter Elizabeth. (fn. 142) Davis
died in 1836, leaving his property to be divided
equally between his five children, but giving his
elder son, M. J. Davis, the option of taking the
East Lydford estates with the exception of the
cottages. (fn. 143) In 1838 the estate, then comprising 190 a.,
was held jointly by M. J. Davis and his mother. (fn. 144)
The former died in 1846, (fn. 145) the latter in 1848, (fn. 146)
but a suit in Chancery between the descendants of
John Davis, begun during the lifetime of his elder
son, led to the sale of the estate by auction in 1848
and to the subdivision of the property. (fn. 147)
The prior of St. John's hospital, Wells, occurs as
holding land in East Lydford manor between 1396 (fn. 148)
and 1476. (fn. 149) The tenement was probably held with
the hospital's lands in the adjacent parishes of
Keinton Mandeville and Babcary. (fn. 150)
Economic History.
Roger de Courcelles's
estate, acquired after the Conquest, was rated for
geld at 4 hides; 3 hides and ½ virgate were held
in demesne, which 6 serfs worked with 2 ploughs.
The remainder of the land, 3½ virgates, was tilled
by 6 villeins and 3 bordars with 1½ plough, although
there was land for 5 ploughs. Only 40 a. of meadow
are mentioned, but the number of stock, one ridinghorse, 6 cows, 13 pigs, and 160 sheep, suggests a
large amount of unrecorded pasture, probably in
Lydford moor. (fn. 151)
In 1319 William de Reigny held 169 a. of arable,
12 a. of meadow, 40 a. of pasture, 60 a. of wood,
and 10s. 4d. rent in East Lydford, Foddington, and
Babcary, (fn. 152) and in 1329 a messuage, a carucate of
arable, 10 a. of meadow, 60 a. of wood, 11s. rent,
and pasture for 60 oxen. (fn. 153) By the late 14th century
the manor had been reduced to about 248 a. of land. (fn. 154)
The physical subdivision of the manor between the
Reigny heirs took place c. 1394, (fn. 155) but as the pattern
of the manor was evidently one of open fields and
common pastures, scattered rather than consolidated
holdings were thus created.
The value of the manor at Domesday was £4, the
same figure as before the Conquest. (fn. 156) The income
from the whole manor was £14 5s. in 1396, most
of which was derived from leasing pasture. (fn. 157) Between 1475 and 1494 the income from the third
held by the Say family varied between £4 19s. 3d. in
1475, (fn. 158) and £13 1s. 5d. in 1476, (fn. 159) decreasing to
£6 18s. 2d. in the years 1489–90 and 1493–4. (fn. 160)
The third share held by the Knoyle family was
stated to be worth £2 in 1502, (fn. 161) but had risen to
£6 18s. 2d. in 1551. (fn. 162)
The principal income of the manor came from
leasing summer and winter pasture. By 1397 for
pasture in the 'moor' and East field the lord received
2d. a week for a horse, 1½d. a week for an ox, and
1d. a week for a calf. Nineteen acres of meadow
in Broadmead were leased for 2s. 8d. an acre, and
18 a. of meadow in Herbrooks for 2s. 6d. an acre.
Summer pasture in the Garden, West field, Herbrooks, and Rowborough was leased for composite
sums. Other tenants took pasture for their animals
by the season; 1s. 8d. for a horse, 1s. for an ox, and
8d. for a calf. The total income derived in 1397
from pasture was £15 0s. 5d. (fn. 163)
In 1394 there were twelve tenants, comprising
one freeholder, three holding ½ virgate, five holding a fardel, one holding ½ fardel, one holding 30 a.,
and one holding a single close. Their properties
included land in Babcary and Foddington. (fn. 164) A few
years later there were three freeholders and 16
other tenants, including one nativus holding 13½ a., (fn. 165)
whose daughter was sold for £1 in 1398. (fn. 166) Two
other nativi were noted to have fled from the manor
in the following year. (fn. 167)
There were at least two open fields, East and
West, by 1396. (fn. 168) Arable was also held in closes by
1394, (fn. 169) and closes of pasture had been made in
Herbrooks by 1466. (fn. 170) Lydford moor was described
as 'lately enclosed' in 1732, evidently by mutual
agreement among the proprietors. (fn. 171) Moves were
made in 1803 to inclose East and West fields. They
were opposed among others by the rector and the
principal landowner, John Davis, who claimed that
the arable lands could not be 'too open nor too much
exposed to the sun and air'. (fn. 172) The East and West
fields were inclosed in 1838 and involved the inclosure of 173 a. of arable, just under one quarter
of the total area of the parish. (fn. 173) References to
inclosed pasture near Reynyslese in 1394, (fn. 174) and to
the leasing of pasture in the lord's wood in 1399, (fn. 175)
suggest that clearance and inclosure were already
taking place there. Twenty-five oak trees were
carried away without the licence of the lord in
1604, (fn. 176) and a covenant in a lease of 1732 enforced
the planting of twelve oak saplings for every acre of
timber felled. (fn. 177)
By the late 14th century grants of manorial land
appear to have been either for one life or three
lives, (fn. 178) although a lease for two lives was granted
in 1431. (fn. 179) In the late 16th century a conversion from
copyhold to leases for 99 years or two or three lives
becomes evident, (fn. 180) and this was standard practice
during the 17th and 18th centuries. (fn. 181) Progressive
enfranchisement appears to have taken place during
the late 17th and early 18th centuries, particularly
on the Foyle holdings. (fn. 182)
The largest 18th-century property in the parish,
later known as Manor farm, was acquired by the
Dickinsons of Kingweston in 1747, (fn. 183) when it comprised 166 a., of which 37 a. were leasehold. (fn. 184)
Lands were purchased in Herbrooks c. 1762, (fn. 185)
and between 1838 and 1889 the farm comprised
nearly 177 a. (fn. 186) The Dickinsons sub-let the property
at rents rising from £95 in 1748 (fn. 187) to £150 in 1794. (fn. 188)
The net income derived from the farm rose from
£92 in 1794 to £138 in 1804. (fn. 189) The lands acquired
by John Ryall from 1744 onwards, (fn. 190) which largely
passed to the Davis family in 1781, (fn. 191) totalled 190 a.
in 1838, and included Church farm and Home
farm. (fn. 192) In 1838 the Davis family were also leasing
Manor farm from the Dickinsons, (fn. 193) and were
therefore personally farming more than half the
total acreage of the parish. On the sale of the Davis
property in 1848 (fn. 194) the estate was divided, and by
1889 Church farm (86 a.) and Home farm (43 a.)
were in separate ownership and occupation. (fn. 195) Rubbery farm originated from 4 closes of leasehold land
and pasture in 1688, (fn. 196) and had grown to 70 a. in
1838 (fn. 197) and to 108 a. by 1889. (fn. 198) Thus in 1889 414 a.
were occupied by four farmers, and there were no
other holdings in excess of 30 a. (fn. 199) By 1838 there were
276½ a. of arable and 365 a. of meadow. (fn. 200) During the
19th century conversion from arable to pasture on
a large scale took place, and by 1905 85 per cent of
the parish was permanent grass. (fn. 201) Notes made for
tithe purposes in 1772 show that on seven holdings
with 109½ a. of arable, wheat accounted for 51½ a.,
beans for 46 a., and barley (grown only on Rubbery
farm) for 12 a. (fn. 202)
In 1821 there were only 16 out of 30 families
employed in agriculture, (fn. 203) and the proximity of the
parish to both the Foss Way and to the Somerton
to Castle Cary road encouraged tradesmen. In 1859
there were a chemist and druggist, baker, shoemaker,
coal merchant, grocer, and wheelwright, (fn. 204) a marine
store dealer in 1875, (fn. 205) a road contractor in 1883, (fn. 206)
a butcher and poultry dealer in 1897, (fn. 207) a threshing
machine proprietor and a steam haulier in 1919, (fn. 208)
and a motor engineer in 1931. (fn. 209) A dairy was established on the Foss Way near the railway station
shortly before the First World War; (fn. 210) in 1970 it was
a garage and scrapyard.
At the time of Domesday there was a mill paying
10s. (fn. 211) Nothing is known of its site or subsequent
history.
Local Government.
Court rolls have been
found only for that third of the manor held successively by the Banastre, Stourton, Hill, Say, and
Waldegrave families. Court rolls survive for the
years 1394–1400, 1457, 1466–7, and intermittently
from 1588 to 1605. (fn. 212) During the late 14th and 15th
centuries the manor court for this third, described
as a curia legalis, was generally held twice a year
and always once in the autumn. By the late 16th
and early 17th centuries it met once a year in April
or May. By 1433 it was held with that of Wheathill. (fn. 213)
Leases of properties formerly held of East Lydford
manor and later of Wheathill owed suit of court to
Wheathill in the 18th century. (fn. 214) Leasehold tenements forming part of the third held by the Knoyle,
Parham, and Foyle families owed suit of court to
East Lydford at intervals between 1579 and 1688. (fn. 215)
Apart from tenurial business and minor offences, the
chief concern was the annual leasing of summer and
winter pasture.
No appointments of manorial officials have been
noted, probably because of the division of the
manor. Two churchwardens were appointed by
1554, (fn. 216) but between 1724 and 1815 the vestry
generally appointed only one, together with one
overseer of the poor, (fn. 217) and from 1742 to 1803 one
or two surveyors of the highways, (fn. 218) all of whom
served for their estates in rotation and took parish
apprentices in the same manner. In 1871–89 and
1905 both a rector's warden and parish warden were
appointed. Two overseers were appointed between
1854 and 1891, and four between 1892 and 1894.
The vestry also appointed a waywarden between
1854 and 1893, and a hayward to impound strays
in 1862. (fn. 219)
There was a poorhouse by 1756. (fn. 220) A house for the
poor was rented from Mary Phelips in 1775 and
1778, and from John Davis between 1783 and 1815. (fn. 221)
The parish became part of the Shepton Mallet
poor-law union in 1836. (fn. 222)
Church.
The church of East Lydford is first
mentioned in 1230, although reference was made
at that date to the then parson's predecessors. (fn. 223)
By 1323 the advowson was held by the Reigny
family, lords of the manor. (fn. 224) It continued in their
hands until, like the manor, it passed to Sir Ralph
de Middleney, who presented in 1343 and 1362. (fn. 225)
The Crown presented in 1388 while the Reigny
family was attempting to regain the manor from the
Windsors. (fn. 226) Thereafter the advowson, like the
manor, split into three parts and descended with
them, the owner of each share presenting at every
third vacancy. In 1415, after an inquisition to
determine the right of patronage, three chaplains,
probably as feoffees, presented for the Montforts. (fn. 227)
Robert Erlegh presented in 1435, presumably for the
Wykyng and Knoyle share, (fn. 228) and Robert More
in 1504, probably during the minority of Peter
Knoyle. (fn. 229) Frances, widow of Giles Paulet, and
others presented in 1580 for the Waldegraves. (fn. 230)
The Bishop collated by lapse in 1691, (fn. 231) and in
1730 mistakenly granted the presentation to Jeremy
Cray. (fn. 232) Cray's incumbent resigned when Edward
Foyle claimed the patronage, and Foyle presented
his own candidate in the same year. (fn. 233)
John Ryall appears to have acquired the Foyle
share for his nephew, Narcissus Ryall, and on the
former's death in 1781 it was left in trust to another
nephew John Davis, and the latter's daughter Elizabeth, on condition that they presented Narcissus
on his taking holy orders. (fn. 234) Between 1789 and 1791
Davis also appears to have acquired from Thomas
Wyld the third formerly held by the Deane and
Duke families. (fn. 235) William Harbin of Sherborne
(Dors.) (d. 1823), appears to have purchased twothirds of the advowson, which he left to his wife
Rhoda, who had inherited the remaining third. (fn. 236)
She presented in 1829, 1833, and 1839, and on her
death in 1846 the patronage was sold. (fn. 237) It appears
to have been purchased by P. J. Newell, instituted
in 1849, and succeeded in both patronage and
rectory by the Revd. P. S. Newell in 1853. (fn. 238) It
was purchased from the latter by J. J. Moss, who
presented himself in 1864 and another in 1870. (fn. 239)
Moss died in 1887, (fn. 240) the Bishop collating by lapse
the following year, (fn. 241) and both patronage and rectory
were acquired by G. S. Henning in 1895. (fn. 242) The
National Church League Trustees, now the Church
Society, have presented since 1916. (fn. 243) In 1905 the
rectories of East Lydford and Wheathill were
united, (fn. 244) and in 1965 were combined with West
Lydford to form a united benefice called the
Lydfords. (fn. 245) The rector in 1970 also held the united
benefice of Alford and Hornblotton, and lived at
West Lydford. (fn. 246)
The church was valued at £6 13s. 4d. in 1291. (fn. 247)
In 1535 the net value was £7 16s. 7d. (fn. 248) By c. 1668
it was said to be worth £40 (fn. 249) and in 1742 £39 12s. 9d. (fn. 250)
By 1831 the net income had risen to £135. (fn. 251)
J. J. Moss (rector 1864–70) evidently bequeathed
stock to augment the living, and this was transferred to the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty
in 1889. (fn. 252)
The tithes were valued at £6 5s. 3d. in 1535. (fn. 253)
By 1672 the rector claimed tithes of corn and grain,
and specified 2d. an acre for mown grass (6d. if
let to an outsider), 2d. for an orchard, 1d. for a
garden, 3d. for a cow's milk, 2d. for the milk of
heifers under 4 years old; 2d. a month for every
20 sheep or tithe of wool if kept the whole year;
1d. for the fall of a colt, ½d. for the fall of each calf,
lamb, or pig; one egg for each hen and 2 eggs for
the master cock; 1d. in the shilling from all rents
paid by outsiders for grazing land in the parish;
the tenth faggot cut in Raynes wood, and a customary payment of 6s. 8d. in respect of 20 a. of
meadow and pasture by Raynes wood. (fn. 254) In 1838
a rent-charge of £106 16s. 3d. was assigned to the
rector. (fn. 255)
In 1230 the parson held a virgate of land formerly given to the church, in respect of which he
claimed common grazing in Lydford moor for four
oxen, two cows, and one draught beast. (fn. 256) In 1334
the glebe comprised 40 a. of arable and 3 a. of
meadow which, with oblations, obventions, and
small tithes, was valued at 53s. 10d. (fn. 257) In 1535 the
glebe was valued at 31s. 4d., (fn. 258) and in 1606 the
rector possessed 36 a. of which 27 a. were arable
in the two open fields. (fn. 259) By 1838 the rector held
a total of 32 a., (fn. 260) reduced by 1875 to 26 a. (fn. 261) and to
23 a. by 1894. (fn. 262) There were nearly 25 a. of glebe
in 1972. (fn. 263)
Before the 19th century the site of the parsonage
house was probably always in Church Lane. The
property was described as unfit in 1831, (fn. 264) and was
used as a farm-house in 1840, (fn. 265) although it had
been occupied by the previous incumbent. (fn. 266) The
building, known as the Old Rectory, was occupied
as a private dwelling-house in 1970. It is a twostoreyed building of lias with three bays and a
slate roof. In 1872 the rector exchanged parcels of
glebe with Moss, the former rector, for 3 a. on the
north side of Cary Road, on which a large rectory
house was built. (fn. 267) This house was sold c. 1965
on the union of the benefices of East and West
Lydford, (fn. 268) and in 1970 was known as the Rookery.
In 1568 the parson was reported for not preaching
the quarterly sermons and was adjudged 'not a
man able to serve for the parish'. (fn. 269) In 1623 there
was no catechizing and only irregular services, and
James Smith, the assistant curate, was presented
as 'a man of dissolute life and conversation, an ale
house haunter', and unfit for the ministry. (fn. 270) In
1827 and 1840 morning and evening services were
held alternately, (fn. 271) but by 1870, although there was
no resident rector nor curate, there were two services every Sunday and Holy Communion once
a month. (fn. 272) By 1893 the Sunday services had been
increased to three and there were 23 communicants
on the roll. (fn. 273) By 1920 there was a return to two
Sunday services, although communion was administered weekly. (fn. 274)
Edward Wareham (rector from 1613) held West
Lydford in plurality (fn. 275) and employed assistant
curates to serve East Lydford. (fn. 276) It is not known if
he retained East Lydford during the Interregnum.
Thomas Horsey (rector c. 1657–90) had been
accused of being 'a drunkard, quarreler, a railer,
a malignant for contemning of authority and vilifying of Acts of Parliament, a constant gamester, a
prophaner of the Lord's day, a breaker down of
fences, an encourager of idle loose livers and
swearers, a false swearer, an abusive man in language, with much more wickedness'. (fn. 277) His personal
influence among the Justices apparently prevented
a trial and also obtained for him the living of East
Lydford between 1656 and 1658. (fn. 278) He secured the
imprisonment of many East Lydford Quakers for
non-payment of tithes, interrupting services, and
non-attendance at church. (fn. 279) In 1661 he forcibly
prevented the removal of a Quaker's coffin which
was being carried from Alford to Limington via
East Lydford and secured its burial in the churchyard. (fn. 280)
A number of subsequent incumbents held in
plurality, including Phipps Weston (rector 1763–84)
who, while incumbent here, was fellow of Magdalen
College, Oxford, rector of Rushall (Wilts.), and
vicar of Shabbington (Bucks.). (fn. 281) Curates were employed regularly at least from Weston's time, (fn. 282)
and both Edward Harbin (rector 1829–33) and
James Hooper (rector 1839–49) held the living of
Kingweston in plurality. (fn. 283)
The medieval church of St. Peter lay isolated at
the northern end of the village on the banks of the
Brue. The site is marked by the remains of the
churchyard wall, a heap of rubble around the remains of the porch, and a few scattered gravestones.
It was a small stone building comprising chancel
and nave with a large south porch and small square
bellcot, possibly of wood, on the west gable end.
There were two square-headed mullioned windows
of two lights each in the south wall of the chancel
and nave, and also a Decorated window in the south
chancel wall. Inside the porch was a heavy carved
door, surmounted by a canopied niche with corbel
under, and to the right of the door a Decorated
stoup. (fn. 284) Reference is made to a tower in 1756 and
1761. (fn. 285) The proximity of the church to the river
evidently led to periodic flooding; in 1786 a wall
was swept away by the 'late great flood', (fn. 286) and in
1799 the church was cleaned after an 'inundation'. (fn. 287)
In 1864 the parishioners decided to rebuild the
church on a new site, the old building being dilapidated, damp, and inconvenient. (fn. 288)
The present church of the BLESSED VIRGIN
MARY was erected nearer the centre of the village,
the site and cost of the building being provided
by J. J. Moss (rector 1864–70) in memory of his
deceased wife. (fn. 289) It was designed by Benjamin
Ferrey and consecrated in 1866. (fn. 290) It is generally
in 14th-century style and consists of a chancel and
nave, with an octagonal north tower and spire.
The walls are of Keinton stone with Doulting stone
dressings. The Jacobean oak pulpit and a plain
font, possibly 13th century, were taken from the old
church. In the west wall are set two inscriptions
brought by Moss from catacombs in Rome, and
between them a 15th-century alabaster relief of St.
George, acquired by him in the north of England. (fn. 291)
The east window by C. E. Kempe was installed
in 1879. (fn. 292)
The plate includes a paten of 1725 and chalices
of 1776 and 1796, only the second of which belonged
to the old church. (fn. 293) There is one bell dated 1865. (fn. 294)
The registers begin in 1730, but the marriages are
incomplete. (fn. 295)
Nonconformity.
The Quaker, John Clothier,
was one of the 'first receivers of those that first
published the Gospel' in Somerset, c. 1656, and
many meetings were held at his house. (fn. 296) Persecution
of the Quakers by the post-Restoration rector seems
to have led to a gradual diminution in their numbers, (fn. 297)
although Clothier's house was licensed for meetings
in 1689 (fn. 298) and a bequest to poor Quakers was made
in the will of Henry Scrase of Manor Farm, dated
1694. (fn. 299)
The house of William Paige, Independent
minister, was licensed for meetings in 1846, but
he moved to Castle Cary in the following year. (fn. 300)
Education.
A schoolmaster was mentioned in
1813, (fn. 301) and in 1818 there were weekly schools for
small children. (fn. 302) A free Sunday school for 8 boys
and 14 girls is recorded in 1835, (fn. 303) which by 1846
was supported by subscriptions. (fn. 304) A schoolmaster,
mentioned in 1852 and 1856, (fn. 305) probably taught in the
day- and Sunday school supported by the rector,
which survived until at least 1861. (fn. 306)
A school, erected by subscription on the west
side of Church Lane in 1875, was endowed with
£400 by J. J. Moss, the rector, owner of the site. (fn. 307)
Thirty children were admitted in 1876. (fn. 308) The
school comprised a small teacher's house, single
schoolroom, and porch. (fn. 309) The first mistress was
certificated and a stipendiary monitress was appointed in 1880. (fn. 310) The children of the 'labouring
classes' were charged 2d. a week for the first child
from each family, 1d. a week for each subsequent
child, and 2d. a week if over 9 years of age. All
other children paid 3d. a week. (fn. 311) The school was
administered by managers but was subject to
governmental and diocesan inspection. (fn. 312) In 1903
there were 31 pupils on the books and it was stated
to be 'a neatly kept and carefully taught little
school'. (fn. 313) The attendance having dwindled to two
by 1949, the school was closed and the remaining
pupils transferred to West Lydford school. (fn. 314) The
buildings are now (1970) occupied as a dwellinghouse called the Old Schoolhouse.
Charities for the Poor.
None known.