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Annery, Monkleigh

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Annery House, photograph early 20th century, demolished 1958

The historic estate of Annery, North Devon, was situated in the parish of Monkleigh. The mansion house was situated about one mile north of that village, itself situated 2 1/2 miles north-west of Great Torrington and 3 1/2 miles south-east of Bideford.

Descent

According to Tristram Risdon the earliest recorded holder of the estate was a certain Osbert de Annery.[1]

Stapledon

Annery was inherited by the Stapledon family, which had originated at the estate of Stapledon in the parish of Cookbury, near Holsworthy, Devon.[2] The best known member of the family was Walter de Stapledon (1261–1326), Bishop of Exeter (1308–1326), whose monument and effigy exist in Exeter Cathedral. The last in the male line of the Stapledons left as his sole heiress a daughter named Thomasine de Stapledon, who married into the Hankford family.[citation needed]

Hankford

Arms of Hankford of Annery: Sable, a chevron barry nebuly argent and gules [3]
15th c. bench ends in Monkleigh Church showing the badge or arms of the husbands of the two daughters and co-heiresses of Sir Richard II Hankford of Annery: dexter: the Bourchier knot (heraldic badge of William Bourchier, Baron FitzWarin); sinister: Azure, three covered cups or (arms of Thomas Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond). Both displayed on an escutcheon within a Gothic cusped lancet arch
  • Sir William Hankford (died 1422), KB, Lord Chief Justice of England. The most famous member of the Hankford family of Annery. His Easter Sepulchre tomb exists in the Annery Chapel, in the south aisle of Monkleigh Church. His son was Richard I Hankford who predeceased his father.
  • Sir Richard II Hankford (grandson), who married twice:
    • Firstly to Elizabeth FitzWarin, 8th Baroness FitzWarin (c. 1404 – c. 1427), sister and heir of Fulk FitzWarin, 7th Baron FitzWarin (1406–1420). By her he had two daughters, Thomasine Hankford and Elizabeth Hankford (died 1433). Upon the death of Elizabeth FitzWarin the barony went into abeyance between her daughters. On the death of Elizabeth Hankford in 1433, the barony was inherited by her sister Thomasine Hankford, the wife of William Bourchier, who was summoned to Parliament as Lord FitzWarin in her right. Her descendant was John Bourchier, 11th Baron FitzWarin (1470–1539) of Tawstock, created Earl of Bath in 1536.
    • Secondly, either to Anne Montacute, daughter of John Montacute, Earl of Salisbury or according to Tristram Risdon, to Anne Nevill, daughter of Lord Nevill. By his second wife Sir Richard II Hankford left a daughter as his sole heiress, Anne Hankford (c. 1431 – 1485), who married Thomas Boteler, 7th Earl of Ormond. Anne and her husband inherited Annery.

Boteler

St Ledger

Arms of St Ledger: Azure fretty argent, a chief or [6]
Monumental brass of James St Ledger (d.1509/10), Esquire, Annery Chapel, Monkleigh Church
15/16th century bench end, Monkleigh Church, showing arms of St Ledger of Annery: Azure fretty argent, a chief or a crescent for difference, with crest above of A griffin passant
  • James St Ledger (died 8 February 1509/10) married Anne Butler, heiress of Annery. His gravestone inset with two small monumental brasses survives in the Annery Chapel of Monkleigh Church, set into the floor immediately in front of the Hankford Easter Sepulchre. The top (westernmost) brass consists of a rectangular brass about 1 ft wide by 3 inches deep displaying an inscribed scroll held at each end by a winged angel, with Latin inscription in Gothic black letter script:

    Orate pro a(n)i(m)a Jacobie Seyntleg(er)b Armig(eri) qui obiit viii0 die me(n)sis Februarii Anno D(o)m(ino) MCCCCC0 IX0 cui(us) a(n)i(mae) p(rop)iciet(ur) De(us) Amen
    (Pray ye for the soul of James St Ledger, Esquire, who died on the 8th day of the month of February in the year of Our Lord 1500th and 9th of whose soul may God look upon with favour Amen)

    Below is a very worn brass of an escutcheon showing the arms of St Ledger: Azure fretty argent, a chief or
  • Sir George St Ledger (son)
  • Sir John St Ledger, married Katherine Nevill, daughter of George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny (c. 1469 – 1536). He had the following progeny, 2 sons and 3 daughters:
    • John St Ledger, died without issue
    • Dudley St Ledger, died without issue
    • Mary St Ledger, married Sir Richard Grenville, lord of the manor of Bideford and of Stowe in Cornwall.
    • Frances St Ledger, who married, as his first wife, John Stucley (1551–1611) of Affeton
    • Eulalia St Ledger, who married twice, firstly in 1576 Edmund Tremain (died 1582) of Collacombe, Lamerton, Clerk of the Privy Council[7] and secondly in 1583 to Tristram Arscott (died 1621) of Launcells, Cornwall

Sir John St Ledger sold Annery to his son-in-law Tristram Arscott.

Arscott

  • Tristram Arscott (died 1621) of Launcells, Cornwall, who purchased Annery from his father-in-law Sir John St Ledger.
  • John Arscott Esq., of Annery, whom Tristram Risdon (died 1640) described as "now lord thereof".[8]

Prust

Arms of Prust of Thorry, Hartland: Gules, on a chief argent two estoiles sable[9]

It appears that[original research?] Annery was purchased from the Arscotts by Hugh Prust (died 1666), who was buried at Monkleigh. He married in 1625/8, as her second husband, Elizabeth Hurding (died 1668), whose first husband had been John Coffin (1593–1622) of Portledge, lord of the manor of Monkleigh.

  • Lt.Col. Joseph Prust (1620–1677) of Annery, was the second son of Hugh Prust. His ledger stone survives in the floor of the Annery Chapel in Monkleigh Church. Its inscription reveals that he was a Lt.Col. in Sir Thomas Stucley's Regiment of Horse and that he lost a hand during combat in the Civil War at Plymouth. He married Anne Keynes (1630–1660), by whom he had three sons, the youngest of whom was Capt. John Prust (1660–1695), of Annery.
  • Capt. John Prust (1660–1695), of Annery. He married Mary Leigh (1672–1711), by whom he had three sons who died young and a daughter and heiress Anne Prust (1694–1741), who married in 1715 Richard Annesley, 6th Earl of Anglesey (c. 1693 – 1761), an Irish peer and governor of Wexford. Her husband deserted her almost immediately and entered into a further bigamous marriage. Anne Prust died without issue and was buried in August 1741 as Countess of Anglesey.

Tardrew

The descent of Annery is unclear between about 1741 and 1800. The 1810 edition of Tristram Risdon's Survey of Devon states that "The estate of Annery has of late years passed through several hands and now belongs to Mr Tardrew of Bideford".[10]

  • William Tardrew (1772–1853), JP, DL, a ship-owner and builder from Bideford.[11] He operated a ship yard from an inlet of the River Torridge next to Annery kiln, but moved it to the canal sea-lock after the latter's construction.[12] He appears to have been[original research?] in the business of importing coal from Wales.[13] His brother was Henry Tardrew who ran an iron-foundry and bar-iron warehouse in Bideford. In 1829 he renovated the Annery Chapel in Monkleigh Church as is recorded on a stone tablet in the Chapel, where he was buried. He sold part of the estate on the left bank of the River Torridge to Lord Rolle for the building of the Rolle Canal. The Annery land included Beacon Down Marsh in the parishes of Landcross, Monkleigh and Weare Giffard, in which was built the sea-lock, the start of the canal,[14] for which he provided ships.[15] He was one of the investors who in 1835 built "Half-Penny Bridge", a toll-bridge over the River Torridge at Annery Kiln linking Monkleigh and Weare Giffard parishes.[16] In 1836 Lord Rolle leased his Rolle Canal to a partnership of four men, one of whom was William Tardrew of Annery, who held 6 of the 14 shares, representing an interest of 43%. In 1846 a new partnership was formed comprising William Tardrew and George Bragington, an original investor and Lord Rolle's former canal agent. Tardrew is said not to have contributed his agreed share of new capital to the business, and soon the business failed.[17] He spent a considerable sum on improving the house, and was possibly[original research?] the builder of the Georgian house which survived until 1958. He was a Justice of the Peace for Devon and a Deputy Lieutenant and a major in the North Devon Yeomanry Cavalry. His wife was Louisa (1779–1871), who survived him but expended much of her fortune on pursuing debts due to her from the Rolle Canal Company. The Annery Estate comprising 243 acres was sold at auction in 1872.

Somes

Annery was purchased by Joseph Somes (died 1845) of Blackwall, MP for Dartmouth, a large ship owner and former Governor of the New Zealand Company. Queen Victoria's sovereignty over New Zealand was declared from his ship The Tory.[18] His widow Maria Somes (1816–1912) remained at Annery for many years, and the estate was sold after her death in 1912 to Mr Bayly.

Bayly

Mr Bayly was a famous polo player. He and his wife modernised the house and installed an electricity generation plant. He died of meningitis soon after moving in, and his widow sold off parts of the estate piecemeal to the occupying tenants, retaining only the lodges and home farm.

Fleming

Miss Lilias Fleming (1855–1941) was the purchaser of Annery, where she lived with her adopted daughter Crystal Frazer. The house quickly became dilapidated after her death.

Further reading

  • Gray, Todd, Devon Country Houses and Gardens Engraved, 2000[19]

References

  1. ^ Risdon, p.276
  2. ^ Prince, biography of Walter Stapledon, p.722
  3. ^ Tristram Risdon's Notebook
  4. ^ www.Tudorplace.com.ar/BUTLER
  5. ^ Bruce, p. 11
  6. ^ Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.365 (Viscounts Doneraile)
  7. ^ Vivian, 1895, p.731M
  8. ^ Risdon, p.276
  9. ^ Vivian, Heralds' Visitations of Devon, 1895, p.629
  10. ^ Risdon, p.422
  11. ^ Obituary, North Devon Journal 30 June 1853, quoted in Scrutton, p.87
  12. ^ Scrutton, p.22
  13. ^ "Tardrew ships for coal" are mentioned in a poem composed in honour of the 21st birthday of Hon Mark Rolle, quoted in Scrutton, p.81
  14. ^ Scrutton, p.19
  15. ^ Scrutton, Susan, Lord Rolle's Canal, Great Torrington, 2006, p.87
  16. ^ Scrutton, p.22
  17. ^ Scrutton, pp.69-71
  18. ^ Lauder, p.23
  19. ^ http://www.stevensbooks.co.uk/todd_grey_books/DCHG.html

Sources

  • Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004
  • Lauder, Rosemary, Vanished Houses of North Devon, Tiverton, 2005
  • Prince, John, The Worthies of Devon, 1810 edition
  • Hoskins, W.G., A New Survey of England: Devon, London, 1959 (first published 1954)
  • Risdon, Tristram (died 1640), Survey of Devon, 1810 edition, London, 1810
  • Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitation of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895.
  • Polwhele, History of Devon (1797)