| HOME - EVENTS - GALLERY - CRAFT CENTRE - LOCAL HISTORY - THE VILLAGE - TRAVEL - LINKS - THE TRUST |
|
3.0 OUTLINE HISTORY
Early History Although the good soil and proximity to the sea and its riches may well have attracted early communities to Cockington, the archaeological record is sparse. However the field name Castle Park and Castle Lane suggest the presence of an early earthwork enclosure and finds of stone tools nearby indicate a prehistoric presence (1).
1086 Cochintona is the name of the manor given in the Domesday Book. Its meaning has been interpreted as the enclosure or homestead of Cocca’s people (2), or to refer to the red, coch, soil. The name implies a settlement dating at least to the Saxon period.
William holds Cockington himself. Alric held it before 1066. It paid tax for 3 hides. Land for 13 ploughs. In lordship 5 ploughs; 14 slaves; 1 hide. 18 villagers and 6 small holders with 7 ploughs and two hides. Meadow, 25 acres; pasture, 50 acres; woodland, 50 acres. 1cob; 8 cattle; 159 sheep; 42 goats. Value formerly and now 50s. Of this land Alric held 1 virgate of land in Dewdon. It paid tax for as much. Value formerly and now 10s. This land has been added to the above and William holds it as one manor. (3)
William de Falaise was one of the major recipients of land in Devon after the Norman Conquest. In 1089 the barony of Dartington passed from William to his stepson Robert Fitzmartin (d 1158)(4,5).
1113-5 Robert Fitzmartin endowed St Dogmael’s Abbey with several churches and the Capella de Kokintone (6). This appears to be the earliest reference to the chapel. It has been suggested that there was a Saxon church and that the Norman church, or chapel, was constructed using Norse measurements (7). According to the statutory listing the tower of the church of St George and St Mary at Cockington dates to the thirteenth century, the rest is mainly fourteenth and fifteenth century, much “restored” in the nineteenth century (8). The massively built tower contains a first floor room with fireplace and latrine, considered possibly to have been an anchorite cell, or the room for the priest who serves the morrow mass (9). 1125 Robert Fitzmartin gave Cockington to his son, Roger who became known as Roger de Cockington (4). He excluded the chapel and two ferthings of sanctuary land, which had been given to the Abbey and Convent of St Dogmael, Pembrokeshire (9).
1242 Rogerus de Cokinton held lands in Cockington of Nicholas Fitzmartin of Dartington (10). In 1266 Protection for Henry de Kocinton is mentioned (10) and in 1285 Roger de Cokington held Cokington for one fee of William Martin, and by William Martin of the King and in 1286 Roger de Cokinton holds 11/6 fee in Cokinton of Nicholas son of Martin of his Honour of Dertinton (12); the following year he was summoned to fight against the Welsh (10). 1295 Lucy, daughter of Roger de Cockington was baptised (10), she is considered to be the Lucy who married Walter de Wodeland, the future owner of the estate (13). Between 1303 and 1307 Roger de Kokyngton held Cockington for 11/6 fee (12) and between 1304 and 1307 he represented Devon in parliament (10).
1316 At about this time Roger de Cockington, knight, died, his son James inherited Cockington (14). Between 1324 and 1326 James de Cokyngton was recorded as a man at arms, appointed sheriff and governor of Exeter Castle. In 1327 Sir James de Kokinton was appointed Keeper of the Port of Dartmouth and references to his appointments continue through the 1330s and 1340s (10).
Between 1330 and 1345 there is reference to Henry and William de Cokyntone and confirmation of the grant of water from Sherwell Brook to Torre Abbey; Seymour has suggested that the extension of the north aisle of Cockington Church was built as a chantry for William de Cokyntone (6).
1346-9 James de Cokynton is recorded holding land in Cockington in the Honour of Dartington, late of Roger de Cockington (12), he had a son John, who died childless between 1336 and 1351 leaving James without a male heir (13). Devon Fines show the gift of Cockington by James to Walter de Wodeland; although it is not entirely clear, it is thought that de Wodeland had married James’s sister Lucy and that James had thus acknowledged de Wodeland as his heir; Cockington was leased back to James for life, at the yearly rent of a red rose (13). James died in about 1349 and his brother-in-law Sir Walter de Wodeland, an Usher of the Chamber to the Black Prince, received the Manor of Cockington in 1351 (14).
1352 Free Warren and the right to a market and fair on Monday was granted to the lord of the manor of Cockington (15).
1374 John Cary (1337-1395), who became Lord Baron of the Exchequer, acquired Cockington from the widow of Walter Wodeland (16). He had been appointed to consider coastal defences against a possible invasion, and may have encountered Cockington in the course of this work.
1386 Tor and Cockington, as part of the Honour of Dartington, were committed by the crown to John de Holand on the death of James, Lord Audley, who had inherited from his Fitzmartin mother (10; 13). The year after Sir John Cary was attainted for his support of the deposed King and forfeited his estate… lands in…Cockyngton were formerly held by John de Cary and Thomas de Cary and were taken into the hands of Richard II by reason of a judgement against John de Cary in Parliament (17).
1388 The forfeited lands, including Cokyngton, were given to John de Holand. earl of Huntingdon, who was also re-granted the Manor of Dartington, which likewise had been initially committed to him in 1386 (10).
1395 Sir John Cary died in Ireland, still in exile (18). All his goods which had not been forfeited were granted to his widow Margaret and son Robert (10).
1400 Following the execution of John Holand, letters patent granted the forfeited lands to Robert Chalouns (17).
1418 Sir John’s eldest son Robert Cary petitioned unsuccessfully for the return of his father’s estate including Kokyngton in 1402; the lands were eventually restored to him by Henry IV in 1418 (19).
1430 Robert was succeeded by his son Philip.
1436-7 Court Leet records include fines for the depasturing of cattle in the Lord’s meadow and hogs in the Lord’s garden, and the taking away of boughs from the Lord’s wood without licence (20). Philip Cary died in 1437, and his son William (1437-1471) succeeded him as a minor (21). It appears that his mother, Cristina Cary, née Orchard, retained control of Cockington, as many of the estate records continue to refer to the lady’s property and activities (22), or it may have been hers for life by dower.
She took over the running of the estate with the help of a bailiff and, apparently, her brother, as in 1437 accounts included an item for 34 men employed making a hedge and ditch round the lady’s wood, by order of Richard Orchard (22).
The names Langegardyn and Southgardyn are taken to refer to orchards, as they certainly held apple and fruit trees; and the fact that the Cary’s kept their orchards in hand after the rest of the demesne had been leased is thought to indicate pride in the orchards and their product (23). The Pound House was clearly well-used by the owner and its use by tenants was permitted when not fully in use.
It is clear that as well as collecting rents and dues from tenants' fishing, including a Seine fishery, the owner’s own fishing was another benefit, with salting being recorded (23). The boat at Livermead was given new oars and ropes in this year, nets were replaced and mended, and it seems the Seining was a joint venture between lord of the manor and tenantry (23).
Items in the accounts included 10s received from John fflour for the lease of a water mill which he newly built, with full repairing and maintenance at his own expense. The Langemede was cut for hay and its bank was made; the Langegardyn and Southgardyn were cut for hay; there was no income from pasture of wood, or pannage of pigs …because there were no acorns; no cider was sold or rent received for the press; 40s was received from the sale of wood; 5s received from treasure trove of a noble. Expenditure included payment of one pound of pepper… to the lord of Dertyngton for chief rent, 18d, thatching on the lord’s house, the stable and le abbay; hedging and banking; purchase of salt at Dartmouth and a new fishing net; Hire of men to hedge around the lord’s garden, 2s; Hire of one man to mow the lord’s hay there in the garden, 8d. Turning over the same hay, collecting it up, stacking it in the field and carrying it to the house, 16d; Hire of one roofer and his servant roofing on the hall, chamber, gate-house and kitchen, together with lime, nails and laths brought for the same…17s; Collecting apples and fruit in the gardens, by piece work, 6s (24). Also from 1440, there is reference in bailiff’s accounts to Higher Garden, at the North part of the Lady’s Court, Middle Garden or Grutte [Great] garden, to the South of the Court, and the Lower Garden (25).
1444/5 The chapel of Cockington is recorded belonging to the abbot and convent of the Benedictine monastery of St Mary the Virgin and St Dogmael. (10). This points to a continuing link with the Fitzmartin holdings, which included extensive lands in South Wales.
1471 A supporter of the Red Rose, William Cary was beheaded after the Battle of Tewkesbury and attainted, the Cockington estate was again confiscated and granted to Sir Thomas Bourchier (6).
1485 The estate was recovered from the new monarch by Robert Cary (1457-1540),William’s son by his first wife Elizabeth Paulet. He had lived at Clovelly during the attainder and continued to use it as his main residence (26).
1490 Robert Cary, a pilgrim to Compostella, remodelled the church, or chapel of ease, at Cockington (27). Cockington chapel is recorded in the reign of Henry VIII as Torre Mohun cum capella de Cokyngton (28).
1530 A bailiff’s account of 1530 mentions the field name Castle Park, possibly an indication of an earlier earthwork enclosure here (1).
1539 Torre Abbey and the chapel at Cockington were surrendered to the King during the Dissolution.
1540 Robert Cary left Cockington to his second son by Jane Carew, Thomas (1505-1567), who became a prominent statesman during the reign of Elizabeth I (29).
1560-1 The lands of the Rectory and church of Torremoham and the chapel of Cokkyngton were granted to Thomas’s son George Cary for 21 years (30).
1567 Thomas was succeeded by George (1541-1617). After an early career setting up defences against the Armada and dealing with Spanish prisoners at Torre Barn, George Cary became an eminent statesman and Lord Deputy of Ireland. He amassed a considerable fortune and extended his estates, including the purchase of Stantor, adjacent to Cockington and contributed to funding for the settlement of Virginia (31).
In this year the manor of Cokynton and Shylston alias Chylston were described as containing 50 messuages, 20 tofts, 1 windmill, 2 watermills, 1 dovehouse, 50 gardens, 1,500 acres of land, 80a meadow, 300a pasture, 160a wood, 40a furze and heath (32).
1572/3 Letters patent granted the Rectory and church of Torremoham and the chapel of Cokkyngton…withal the rights and members formerly of the dissolved monastery of Torre and all messuages, buildings, stables, dovecotes, gardens .. (marshland and trees only being excepted) for the life of George Carye Junior (33), and was granted again to George senior in 1606 (30).
George Cary junior (1562-1599) was a soldier and was killed in Ireland, leaving his father with no male heir (34).
1575 Saxton’s map of Devon marks Cockington (figure 2).
1577 A date stone of 1577 survives on the south-west wing of the Court, in commemoration of the completion of the rebuilding (8).
1585 Sir George Cary requested of Lord Walsingham a warrant for a buck from Odiham Park (35), but its destination is unclear.
1588 The Court Leet records that George Bennett lopped two elms in the Lord’s fence at Loxbery…Grace Collyns had pollarded five elms growing in her fence at Churcheway… Otho Rendell lopped an elm in his fence at Cossome and Christopher Olver pollarded an ash tree growing upon the Lord’s land at Cockington Wood-head (36).
1607 A description of the holdings of George Cary, Knight, in the manors of Cockington, Chilston and North Lewe included 90 messuages, 4 mills, 2 dove houses, 100 gardens, 1000a land, 100a meadow, 70a pasture, 120a wood, 1000a furze and heath (37).
1609 Sir George Cary founded seven almshouses for the poor, to the north of the Court, each with a distinct little herb garden enclosed with a wall (38), an annuity was paid from the Cockington and Chelston Manors for the almshouse occupants (39).
1615 An apprentice blacksmith or striker, Anthony Hopping, is recorded at Cockington, working at the Forge with Davey the smith; in 1691 a man of the same name had lately owned a schopp and dwelling house and close of land called Nussery (40). The Daveys were still the smiths, living at Rose Cottage, in the nineteenth century (see 1931).
1617 Sir George Cary died and left his estate to his brother John, and on his death to his nephew George, who inherited in 1622 (41).
1625 Records of the Courts Leet and Barony of Cockington between this year and 1677 include many presentments for failure to repair ditches (42) and Abraham ?Turner was also brought for failure to keep a pool in repair (43). The Lord of the Manor also had the right to prove probate and wills for those dying in the Manor of Cockington which was a valuable right. The goods and chattels, often including fishing equipment such as William Adams’ newe Pilchard nette, provide glimpses of life on the Cockington estate and of its community (44).
1634 A marriage settlement agreed by George Cary of Cockington, esquire on the marriage of his son Henry to Amy Saltram included Moiety of the capital messuage, capital barton and demesne lands of Cockington and Chilston and the parsonages and rectories of Tormoham and Cockington, worth £400 per annum (45).
1640 A Bargain and Sale between George Cary of Cockington and Henry Cary of Cockington included The Mannor, barton and demesne lands of Cockington and Chilston, the Rectory and Parsonage of Cockington and Tormoham (46).
1641 A lease refers to ½ of a dwelling house in Cockington called the Church house and a plot of ground or herbegarden adjoining (47). The site of the Church House is thought to lie under the Drum Inn gardens.
1643 George was succeeded his son by Henry (1613-1665). In true Cary style, he gallantly backed the losing side in the Civil War, being knighted by Charles I at Crediton in 1644, defending Kingswear until surrender in 1646 and seeing Cockington yet again sequestered (48). He was pardoned in 1647 but fined £1,985, about a tenth of the value of his estate. In the face of mounting financial problems, Sir Henry Carie of Cockington, Knight, mortgaged the Manors of Cockington and Stockland, Dorset for £4,500 to Henry Staplie and Malachi Dudeny of London (49). In this year he was also one party in a conveyance of free fishery in the Dart and free fishing in the Deep Sea against Paignton in Torbay to Staply and Dudeny (50).
1652 The Manor of Cockington and the Mansion House, Barton and demesne lands in Cockington with all appurtenances, reversions etc were leased for 99 years by Staply and Dudeny to Robert Cary of Cockington and William Parker of London, and in the third part, Sir William Waller of Winchester Castle and Henry Cary of Cockington (51).
1654 The Manors of Cockington, Chilston and Stantor, as described in a recovery between Dudeny, Cary and others, included 60 messuages, 10 tofts, 4 mills, 1 dovehouse, 110 gardens, 1660a of land, 160a of meadow, 340a of pasture, 36a wood, 330a of furze and heath, as well as rents and the rectory of Tormoham and Cockington (52). Pike, citing another document of this date, gives 56 gardens and 56 orchards (38). A deed in poor condition and partly illegible, describes the leases and copyholds of Cockington and Stantor including dwelling and field names, but has no accompanying plan to show exact locations (53). Houses are often simply referred to as dwelling house, or cottage, but Greenwaies Barton and Church House are named. Various mills are listed the George Pitts held the Customary Mills, two Mills and a treble Mill; John Barnes held one tenement and a mill called ffulfords Mill; Richard Bickford held a tuckingmill and divers quillots [small pieces of land?]. The tithing barne and a poundhouse are also mentioned and a bakehouse. Anthony Hopping appears again, holding a close, cottage and one close containing half an acre. Elizabeth Mathew held a farm house, cottage and Barn. There are also various gardens, landyards, orchards, a willow bed, a plot of waste.
Many field names are given, some were jointly held. On the Cockington manor Portaway, Seaway, Archers, Longmeade, Higher Seaway, Lower Seawaies, Loxpark, fforemeade, Woodpk, Hennipen, Hollocombe and Pittpark, Pullens Close, Coprvane[?], Bowehay and Hortacorne, Lappercombeclose, Watercombe, Coateyeate.
A schedule at the end of the deed lists what appears to be the land of the capital messuage: Capital messuage… office Stables Barns Shippins poundhouse ffishponds [-] gardens and courts 10 acres Little Park 0.6a The Clapper[?] with the Pigeonhouse therin and Aish beads [ash beds?] 0.2a The Ladie Park 0.7aCastle Park 0.6a ? Barton 0.13a Dewe Park 0.7a Scadson --- 0.46a The M------- [Mowhay?]0.120a Hellinghay with the fishponds therin 0.7a The Lower Meadow 0.4 The great meadow 0.41/2[4½] a The higher Meadow 0.11/2 [1½] aThe hophaie and little part of a meadow adjoining 0.1aWatercombe meadow --a Combepk 0.6a Oak Barton 0.24a Cowbarton 0.16a Cockington Wood 0.90a The C—pke 0.36a The greate Barton 0.20a The Lowe Barton 0.20a The ffurze Barton or Cherry barton 0.12a ----- pk 0.7a The northern oakbarton 0.13a
Sir Henry Cary had given up his attempts to keep Cockington and, with his wife Mary, was arranging to sell the Manors of Cockington, Chilston and Stauntor alias Stantor with all rights and appurtenances to Roger Mallacke of Hevytree, Esq. for £10,300 (54). It may be that the deed detailed above is connected with the sale. Roger Mallock, an Exeter goldsmith, also paid Sir William Waller’s interest in the property off with £5,100 (55).
1655 A further indication of the depth and complexity of the Cary debts is given by an Acquittance in the Exchequer in which John Sotherton and Nathaniel Riche paid £70 for the farme of the Manor of Cockington with the Capital messuage and barton there and all the other estates of George Cary seized into the hands of the Crown in the reign of James I by reason of George Cary’s indebtedness to the King in £3000… (56). 1657 An inventory of contents was taken, though in very poor condition, it includes reference to apples and pairis…hopps, apple trees…haircloth in malthouse, possibly the horsehair cloth used in cider making (57). 1658 Sir Henry Cary now of St Malloe, France was still sorting out his finances, being released from debts on the estate (58). In this year also the Court of the Manor learnt Cockington Mill’s higher mill poole to bee in decaye for wante of riddinge and cleansinge the same, by means whereof the walter[water] doth overflowe the same (59).
1659 A survey records 37 houses and the Court in Cockington and one mill (38). In this year the Warren, containing 60 acres, was let to Peter Parnell and his son Thomas the tenants were to have furses and connyes and to leave the walls and fences in their then state of repair (59). Furze was commonly used as fuel for bread ovens.
1673 Extensive remodelling of the Court was undertaken by Roger’s son Rawlin Mallock I (1648-1691). The centre block was rebuilt, the mediaeval kitchen encased to create a north wing matching the south wing, the three-storey building faced onto a walled courtyard with a large gateway (38). The new wing bears the date 1673 and the initials RM.
1674 The Hearth Tax records Cockington Rawlin Malleck esq 21, a sizeable residence (60).
1675 Roger Mallock died and was succeeded by his son Rawlin (I).
1676 A settlement at the time of the marriage of Rawlin Mallock to Elizabeth Collens, daughter of John Collens of Chute Lodge, Wiltshire, included the manors and Lordships of Cockington, Chilston and Stantor and all that meadow called the Great Meadow in Cockington (61).
1680 At about this time lease was granted at Cockington alias Flowers’ Mills including a Smythes schopp, part of a tenement called 8 acre and a close called the Nussery (62).
1687 Rawlin Mallock was party to a lease of 4 closes called The Little Close (or plott of ground by the Northgarden) The Great Markham, The Great Close[-] South and Loxberry, all together containing 15 acres; house with appurtenances, viz the Kitchinge and 2 chambers over the same, the Long Roome within the Kitchinge now divided into 3 little Roomes, the little stable adjoyning to the said Kitchinge on the forepart and Wester end of the Barne together with the orcharde adjoining unto and lying behind the said barne and called the Northern Orcharde (63).
1688 Rawlin Mallock I was one of a group of gentry who welcomed William of Orange on his landing at Brixham (64).
1691 In this year Rawlin Mallock died in 1691 and was succeeded by his son Rawlin (II) (1681-1700). A survey records a dwellinghouse called the Marry, and herbgarden and orchard…a close of land called the Nussery…a Dwellinghouse, orchard and 2 parcells of land called the Parcke … (65).
1696-7 A hoard of worn and clipped silver coins of this date were found in a ploughed field near Cockington in 1981 (1).
1734 Joachim Gilbert was paid for making of A pump of seaventy on foot At twelve pence per foot £3 11s. This well being fifty six foot deep the pump is seaven foot Above ground and three g---- four foot And half, three noses of three foot and a half (67).
1735 Rawlin Mallock had a bill from Joan Gardner for 500 cabbage plants, onion seed, carrot seed, and Lick seed (68), and from T Goad for man and 2 horses to carry clay…47 hogsheads and half of lime (69).
1736 A lease between Mallock and Philip Michelmore on part of Cockington Barton instructs the planting of Hemp, flax or rapeseed… application of 200 loads of well rotted dung on the meadows… which must not be cut more than twice a year… fallow or clover to follow Barley and Oats (70). 1737-8 William Humphry was at work putting up pales in ye old warring…taking down hollow trees…fixing ye hollow tree to ye Stamp…in the Cherry Garden…Mending ye Great Gate…making the Lantron… pales against the hous ground…about the flood hatch… in ye wood making a windlis[windlass]… pales in the warring…fixing the Coller of the pound…mending door in ye little warring…mending cheeswring… making a Butt…making a thing to powder wigs upon…fixing of the apple chamber… fixing of the pump…mend the Roller…Repair door in Pleasure Garden… Dung pots and Derns [doorframes] to Rosemary garden (71).
1738 A right to tithes gives a picture of the productive land of the Mallock estate. They included all corne and graine, Pease, beans, grass, seeds of grass, flax, hemp and seed thereof, lambs Wooll, calves, calves reared, colts reared, young swine, hoggs, cyder, apples, cowes milk, ewes milk, geese and feathered fowles, Pigions eggs, sea fish, honywax of Bees, hopps, Roots of all kinds and coppice etc., payable out of Robert Ball’s tenement, a meadow called the Abbey meadow, Bickford’s tenement, Stephen’s Tenement and Loxbery (72).
1746 Rawlin Mallock became adminstrator of the goods of his late daughter Margaret Champernowne, widow of John Champernowne, a younger son of Dartington Hall, during the minorities of her children Margaret, Rawlin, Ann and Henry (73). In 1766 the son Rawlin Champernowne (1725-1774) succeeded his uncle and was the last of the male line of Champernowne to inherit Dartington Hall (74).
1747 In September John Jarman, mason, was commissioned by Rawlin Mallock junior, to build a stone wall eight feet high in the great warren in Cockington parish at ten pence per perch… to be finished by Xmas next and… to put cobb on the dry wall from Toby’s house down to the next pond and from that pond upwards against Chinkey well as it shall be marked out at the beginning of the work…and the cobb is to be eighteen inches high on one side and a foot high on the other side (75). The wall at the head in the warren near Toby’s house is eight yards and 14 feet long including two feet for the end of the wall and eight feet and half high which makes 75 perch and a qtr. The two walls measure 30 yards long & 18 inches high on one side and 12 inches high on the other side which makes …112p & 3y (76). Jarman was also to receive money to buy cyder etc.
In November he was Footing the wall in the Folly court (77). A receipt for work done on walls between October and December 1747 was issued in January 1748. This would appear to be a deer park wall, interestingly Mallock’s nephew by marriage Arthur Champernowne of Dartington Hall had commissioned a new stone deer park wall a decade earlier (74).
There are several account books for the middle years of the eighteenth century, which shed light on the management of the estate, its crops, woodlands and garden, and on building works and repairs. John Allen was cutting trees for pidgeon court..about the pales on the backside warren…making a frame for the warren and mending the Door and window in the garden (78). John Allen agreed to pale out the two sides and Lower end of the Lower pond at hellinghay at 2s 6d p yarde. The pales to be three feet and half high and two inches and a quarter in the clear. That summer he was also making the mouse traps for the plumb garden…about the pales…mend hutches in warren and warren and other gates. (79).
In December he was at Wenberry [Wembury?] abt the sale of the Deer (80). Widecomb was to reed half of the Gateshead 9d (81).
1749 Rawlin Mallock III died and his son Rawlin IV (1708-1779) inherited Cockington. From 1748 to 1750 John Adams billed the estate for carpentry, including stopping windows and rayling pales in Warren near the Barn … squaring posses[posts] in Coppice and putting them in Oak barton, Cow barton and other places… Timbering little house in little warren …at ye warren about the gate Sticklepath head… about the Soles [ploughs] and wheelbarrows … About the cribs in Linney above the Church (82).
In the same period, Widdecomb’s maid began to work in ye garden; Sarah Light was employed in the garden and on the land weeding, raking hay, gardening and courts…driving out mud from pond (83) and weeding horse beans oakbarton… peeking apples…weeding plumb garden… carrying cyder… peeking chasnuts… at pound house…breaking apples…peeking stones and drawing turneps in warren…leafing pease (84)… cleaning the green court…Dartington with cobs/colts…in the vineyard…carry water to the kiln…weeding warren… (85). Widdecomb himself and his horse were rolling chasnut wood…rinding trees (86). There was also work, mending seat before the stable and about the Foxhouse in warren…mend slide…mend doors to little house in garden (87). Richard Hole, Hellier [slater], was repairing wall and helring stable in Warren (88).
The Taprel family all worked on the estate and their account for 1749 to 1750 reveals the hard work of the labourer’s annual round (89). Among their tasks Elizabeth, the mother, was picking stones and snails, weeding garden and in the fields, washing bottles, working in the vineyard and was clotting in Tackfield and warren…binding beans… milking…drawing turneps and setting them…gathering and washing potatoes and leafing pease…carrying cyder to Will in the warren…looking after the turkeys …keeping birds in warren.
Thomas, the father, was driving mud… plowing harrowing…driving horses…at the fore yard….pound house… driving dung…keeping birds…driving sheep to Dartington …keeping sheep shorten….
The Taprel Boys were driving furse, driving mud, dung, hay,..plow, stones…cleaning courts and pease barn carrying dung and pease helms.
Taprel Daughter was at warren; carrying stone; watching pease; housing wheat, driving wheat, housing barley, harvest, keeping fowles, boyling furnace, carrying mud..driving horses at Foryard [the horse engine?] peeking apples…boiling the Dogs furnace..keeping the Door…keeping the gate…sweeping the courts…handling hoard apples and cyder apples…carrying water to masons in warren.
John Gaskin was ridding gutters in the meadows in November, gardening…threshing pease and beans, hulking apples, binding wood and furse in Clapper orchard and Linney…Railing for the Deer…freathing for Deers… freathing warren wall against preston ground…digging earth for mason…rooting French nut trees [walnuts]… about the apple trees (90). As well as payment in cash the workers on the estate received payment in beef, mutton, wheat, shoes and other comestibles (86).
1750 William Humphry was sawing Lintern and putting the up in Blue Room, possibly the blue room of the pleasure house. He was also making a Skrew and Wharrow for the pound…doors to Cherry garden…mending derns [doorframes] for Cherry garden…mending stair in apple chamber (91).
1751 Humphry was mending door of pleasure garden and working on the new stable(91). Elsewhere, slat, stones carried to Cockington almshouses upon esqr Mallaks account and in all six thousand and half in seven shillings a thousand £2 5s 6d (92). Also this year Rawlin Mallock and John Floud of Exeter made an agreement on the catching and selling of rabbits from Cockington, presumably from the Warren. This led to controversy over the number supplied and their condition…some being green as opposed to sweet, and some being charged for but not delivered (93).
1753 It appears that Rawlin Mallock IV was considering raising funds. A letter of his to a Mr Walker extols the virtues of Cockington There is a very good ancient Built house fitt for any gentleman on the Barton of Cockington. Also on ye same a wood of 30 acres well stored with a great number of oak Trees and the more valuable because but a mile from the Sea.
The Deer park in the barton of Cockington consists of 100 acres, it is stocked with 120 Deer which may be purchased with the Estates. Also there are 7 fishponds well stocked with Carp and Trout. There is a Rabbet Warren on this Barton with walls all round for the space of 2 miles wch wall cost about 200£ and there is a Pleasure house on the Top of the warren that has a fine prospect of Sea and Land and particularly of all Torbay only at a mile distance… and the privilege of proving all wills of the tenants of Cockington, a large Royalty for wrecks, and a most beneficial income from the tythe of fish. The whole Estate all together esteemed as compleat an estate as most in England (94).
1754-5 Accounts include payments for Torkey for Currant stocks…many days spent freathing for Deers…keeping the bullocks from the apple trees and hay… letting up and ridding out of furze…Planting trees in rickyard and Far Pond Warren…hurdle making…making pits and planting vines…making cobb… in plumb garden ripping down wall and taking away ivy…planting fibbard [filberts?]…work in flower garden…in flower garden border and making duck nests…planting currans- Little warren…planting apple trees…1/2 day fencing for deers…pleasure garden about the border…Rosemary Garden and plumb garden…vineyard hewing plants…Little Warren skinning border…skinning ground for the pippins…Little Warren about The Walk…turning ground in pleasure garden…whole month in Pleasure garden Cherry garden and Little Warren…thatching on wall of pigs court and wall between kennels and plumb garden…water to plumb garden and poles to Cherry garden…cutting of thorn for freathing…mixing lime…raking leaves…fetching dead horse [for kennels?]… plum garden wall… pointing vineyard wall…about ye gates again in warren and by pleasure house and fitting hutches in little warren…digging Cherry Garden for beans…in garden and tend Winster…freathing out withy plot…raking ferns in 9 Acres, warren and Coppice… (95).
There are references to work at or to garden features or buildings such as carried 5 or 6 Fowles to pleasure House to Broadsands to get stones for a grotto …carrying stones to Pleasure House…carrying poles to Pleasure House, and in August washing ye Pleasure House…at the warren by Pleasure House repairing a dry wall (95).
Also in 1754 Toby Hosgood [Toby’s house?] was leading horses to plow in vineyard and carrying earth and dung to the plum garden (95).
1756 Accounts include half a day hunting the deer (95).
The coastal position of Cockington had many advantages, as well as the views and the supply and tythe of fish, water transport was by far the most efficient at the time, and heavy and bulky goods could easily be shipped to Livermead and brought up to Cockington. This applied as much to illicit cargoes as to the coal, cullem, lime and timber mentioned in the accounts.
The Navy’s need for oak for shipbuilding was probably also in Mallock’s mind as he wrote of the proximity of his woodlands to the water. Repairs to boats and making and dying sails and nets were often referred to, as well as work on Mallock’s ship The Loyal Vernon undergoing repairs at Dartmouth in 1756, and work on the fish cellars at Livermead.
1757 By 1757 Mallock was mortgaging the manor and Lordship of Cockington and the Great Meadow there to John Newcombe of Exeter for £6000, taking out various other bonds and mortgages and in 1761 transferring one mortgage to John Parker of Boringdon (96).
Sand was carried to the Pleasure house and thatching was taking place at the stables, 43 Nitches Reed were being laid at Warren Lynny and 97 Nitches reed at Wood Barn; wood and broyle were cut and carried (97). Shundle stones were taken for the Brewhouse, Fowles house, kennel and warren, (95).
1758/9 William Humphry submitted itemised accounts for his work as a carpenter, woodsman, boat builder, wheelwright and maker of vehicles (98)...taking down trees for Spoks for Weals and sawing fellows…Myself about the Carremarry to draw ye Deer, making an exele to ye Deer Cart, about the wheels of the little carrymerry…about the chease [chaise] and the Timber Carriage. He also made a Screw for the pound…a Safe to hang the deer, worked in the Warrin abt ye Birdhous…Me and Sam about the house in the Little Warrin…four days about the Cow Cumber Frames…rest of year cutting wood, glass doors at little House and much work at New Stable…me Sam and Will taking up the palisades in the Green Court…one day about the Pleasure Boat and there was work about the racehorse stable and new stables and putting piggins in the old stable (99).
In 1759 an agreement was made to knock down one Roundhouse now standing next to the old stable (100).
Henry Bully's accounts from 1758 - 1764 also submitted his account for work as a carpenter and woodsman, leaving a glimpse of the woods and timber on the estate and the variety of building works at the Court and on the estate, particularly at the pleasure house, to which Rawlin Mallock had referred in 1753 (101).
Crosscutting and nubbing Trees in Chestnut Wood…laying planching[planking] Wood House…crosscutting and nubbing Timber to draw to waterside…about ye house in plumb garden…making up the wier for the Lizard Box…mending hutches… felling and sawing stuff in higher mead for the Horse boat… felling Timber for the roof of stable.
… felling timber for new stable… felling stuff to make Cornish for ye Stable…one plank of Elm saw’d for Stable Ruff. but used at warren barns floor 15’ 6”…another plank for helinghay pond 15’ 6”…felling three trees and crosscutting to finish the Ruff[roof]… making a shoulder piece for fish buckets…two days about the mowstand…felling stuff in Cockton wood for inside of stable…making frames for Orange Trees…fixing out the frames and mendd pump…making chaise wheels…
1760 …about the glasses for the garden… Three glasses for the garden @ 3s 6d. He had John Weeks sawing the great chestnut piece in Wood lane for three days and did more wood work for the stable and the Cornish, carried out repairs in the mansion and at the almshouses and repaired various vehicles including the Kerry merry and chaise. The gates and doors of Toby’s house were also attended to. He was taking of cupola pleas: hous and in December covering the place where the cupola was, which may have been connected with an item for 32 feet of lead.
1761 required wheels for the three wheel but…cutting stuff for Rough[roof] of great barn…Rough of the kill-house…scaffolds for the Dwelling House and Limepots…Cullem pots…Crock covers…pigges yoakes…putting up lead and Sodering it…making short ladders for Helliers. Some of these suggest that repairs were being carried out at the mansion. Outdoor repairs included pales by great Barn door…gates at Livermead…and standard to Tallet door
Bully was also busy sawing beams for New house in the warren… putting up rough in the New House Warren…sawing Rafters for Warren House… about the Sole and saising at Warren New House.
1762 .. planching the new house in Warren… taking the Rough down of great Barn… colouring the Cornish…measuring the new coach house Rough… about pidgeon frames and rabbit hutches… ye Boat for ye pond per agreement…2boards used about the pleasure boat.
At the pleasure house at ps house abt ye lead…putting four square of glass to the pleasure house… Bully and Cook at pleasure house laying pitch over top of Cellar and Cupola…21’ 8” of glass to the little house by pleasure house… 2 large squares of crown glass for the little house on the south side of the pleasure house…stopping leaks in the leads @ House and pleasure house.. putting hapses [hasps] and repairing door of pleasure house…at pleasure house about the leads and the pump and bell of parlor.
Painting parlor may also refer to the pleasure house, as may Leading of 2 lights in 2 casements and putting of Barrs in 3 window frames. The new house by ye barn was also being glazed at the time with 6 large Quarrels of glass and 6 Lesser, as was the Little house Sticklepath head. During the 1760 and 1770s a number of mortgages and bonds suggest that there was a need to raise money (104; 105).
1768 A lease refers to Poundhouse meadow…a little orchard or garden called the South garden…inclosed close at the Higher end of Wood lane and adjoining the Parkgate (106).
1769 A note requesting 1/2oz Collyflower seeds…Early Batterevey [Batavia lettuce?] …Early Sugar Loaf… Early ?Leeks seed (107); a bill for orders of hops and malt, a frequent occurrence (108) and another for ½ groce bottles and crate…2 wine pipes (109) point to home production of beer and wine. An account in November was for work about Asparagus Bead (110).
1770 Edward Lock cut 300 freath and Seasle, his man and boy spent 1 day about Garden Wall (111). Orders of seed in the 1770s include clover and Pease, beans and carrots etc, and Dutch turnip seed and parsnip seed (112).
An eighteenth century document describes to a Tanyard erected by Thomas Ley, at which Jacob Ley was the tanner, wherein there is as large a trade carried on as in any yard in Devon (113).
1773 Rawlin Mallock leased to Jacob Ley of Cockington, tanner, a messuage tenement and herbgarden, 2 orchards called the Home Orchard and Millpark Orchard and several fields or closes of land called the Markhams, the little greenway, the furse park, the Hilly Close, the Bramble Park, the Tanpit Meadow, the great park, the little park and Neck’s Tenement… the little Markham now converted to a Orchard (114). Six years later Jacob Ley the tanner had a lease which included an orchard and willow plot (115).
1775 A lease tells of an early barn conversion: a cottage or dwelling house with a barn now converted to a dwelling house, a herbgarden and a orchard and nursery containing ½ acre and 3 fields called Stonesground in Cockington (116).
1777-8 Ned Lock’s account for work in 1777-78 included fencing for the Deer..cutting Eivey [fodder?]… cutting witheys…,fencing out the Deer…letting water out of ye meadow…freathing and cutting ivey…cleaving wood…caring broyle…caring furze…and much walling in little and great warrin and mending hages (117). In the same document John Parnel was accounting for work thatching the haymowe…the Kennel walls and the Barn. In the same year William Adams carried out extensive reglazing of the mansion and provided laths for the Necessary House (118).
Hanniball Murch charged for bleeding and drenching 23 dogs(119), suggesting that the kennels were for a pack of hounds.
William Humphry appeared still to be working on the estate, preparing for cider making in the autumn me an Will tacking don of a Tre for the Runner for the pound…me an Will an John putting in the Runner…cutting don of a Spill an nut for the pound… making Tumblers for the pound (120). Some twenty years earlier he had made a new screw for the pound.
1778-9 William Elston was supplying plants…beans…pease…spinidge seed…carrots seed…Dutch turnep seed and Parsnip seed (121).
1778/9 Rawlin Mallock IV died, and (122) left Cockington to his cousin the Rev Samuel Mallock (123).
1779 A lease of Stantor and 2 barns, I shippen and 3 orchards adjoining, one of which orchards is at the eastern end of a close called North Broad Park; also a courtilage of land containing 3a, and a ½ part of a close adjoining the courtilage (which is called the Gren) called Souther Complehays,…a close called Easter Windeates,..a cottage and fields belonging called the Corn Acre, the Shortacombe, the Bowhay, the Deer Park and latchers Field, 3 fields (13 a)…fields called the Churchway, the Ithacombe, the Greenway and the Foxhole containing 18a and in Cockington all those fields called the Great Close by South, the Higher Portorway, or Buller’s Field and the Middle Portorway (10a) (124), further added to by Pondparks, North Broad Park, 28a, Great Honiford, Honifords Meadow, Scaddons, Higher Honiford, Little Honiford, the Meadow (125). |