Leather Industry In Newton Abbot

Aligned with the wool industry the leather industry also thrived in Newton Abbot as shown in an agreement in 1580 between John Hayman and Richard Haymen. Another family which helped the leather trade to flourish were the Vicarys. The industry was still thriving circa 1800 when Moses Vicary was married to Rebecca Duke, a daughter of a wealthy boot and shoe merchant and the Vicary families helped the town to prosper, despite the ceasing of the manufacture in Newton Bushel of serge by 1805.

Leather

Leather


Washing Of Wool And Skins

The Branscombes owned a wool business on the corner of Halcyon Road. In 1787 Samuel Brancombe and Moses Vicary made agreements with the Lords of the Manor to wash wool and skins in the Mill Leat. Later the Samuel Branscombe’s business failed and sold out his wool business to the Vicarys and in 1837 Samuel’s son, who was in the leather industry, sold their tanyard in Bradley Lane to  the Vicarys.

Wool and Sheep

Wool and Sheep


Export Duty On Irish Wool And Cloth Petition

In 1739 the government debated the removal of export duty on Irish wool and cloth and several citizens of Newton Bushel sent a petition protesting against the removal. Following this the Vicary Family became involved in the wool industry and influenced growth. In 1786 after the death of Vicary his ten year old son and wife continued the wool trade.

Wool Industry

Wool Industry

 


Sir William Waller

William Waller married Jane Reynell, daughter of Sir Richard and Lucy Reynell and inherited Forde House. In the 17th Century a battle took place to gain control of the Market between Sir William Waller and the Yardes of Bradley with the control remaining with the Yardes, showing the importance of wool to the area.

Sir William Waller

Sir William Waller


The Building Of Newton Abbot’s Market

Gilbert Yarde inherited the markets and Bradley Manor from Walter Yarde and he built an undercover market in Wolborough Street. Wool continued to be the main commodity with Newton Bushel reputed for producers of Kersey (Coarse Woollen Cloth) or Serge.

Sheep

Sheep


Sir Richard Reynell

Sir Richard Reynell was a lawyer and officer of the Court of Exchequer and was married to Lucy Brandon, daughter of the Chamberlain of the City of London. By 1610 Sir Richard Reynell acquired Forde Manor from the daughters John Graverock’s daughters who also disposed of the whole of the estate of Wolborough Manor.

Sir Richard Reynell

Sir Richard Reynell


Manor of Teignwick

By 1533 Bradley Manor and the Manor of Teignwick had passed to Thomas Yarde and when John Gaverock died Thomas Yarde acquired control of  the Manor and Borough of Newton Abbot at a cost of £284 0s 11d.

Teignwick and Newton Abbot

Teignwick and Newton Abbot


Wolborough Street

John Gaverock lived in the manor house in Wolborough Street until he owned the town and then he built Forde House and became known as John Gaverock of Forde.

Wolborough Street

Wolborough Street


John Gaverock of Newton Abbot

In 1539 King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and as a consequence the Abbots lost control of Newton Abbot. In 1545 the town of Newton Abbot came into the possession of John Gaverock, a former Abbot’s steward for a cost of £592 14s 2d, and the King was satisfied with his credentials and thereafter the town was in private hands. John Gaverock built a new manorial home at Forde.

Forde House

Forde House

Forde, Newton Abbot

Forde, Newton Abbot


Fellmongering In Newton Abbot

On the north side of the River Lemon lies Bradley Manor and after the male line of the Bushels died out in 1402 the manor was in the possession of the Yarde family. Wool was important as there were six mills on the estate, three fellmongering (stripping the wool from a sheep) mills and three corn mills.

Fellmongering

Fellmongering


Wool History

Half of the villages were wiped out in the Black Death of 1348 and reduced the manpower available for tilling the soil so landowners concentrated on producing sheep, which was less labour intensive. The reduced number of labourers also meant raised status for the labourer. Wool was an important source of income and sometimes the King called upon the assembly of  leading wool merchants to pay a levy for exported wool. The burghers were citizens of a borough or town, especially one belonging to middle class and were sued by the Abbot of Torre in 1411 for the refusal to collect tolls from the market or fairs. Although the Abbot was successful he lost other revenue and authority over the people of Newton Abbot.

Abbots of Torre:

William Norton 1382 to 1412

Mathew Yarde 1412 to 1414

William Mychel 1414 to 1442

William Norton is buried in St Bartholomew’s Church, East Ogwell

St Bartholomew's Church, East Ogwell

St Bartholomew’s Church, East Ogwell


History Of Markets In Newton Abbot

Teignwick Manor was granted a Charter in 1246 for a weekly market on Triangle Hill and a further Charter was granted in 1331. In the 13th century, Teignwick Manor was renamed Newton Bushel, after Robert Bushel, who was then Lord of the Manor. Also four consecutive days of fairs twice a year were also granted on the feasts of Ascension and All Saints. At the markets and fairs were local produce, wares and cloths from traders in the surrounding area, together with entertainment such as plays, racing, wrestling and dancing.

Wool Market

Wool Market


All Saint’s Church, Highweek, Newton Abbot

Highweek’s All Saint’s Church was built in 1428 by Richard Yarde and burials were prohibited so that coffins had to be taken to the mother church at Kingsteignton.

All Saints Church, Highweek, Newton Abbot

All Saints Church, Highweek, Newton Abbot


Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot

Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot

Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot

Courtenay Street, Newton Abbot


Wolborough And The Birth Of Newton Abbot

On the South side of the River Lemon further development took place in Wolborough, which had existed before the Domesday record and it is thought the Manor House was located on the site of Wolborough Barton, on the hill beside Wolborough Church.

Wolborough records go back to the reign of King Richard I, who was imprisoned by Leopold, Duke of Austria who demanded a ransom.

William Brewer inherited Wolborough Manor from his father Ralph de Bruere.

William Brewer was the Lord of the Manor of Torre and Justiciar and had the responsibility to raise the money for the King’s ransom. William was only able to raise 70,000 Marks, so the Duke of Austria demanded 67 hostages from the nobility of England to guarantee the remainder of the ransom of 150,000 Marks. William Brewer’s son was one of the hostages.

The Duke of Austria was fatally wounded; fortunately the Austrian Church had previously persuaded the Duke to release the captives, even though the full ransom had not been paid. Consequently, the Austrian Church sent representatives to Torbay in 1196 and they were allowed to construct Torre Abbey on land owned by William Brewer to be occupied by the Austrian Abbots of Torre, with financial support from William Brewer.

From then on the Manor of Wolborough became known as the new town of Abbot, hence Newton Abbot.

St. Paul's Church, Wolborough, Newton Abbot

St. Paul’s Church, Wolborough, Newton Abbot


Teignwick, Lord of the Manor

If the Lord of the Manor fell out of favour with the King the land reverted back to the King, as in the case of Teignwick’s Lord of the Manor, William of Montaine, which occurred during the reign of King Henry I. Teignwick was presented to Lucas, King Henry II’s butler and subsequently passed to Lucas’ son, John Fitz-Lucas.

By 1205 Teignwick had once again reverted to the crown, as King John granted the Manor of Teignwick to the widow of Lucas’s grandson, Eustacia de Courtenay. Following the death of Eustacia de Courtenay, King Henry III gave Teignwick to Theobald de Englishville.

Theobald de Englishville was granted a charter, for a market, to rent land and to inflict capital punishment.

  • The Charter was for a weekly market, held on land behind St. Mary’s in Highweek Street, known as Triangle Hill and later corrupted to Trigle Hill and then Treacle Hill.
  • Theobald was given permission to lease land near the banks of the River Lemon from which he could draw rents.
  • Theobald erected his gallows at Forches Cross.

These rights were conferred outright to him and his heirs in 1247 in return for an annual nominal sum. Childless, Theobald adopted his sister’s son in 1262, Robert Bushel as his heir, which is where Newton Bushell comes from.

In 1269, Robert Bushel was succeeded by his 4 year old son Theobald, whose mother had already died, and Theobald was placed in the guardianship of Henry and Matila de Bickleigh, tenants of Bradley Manor, and as a consequence became the Manor House of Teignwick, up until the last male heir in 1402.

Forches Cross

Forches Cross