Bowden, Ashprington

Bowden House, Ashprington, Devon

Bowden is an historic estate in the parish of Ashprington, near Totnes in Devon, England. The present Georgian mansion house known as Bowden House is a grade I listed building.^[1]

Descent

Juhel/Vautort

Bowden is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, but it is thought to have been within the large royal manor of Chillington. A part of this manor was Harberton, granted by King Henry I to Roger de Nonant. It later became the caput of the feudal barony of Harberton whose barons were the Vautort family. The Barony of Harberton received half of the lands stripped by the king from from Juhel de Totnes (died 1123/30), first feudal baron of Totnes, before he became feudal baron of Barnstaple. Amongst the holdings of the barony of Harberton was Bothon, Bodeton, Boghedon (Bowden).^[2]

de Bowden

In 1314 Bowden was held from the feudal baron overlord by John de Bowdon,^[3] whose family took their name from the estate.

Pomeroy

Arms of de la Pomeroy, feudal barons of Berry Pomeroy, Devon: Or, a lion rampant gardant gules armed and langued azure within a bordure engrailed sable

The de la Pomeroy family were feudal barons of Berry Pomeroy,^[4] seated at Berry Pomeroy Castle near Totnes, built by Radulfus de Pomerei (Ralph de Pomeroy), from La Pommeraye, Calvados, Normandy,^[5] listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding Berie^[6] in demesne with 57 other manors.

• Henry IX de la Pomeroy (1416-1481), whose second wife was Anna (or Amy) Cammel, daughter of Robert Cammel of Tittleford, Dorset, and widow firstly of Henry Barrett of Whiteparish, Wiltshire^[7] and secondly of Thomas Gyll of Loddiswell, Devon. "A succession of records suggest that she brought Bowden to the Pomeroy's, along with 3 generations of chancery suits brought by the Gyll heirs".^[8]
• Thomas Pomeroy (d.1493), 3rd son by his father's first wife Alice Raleigh.^[9] He was in possession of Bowden after 1487.^[10] In 1491 he entered into a bond summarised as follows:^[11]

Thomas Pomerey de Bowden, Esq., to William, Prior of Tottenesse and Convent. In £100. To abide the arbitration of Richard Lord Bishop of Exeter on all causes depending between them.

He married Agnes Kelloway (d.1518), great-grand-daughter of his step-mother Anna Cammell, and daughter of John Kelloway, son of John Kelloway of Sherborne, Dorset, by his wife Johanna Barrett, daughter of Henry Barrett of Whiteparish, Wiltshire, by his wife Anna Cammell.^[12] In 1478 John Kelloway settled various lands on his daughter Agnes and her husband Thomas Pomeroy.^[13] The Inquisition post mortem of Agnes states her to have died seized of Bowden Manor in Totnes Magna.^[14]

• Richard Pomeroy (fl.1531) of Bowden and of Rousdon, Devon, son and heir, who married Eleanor Coker, daughter of John Coker of Mappowder ("Maypowder"), Dorset.^[15] An heraldic escutcheon showing the arms of Pomeroy impaling Coker (Argent, on a bend gules three leopard's faces or) existed at one time in Bowden House, as recorded in a Roll of Arms made by Sir George Carew.^[16] Richard Pomeroy had a son Henry Pomeroy, who married Agnes Huckmore, daughter and heiress of William Huckmore. The marriage settlement commences: "in consideration of a marriage to be had, celebrated and solemnized between Henry Pomerey, son and heir apparent of Richard Pomerey of Bowdon, esquire, and Agnes,

daughter of the said William Hokemore".^[17] Richard Pomeroy sold Bowden to John Giles (d.1552/3) of Totnes and his son William Giles.

Giles

• John Giles (d.1552/3), who in 1542 with his son William, purchased from Francis Knollys for the sum of £800 the manor of Ashprington. Also with William in 1543 he purchased from Richard Pomeroy premises in Magna Totnes, Bowden in Totnes, Tybecombe, & Asprington. The purchase was not without legal difficulties as at some time between 1544–51, with his son William and with Richard Pomeroy, he brought a lawsuit in Chancery against against "Nicholas the grandson & heir of John Carsewell, Esq, & William Webber (Webster) his father-in-law, 'a grete captayne and rebell in the late commocyon in the weste partyes', for detention & forgery of Deeds relating to messuages & lands called Bowden".^[18] He was a merchant in Totnes, a Mercer and Merchant Stapler, reputed to have been the wealthiest man in Devon in his time. He was Mayor of Totnes in 1517-18 and in 1529 was elected the first Member of Parliament for the Borough of Totnes.^[19] He married Ellinor Towkerman.^[20]
• William Giles of Totnes, who together with his father purchased the estate.^[21] He married Joane Blackall, daughter of John Blackall (alias Blackaller) of Totnes.^[22]
• John Giles (d.1606), son, who married Agnes Stucley, a daughter of Sir Hugh Stucley (1496-1559) of Affeton, Devon,^[23] Sheriff of Devon in 1545.^[24] He purchased the adjoining estate of Sharpham also in the parish of Ashprington, from Edward Drewe.^[25] He was buried at nearby Dean Prior, Devon.^[26]
• Sir Edward Giles (1566-1637), son, MP for Totnes, of Dean Court, Dean Prior, Devon, possessor of Bowden at the time of the writing of the manuscript on the history of Devon by Sir William Pole (d.1635).^[27] He was knighted in 1603 and married Mary Drewe, daughter and heiress of Edmond Drewe of Hayne, Newton St Cyres, near Crediton, Devon, and widow of Walter Northcote (1566-1587), younger brother of John Northcote (1570-1632) of Uton and Hayne, Newton St Cyres, the latter who was ancestor of the Northcote Baronets and the Earls of Iddesleigh. He died without progeny and was buried in St George's Church, Dean Prior,^[28] where survives his monument erected in 1642.^[29]
• Richard Giles (1581-1648), first cousin, son of William Giles (d.1581), 2nd son of William Giles and Joane Blackall. He married Dorothy Carew (d.1662), daughter of "Peter Carew",^[30] possibly Peter Carew of Bickleigh Castle, near Tiverton, Devon.^[31]
• Peter Giles (d.1653), son, who died unmarried.^[32]
• Edward Giles (d.1669), younger brother, who married Mary Burthogg (sister of Richard Burthogge (1637/38–1705) of Devon, a physician, magistrate and philosopher), by whom he had a daughter Elizabeth Giles (d.1663/4), who predeceased him^[33] and another daughter and sole heiress Mary Giles who survived him, the wife of Sir Richard Gipps (1659-1708), Knight, of Suffolk.^[34]

Gipps

• Sir Richard Gipps (1659-1708) of Great Whelnetham, Suffolk, was Master of the Revels at Gray's Inn and a historian of the county of Suffolk. In 1704 he sold Bowden to Nicholas Trist (1668-1741).^[35]

Trist

The Trist family owned Bowden for several generations^[36] until about 1800.^[37]

• Nicholas Trist (1668-1741), who in 1704 purchased Bowden from Sir Richard Gipps.^[38] In 1722 Nicholas Trist effected major alterations to the mansion house, which produced the surviving Georgian east and south fronts.^[39]
• Browse Trist (c.1699-1777), son^[40]
• Hore Browse Trist (c.1736-80), son^[41]
• Rev. Browse Trist (c.1742-91), brother, who died leaving three daughters as his co-heiresses, who in about 1800 sold Bowden to William Adams (1752–1811), MP.^[42]

Adams

Arms of Adams of Tunstall: Or, a lion rampant^[43] between six cross crosslets within a bordure engrailed sable^[44]

• William Adams (1752-1811). Bowden was acquired in about 1800^[45] from the Trist family by the merchant William Adams (1752-1811), MP for Plympton Erle (1796-1801) and for Totnes (1801-1811),^[46] who made it his seat.^[47] He was the eldest son of William Adams of Totnes by his wife Mary Chadder, daughter of William Chadder. In 1774 he married Anna Maria Dacres, daughter of Richard Dacres of Leatherhead, Surrey, by whom he has 2 sons and 2 daughters.^[48] He was made a freeman of Totnes in 1779, of which borough he was thrice elected mayor, and was appointed to the honourable position of recorder in 1807. He was probably a partner in the Totnes General Bank of Adams and Company.^[49] The armorials of Adams appear in the plasterwork of the main reception room of the east front.^[50] He was descended from the same family origin as Nicholas Adams (d.1584) of Townstal (alias Tunstall), Dartmouth, Devon, Member of Parliament for West Looe 1547, and four times for Dartmouth, twice in 1553, and twice in 1554. Nicholas Adams was from an ancient Somerset family formerly seated at Charlton Adam, 4 miles north of Ilchester.^[51]

William Dacres Adams (1775-1862), portrait by his friend Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830). Berger Collection

• William Dacres Adams (1775-1862), eldest son and heir, Private Secretary to two Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, namely Pitt the Younger, 1804–06 and the Duke of Portland, 1807-09. He was Commissioner of Woods and Forests (1811-1834). He married the daughter and heiress of Mayow Wynell Mayow (d.1807) of Old House, Sydenham, Kent. He inherited from his wife the Old House estate which he made his seat. He allowed Bowden to be occupied by his younger brother, Lt-Gen. Sir George Pownall Adams (1779-1856) during his lifetime.^[52]
• Rev. Dacres Adams (1806–71), eldest surviving son and heir.^[53]
• Rev. William Fulford Adams (1833-1912), son, who in 1887 sold Bowden to Sir Mortimer Singer (d.1929)^[54]

Singer

• Sir Mortimer Singer (1863-1929), who purchased Bowden in 1887, was the eldest son of the American Isaac Singer, founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, the latter who in 1873 built Oldway House in Paignton, Devon, later greatly expanded by his son and Sir Mortimer's brother, Paris Singer, in imitation of the Palace of Versailles.^[55]

Descent c.1914-1990

In about 1914 Bowden was purchased by Montague Bush, who sold it to Robert William Campbell-Davidson (fl. 1923). In World War II it was requisitioned for use by the US Army, and was later used as a special school. In the 1960s it was purchased by the Harvey family, which in 1976 sold it to Christopher and Belinda Petersen, who in 1990 sold it to the Bowden House Community.^[56]

Bowden House Community

The Bowden House Community, present day owner and occupier of Bowden House and grounds, is a "group of families and individuals developing conscious, authentic and eco-mindful living within a culture of singing, working, eating, gardening, celebrating and learning together".^[57]

Sources

• Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitation of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p. 409, pedigree of Giles of Bowden
• Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p. 166, Bowden, Ashprington
• Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p. 293, Bowedon
• Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, pp. 195–6, Bowden House
• Burke, John, Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland Enjoying Territorial Possessions or High Official Rank but Uninvested with Heritable Honours, 4 volumes (1833-1838), Vol. 4, ("Small Paper Edition"), London, 1838, pp. 434–4, Adams of Bowden

References