Feudal barony of Berry Pomeroy

The feudal barony of Berry Pomeroy was one of eight^[1] feudal baronies in Devonshire which existed during the mediaeval era, and had its caput at the manor of Berry Pomeroy, 20 miles south of the City of Exeter and 2 miles east of the town of Totnes, where was situated Totnes Castle, the caput of the feudal barony of Totnes. The exact location of the 11th-century baron's residence is unclear, perhaps it was next to the parish church on the site of the present former rectory known as Berry House,^[2][3] as it is now believed that the present surviving nearby ruined Berry Pomeroy Castle was not built until the 15th century.^[4] The manor and barony was owned by the Pomeroy family from before 1086 until 1547 when it was purchased by Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, in whose family it has since remained and today the manor and much of the former estate belongs to his descendant the Duke of Somerset, seated at Maiden Bradley House in Wiltshire.

Descent

Pomeroy

Arms of de la Pomeroy, adopted at the start of the age of heraldry, c. 1215: Or, a lion rampant gules within a bordure engrailed sable

The descent of the de la Pomeroy family is as follows:^[5]

• Ralph de Pomeroy (d. pre-1100), feudal baron of Berry, Domesday Book holder in 1086.
• William de Pomeroy (d. pre-1114), eldest son and heir,^[6] who in 1102 donated the manor of Berry (Pomeroy) to Gloucester Abbey, which during the abbacy of Serlo (d.1104)^[7] was redeemed by his brother Joscelin in exchange for Seldene^[8] (alias "Seldenam", in Devon).^[9] He donated 1/4 of a knight's fee in St Omer in Normandy to the "Abbey of Val in St Omer".^[10] He died without progeny at some time before 1114.
• Joscelin (Gozeline) de Pomeroy (d. post-1123) (younger brother and heir). He refounded the "Abbey of Val in St Omer" in the diocese of Bayeux, Normandy, to which in 1125 he gave the churches of Berry (Pomeroy), "Braordin" and "Clisson" in Devon with others elsewhere, and also a small estate and tithe of a mill in La Pommeraye.^[11] He married a certain Emma, who consented to her husbanmds grants of 1125.
• Henry I de Pomeroy (fl.1156, died pre-1165) (son), Constable of Normandy,^[5] a household knight of King Henry I (1100-1135) and named as one of the king's household constables in the Constitutio Domus Regis. He was a leader of the king's household troops on several occasions, notably in 1124 at the Battle of Bourgtheroulde, about ten miles southwest of Rouen.^[12] He married Rohesia, sister of Reginald de Dunstanville, 1st Earl of Cornwall (c. 1110 – 1 July 1175), both illegitimate progeny of King Henry I (1100-1135) by his mistress Sybilla Corbet, a daughter and co-heiress of Sir Robert Corbet lord of the manor of Alcester, Warwickshire,^[13] who was at some time the wife of "Herbert the King's Chamberlain".^[14] Rohesia received a grant from her brother the Earl of Cornwall addressed in Latin to Rohes de Pomereia sorori mea ("Rohesia de Pomeroy my sister"), of the manor of "Ridwari" in Cornwall.^[15]
• Henry II de Pomeroy (d.1201/7). Following his death his estates were assigned by King John to the custody of William Brewer until 1210 when his heir raised 600 marks for his feudal relief.^[16]
• Henry III de Pomeroy (d.1222) (son), married Joan de Vautort (Valletort), a daughter and in her issue co-heir of Roger II de Vautort (d.1207), feudal baron of Totnes from 1206.^[17]
• Henry IV de Pomeroy (1211-1237)
• Henry V de Pomeroy (d.1281), under age in the 21st year of the reign of Henry III (1236/1237). He confirmed his ancestor's grants to Ford Abbey. In 1259 he was ordered by royal summons to be at Salop with horse and arms against Llewellyn ap Griffith. He married a certain Isolda, a widow, who survived him and on the 27th April in the 21st year of Edward I (27th April 1293) held as her dower 1/3 of Berry and Stockleigh Pomeroy^[18]
• Sir Henry VI de Pomeroy (1266-1305), (son). He was born at Tregony,^[18] Cornwall. Obtained a quarter of the feudal barony of Totnes in 1305 when the inheritance of his cousin Roger III de Vautort (1275-1305) reverted to the crown.^[17] He married in 1281 to Amicia de Camville, daughter of Sir Geoffrey de Camville. She survived her husband and in 1325 held the manor of Stockley Pomeroy in dower.
• Sir Henry VII de Pomeroy (1291-1327) (son), married Johanna de Moels, daughter of John de Moels, Baron Moels.
• Sir Henry VIII (d.1373), (son), married Elizabeth, widow of Oliver Carminow of Cornwall.^[19]
• Sir John de Pomeroy (1347-1416), married Johanna de Merton, daughter and co-heir of Richard de Merton and widow successively of Sir James Chudleigh (whose 1st wife had been his sister Johanna de Pomeroy) and John Bampfield of Poltimore,^[20] The marriage was without progeny. His heir was his nephew John Cole, son of his sister Margaret, and his niece Johanna Chudleigh (1376-1423), daughter of his sister Johanna.
• Edward I de Pomeroy (d.1446). On the death in 1426 of Johanna Chudleigh's husband, a certain "Sir Thomas Pomeroy" (whose ancestry is unclear), the manor of Berry was inherited by Edward de Pomeroy (d.1446), first cousin of Sir John de Pomeroy (d.1416). Edward was Sheriff of Devon in 1431. He married Margaret Bevile (d.1461), daughter of John Bevile
• Henry IX de Pomeroy (1416-1481) (son), married Alice Raleigh, daughter of John Raleigh of Fardell, Devon. His eldest son Sir Seintclere de Pomeroy (d.1471) predeceased his father without issue.

Armorial of Denzell: Sable, a mullet in chief and a crescent in base argent. These arms survive sculpted in stone on the monument to Sir Richard de Pomeroy (1442-1496), in Berry Pomeroy Church

• Sir Richard de Pomeroy (1442-1496), KB, knighted by King Henry VII, Sheriff of Devon in 1473. He married Elizabeth Densell (d.1508), daughter and co-heiress of Richard Densell of Weare Giffard and Filleigh, Devon, and widow of Martin Fortescue (d.1472), of Wimpstone, Modbury, whose family inherited both those manors. The Palladian mansion Castle Hill, Filleigh was long the seat of the Earls Fortescue and is still owned by descendants of that family. The monument to himself and his wife survives in Berry Pomeroy Church, but is missing all its original monumental brasses, robbed before 1701, as described by the biographer Rev. John Prince (1643–1723), for many years vicar of Berry Pomeroy:^[21]

  As for any monuments raised over the graves or sepulchres of the dead relating to this family there is only one remaining, now robbed of its former splendour. It is an altar-tomb under an arch in the north wall of the chancel raised near breast-high covered with a fair table of green marble which was sometime inlay'd with a coat of arms and a motto under of gilded brass or copper. On a rough marble stone about six foot long and three deep fastened in the wall over the tomb and under the canopy were inlaid in like manner the effigies of four several persons in large proportion with labels proceeding out of their mouths. Also four smaller figures between as many escotcheons, (sic) all of gilded brass or copper. Which are long since become the prey of some greedy or childish hand. At the east end of this monument is Pomerai impailed with Denzil, at the west end single, which shew it was raised to the memory of Sir Richard Pomeroy and his lady, who was the daughter and heir of Denzil. The arch is finely fretted and flowered.

  The church was rebuilt during Sir Richard's tenure.^[22]
• Sir Edward II de Pomeroy (1478-1538), married Johanna Sapcot, daughter of Sir John Sapcote.
• Sir Thomas Pomeroy (1503-1566), (son), married Jone Edgcumbe, daughter of Sir Piers Edgcumbe of Mount Edgcumbe. On 1 December 1547 he sold the castle, park and manor of Berry Pomeroy to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset^[23] who gave it to his eldest son from his first marriage, Lord Edward Seymour (1529–1593). Sir Piers Edgcumbe was the feudal baron of nearby Totnes, which barony he sold to Lord Edward Seymour,^[24] which enabled him to consolidate the two adjacent estates. Sir Thomas Pomeroy's son Thomas Pomeroy (1543-1615) lived at "Bingley", probably the modern Beenleigh, Harbertonford,^[25] in the parish of Harberton, Devon. The Devon historian Hoskins describes Beenleigh as situated beside the Harbourne River, "substantially a 15th. century mansion with a hall and primitive gatehouse".^[26] His son Valentine Pomeroy lived at Sandridge in the parish of Stoke Gabriel, which two seats appear to have been the family's residences until at least the early 18th century.^[27] An apparent member of this family was Arthur Pomeroy (1723-1798), who married an Irish wife and was created Viscount Harberton in 1791.^[28] Sandridge passed by inheritance to the Gilbert family of Compton Castle and was sold by them to John Dunning, 1st Baron Ashburton (1731–1783), whose widow in 1805^[29] rebuilt a villa rustica country house on the site.^[30]

Seymour

Arms of Seymour of Berry Pomeroy: Gules, two wings conjoined in lure or. The Seymour line of Berry Pomeroy did not inherit the special grant of arms made to the 1st Duke of Somerset,^[31] which descended to the children from his second marriage

Monument to Lord Edward Seymour (d.1593), and to his son and daughter-in-law, Berry Pomeroy Church: *Top step: Lord Edward Seymour (d. 1593) *Middle step: Sir Edward Seymour, 1st Baronet (d.1613) (son) *Bottom step: Elizabeth Champernowne, wife of 1st Baronet *Base: Children of Sir Edward & Elizabeth

The descent of Berry Pomeroy in the Seymour family is as follows:^[32]

• Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (c.1500-1552), who on 1 December 1547 purchased the castle, park and manor of Berry Pomeroy from Sir Thomas Pomeroy (1503-1566).
• Lord Edward Seymour (1529–1593), of Berry Pomeroy, son by first marriage, Sheriff of Devon. Married Margaret Walsh, a daughter and co-heir of John Welsh of Cathanger,^[33] Fivehead, Somerset, Justice of the Common Pleas in 1563.
• Sir Edward Seymour, 1st Baronet (c.1563-1613), son. Member of Parliament for Devon and twice Sheriff of Devon. He married Elizabeth Champernowne, daughter of Sir Arthur Champernowne, of nearby Dartington, Devon. He spent a large amount of money extending Berry Pomeroy Castle,^[34] particularly with the addition of the north range in about 1600.^[35] His monument erected after 1613 exists in Berry Pomeroy Church, which shows three tiers of effigies representing his father, himself and his wife and children.
• Sir Edward Seymour, 2nd Baronet (c.1580-1659) (son). MP for Penryn and Newport and other seats. He married Dorothy Killegrew daughter of Sir Henry Killigrew, of Laroch. He was a Royalist in the Civil War during which he and his son were captured at Plymouth.
• Sir Edward Seymour, 3rd Baronet (1610–1688) (son). MP for Devon and Totnes. Deputy Lieutenant and Vice-Admiral of Devon. In 1688 following the Glorious Revolution he entertained at Berry Pomeroy William of Orange,^[36] who had recently landed at Torbay. After his death an inventory of Berry Pomeroy Castle was drawn up. He married Anne Portman (d. 1695), daughter of Sir John Portman, 1st Baronet, of Orchard Portman, Somerset.
• Sir Edward Seymour, 4th Baronet (1633–1708) (son) was Speaker of the House of Commons. He married Margaret Wale (who died before 1674), the daughter of Sir William Wale, of North Lappenham, Rutland, an Alderman of London. He moved his principal residence to Bradley House, Maiden Bradley in Wiltshire, and Berry Pomeroy was abandoned.^[37]
• Sir Edward Seymour, 5th Baronet (1663–1741), MP, (son). He married Laetitia Popham (d. 1738), daughter of Sir Francis Popham, of Littlecote, Wiltshire.
• Edward Seymour, 8th Duke of Somerset (1694–1757) (son). He inherited the dukedom from his distant Seymour cousin. Henceforth the descent of Berry Pomeroy follows the descent of the Dukes of Somerset.

In 1829 Edward St Maur, 11th Duke of Somerset (1775-1855) purchased Stover House,^[38] Teigngrace, Devon, possibly as a base from which to administer his continuing Berry Pomeroy and Totnes estates.

References

Sources

• Powley, E.B. The House of De La Pomerai, Liverpool, 1944
• Prince, Rev. John, Worthies of Devon (1701), 1810 edition, pp. 645–9, Pomerai, Sir Henry, Lord of Biry
• Sanders, I.J. English Baronies, Oxford, 1960, pp. 106–7, Berry Pomeroy
• Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitation of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pp. 605–9, Pomeroy
• Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, Book I, pp.1-33, Baronies, pp.17-20, Biry
• Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, pp.361-4, The Baronies of this County and how many Knight's Fees were held of the Honours, with the Ensigns of their Ancient Owners, p.362
• Pomeroy, Albert A., History and Genealogy of the Pomeroy Family, 3 parts, Detroit, USA, 1922, part 3