Pilton House, Pilton

Pilton House, near Barnstaple, Devon, built in 1746 by Robert Incledon^[1] (1676-1758)

Crenellated mansion house on or near site of Pilton House, detail from an undocumented^[2] 18th century (?) oil painting (see below) now in the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon, showing a distant view from the west bank of the River Taw, of the adjacent towns of Barnstaple and Pilton

18th century view of Pilton (left) and Barnstaple (right), divided by the small River Yeo, flowing into the broad River Taw (foreground). Left: St Mary's Church, Pilton; Pilton Bridge over the River Yeo. The centrally placed crenellated white mansion house appears to represent Pilton House. Right: St Peter's Church, Barnstaple, with spire; Barnstaple Long Bridge over River Taw. Undocumented^[3] 18th century (?) oil painting now in the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon

Robert Incledon (1676-1758) builder of Pilton House in 1746. Portrait by Studio of Thomas Hudson (1701–1779), collection of Barnstaple Town Council, displayed in Barnstaple Guildhall

Pilton House in the parish of Pilton, near Barnstaple, North Devon, Ex31, is an historic grade II listed Georgian mansion house built in 1746 by Robert Incledon^[1] (1676-1758), twice Mayor of Barnstaple, who was from nearby Braunton. It is situated almost in the centre of the ancient town of Pilton, but had formerly extensive grounds covering at least 20 acres, which extended down "Pilton Lawn", now built over, to the River Yeo. It later served as the residence for various Members of Parliament for Barnstaple, for which it was well suited being only a 10-minute walk from the centre of that town, yet in a secluded situation with extensive grounds, and sufficiently large and grand for entertaining borough officials and electors.

History

No records detailing the history of the site of Pilton House before the 18th century survives on available title deeds.^[4] It is believed to occupy the site of the demolished mediaeval Pilton Priory.^[5] Reed (1985) states that the site was part of the Pilton Priory lands purchased following the Dissolution of the Monasteries by George Rolle (d.1552) of Stevenstone,^[4] founder of the influential and wealthy Rolle family, and quickly re-sold by him in 1545 piecemeal and at a profit.^[6]

Descent

Incledon

Arms of Incledon of Incledon and Buckland in the parish of Braunton, and of Pilton House, North Devon: Argent, a chevron engrailed between three tuns sable fire issuing from the bung hole proper^[7] Quasi-canting arms "incend-tun".

Mural monument in Pilton Church to Christopher Lethbridge (d.1713) of Westaway House, Pilton. Above the inscription are the arms of Robert Incledon (1676-1758) of Pilton House, impaling the arms of his first wife Mary Lethbridge (d.1709), a daughter of Christopher Lethbridge (Argent, over water proper a bridge of five arches embattled gules and over the centre arch a turret in chief an eagle displayed sable charged on the breast with a bezant^[8])

• Robert Incledon (1676-1758). Pilton House was built in 1746 by Robert Incledon (1676-1758), a lawyer of New Inn, London, Clerk of the Peace and Deputy Recorder of Barnstaple^[9] and twice Mayor of Barnstaple, in 1712 and 1721.^[10] He was a member of the local ancient gentry family of de Incledon (later Incledon, pronounced "Ingleton"), which originated at the estate of Incledon, in the parish of Braunton, which family is first recorded in 1160.^[11] He was the younger of the two sons of Lewis III Incledon (1636-1699) of Buckland House, Braunton, about 5 miles to the north-west of Pilton, by his second wife, whom he married at nearby Tawstock, Elizabeth Fane (d.1717), daughter of Hon. Robert Fane of Combe Bank,^[12] Sevenoaks, Kent, 7th son of Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland (1580-1629). Tawstock Court was the seat of Henry Bourchier, 5th Earl of Bath (1593-1654), whose wife was Rachell Fane (d.1681), a daughter of the 1st Earl of Westmorland. Robert's elder brother was Henry Incledon (1671-1736) of Buckland and Incledon, who inherited the paternal estates. Robert Incledon married twice, firstly to Mary Lethbridge (d.1709), daughter of Christopher Lethbridge (d.1713) of Westaway House, Pilton, the latter of whose "big and sumptuous" mural monument survives in Pilton Church,^[13] which marriage was without issue. Secondly to Penelope Sandford, daughter of John Sandford of Ninehead, Somerset.
• Benjamin Incledon (1730-1796), "The Antiquary",^[14] second son and heir by his father's second wife, a genealogist of the ancient gentry families of Devon and historian of the ancient Borough of Barnstaple. He married Margaret Newton (d.1803), second daughter and co-heiress of John Newton of Tiverton. She died at The Castle, Barnstaple, on 8 September 1803.
• Robert Newton Incledon (1761-1846), eldest son and heir who was baptised at Pilton in 1761.^[15] In 1797 he married Elizabeth Beavis (d.1809),^[16] the adopted daughter of Col. Henry Beavis of Yeotown in the nearby parish of Goodleigh. In 1806 he sold Pilton House to James Whyte and built for himself a new country residence at Yeotown,^[4] of which survives today only a castellated lodge with two square towers and a crenellated bow-window.^[17] He left two daughters, including Margaret Incledon, the last of the Incledon family, alive in 1890. The large inscribed grave-slab of Robert and his wife Elizabeth survives in the south aisle of the chancel of Pilton Church.

Whyte

• James Whyte, an Irish gentleman, who purchased Pilton House in 1806 from Robert Newton Incledon (1761-1846).^[4] He expanded the estate by purchasing part of Pilton Lawn, which had been retained by the Rolle family, namely John Rolle, 1st Baron Rolle (d.1842). He also acquired Westaway House within the parish from Sir Thomas Buckler Lethbridge, 2nd Baronet (1778–1849). Whytes Lane, formerly Ratton Row, in Pilton, was named after him.^[18] In 1849, beset by financial difficulties, he put the estate up for sale, Pilton House being then described as:^[4]

"Capital mansion house, offices, coach-house, stabling, lawn, pleasure grounds, gardens, conservatory, fountain and plantations with lodge entrance in Pilton Street, containing approximately 20 acres"

He sold at the same time Westaway House and farm, comprising 42 acres and 40 houses, cottages and gardens with the public house "The Priory Arms", fishing rights in the River Yeo and various other lands amounting to about 137 acres.^[4]

Fraser

The next owner was Sir William Fraser, 4th Baronet (1826-1898), a politician, author and book collector.^[19] He was elected Member of Parliament for Barnstaple (Devon) in 1852 (later unseated following a public enquiry into bribery), and again in 1857, and for Ludlow (Shropshire) in 1863 and for Kidderminster (Warwickshire) in 1894. In 1859 there existed a public house on Pilton Street named after him "The Fraser Arms".^[20]

Williams/Basset

In 1880^[21] Pilton House was the residence of Charles Henry Williams (later known as Charles Henry Basset, from 1880) (1834-1908) also of Westaway House, Pilton, where he operated a model cattle farm,^[22] and of Watermouth Castle all in North Devon. He was a naval and military officer, JP and Deputy Lieutenant for Devon, and was Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Barnstaple, 1868–1874.^[23] He was master of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds between 1887 and 1893. He provided much assistance in establishing the Barnstaple Staghounds, for which purpose he provided Pilton House as occasional accommodation for hounds and hunt staff when hunting in the vicinity.^[22]

Chichester

Major General Hugh Chichester (1836-1896), JP, of the Royal Bengal Artillery,^[24] was the occupant in 1893.^[25] The ancient and prominent Chichester family was originally seated at the manor of Raleigh, adjoining Pilton Priory on the north-east, in the parish of Pilton, and later split into various branches within North Devon. He was the 4th son of Robert Chichester (born 1804), of nearby Hall in the parish of Bishops Tawton, Devon. Hugh's great-grandmother was Amy Incledon (d.1782), eldest daughter of the builder of Pilton House, and wife of Charles Chichester (1723-1798) of Hall.^[26] Moreover, Hugh's grandfather, Amy's eldest son Charles Chichester (1750-1835), had married into the family of Webber, which had inherited Buckland House, the seat of the then extinct senior branch of the Incledon family. Hugh's first son Walter died an infant, his second son Lionel Chichester (1873-1902) was killed at the age of 29 in the Boer War and his third son Cecil Chichester (born 1875), a captain in the Royal Navy, resided in 1937 at Marston Manor, Marston Magna, Somerset.^[24]

Retirement Home

In 1948 the estate was acquired by the Barnstaple Old People's Housing Association and continues in that use in 2014.

Sources

• Reed, Margaret A., Pilton: Its Past and Its People, Barnstaple, 1985
• Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 15th Edition, ed. Pirie-Gordon, H., London, 1937, pp. 2390–1, pedigree of Incledon-Webber of Buckland
• Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pp. 497–9, pedigree of Incledon of Buckland
• Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004

References

1. Reed, Margaret A., Pilton: Its Past and Its People, Barnstaple, 1985, p.143; Listed building text
2. Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon has no information, whether regarding provenance, date or subject matter, on this very large painting hanging on the wall of the first floor, which dominates the staircase of the museum building in Barnstaple. The house depicted is a central element in the composition
3. Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon has no information, whether regarding provenance, date or subject matter, on this very large painting hanging on the wall of the first floor, which dominates the staircase of the museum building in Barnstaple. The house depicted is a central element in the composition
4. Reed, p.143
5. Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p.428
6. Reed, pp.49-52, 143
7. Per Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.497, pedigree of Incledon of Buckland. As visible (with gilded flames) on various mural monuments to the Incledon and Webber families in St Brannock's Church, Braunton and on the frieze of Queen Anne's Walk (Mercantile Exchange, circa 1708), Barnstaple, Devon
8. (Debrett's Peerage, 1967, Lethbridge Baronets, p.497)
9. Vivian, 1895, p.498
10. Lamplugh, Lois, Barnstaple: Town on the Taw, South Molton, 2002, p.15
11. Vivian, 1895, p.497
12. Per inscription on monument to lewis III Incledon, Braunton Church
13. Pevsner, p.629
14. Vivian, 1895, p.499
15. Vivian, p.499
16. Date of death per grave-slab of Robert Newton Incledon and his wife Elizabeth, south aisle of chancel of Pilton Church
17. Pevsner, p.458
18. Reed, p.24
19. Reed, p.144
20. Reed, p.137
21. London Gazette, 15 October 1880, p.5285 "London Gazette, 15 October 1880; Whitehall October 11, 1880
    The Queen has been pleased to grant unto Charles Henry Williams of Pilton House, in the parish of Barnstaple, in the county of Devon, Esq., and to Harriet Mary, his wife, elder of the two daughters of Arthur Davie-Basset of Umberleigh, in the parish of Atherington, and Watermouth Castle in the parish of Berrynarbor, both in the county of Devon, and sister and co-heir of Arthur Crawfurth Davie-Basset of Umberleigh and Watermouth Castle aforesaid, a clerk in Holy Orders, all deceased, her Royal Licence and authority that they may take and henceforth use the surname of Bassett only instead of that of Williams, and that he, the said Charles Henry Williams, may bear the arms of Bassett and that such surname and arms may in like manner be taken, borne and used by the issue of their marriage; such arms being first duly exemplified according to the laws of arms and recorded in the College of Arms, otherwise the said Royal Licence and permission to be void and of none effect. And to command that the said Royal concession and declaration be recorded in Her Majesty's said College of Arms"
22. Lethbridge, Richard, MBE, The Barnstaple Staghounds, Bideford, 2004, pp.7-8
23. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "B" (part 1)
24. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, 15th Edition, ed. Pirie-Gordon, H., London, 1937, p.401, pedigree of Chichester of Hall
25. Reed, p.144, quoting Kelly's Directory, 1893
26. Vivian, p.178, pedigree of Chichester of Hall

Coordinates: 51°05′15″N 4°03′40″W / 51.0875°N 4.0610°W