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Acland, Landkey

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Coordinates: 51°04′30″N 4°00′30″W / 51.0749°N 4.0082°W / 51.0749; -4.0082
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Acland Barton in 2013, classed as a Grade I Listed Building in 1965.[1] The whitewashed and rendered part is the mediaeval chapel wing
Acland Barton, 1851 watercolour by Edward Ashworth showing the mediaeval chapel wing[2]
Arms of Acland: Chequy argent and sable, a fesse gules

The estate of Acland (alias Accelana,[3] Akeland[4] etc.) in the parish of Landkey, near Barnstaple in North Devon, was from 1155 the earliest known seat of the influential and wealthy family of Acland,[5] to which it gave the surname de Acland.[6] It is situated about 3/4 mile north-east of the village of Landkey, from which it is now cut off by the busy A361 North Devon Link Road. The estate is likely originally to have been named after its first Saxon holder named Acca.[7] The estate was held under the feudal tenure of socage[8] from the manor of Bishop's Tawton (in which was situated the parish of Landkey), one of the possessions of the See of Exeter.[9] The house contained its own domestic chapel, licensed by the Bishop of Exeter.[10] In 1644 the family which originated here was created Acland Baronets. The Devon historian Risdon (died 1640) stated regarding the parish of Landkey: In this parish is Acland, pleasantly situated against the south in the side of a hill which hath given name to its ancient dwellers who have continued in that place from King Henry the second unto theis present time, of which lineage five of the first were called Baldwin[3] The family's historian Anne Acland (Lady Acland, wife of Sir Richard Thomas Dyke Acland, 15th Baronet (1906–1990)) stated (1981): "However the name is spelt, there is no branch of the enormous family which does not stem from the tree which first took root at Acland Barton". By the end of the 12th century the Aclands of Acland held an estate of about 400 acres of land.[8] In the opinion of Hoskins (1981), based on its early and repeated use of the Flemish firstname of Baldwin, the Acland family probably migrated to England from Flanders soon after the Norman Conquest[11] of 1066. It was in the late 20th century probably the oldest surviving landed family in Devon, which by the 19th century possessed a huge estate in the West Country of almost 40,000 acres.[12] In the 17th century the former mansion house of the estate was abandoned as a family residence by the Aclands, who moved to their estate of Killerton, near Exeter, where they built a grand country house, but Acland was retained in the family's ownership and let to tenants. The house thereafter became known as Acland Barton. The house served for many generations as a farmhouse, let to tenants by the Acland family,[10] and in 1945 was sold to the tenant by Sir Richard Thomas Dyke Acland, 15th Baronet (1906–1990).[13] In 1917 about 8,000 acres of the Acland family's estate at Holnicote on Exmoor had been given by Sir Charles Thomas Dyke Acland, 12th Baronet (1842–1919) to the National Trust.[14]

Description of house

Acland Barton and Chapel were classed as a Grade I Listed Building in 1965.[1] The house was completely rebuilt in the 15th century, and included its own private domestic chapel, licensed by the Bishop of Exeter.[10] The date 1591 survives carved onto the wooden porch,[15] and represents the modernisation and rebuilding of the house at that date by Hugh Acland (1543–1622),[16] who lived at Acland his whole life.[17] This involved the insertion into the great hall of a ceiling with room above, thus lowering the height of the house's principal room.[18] The hall's wooden screen and screens passage survives.

The surviving structure is the main range and west wing of the Tudor house. The windows of the main range are later alterations.[19]

Descent

The descent of the estate of Acland as reported by John Acland in the Heraldic Visitation (1531, 1564 or 1620) of Devon was as follows:[20]

  • Baldwin I Eccelin
  • Baldwin II Acalan (son)
  • William de Acalan (son), who married Sara de la Pile, daughter and heiress of John de la Pile. The ancient estate of Pill is situated within the manor of Bishop's Tawton.[21]
  • Baldwin III de Akelane (son), living in 1320
  • John I Akelane (son), who married a certain Agneta, of unrecorded family
  • John II Akelane of Akelane (son), who married Alicia Hawkridge, daughter and heiress of William Hawkridge of Hawkridge in the parish of Chittlehampton, Devon, about 4½ miles south-east of Acland. The Acland family retained the estate of Hawkridge for many generations and it descended to a junior branch of the family.[22][23] It was either John II or his father John I who fought in the Hundred Years' War as recorded by Pole (died 1635) in his list of "Men of best note and which have either in warre or peace bine employed in this countye" as follows:[24]

"John Akland of Akland served in France anno 9 of King Rich 2 (i.e. 1385) which appeareth by his deede made unto c'tain feoffees dated the same year, expressinge a condition for moneys to be raised for payment for his redempcion yf it happened that hee were taken prisoner, and a frustrating of the deed upon his retorne"

  • Baldwin IV Akelane (son), who married Joane Rivertor (sic) (Riverton?), daughter and heiress of William Rivertor (sic) (Riverton?). Today's estate of Riverton in the parish of Swimbridge, is situated 3 miles south-east of Acland, and was owned by the Acland family as is revealed in the 1726 survey of the family's landholdings, where it is listed as "Riverton Manor", comprising several properties let to several tenants.[25]
  • Robert Akelane of Akelane (son), who married Cicely Hawkworthy, daughter and co-heiress of Robert Hawkworthy.
  • Baldwin V Akelane (son), who married Jone Prideaux, daughter and co-heiress of Sir John (or William[26]) Prideaux of Adeston in the parish of Holbeton, Devon.[27] The family of Prideaux of Prideaux in Cornwall was one of the leading gentry families in the south-west.
  • John III Akelane of Akelane (son), who married Elizabeth Fortescue, daughter of John Fortescue (died 1538) of Spridleston, Brixton, Devon. The Fortescues of Spridleston were a junior branch of the leading Devon family of Fortescue of Wympstone in the parish of Modbury, later seated at Filleigh and created Earl Fortescue.[28] His eldest son and heir was John IV Akeland (died 1539), who predeceased his father, having married Elizabeth Hext, daughter of Thomas Hext of Kingston, Devon. His own son was John V Akeland, who also predeceased his father, having married Elizabeth Cruwys, daughter of John Cruwys of Cruwys Morchard, Devon, another especially ancient Devon family. John V Acland's 2nd son was Anthony Acland (died 1568), to whom was given the estate of Hawkridge, where he established his own branch of the family.[29] In the surviving former "mansion" of Hawkridge survives a plaster overmantle showing the arms of Acland impaling Tremayne, representing the tenure of Anthony's great grandson Baldwin Acland (died 1659) who in 1615 married Elizabeth Tremayne.[30]
John Acland (died 1553) of Acland. 1554 Portrait by unknown artist. Collection of Killerton House, Devon, property of National Trust
  • John VI Akeland (1522–1553) (great-grandson, eldest son of John V Acland), described as "the first of the (Acland) family to emerge from the shadows of history as a visible human being".[31] Little if anything is known of his life and career, he was possibly a minor Tudor official,[32] but he is chiefly remembered for his surviving portrait which is displayed at Killerton House, the earliest surviving image of an Acland and the most cherished in that family's former collection,[32] He married Margaret Radcliff, a daughter and co-heiress of Hugh Radcliff of Stepney, near London.[33] His 2nd son was Sir John Acland (d.14 Feb 1620), knighted at the Tower of London 15 November 1603/4, MP for Devon in 1604, Sheriff of Devon in 1608. He purchased the estate of Columb John in the parish of Broadclyst, Devon. He is one of John Prince's Worthies of Devon".
  • Hugh Acland (c. 1543 – 1622) (eldest son & heir) of Acland, eldest son and heir, Sheriff of Devon in 1611. At the age of about 70 he became heir to his wealthy and childless younger brother, Sir John Acland of Columb John, Broadclyst. He was buried in Landkey Church on 22 May 1622.[34] He married Margaret Monke (died 1619), a daughter of Thomas Monke of Potheridge, Merton in Devon, great-grandfather of George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle (1608–1670).[35] Thomas Monke's first wife and Margaret's mother was Frances Plantagenet, a daughter of Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle[36] (died 1542) an illegitimate son of King Edward IV. Lisle had become connected with Devon following his 2nd marriage to Honor Grenville a Devonshire lady whose first husband had been Sir John Bassett,[37] (1462–1529) of Umberleigh, Devon, 4 1/2 miles due south of Acland. He was predeceased by his eldest son and heir, who therefore never inherited Acland:
Effigy of Sir Arthur Acland (died 1610) of Acland. Detail from his monument in Landkey Church
    • Arthur Acland (died 1610) (eldest son and heir) whose impressive monument with effigy and inscription survives in the Acland Aisle in Landkey Church. Little is known about his life and career. Arthur Acland married his step-first cousin Eleanor Mallet (1573–1645),[34] a daughter and co-heiress of Robert Mallet of Wooleigh,[34] in the parish of Beaford,[38] near Great Torrington,[39] Devon. Wooleigh adjoins Potheridge, separated by the River Torridge. Eleanor's mother (or step-mother) was Elizabeth Rolle (a daughter of George Rolle (died 1552) of Stevenstone, the founder of a Devonshire land-owning dynasty even greater than the Aclands), who re-married to Sir John Acland (died 1620) of Columb John, Sir Arthur's uncle. Eleanor survived Sir Arthur and remarried to Sir Francis Vincent, 1st Baronet[34] (c. 1568 – 1640) of Stoke d'Abernon,[40] in Surrey.
  • Sir John Acland, 1st Baronet (c. 1591 – 1647) (grandson and heir of Hugh Acland (c. 1543 – 1622) and son of Arthur Acland (died 1610), who predeceased his father. He is described in Pole's Description of Devonshire (circa 1635) as "ye nowe lord of Akland".[41] He married his step-sister Elizabeth Vincent (died 1671) and was buried at Stoke D'Abernon.[34] He moved his residence from Acland to Columb John, the former seat of his great-uncle Sir John Acland (died 1620)

For continuing descent of the Acland family see Acland Baronets and Killerton.

Description in 1726

The "Farme of Akelane" is the first entry in the 261 pages which comprise the 1726 survey made of the Acland estates by Thomas Nott, steward to Sir Hugh Acland, 6th Baronet (1696–1728). It was listed under the heading "Landkey Parish" and was recorded at an annual value of £79, having been leased to Edward Ratclyffe and part to Gregory Davy. The tenant was Samuel Wreford. A note stated:[42]

"To this farm there belongs an isle (i.e. aisle) in the parish church of Landkey where many of the ancestors (of) Sr Hugh Acland ly interred, this isle is repaired by the owner of the farme. Notwithstanding it is charged with church rates which being thought unreasonable it was contested at law but given for the parish they proving the ancient usage of the same so that I suppose the isle was built by some of the family for their own conveniency and the rates still continued as before but whatever seat there was before in the church it is now lost".

This appears to confirm that the Acland family built the south transept of St Paul's Church, Landkey, in which is situated the Acland Chapel, in which the only surviving monument is that of Arthur Acland (died 1610) of Acland and in which was formerly situated the Acland family pew. This is not to be confused with the private chapel which existed within the former "mansion"[43] of Acland, licensed by the Bishop of Exeter.[10]

Map of 1758

The survey made in 1758 by John Bowring of the Acland family's estates includes an elaborate map (no. XVIII) showing "Riverton Manor, Acland Barton, Westcott, East Bathey, West Bathey and a cottage at Newland in the parish of Landkey".[44] It is decorated in the Rococo style with acanthus, field plants, a lamb and winged putto and with scrolls and cornucopia of fruit and flowers.[45]

Sources

  • Acland, Anne. A Devon Family: The Story of the Aclands. London and Chichester: Phillimore, 1981
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, pp. 125–6, Acland Barton
  • Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitation of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pp. 3–8, pedigree of Acland of Acland and Columbjohn
  • Ravenhill, Mary R. & Rowe, Margery M., The Acland Family: Maps and Surveys 1720–1840, Devon & Cornwall Record Society, New Series, Vol.49, Exeter, 2006
  • Pole, Sir William (died 1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, pp. 413–4, Akeland
  • Lauder, Rosemary, Devon Families, Tiverton, 2002, pp. 10–19, Acland
  • Risdon, Tristram (died 1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p. 325

References

  1. ^ a b Good Stuff IT Services. "Acland Barton and Chapel - Landkey - Devon - England | British Listed Buildings". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  2. ^ See also Acland, Anne, plate II, 1981 photo showing the chapel wing projecting from the main house
  3. ^ a b Risdon, p.325
  4. ^ Pole, p.413
  5. ^ Acland, Anne, p.2 & foreword by W H Hoskins
  6. ^ Hoskins, W.G., A New Survey of England: Devon, London, 1959 (first published 1954), p.422
  7. ^ Acland, Ann, p.2, quoting Gover J.E.B. et al, The Place Names of Devon, 1931, p.342
  8. ^ a b Acland, Ann, p.2
  9. ^ Andrews, Rev. J.H.B., Chittlehampton, Transactions of the Devon Association, vol.94, 1962, p.250
  10. ^ a b c d Acland, 1981, p.3
  11. ^ Acland, Anne, p.2; & foreword by W H Hoskins, p.xv
  12. ^ Acland, Anne, foreword by W H Hoskins, p.xv, xvi
  13. ^ Hoskins, p.422
  14. ^ Acland, 1981, pp.148-9
  15. ^ Acland, 1981, p.3; Pevsner, p.125
  16. ^ Acland, 1981, p.5
  17. ^ Acland, 1981, p.4
  18. ^ Pevsner, p.125
  19. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004, pp.125-6, Acland Barton
  20. ^ Vivian, p.3
  21. ^ Risdon, p.322
  22. ^ Vivian, p.7, pedigree of Acland of Hawkridge
  23. ^ Andrews, Rev. J.H.B., Chittlehampton, Transactions of the Devon Association, vol.94, 1962, pp.233-338, p.250-1
  24. ^ Pole, p.85; noted by Acland, Ann, pp.2-3
  25. ^ Ravenhill & Rowe, p.38
  26. ^ "Sir John Prideaux" per Vivian, p.618, pedigree of Prideaux; "William Prideaux" per Vivian, p.3, pedigree of Acland
  27. ^ Risdon, p.191
  28. ^ Vivian, pp.352-367, pedigree of Fortescue
  29. ^ Andrews, p.250
  30. ^ Pevsner, p.260 (erroneously stating "plaster ceiling"); Vivian, p.7
  31. ^ Acland, Ann, p.1
  32. ^ a b Acland, Anne, p.1
  33. ^ Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitation of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pedigree of Acland, p.3; Hugh Ratcliff (died 1531) of the Middle Temple held land in Stepney per ['Stepney: Manors and Estates', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 11: Stepney, Bethnal Green (1998), pp. 19-52. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22734 ]
  34. ^ a b c d e Vivian, p.4
  35. ^ Vivian, p.569, pedigree of Monk of Potheridge
  36. ^ Vivian, p.569, pedigree of Monk
  37. ^ Vivian, p.47, pedigree of Basset
  38. ^ Hoskins, p.330;Mallet family website
  39. ^ Prince, p.2 "Woolley"; today's "Wooleigh Barton", about 3 miles SE of Great Torrington
  40. ^ Per monumental inscription, Landkey
  41. ^ Pole, p.414
  42. ^ Ravenhill & Rowe, pp.37-8, Acland Estate survey of 1726 made by Thomas Nott, opening entry
  43. ^ Hoskins, p.422, who uses the term "mansion" to denote the ancient seats of the Devonshire gentry, rather than as usually a term denoting a grand country house
  44. ^ Ravenhill & Rowe, p.87; Map XVIII held at Devon Record Office, 1148M, add/6/11
  45. ^ Ravenhill & Rowe, p.87

51°04′30″N 4°00′30″W / 51.0749°N 4.0082°W / 51.0749; -4.0082

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