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Devon Towns & Parishes |
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Information related to all of Devon |
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DEVON |
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"A county of England, reaching from the Bristol to the English Channel, and bounded by Cornwall, and Somersetshire, and Dorsetshire. It is 69 miles in length, and 60 in breadth, and is divided into 31 hundreds. It is very hilly, and abounds in huge granite rocks, some of whose peaks are above 1500 feet in height. The highland is covered with wide moors, of which Dartmoor is the most extensive. But in the valleys and lower ground the soil is fertile. Its rivers are the Exe, the Culm, the Dart, the Tamar, the Otter, &c. Some parts of its coasts are composed of lofty cliffs, but at others there is a beautiful sandy shore. The air and climate are so mild and salubrious that invalids often retire to its sea-ports for the winter. Limestone, granite, some building-stone, and a species of wood-coal are found here, as well as some kinds of variegated marble. It produces corn, &c. and fruit trees, especially apples, whence much cider is made. Its fisheries also are of value. Exeter is its chief city. Population, 533, 460. It sends 22 members to parliament." (From Barclay's Complete and Universal English Dictionary, 1842.)
NOTE 2: Volunteers are sought for the Devon 1891 Census Transcription Project, the Devon Book Indexing Project, the Devon Online Parish Clerks scheme, and the "Nearby Places" Database Project.
Gray, T. The Devon Almanac, Mint Press, Tormark, P.O. Box 4, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 5YX (c1999). [ISBN 19033560]
Gray, Todd (ed.) Devon Documents. Tiverton: Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries, Special Issue (1996) [ISBN 0925836203] pp.
Sun Life insurance: {Index to Devon Policies Held at Guildhall Library, London]. [Devon FHS Library 368.1]
Brushfield, T.N. The Literature of Devonshire up to the Year 1640, Trans. Devon. Assoc., (1893).
Davidson, J. Bibliotheca Devoniensis: a Catalogue of the Printed Books relating to the County of Devon, Exeter, Willim Roberts (1852).
Paley, Geoffrey. Devon Bibliography 1982, Devon History Society (1983) 15 p. [SoG - Devon tracts]
Paley, Geoffrey. Devon Bibliography 1983, Devon History Society (1985) 23 p. [SoG - Devon tracts]
Pycroft, George. Art in Devonshire, with the biographies of Artists born in that County, Exeter & London, (1883) 158 p.
Ramsden, J.V. Bibliography of the parishes of east Devon, except Exeter, Typescript (1947). [Westcountry Studies Library px016/DEV/RAM]
Raymond, S.A. Devon: A Genealogical Bibliography (Vol 1: Sources), 121p., Exeter: S.A. & M.J. Raymond (1994) (2nd. ed.). [An excellent listing, though in general not covering parish histories.]
Raymond, S.A. Devon: A Genealogical Bibliography (Vol 2: Families), 80p., Exeter: S.A. & M.J. Raymond (1990).
Somers Cocks, J. V. Devon Topographical Prints 1660-1870: a catalogue and guide, Exeter, Devon Library Services (1977) 324 p. [ISBN 086114001X]
Taylor, Neville, (Series Ed.). County Sources at the Society of Genealogists (June 2001) - Cornwall & Devon: Parish Registers, Nonconformist Registers, Marriage Licenses, Monumental Inscriptions, London, Society of Genealogists Enterprises, Ltd. (2002) 38 p. [1 9403462 53 3]
Thorne, Roger F. S. Our providential way: a bibliography of the history of dissent in Devon, Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol. 127, (1995) pp.201-246.
Tree House Resources - A Guide to the Books, Documents, CD's, Microfiche and Magazines, Part 1: Books, Devon Family History Society (2002) 78 p.
Tree House Resources - A Guide to the Books, Documents, Microfiche, CD's and Magazines, Part 2: Documents, Microfiche, CD's and Magazines, Devon Family History Society (2002) 44 p.
What was originally intended as a Devon Bibliography, but expanded to became an immensely useful general index listing over a million references to Devon places and people, is now known as the Burnet-Morris Index - the original is at the Westcountry Studies Library, but microfilmed versions can be seen at any LDS Family History Centre. (For the reference sources covered see The Burnet Morris Index 1940-1990, Devon Library Services, Exeter, 1990.)
The Devon Local Studies Library provides very extensive and useful listings of books and of periodical articles, arranged alphabetically by geographical location.
A useful list of currently-available books is provided by Devon Books, an Association of Devon County Council and various Devon Publishers.
Listing of articles in Devon Family Historian, No 40 (Oct 1986) - No 74 (May 1995).
Listing of articles relating to Devon in other genealogical periodicals.
Antiquarian and second hand books relating to Devon - Ambra Books and Chapel Books.
Maps, Plans, Manuscripts, Documents, etc., especially relating to the West Country - Lesley Aitchison.
Listing of Dartmoor Press Publications - an extensive set of parish register and trade directory transcripts and indexes, etc., related to parishes in the Dartmoor Region.
A selected bibliography related mainly to North Devon is provided by James Brannan.
Listing of some famous Devonians, by Shirley Turner.
Index to Devonshire Characters and Strange Events, by S. Baring-Gould (London, 1908)
Devonshire Biopics - John Lerwill's collection of biographies of "Interesting Devonians", based on obituary notices.
Devon Obituaries, extracted from the Gentleman's Magazine for 1841 and 1842, by William Cooke.
Cresswell, B.F. A Book of Devonshire Parsons, London, Heath Granton (1932) 192p.
Gaskell, Ernest. Devonshire Leaders: Social and Political. Published for Private Circulation. (c190-).
Green, Richard. Exeter Centenarian: An Interesting interview, Devon Famiy Historian, vol. 97, (2001) pp.24-26. [Contains a copy of an article from the Exeter Flying Post, 15 Mar 1899, about Richard Davie, originally of Newton St Cyres and Tedburn St Mary]
Gribble, Francis. The Romance of the Men of Devon, (1912) 282 p.
Hamblin, Eleanor and Hamblin, Edith. Leading Lights of Devon (1973). [Devon FHS Library pBC]
Murray, Sir Oswyn, (Ed.). Biographical dictionary of Devon incumbents (20 vols.), Manuscript (1930). [D&CRS Library, Exeter: R CLE]
Pridham, T.L.. Devonshire Celebrities: Social and Political. Exeter (1869) 236p. [Includes pictures of Sir Thomas Acland, Sir Nicholas Carew, Lord Edward Courtney, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and Earl Fortescue.]
Prince, J. Worthies of Devon: A Work Wherein the Lives and Fortunes of The Most Famous Divines, Statesmen, Swordsmen, Physicians, Writers, and Other Eminent Persons, Natives of that most noble Province... , London, (1810) xxxvii + 785pp + x. [Biographies of eminent Devonians]
Who's Who in Devonshire, Hereford, Wilson & Phillips (1934) 294 p.
The North Devon Athenaeum holds transcriptions of monumental inscriptions from 128 Devon parishes, made by Benjamin Incledon, Thomas Bemridge and John Sydenham during 1769-93, together with an index made by T. Wainwright. It also holds a card index of inscriptions from 54 burial grounds in North Devon. (References to these Incledon and NDA North Devon indexes are given on relevant parish pages.)
Article about, and listing of the soldiers of the Devonshire Regiment who are buried in, the Devonshire Cemetery, all of whom were killed on July 1, 1916.
Mike Brown's Online Index of Lost Devon MIs.
Dwelly, Edward. Devon Monumental Inscriptions. Fleet, Hants: E. Dwelly (1918) v, 226 p. ill. (Dwelly's parish records ; vol. 6) "Being all the monumental inscriptions in the parishes of Countisbury, Brendon, Martinhoe, Trentishoe, Parracombe, Lynton, Bow, Zeal Monachorum, Bridford, Doddiscombsleigh, Christow, and Ashton, with tricks of arms, &c.".
Lack et al, William. The Monumental Brasses of Devonshire, Monumental Brass Society County Series, vol. 9 (2000).
Wainwright, Thomas. An Index to the Names of Persons found in the Monumental Inscriptions in Devonshire Churches, Copied in the Years 1769-93, Trans. Devon. Assoc., vol. 36, (1904) pp.522-541. [Covers 128 parishes in the rural deaneries of Barnstaple, Shirwell, South Molton, Chumleigh, Torrington, Hartland, Holsworthy, Tiverton, Collumpton, Honiton, Aylesbeare, Ottery and Moreton] [Transcription]
Cemeteries and churchyards in Devon: War graves of the British Empire (1930) [DFHS Library p929.5]
Arthur French has provided a very useful article about the problems of Searching the 1851 Devon Census; and the Warwickshire section of GENUKI makes available a detailed description of this FFHS/LDS transcription.
The Devon 1891 Census Transcription Project is producing a full transcription of this census. (Note: more volunteers are very welcome.) Some early results of this project which were made available via the relevant parish pages are now being withdrawn, in favour of checked and validated transcriptions.
There is an index to the 1861 Census for North Devon at the Barnstaple Record Office.
Ed Essery's listing of Parishes in North Devon Surname Indices to 1861, 1871 & 1891 Censuses.
Many of the 1881 Census entries for ships in port in Plymouth, Dartmouth, Appledore, Northam, Barnstaple & Ilfracombe are given in a searchable database of seaman provided by Bob Sanders.
Snetzler, Marjorie F. (Ed.). 1891 Census Surname Index: North Devon (1992). [Devon FHS Library 929.34235]
Snetzler, Marjorie F. (Ed.). 1861 Census Surname Index: North Devon (1995). [Devon FHS Library 929.34235]
Snetzler, Marjorie F., (Ed.). 1871 Census Surname Index: North Devon (1997). [Devon FHS Library 929.34235]
Susser, Bernard. Jews (Identified & Supposed) in the 1841-1891 censuses: Exeter (1841-1861), Falmouth (1851), Penzance (1851), Plymouth (1841-1891), Torquay (1851). Stroud (1881, 1891) transcribed by Harold Pollins, Studies in Anglo-Jewish History, vol. 1, (1996).
Wickes, Michael J.L. (Ed.). Devon in the Religious Census of 1851, M.J.L. Wickes (1990) 157 p. [Devon FHS Library 274.235]
Devon Strays Extracted from the 1851 Census of Glamorgan (1995). [Devon FHS Library p929.34297]
National Statistics provides sumary information about Devon !801-1901 in its Area Monitor Devon.
An essay by John Lerwill: Devon Huguenots.
John Pritchard's account: The Presbyterian Church in Devon.
Official web-site of the Diocese of Exeter.
The Jews of South-West England, by Rabbi Susser.
Orthodox Churches in Devon and Cornwall:Ê Plymouth, Torquay and Falmouth
Listing of books and papers on Devon Church History.
Peskett, H. Guide to the Parish and Non-Parochial Registers of Devon and Cornwall, 1538-1837, Torquay, Devon and Cornwall Record Society; extra ser., v (1979).
This is now largely superceded by:
Wilcox, A. National Index of Parish Registers, Volume 8, Part 5: Devon, London, Society of Genealogists (1999) 245 p. [ISBN 1 85951 605 X] "A Guide to the Anglican, Roman Catholic and Non-Conformist registers, together with information on Bishop's Transcripts, modern copies and Marriage licences."
The great majority of extant Devon parish registers are now in the custody of the Devon Record Office - for details see Parish Registers in the Devon Record Office. Microfilmed copies of nearly all these registers can be seen at the Record Office's various locations in microfiche format. It is possible to purchase microfiche copies for private study and research - see this Information Note provided by the Devon Record Office. (There are also some Devon Record Office microfilmed copies at the Society of Genealogists' Library, among the SoG's large collection of transcriptions and register extracts relating to Devon.)
The Devon Record Office also has an extensive collection of Bishops' Transcripts of the parish registers, and of Marriage Licences. Calendars and indexes to the Marriage Licences are in the library of the Devon & Cornwall Record Society, which is located in the Westcountry Studies Library.
Note: Though the LDS have not been able to get permission to film the original registers, a good number, but far from all, of the Devon parish registers and Bishops Transcripts have had their baptisms and marriages extracted (in the main from transcripts in the possession of the Devon & Cornwall Record Society) into the IGI. In addition, the great majority of extant Nonconformist registers have had their entries extracted into the IGI, which is now available online as part of the LDS Family Search web site; Mick Curtis has provided a very useful aid to using the present rather simple online IGI search facility in the form of listings of the Devon IGI Batch Numbers. (These numbers can be used to help limit a search to a particular Devon parish.)
For details of available parish register transcriptions and IGI coverage see individual parish pages. (Note: these details do not cover the small, but growing, collection of name-specific Devon parish register extractions that is being made available by Sue Davey, and for which contributions are sought.)
Information regarding the locations of original registers for other churches and chapels (with pre-1840 records), whether at the PRO or one the various Devon Record Offices or elsewhere, has also been added to these parish pages - much more detail about these and other churches and chapels, and about the locations of register copies, can be found in Wilcox (1999). (Abbreviations used in the parish pages: B - burials, C - christenings, M - marriages, Z - births, DRO - Devon Record Office, NDRO - North Devon Record Office, PRO - Public Record Office, PWDRO - Plymouth and West Devon Record Office.)
The Devon Family History Society has indexed Devon marriages covering the period 1754-1837, and provides a (postal) look-up service for members. A number of booklets listing marriages for particular parishes during 1813-1837, and a number listing burials for the same period, are available - details on individual parish pages. The Society has just started a project to index baptisms for parishes which are not included in the IGI - potential volunteers to help with this indexing are asked to contact baptisms@devonfhs.org.uk.
The Devon Family History Society has published Burials Books for a considerable number of parishes - see individual parish pages.
One significant published collection of transcriptions, likely to be available in various major reference libraries, is:
Devonshire parish registers. Marriages. London: Issued to the subscribers by Phillimore & Co., (1909, 1915) 2 v. (Phillimore's parish register series; vol. 112, 135.)The Quaker FHS provides details of available Devon Quaker records.
Quaker Registers (others with pre-1840 records are listed in appropriate parish pages):
Thorne, R.F.S. Methodism in Devon: A handlist of chapels and their records (2nd. ed.), Devon Record Office (1989). [ISBN 0861149750]
Here is an explanatory note Parishes in Devon, provided by Arthur French.
Bolt, Barbara. The Coverage of Devon Parishes in the IGI, Exeter, Devon FHS (2002). [DFHS Library - p9293/IGI-Dev]
Brockett, A., (Ed.). The Exeter assembly: minutes of the assemblies of the United Brethren of Devon and Cornwall 1691-1717 as transcribed by the Reverend Isaac Gilling, Exeter, Devon and Cornwall Record Society (1963).
Granville, Roger and Mugford, W.E., (Ed.). Abstracts of the Existing Transcripts of the Lost Parish-Registers of Devon, 1596-1644, and short notes on the extant pre-reformation registers of all the parishes in the county, from particulars furnished by the several incumbents thereof. Vol. 1 A-Bra, Exeter, W. Pollard (1908).
Hambley Rowe, J. Marriages of Devonians in Cornwall. Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries; 2:3, (1902) pp. 77-79. [Transcription]
Detailed listing, by Brett Langston, of the places covered by the various Devon Registration districts.
Howard, A.J. (Ed.). Medieval Gaol Delivery Rolls for the County of Devon (1354-1412) (1986). [Devon FHS Library p942.35041]
Chiswell, Ann. Coroner's Accounts for the County of Devon from Easter session 1815 to the following Michaelmas Session. In 25 Years with the Devon Family Historian, pp.4-8, Devon FHS, (2001).Notebooks kept by Baldwin Fulford JP, of Dunsford, of his court cases in 1848, Early 1849, 1849, 1849-51, 1851, 1855 and 1859 have been trancribed by Fay Sampson Priestley. (The original documents are in private hands.)
Cockburn, J.S. Western Circuit Assize Orders, 1629-1648: A calendar, Royal Historical Society, Camden 4th Series, vol. 17, (1976)
Fudge, W.K. The Value of Old Parchment Documents in Genealogical and Topographical Research, Topographical Quarterly, vol. 3, no. 3, (1935) pp.173-225. [Deeds]
Fudge, W.K. Palaeography, Genealogy and Topography, Topographical Quarterly, vol. 6, no. 4, (1938) pp.203-228. [Deeds]
Gibson, J.S.W. Quarter Sessions Records for Family Historians. FFHS (1995).
Hamilton, A.H.A. Quarter Sessions from Queen Elizabeth to Queene Anne: Illustrations of local government and history, drawn from original records (chiefly of the county of Devon), 19th-century legal treatises ; no. 9664-9667. London, Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington (1878) 364 p.
Howard, A.J. (transcr.). Assize roll: county of Devon 1332, Typescript (1970). [D&CRS Library, Exeter: P1332]
Howard, A.J. (transcr.). Assize roll: county of Devon, Typescript (1970). [D&CRS Library, Exeter: P1359]
Howard, A.J. (transcr.). Assize roll: county of Devon 1358/9, Typescript (1973). [D&CRS Library, Exeter: P1358]
Moger, O.M. (transcr.). Quarter sessions, Devonshire: Civil War petitions from 1642-1685, Typescript (1983). [D&CRS Library: R QUA]
Summerson, Henry. Crown Pleas of the Devon Eyre of 1238, Devon and Cornwall Record Society 28 (1985). [ISBN 0901853283] [Devon FHS Library 942.35034]
Tamblin, Stuart (transcr.). Criminal Register Indexes (PRO HO 27), Vol. 2: Devon & Cornwall (1805-16), Family History Indexes, 14 Copper Leaf Close, Moulton, Northampton (2000). [Diskette and microfiche]
Tamblin, Stuart (transcr.). Criminal Register Indexes (PRO HO 27), Vol. CDP1: Devon, Cornwall, Somerset & Dorset (1805-16), Family History Indexes, 14 Copper Leaf Close, Moulton, Northampton (2001). [CD]
Jewell, Sheila. Coroners Briefs, Devon Family Historian, vol. 99, (2001) pp.7-8. [List of coroners verdicts, giving name, date and cause of death, during the period 1784-6, from the Devon R.O. Quarter Sessions records.]
Listing of books and papers on Devon Description and Travel.
The Westcountry Studies Library has trade directories from 1783.
Billings, M. Directory and Gazetteer of the County of Devon. Birmingham (1857) 786pp.
White, W. History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Devonshire and the City and County of the City of Exeter , Newton Abbot, David & Charles (1968) 804 p. [Reprint of the first (1850) edition of the earliest really detailed Devon directory] [Lookups]
Pigot's 1823 Devon Directory. CD-ROM produced by S & N Genealogy (2000). [In Adobe Acrobat format]
Pigot's 1830 Devon Directory. CD produced by Stepping Stones, York (2001).
1830 Pigot's 1830 Directory of Devon. CD 0273, ArchiveCD (2001).
Pigot's 1844 Devon Directory. CD-ROM produced by S & N Genealogy (2000). [In Adobe Acrobat format]
1830 Pigot's 1844 Directory of Devon. CD 0223, ArchiveCD (2001).
Percy's Calendar & Register for 1876: Devon and Cornwall, Percy & Company, Paternaster Row, London E.C. (1876) 450p.
1830 Kelly's 1893 Directory of Devon. CD 9021P, ArchiveCD (2001).
Post Office directory of Devonshire. London : Kelly & Co. (1897). [Lookups - please specify town or trade]
South Western Counties of England Trades' Directory (1958-59). [Devon FHS Library 942.3]
Who's Who in Devonshire, Hereford, Wilson & Phillips Pub. & Pr. (1934) 294 p.Terry Partridge's South Hams Family History Information Site provides a growing set of transcriptions and scanned images, from Polwehle's History of Devonshire (1797-1806), Pigot's Directory for 1830, White's 1850 History, Gazetteer, and Directory, for each of the South Hams parishes.
Listing of Migrants from the West Country who joined the South Wales Police, provided by Paul Mansfield.
Barge, A.M. Emigration from Devon and Cornwall, 1632-1638. Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries, vol. 17 (1932-5), pp.65-67.
Brown, Martyn. Australia Bound: The Story of West Country Connections, 1688-1888, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, Ex Libris Press (1988) 223 p. [ISBN: 0948578084]
Brown, R.D. Devonians & New England Settlement before 1650. Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art: Report and Transactions, Vol. 95 (1963) pp. 219-243.
Coldham, P.W. Bonded Passengers to America, vol. V: Western Circuit 1664-1775, comprising the counties of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire, with a list of the rebels of 1685. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co. (1983).
Davey, F.A. and Watts, S.G. Westward Look! 21 Stories of Devon Pioneers and Pilgrims in New England (1970). [Devon FHS Library p973]
Giffard, A. Towards Quebec, H.M.S.O., 1981, 72 p. [ISBN 0-11-290335-5]
Handcock, W. Gordon. So Longe As There Comes Noe Women: Origins of English settlement in Newfoundland (Newfoundland history series. 6), St John's, Newfoundland, Breakwater Books (1989) 343p, maps. [ISBN 0920911552. pbk; 0920911803] [One of the best books on the subject of immigration to Newfoundland from Devon] [Lookups]
Rown, R.D., Devonians and the New England Settlement before 1650. Trans. Devon Assoc., vol. 95 (1963), pp.219-43.
Scott, Reg. The West Country's Australian Links (1988). [ISBN 0p51337505] [Devon FHS Library 929.1/AUS]
Scott, Reg. The West Country's Explorers and Colonisers: What Devon and Cornwall did for the World (1996). [ISBN 09528949] [Devon FHS Library 942.3]
Devonshire Emigrants to Maine, U.S.A. Western Antiquary, vol. 18 (1885), pp.140-144.
Americanus, The Plymouth Company and the Settlement of Maine in New England. Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries, vol. 18 (1934-5), pp.134-138.
Transcription - Passenger list, "Cosmopolite", Plymouth to New York City, 1835.
Mark Sandford's detailed listing of passengers on the Barque "John" which sank in 1855 shortly after leaving Plymouth Sound, bound for Quebec.
Downes, J. A Dictionary of Devon Dialect, Tabb House, 11 Church St, Padstow, Cornwall PL28 8BG. (1986). [ISBN 0-907018-33-5] [On Devon social history, as well as dialect.]
Bray, Anna Elizabeth. Traditions, legends, superstitions and sketches of Devon, on the borders of the Tamar & Tavy, in a series of letters to R. Southey, London, John Murray (1838) Vol 1: ill. [Plymouth Library 398.2]
Coxhead, J.R.W. Legends of Devon (1954). [Devon FHS Library 942.35]
Coxhead, J.R.W. Old Devon Customs, Exmouth, (1957) 101 p.
Hewett, Sarah. Nummits and Crummits: Devonshire Customs, Characteristics, and Folk-lore, (1900) vi + (2) + 219 p.
Sharman, V. Day. Folk Tales of Devon, (1952). [Devon FHS Library 942.35]
Trist, David et al. Folk Festivals and Traditions of Devon: A guide to Devon calendar customs, (1980). [ISBN 0861142268] [Devon FHS Library p942.35]
Underwood, P. Ghosts of Devon, St. Teath, Cornwall, Bossiney Books (1982). [ISBN 0 906456 62 2] (Republished by Penwell Ltd., Callington Cornwall in 1994.)
Whitworth, Belinda. Gothic Devon (1993). [ISBN 0747801991] [Devon FHS Library 942.35]
Shades and Spectres: A Guide to Devon Hauntings, Devon Folk Life Register (1978). [ISBN 0861144473] [Devon FHS Library p942.35, BL X.0410/142] [Bibliography of 141 published accounts, organised by parish.]
White, W. History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Devonshire (Reprint of the 1850 edition), Newton Abbot: David & Charles (1968) 804p.A 12, 000-item online gazetteer of Devon has been produced from White's 1850 book, listing all the places (chapels, churches, farms, hamlets, houses, inns, manors, schools, streets, villages, etc.) and principal organizations named in it.
"The first county directory of Devon of any real historical value."
Devon Local Studies Service has a very useful online Historic Gazetteer down to parish level, with summary historical and statistical information, and links to Greenwood's one inch to a mile maps of 1827.
The Devon Online Parish Clerks scheme, working in conjunction with the One-Place Studies Project, involves a set of volunteers who each take responsibility for a particular Devon parish, gathering information about it and providing advice and lookups based on this information. Further volunteers are welcome. (E-mail requests to OPCs should include "OPC (parish name)" in their subject line.)
Devon Library Local Studies Service's Family and population history.
Published and on-line individual genealogies that are not evidently linked to a particular Devon parish are listed on a separate Genealogies page.
Listing of the Devon-related research interests in Graham Jaunay's On-line English Names Research Directory, whose main page has information about how to add entries to the Directory.
Devon Book Indexing Project - call for volunteers.
Electronic Mailing Lists:
The Devon Lookup Exchange lists various reference works on Devon which volunteers are willing to search for specific entries.
The Devon page of the World GenWeb project provides various "Devon query boards".
The Devon Archive features Devon genealogy researchers & historical societies, and aims to build up an integrated database of Devon source material.
Nigel Batty-Smith provides a growing transcription, in browsable form, of the genealogies given in Visitations of the County of Devon of 1531, 1564, & 1620 by J.L. Vivian, published in 1895, and scanned images of his " The Visitation of the County of Devon, 1564 with additions from the Earlier Visitation of 1531" .
Terry William's Plymouth & South West Devon, a Genealogical Miscellany web-site.
Shirley Turner's Guide for an Overseas Genealogist to Devon.
Listing of some Devon Strays, by Shirley Turner.
Listing of Devon Strays among some North Devon parishes, by Lorrain de Leuw.
Article on the Doone family of Exmoor, and R.D. Blackmore's famous book "Lorna Doone".
John Lerwill's medieval genealogy page on the "The Earls of Devon".
Bearman, R., (Ed.). Charters of the Redvers Family and the Earldom of Devon 1090-1217, Torquay, Devon & Cornwall Record Society New Series, Vol. 37 (1994) xvi + 227 p.
Brown, M. Index to Devon's Adjacent Parishes. , Dartmoor Press (c1996) 24 p. [Index lists all of Devon's 473 "original" Parishes, and the Parishes adjacent to each.]
Lauder, Rosemary. Devon Families, Tiverton, Halsgrove (2002) 160 p. [ISBN 1 84114 140 2] [Family names featured include: Acland, Amory, Bourchier Wrey, Buller, Carew, Cave, Chichester, Churston, Clifford, Courtenay, Cruwys, Clinton, Fortescue, Fulford, Fursdon, Gilbert, Hamlyn/Rous, Kelly, Lopes, Northcote, Parker, Pellew, Quicke, Seymour, Stuckley]
Leetooze, Sherrell Branton. Putting the Flesh on the Bones of your Devon & Cornwall Ancestors: A source book for family researchers, (2000). [ISBN 0969878982] [Devon FHS Library 929.1/ENG-Dev]
Raymond, S.A. South West Family Histories: Cornwall, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Exeter, Devon, S.A. & M.J. Raymond (1998). 128p.
Summers, Peter G. and Titterton, John E., (Ed.). Hatchments in Britain (10 vols), London, Phillimore (1974-). [Devon is covered in vol. 7]
Tuckett, John. Devonshire Pedigrees: Recorded in the Herald's Visitation of 1620; With Additions from the Harleian Manuscripts, and the Printed Collections of Westcote and Pole. (1859-61) 220pp.
Williams, B.H. Ancient Westcountry Families and Their Armorial Bearings: A story of the old nobility and gentry of Devon and Cornwall, with notes on their lives, their manor-houses and their charities (Vol. I), 112A and 112B Market Jew Street, Penzance, J.A.D. Bridger (1916) 301 p. [Vol 2. was never published] [Contents] [Index] [Now available on an ArchiveCD CD-ROM.]
Worthy, C. Devonshire Parishes: or the antiquities, heraldry and family history of twenty-eight parishes in the archdeaconry of Totnes (2 vols), Exeter, W. Pollard (1889). [Covers parishes in the archdeaconry of Totnes.] [Index]
Carew, Sir G. Sir George Carew's Scroll of Arms - With Additions from Joseph Holland's Collection of Arms 1579, Exeter, (1901) 152 p.
Jewers, A.J. Heraldic & Genealogical Notes from South Devon Churches, (1885).
Transcription of the chapter on the history and description of Devon from White's 1850 History, Gazetteer and Directory of Devonshire.
Sources for Devon Parish History, and Source Guide S12: Histories, from Devon Local Studies Service.
Britannia's extensive History of Devon web-site provides articles on a number of Devon churches, country houses and castles, towns and villages, bishops of Exeter and Crediton, etc.
Devonshire section of the Domesday Book.
Town and Village Histories - from East Devon net.
John Lerwill is providing a growing set of articles on Devon history.Friedlander, Evelyn. The Jews of Devon and Cornwall: Essays and exhibition catalogue, Bristol, Hidden Legacy Foundation (2000) 123 p. : ill. [ISBN 1900178826] [Essays: Judaism and the Jewish people, Synagogues and cemeteries in the South-West, The rabbis and ministers, Nathan Joseph Altmann, Lemon Hart, Solomon Alexander Hart RA, 1806-1881, Ezekiel Abraham Ezekiel of Exeter, The Jews of Barnstaple]
Susser, Bernard. The Jews of Devon and Cornwall, from the Middle Ages until the early twentieth century Thesis, University of Exeter (1997) xxi, 421 l. facsims.
Susser, Bernard. The Jews of Devon and Cornwall, Tiverton, Halsgrove Press (2000) 124 p. [ISBN 1900178826]
Susser, Bernard. The Jews of south-west England: the rise and decline of their medieval and modern communities, Exeter, Devon, University of Exeter Press (1993) xxii, 361 p. : ill. [Based on the author's PhD thesis] [New York Public Library]
The Friends of Devon's Archives group has an ongoing project to index the Devon tithe apportionments.
Brown, Mike. Index. Dartmoor Tithe Apportionments, Vol. 8. The Dartmoor Press (c1997) 16p.
Gray, Todd. Harvest Failure in Devon and Cornwall [1623 and 1630-1]: The Book of Orders and the Corn Surveys (1992). [ISBN 0903686651] [Devon FHS Library 942.036]
Lauder, Rosemary Anne. Vanished Houses of North Devon, R.A. Lauder (1981) 72 p. [ISBN 0 950 792004] [Stevenstone, Annery, Dunsland, Yeo Vale, Winsiott House, and Eggesford]
Pounds, N.G. (ed.) The Parliamentary Survey of the Duchy of Cornwall, Part 1, Devon and Cornwall Record Society (1982). [Lookups]
Pounds, N.G. (ed.) The Parliamentary Survey of the Duchy of Cornwall, Part 2, Devon and Cornwall Record Society (1984).
Vancouver, Charles. General View of the Agriculture of Devon: With Observations on the Means of its Improvement, Drawn up for the Consideration of the Board of Agriculture, Newton Abbot, David and Charles (1969) Folding map, plates, folding tables, xii + 479pp. [Originally published 1808]
Youings, Joyce. Devon Monastic lands: Calendar of Particulars for Grants, 1536-1558, Devon and Cornwall Record Society, No.1 (1955). [Devon FHS Library 942.3505] [Lookups]
Return of Owners of Land (1873). CD 0213-09, ArchiveCD (2001).
Downes, John. Dictionary of Devon Dialect, Tabb House, 11 Church St., Padstow, Cornwall (1986) 97 p. [ISBN: 0907018335]
Marten, Clement. The Devonshire dialect: being a collection of reminiscences, anecdotes, customs and traditions in which the Devonshire dialect is shown to be an important part of the character of the Devonshire people ... (4th ed.), Newton Abbot, Peninsula (1992) 48 p. [ISBN: 1872640222]
Phillips, K.C. Westcountry Words & Ways, David & Charles: Newton Abbot (1976)
Sherracombe, Will. Devonshire folk: Stories from remote village, farms and hills, London, Heath Cranton Limited (1937) 180 p. [Westcountry Studies Library 828.99]
The Survey of West Country Manors 1525: Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire is available on microfiche from Harry Galloway Publishers and Booksellers, The Cottage, Manor Terrace, Paignton, Devon TQ3 3RQ.
Stoate, T.L., (Ed.). A Survey of West Country Manors 1525, Bristol, T.L. Stoate (1979) 193 p.
Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R., Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: History Data Service, UK Data Archive [distributor], 17 May 2001. SN: 4348.
Devon Local Studies Library provide reproductions of a superb set of historic maps, including Greenwood's one inch to a mile maps of 1827, Donn's one inch to the mile maps of 1765, and Saxton's 1575 map.
Outline Map of Devonshire, showing main towns and parish boundaries.
Devon FHS's Devon Parish Finder Map.
Schematic large-scale maps of Devon showing (ancient) parish boundaries:
Detailed maps from the 1895 Report of the Boundary Commissioners: Northern Section, Southern Section, and Eastern Section, showing boundaries of Parliamentary Boroughs, Petty Sessional Divisions, and proposed Parliamentary Divisions.
North Devon section of Benjamin Donn's 1765 Map of Devon. (272kb)
Diocese of Exeter - map of (modern) deaneries and parishes.
The Royal National Institute for the Blind produces tactile maps with braille captions of East Devon and of West Devon, giving the main towns/villages, roads and places of interest.
A very clear and detailed map of (South) Devon 1883/4, is provided by Nicolas Adams.
Devon Research Intelligence Services provide maps, covering the different areas of Devon, showing (modern) parish locations:
Multimap's Devon index page provides a convenient means of locating modern maps of nearly nine hundred Devon places.
Devon section of Genmaps - David Bax's very useful collection of links to online versions of old maps.
The Unofficial Tower Guide - Devon, a listing of Devon churches with bell towers, provides a very useful set of links to local maps (and pubs!).
Batten, K. and Bennett, F. The Printed Maps of Devon, Exeter, Devon Books (1996).
Batten, Kit and Bennett, Francis. The Victorian Maps of Devon, Printed Maps 1838-1901, Exeter, Devon Books (2000) xxxvi + 196 p.
Kain, Roger and Ravenhill, William. Historical Atlas of South-West England. Exeter University Press (1999) 584p. 395 maps, 150 ill. [ISBN: 0 85989 434 7]
["This is the first historical atlas of a major region of the United Kingdom. Its aim is to create and communicate the history of the south-western peninsula of England-Cornwall, Devon and the Isles of Scilly-from the beginnings of man's occupation to the present day. The cartographic message projected by around 400 maps is extended by a substantial text of about 250, 000 words as well as diagrams, contemporary prints and photographs."]
Ravenhill, Mary R. and Rowe, Margery M., (Ed.). Early Devon Maps: maps of lands and estates in Devon before 1700, Exeter, Devon Books (2000) vi, 58 p.. ill. (chiefly col.). maps (chiefly col.) [ISBN: 1855227282].
Devon 1827 - Greenwoods Maps Surveyed 1825/6 - 1" to 1 mile. CD 0292, ArchiveCD (2001).
Bob Sanders provides a lengthy listing of: Bristol Channel Shipping accidents.
Listing of books and papers on Devon Maritime topics.
Listing of books and papers on Devon Military History.
The Keep - Military museum of Devon and Dorset.
Origins of Devon-Place Names, provided by Madalene Frost.
Barber, Chips. Place-Names in Devon. Obelisk Publications, 2 Church Hill, Pinhoe, Exeter EX4 9ER (1999) 32p. [ISBN 1 899073 79 5]
Gover, J.E.B, Mawer, A. and Stenton, F.M. (eds.) The Place-names of Devon. Cambridge: University Press (1931) 2 vols.
Grigg, A. Place Names in Devon and Cornwall, College of St. Mark and St. John, Plymouth (1988). [ISBN 0950652359] [Devon FHS Library 942.35]
Devon names in Graham Jaunay's On-line English Names Research Directory.
Here is an explanatory note Personal Names in Devon: Family Names as Middle Names, provided by Arthur French.
Mike Brown, of Dartmoor Press, has provided an essay Some Devon Surname Aliases, together with an index of over 200 actual aliases gathered from a variety of Devon documents. A further essay onthe topic, Aliases - a Discriminant Function, is provided by Max Hooper.
A zipped file listing nearly 7000 Devon inhabitants (77k) taken from an 1822-23 Pigot's Directory of Devon, obtained from Cornwall Online. Extracts from this file, that provide approximate recontructions of the separate sections of the directory, are available via the relevant town and parish pages, and come within the scope of the Devon Search Facility.
Information about the 1722 Oaths of Allegiance held at the Devon Record Office.
Surname Index to articles about particular persons or families, in various genealogical journals.
Paul Mansfield's West Country Newspapers surname index currently has about 25, 000 names covering Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall, from eight nespapers, during the period 1770-1835.
Names of Admissions to Devon County Lunatic Asylum, 1880-81.
Names of Devonshire men classified as "Ignoble Omnes", in by William Camden in 1620.
List of Papists and Delinquents sequestered in North Devon, 1648.
Howard, A.T., (Ed.). The Devon Protestation Returns, 1641 (Indexed by T.L. Stoate), Privately published, Bristol (1973) 2 vol (v, 555p). [SoG Library, Westcountry Studies Library x929.3/DEV/1641] [A full transcript, organized by hundred and parish, of the names of all adult males. Contains over 63,000 names. Just fifty-eight parishes are missing, and the total population of the county is estimated as being of the order of 288,000.]
D. Postles. The Surnames of Devon, English Surnames Series: Vol VI. Leopard's Head Press Limited, 1-5 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AW (1996) xx, 332p. [ISBN 0 904920 25 9]. (A series of essays: Methodological Questions; Dialect and Local Usage; The evolution of Hereditary Surnames in Devon; Change during the Later Middle Ages; Change within Communities during the Later Middle Ages; Bynames, Surnames, Social Group and Region; Naming and Urban Hierarchy; Isonymy and Community; Conclusion.)
Roberts, Stephen K. Devon Justices of the Peace, 1643-60. In Devon Documents (ed. T. Gray). Tiverton: Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries, Special Issue (1996) [ISBN 0925836203] pp.157-166.
Spiegelhalter, C. A Dictionary of Devon Surnames, (1958). [Barnstaple Library 929.42/B/SPI] [SoG Library DE/G 77]Book Indexes:
Newspaper readership in south west England in 1815 - with a listing of nearly 1700 subscribers to Flindell's Western Luminary in 1815.
Detailed lists of early Devon newspaper holdings are to be found in:
Gibson, J.S.W.. Local newspapers, 1750-1920: England and Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man : a select location list. Federation of Family History Societies (1987) 64 p.
Maxted, Ian. Printing, the Book Trade and Newspapers c.1500-1860. In Historical Atlas of South-West England, ed. R. Kain and W. Ravenhill, pp.240-245, Exeter, University of Exeter Press, (1999).
Smith, L. Devon Newspapers: A finding list. County Council of Devon, County Hall, Exeter, EX2 4QD, Standing Conference on Devon History (1973).The two most important newspapers for which indexes have been prepared are Trewman's Exeter Flying Post (Westcountry Studies Library has copies for 1768-1837, 1840-1917, with an index covering 1763-1835) and the North Devon Journal (Barnstaple Library has copies for 1827-1920, with an index covering 1850-95).
See also:
Marjorie Snetzler (transcr.), Devon Extracts From The London Gazette (2 vols: 1665-1765, 1665-1850), Devon Family History Society (1987).Paul Mansfield's Newspaper Names Indexes (South West of England) - currently contains around 30, 000 names, from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset.
Brief extracts from The Western Press (1913) (auctions, deaths, Devon Show prizewinners) by Shirley Turner.
Exeter OnLine - from the Exeter Express and Echo.
Devon Life Online - from the Devon Life monthly maagazine; provides summary descriptions and historical accounts of a large number of Devon towns and villages.
Western Morning News - a regional morning newspaper.
Newsdirectory.com provides a listing of newspaper web-sites in the South West.
Pictures from the Past - a changing collection of archive and readers' photographs from the North Devon Journal.
The Mining History Information pages - provide "Details of events, research and work in progess in the field of mining history and archaeology . . . related to Wales and South-West England". (See also the Peak District Mines Historical Society's Lists of Metalliferous Mines, and Coal Mines in Devon in 1896, the List of 800 Devon and Cornwall Mines by Heather Coleman, and this account of the Mining History of Devon & Cornwall.)
The Exeter Working Papers in British Book Trade History contain a wealth of material related to Devon people involved in the newspaper and book trade.
Agricultural labourers moved from parish to parish as their contracts expired in a parish and they had to seek a new master at a Hiring fair. Eve McLaughlin: "Hiring fairs were held in market towns (at least 6 miles apart), usually once a year." As an aid to tracing "Ag. Labs.", a listing of Market Towns is provided, to be used in conjunction with the "Nearby Places" button on each town and parish page.
Stone And Quarry Men Of The West Country - Joan Taber's Genealogical Index of Stone Workers and Related Occupations In Cornwall and Devon.
The Devon section of the Medical Heritage of Great Britain site provides brief histories of Devon hospitals and doctors.
Lambeth Palace Library's Directory of Devon medical licences issued by the Archbishop of Canterbury 1535-1775. (See their guidelines for how to obtain further details of particular individuals.)
The Applause SouthWest website, result of a partnership between Plymouth Library Services, the University of Plymouth and Theatre Royal Plymouth, provides a people search facility based on their indexing of hundreds of playbills.
West Country Smugglers and Excisemen and Watch and Clockmakers - provided by Paul Mansfield.
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary provide an extensive historical photograph archive, based on the book by Simon Dell, Policing the Peninsula.
Bellchambers, J.K. Devonshire Clockmakers (1962). [Devon FHS Library 681.113]
Benjamin, E. Alwyn. The movement of tin and copper miners from Cornwall and Devon to the North Cardiganshire lead mines, Typescript (1985). [D&CRS Library: R MIG]
Born, Anne. Blue slate quarrying in South Devon: an ancient industry, Industr. Arch. Rev., vol. 11, no. 1, (1988) pp.51-67.
Chapman, Stanley D., (Ed.). The Devon Cloth Industry in the Eighteenth Centuries, Torquay, Devon and Cornwall Record Society, New Series, Vol. 23 (1978) xxvi + 159p.
Davies, E.J. The Royal North Devon Golf Club 1864-1989, Westward Ho!, The Club (1989) 202p: ill. [ISBN 1872323014] [Barnstaple Library 796.352/WES 7/DAV]
Dell, S. Policing the Peninsula (1850-2000): Celebration of West Country Policing, 43 Courtlands Road, Tavistock, Devon (2000) [ISBN 0952729792].
Greeves, Thomas Anthony Patrick The Devon tin industry 1450-1750: an archaeological and historical survey. Ph.D. Thesis, Exeter University, History Department (1981) 415p.
Hutchings, Walter. Out of the Blue: A History of the Devon Constabulary. Devonshire Press (1957) 204p. [Lookups]
Maxted, Ian The Devon book trades: a biographical dictionary. Exeter: Maxted (1991) - (Exeter working papers in British book trade history; 7).
Messenger, M.J. North Devon Clay: The History Of An Industry And Its Transport, Twelveheads (1982) 102pp, photos, diagrams, maps.
Northway, A.M The Devon fishing industry, 1760-1860. M.A. Thesis, Exeter University, Economic History Department (1969).
Ponsford, C.N., (Ed.). Devon Clocks and Clockmakers, (1985) 360 p.
Rice, Iain. Devon Firefighter - A Century of Courage & Service, Tiverton, Halsgrove Press 176 p. [ISBN 1855227606]
Scott, C.G. Photographers in Devon 1842-1939, compiled from resources in the Westcountry Studies Library, (1997) [Devon FHS Library p770.94235]
Wright, W.H.K. West-Country Poets: their lives and works, being an account of about four hundred verse writers of Devon and Cornwall with poems and extracts, London, Elliot Stock (1896). [Partial transcription, by Sandra Windeatt.]
Devon Local Studies Library Services publishes, now via the web, a very useful monthly periodical "Annales occidentales or, Westcountry Studies a bibliographical newsletter", accessible via their "What's New" page.
The Devon Family Historian is published by the Devon Family History Society. (Back isses are available on microfiche from the Society.)
The Western Antiquary, or Devon and Cornwall Note-Book, was published from 1881-1893 (Vol. 1 to Vol. 12, No. 3). Here are a detailed set of indexes, prepared by David Gale.
North Devon Heritage is the Journal of the Devon Museum Trust.
Fursdon, A.A. The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art. General Index to the Transactions (Vols. I-LX) 1862-1928, Torquay, Devonshire Press (1957). [BL Ac.1200.(a.)]
Fursdon, A.A. The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art, Vols. LXI-LXX., Torquay, Devonshire Press (1952).
Fursdon, A.A. The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art, Vols. LXXI-LXXX., Torquay, Torquay Times & Devonshire Press (1952).
Fursdon, A.A. The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art. General index, 1949-1968, Torquay, Devonshire Press (1969).
Mike Brown, of Dartmoor Press, has provided a detailed account Settlement & Removal in Rural Devon.
The Workhouse web-site has good general information about Poor Law matters, and an active map of Poor Law Unions in South West England which will in due course lead to information about each specific Union. It is part of the Rossbret set of pages on Workhouses and Poor Law Institutions, Asylums, Almshouses, Gaols (Prisons), Dispensaries, Hospitals (Infirmaries), Reformatories (Industrial Schools), and Orphanages - see the Rossbret Devon entries.
Bolt, Barbara. Hospitals and Asylums of Devon and Their Records, Exeter, Devon Family History Society.
Cole, Jean. Life in the Union Workhouse. In 25 Years with the Devon Family Historian, pp.25-29, Devon FHS, (2001).
Izacke, R. An Alphabetical Register of Divers Persons, Who by their Last Wills, Grants, Feoffments, and other Deeds, have given Tenements, Rents, Annuities, and Monies, towards the Relief of the poor of the County of Devon and City and County of Exon...., Samuel Izacke (1736) 172 + 2 p.
Wheeleker, Susannah and Eyles, Sarah. Poor relief in Devon: two A-level personal studies, Exeter, Devonshire Association (1991) 40p: diagrs. [Westcountry Studies Library p362.58/DEV/WHE]
Parish Poor Law Records in Devon, Exeter, Devon Record Office (1993).
Devon Union Workhouses & Their Records, Exeter, Devon Family History Society.
Beckerlegge, J.J. (Ed.). Index of the Wills and Administrations relating to the County of Devon proved in the Court of the Archdeaconry of Barnstaple, 1563-1858, and preserved in the Probate Registry at Exeter until destroyed by enemy action in 1942, The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art (1950).
Fry, E.A. (Ed.). Calendars of Wills and Administrations relating to the Counties of Devon and Cornwall, proved in the court of the principal registry of the Bishop of Exeter, 1559-1799. And of Devon only, proved in the court of the Archdeaconry of Exeter, 1540-1799. (2 vols.) William Brendon & Son: Plymouth, 1908 [1900-12]. [BL Ac.1200/3] [Available on CD from the ArchiveCD Books Project]
Fry, E.A. (Ed.). Calendar of Wills and Administrations relating to the counties of Devon and Cornwall, proved in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Exeter, 1532-1800, now preserved in the Probate Registry at Exeter (with a name index by Mrs. I.S. Moir) (2 vols.) (Index Library 35, 46), London: British Record Society (1908, 1914). [BL X.0802/365.(23.)]
Worthy, C. Devonshire Wills, London: Bemrose (1896) 516 p. [Lookups]
Exeter District Probate Registry. Calendars of wills and administrations relating to the counties of Devon and Cornwall ... Plymouth (1908) 2 v. (The Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and Art. Transactions. [Extra vol.])The two main collections of Devonshire will abstracts (which provide information about the actual contents of pre-1858 wills, from Devon and various other courts, including Canterbury) are:
Moger, Olive M. Transcript of Devonshire wills, 1600-1800, Ms., Devon Record Office. [LDS Film nos. 916915, 916915, 916870-916879]
Murray, Oswyn (comp.) Oswyn Murray collection of wills, abt. 1600-1800, . [LDS Film Nos: 917257-916914. [LDS Film Nos: 917257-916914]
However, information is available relating to the post-1796 destroyed Devon probate records concerning estates on which death duty was payable. Firstly, many such wills proved between 1812 and 1857 had been made copied by the Estate Duty Office, and the copies relating to Devon are now held in the Devon Record Office. In fact, these copies are complete except for the testator's signature. They are indexed in the Access to Archives web site - search on "Estate Duty" and "Devon Record Office", and then choose a catalogue and use "Browse Full Text". (The will copies have been filmed by the LDS, on 34 films, with the index in film no. 1278571/2.)
Secondly, the Estate Duty Office's summaries of wills have been recorded in the Registers of Legacy Duty, Succession Duty and Estate Duty (often called the Death Duty Registers). The Registers are in Public Record Office, in PRO IR26, with an index to them in PRO IR27. These Registers in fact provide detailed summaries of many (but by no means all) of the wills that were proved in Devon during the period 1796 to 1903, including those from the Diocese of Exeter and the Archdeaconry of Barnstaple. These have been filmed by the LDS as film nos. 1368366-69 (registers) and 1368371 (index).
In addition, after the war, the Devon Record Office attempted to collect or at least locate those few wills and copies that had survived elsewhere:Devon Record Office. Index to wills, copies and related papers [of the County of Devon], 1200-1900's. [Microfilm of a card index to wills in private deposits, and to a small number of Diocesan wills which were never transferred to the Exeter Probate Office. LDS Film 1278569, 1278570, 1278571/1]Some Devon parishes came under the Archdeaconry Court of Cornwall, so their wills survive:
Glencross, R.M. (ed.). Calendar of Wills, Administrations and Accounts Relating to the Counties of Cornwall and Devon in the Connotorial Archdiaconal Court of Cornwall (with which are included the records of the Royal Peculiar of St. Burian) now preserved in the District Probate Office at Bodmin. Index Library, vols. 56 & 59.
Cornwall Record Office. Cornish Probate Records, 1600-1649 (5 vols.), Truro, Cornwall County Council (1984).Some other Devon wills, including all those for the parish of Uffculme, also survive in Wiltshire County Record Office.
Alcock, N.W. Surviving Devon Wills and Inventories, Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries, vol. 31, (1968-70) pp.182.
Fursdon, C.A.T. Wills and administrations [mainly 1620-1633], Typescript (1931). [D&CRS Library: R WIL]
Fursdon, C.A.T. Genealogical contents of Devon and Cornish wills and inventories [ca.1558-1810] ; Thorverton marriage licences 1528-1834, Typescript (1931). [D&CRS Library: R WIL]
Fursdon, C.A.T. Index of a collection of Devon & Cornwall wills preserved in Exeter Cathedral, Typescript ([1935?]). [D&CRS Library: R WIL] [Covers period ca.1580-1835] [These are now in in the DRO]
Moger, O.M. Some Notes on the Whereabouts of Devon Wills, Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries, vol. 25, (1952-53) pp.9-10.
(The relevant parish pages identify the parishes concerned.)
About three thousand 13th to 17th century Inquisitions Postmortem (probate inventories) survive for the Westcountry - a number are transcribed in:
Cash, M. Devon Inventories of the 16th and 17th centuries, Devon and Cornwall Record Series (New Series) No. 11. (1966) 206 p.
Finally, Devon residents might well for some reason have had their wills proved in London, at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury - see under Probate Records on the GENUKI/England page, in particular PRO Legal Records Information Note 23.
For another full account see the Devon Record Office's Locating Devon Wills and Administrations.
UK Schools History web-site: Devon section.
Bovett, Robert. Historical Notes on Devon Schools, Devon County Council (1989) 438 p. [ISBN 0-86114-995-5]
Porter, Jeffrey, (Ed.). Education and Labour in the South West, Exeter Papers in Economic History, No. 10 (1975). [ISBN 0859890759] [Devon FHS Library p942.3]
Sellman, R.R.S. Devon village schools in the nineteenth century. David & Charles: Newton Abbot (1967) pp. 171. pl. XII.
The Devon Family History Society publishes a quarterly journal, "The Devon Family Historian", and provides several index search services and a library for the use of members. About 1500 of its members are listed in the "Members Interests" booklet published by the Society.
The Devonshire Association was "founded in 1862 with objectives to further the study of science, literature and the arts in relation to the county of Devon", and publishes its Transactions annually.
The Devon & Cornwall Record Society publishes local records and promotes local historical studies and genealogical research.
The Devon History Society - web site.
South West Maritime History Society - web site.
Indexes to Heads of Households, taken from Devon Land Tax Records, are being produced by the Australian Institute of Genealogical Studies - here is a listing of the parish booklets now available.
Banks, Charles Edward. Taxacio tertii subsidii trium integroru: Dno usio Jacobo regi...1624: Subsidy roll 102/463 (2 vols.), Typescript [1925?]. [D&CRS Library, Exeter: P1624]
Chiswell, Ann. Land Tax Assessments: South West Devon 1780 (41 parishes). [Devon FHS Library 929.34235] [LDS Fiche 6036835]A number of early tax lists have been transcribed and published, including:
Erskine, A.M. Devon Lay Subsidies of 1332, Devon & Cornwall Record Society, Vol. NS 14 (1969) 176 p. [Lookups]
Reichel, O.J. (Ed.). Devon Feet of Fines, Vol 1: Richard I - Henry III (1196-1272), Exeter, Devon and Cornwall Record Society, Vol 7 (1912) 437 p.
Reichel, O.J., Prideaux, F.B., and Tapley-Soper, H., (Ed.). Devon Feet of Fines, Vol 2: 1 Edward I - 43 Edward III (1272-1369), Exeter: Devon and Cornwall Record Society (1939) 494 p.
Stoate, T. L. (ed.). Devon lay subsidy rolls, 1524-7. Lower Court, Almondsbury, Bristol: T.L Stoate (1979) xviii, 291 p.
Stoate, T. L. (Ed.). Devon Hearth Tax Return Lady Day 1674, Lower Court, Almondsbury, Bristol: Stoate, T.L. (1982) xvi, 258 p.
Stoate, T. L. (Ed.). Devon Taxes, 1581-1660, Lower Court, Almondsbury, Bristol BS12 4DX, (1988) 260p.
The Devon Lay Subsidy 1524-7, Devon Lay Subsidy Rolls 1543-5, and Devon Hearth Tax Return Lady Day 1674 are available on microfiche from Harry Galloway Publishers and Booksellers, The Cottage, Manor Terrace, Paignton, Devon TQ3 3RQ.
Thomas, R.G. An Unknown Devon County Poll-Book. Devonshire Association Trans. vol. 106 (1974) pp. 231-258.
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