Jump to content

Bowden, Ashprington

Add links
Coordinates: 50°25′02″N 3°41′18″W / 50.4172°N 3.6884°W / 50.4172; -3.6884
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Bwoodcock (talk | contribs) at 10:56, 7 June 2021 (Re-formatted the timeline of ownership out of a monoblock of text.). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Not to be confused with Bowden, Yealmpton.
Not to be confused with Bowden, Stoke Fleming.
Bowden House, Ashprington, Devon

Bowden is an historic estate in Ashprington parish near Totnes in Devon, England. The present structure, known as "Bowden House," is a grade I listed building and, having been modified over many centuries, is composed of a mélange of styles with English Baroque and Tudor predominating.[1]

Origins of the name Bowden

Two possible derivations of the name Bowden have been offered. Bowden’s elevated yet sheltered location would match the combining of the words Boga and Dunne - a phrase meaning the crest of a hill or rounded hill.[citation needed] Considering that the original access route from Totnes was an eastern approach going straight over the hill, this seems plausible. A second proposition derives the origin from the word Bodeton, in which ton, from the Anglo Saxon tun - means enclosure, farmstead or village, in this case belonging to someone named Bode or Bude.[2]

Listing description

Bowden House was given a grade 1 listing in 1952, making it one of fewer than 10,000 such buildings in the UK, placing it in the same category as Windsor Castle, York Minster and Blackpool Tower and recognizing it as being of exceptional interest and national importance. The Register of Listed Buildings provides the following description:

BOWDEN HOUSE, GREEN LANE
(Formerly listed as Bawden House and Outbuildings of Bowden House)
GRADE I Listing NGR: SX8014358848
Circa 1509 manor house built for John Gyles, remodelled with new south-east and south-west fronts circa 1700-04 for Nicholas Trist. 2 storeys. Hipped Welsh slate roof with rendered stacks. Devonian limestone ashlar with pilasters carrying entablature and parapet. Architraved sash windows with glazing bars. Main entrance with the architraved doorway, early C19 glazed porch. C16 range at the rear with original doorways to former screen's passage; original main entrance (now internal doorway) of granite with arched head, (similar doorway reused in C19 stable range. Early C19 stable block adjoining C16 range with arcaded stable yard. Outbuildings incorporate a doorway and other carved fragments from the C16 house. Interior Former Tudor hall, later the kitchen, retains a moulded plaster ceiling decorated with rib work and part of figured frieze; open fireplaces, one with early C18 mantle. C18 front room with earlier C17 panelling (brought from elsewhere in the old house) and similarly a fine carved chimneypiece with elaborate coat of arms and crowned supporters inscribed below Holophernes and Judith with date 1585. Elaborate C18 plasterwork to entrance hall including doorcase, niches, chimney-piece. Medallion of Charles I dated 1735. Mid C18 open staircase.[3]

Description of Bowden House

Bowden’s primary façades provide a consistent and refined 18th century appearance, screening the mixture of ages and styles of its much-remodeled interior. The massive chimney stacks, some dating to the 16th century, appear crude by contrast with the square dressed stone of the south and west elevations. These elevations together contain two main entrances and thirty sash windows set within polished ashlar architraves. The secondary elevations to the north and east display much more clearly the many modifications made over time and incorporate masonry remnants and leftovers salvaged during previous renovations.

Bowden House as viewed from the South

The oldest parts of the house lie to the north and east. Land at Bowden was occupied by the de Braose family in 1154 but nothing visible in the house's structure suggests it contains anything dating to this period. Much of the foundation and some internal walls of the current building likely have their origin in construction done for Thomas Giles (or Gyles, or Gylles) who acquired Bowden in 1464. A large Tudor mansion arose early in the 1520s (about one-third of which remains today) and was incorporated into the current building. Evidence of the original layout of Giles’ construction can be gleaned from studying the existing cellar walls and the southern outer courtyard walls. The Giles Family lived at Bowden for about 250 years.

Ground floor plan of Bowden House
Ground floor plan of Bowden House

Shortly after purchasing the house in 1704, Nicholas Trist enlarged it by adding ranges to cover two sides of the original building, but probably retaining part of a north cross wing as well as the 'Giles' Tudor hall. Any previous structure to the south of this hall has been obliterated by Trist's additions. Initially, after the Trists added the south to west ranges, the 'Giles' hall may have been used as a servants' dining room or hall, while the principal dining room was in the new south range at the southeast corner.

The detached kitchen arrangement was clearly discontinued later in the 18th century. The brick arcaded passage was blocked off, and the 'Giles' hall became the main kitchen, with ovens and a massive chimney being added to the west side.

In about 1800 Bowden was bought by the Adams family and, among other things, much work was done to the roofs during their ownership, which lasted until 1887. The ceiling in the 18th century south entrance hall carries a shield of arms of 'Adams of Bowden'. Pevsner comments upon this room: '...one of the few examples in the country of an essay in Baroque taste, the details rather better than the sum of the parts, as seen so often in provincial work. An early C18 date seems likely for most of the decoration, although some of the embellishments may be later, among them the arms of the Adam family, owners of the house from c. 1800, which appear on the ceiling.'[4]

External Elevations

The south and west fronts of Bowden House are of two storeys with sash windows and hipped slate roofs behind parapets. These ranges were added in the early 18th century. Each elevation is a symmetrical composition. Although differing in length, each façade is divided into three parts by giant pilasters reaching from plinth to parapet cornice.

The main walling is of squared and coursed Devonian limestone rubble, and the details at plinth, first-floor Platt band and moulded cornice are in ashlar. The pilasters are a bluish-grey limestone with a red limestone frieze, punctuated centrally above each window with a grey block. The wall panels between the pilasters are infilled with a deliberate mix of grey and red limestone. Further red bands are added at first floor level to the outer parts. All windows are eighteen-pane sashes in moulded ashlar surrounds.

North of the 'Giles' hall the walling continues in stone rubble for three storeys with a pair of openings to each floor, now mainly modern wood casements under brick arches.

The east side of the inner court is covered by a two-storey building which may have originally been a detached kitchen. To this building a brick upper storey was added in the 18th century, perforated by pigeon holes in the west side and south gable end. It was presumably converted to a stable range with lofts over in the time of the Trist's additions to the main house, and was altered again to form two cottages circa 1970.

The Roofs

Over the 18th century additions there are intersecting hipped slated roofs and leaded valleys, but the central late-medieval hall and service rooms have been re-roofed and raised completely in the late 18th or 19th centuries. This area of roof gives little indication externally of the divisions within the building beneath. The roof over the SE range has two parallel pitches with a central valley gutter draining to the east and west. The ridges of these two roofs are supported not by the normal trussed rafters, but centrally, parallel to and beneath the ridge, by an early form of lattice girder in timber. This has raking struts rising from each side of the lowest member of the girder, a tie beam, to support the purlins, and normal raftering. This method would seem to have been used in order to maintain a low roof profile over a wide span without having to recourse to a wholly leaded roof.[citation needed]

Descent

Bowden House List of Descent

Reginald de Brieuse (or de Braose) (c.1154)
John Giles (or Gyles, or Gylles) MP (c.1487-1552/3) to son
William Giles (c.1507-1581) to son
John Giles MP (d. 1606) to son
Sir Edward Giles MP (1566-1637) to first cousin
Richard Giles (1581-1648) to son
John Giles (d. 1676) to kinswoman
Mary, wife of Sir Richard Gipps, who sold 1704 to
Nicholas Trist (1668-1741) to son
Browse Trist (c.1699-1777) to son
Hore Browse Trist (c.1736-80) to brother
Rev. Browse Trist (c.1742-91) to three daughters, who sold c.1800 to
William Adams MP (1752-1811) to son
William Dacres Adams (1775-1862) to son
Rev. Dacres Adams (1806-71) to son
William Fulford Adams (1833-1912) who sold 1887 to
Sir Mortimer Singer (d. 1929) who sold 1895 to
The Harvey family who sold c.1914 to
Montague Bush who sold to
Robert William Campbell-Davidson (fl. 1923) ca. 1920 let to
Col. Partridge, requisitioned for use by US Army in WW2
used as special school, then sold c. 1965 to
Ayles family, who sold in 1976 to
Christopher & Belinda Petersen, who sold in 2000 to
Mrs. & Mr. R. Taylor, who sold in 2005 to
Jan Mosbacher, who sold in 2014 to
The Bowden Housing Cooperative.

Juhel/Vautort

Bowden is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, but it is thought to have been within the large royal manor of Chillington. A part of this manor was Harberton, granted by King Henry I to Roger de Nonant. It later became the caput of the feudal barony of Harberton whose barons were the Vautort family. The Barony of Harberton received half of the lands stripped by the king from Juhel de Totnes (died 1123/30), first feudal baron of Totnes, before he became feudal baron of Barnstaple. Amongst the holdings of the barony of Harberton was Bothon, Bodeton, Boghedon (Bowden).[5]

de Bowden

In 1314 Bowden was held from the feudal baron overlord by John de Bowdon,[6] whose family took their name from the estate.

Pomeroy

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

The de la Pomeroy family were feudal barons of Berry Pomeroy,[7] seated at Berry Pomeroy Castle near Totnes, built by Radulfus de Pomerei (Ralph de Pomeroy), from La Pommeraye, Calvados, Normandy,[8] listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding Berie[9] in demesne with 57 other manors.

  • Henry IX de la Pomeroy (1416–1481), whose second wife was Anna (or Amy) Cammel, daughter of Robert Cammel of Tittleford, Dorset, and widow firstly of Henry Barrett of Whiteparish, Wiltshire[10] and secondly of Thomas Gyll of Loddiswell, Devon. "A succession of records suggest that she brought Bowden to the Pomeroy's, along with 3 generations of chancery suits brought by the Gyll heirs".[11]
  • Thomas Pomeroy (died 1493), 3rd son by his father's first wife Alice Raleigh.[10] He was in possession of Bowden after 1487.[12] In 1491 he entered into a bond summarised as follows:[13]
Thomas Pomerey de Bowden, Esq., to William, Prior of Tottenesse and Convent. In £100. To abide the arbitration of Richard Lord Bishop of Exeter on all causes depending between them.
He married Agnes Kelloway (died 1518), great-grand-daughter of his step-mother Anna Cammell, and daughter of John Kelloway, son of John Kelloway of Sherborne, Dorset, by his wife Johanna Barrett, daughter of Henry Barrett of Whiteparish, Wiltshire, by his wife Anna Cammell.[10] In 1478 John Kelloway settled various lands on his daughter Agnes and her husband Thomas Pomeroy.[10] The Inquisition post mortem of Agnes states her to have died seized of Bowden Manor in Totnes Magna.[14]
  • Richard Pomeroy (fl.1531) of Bowden and of Rousdon, Devon, son and heir, who married Eleanor Coker, daughter of John Coker of Mappowder ("Maypowder"), Dorset.[10] An heraldic escutcheon showing the arms of Pomeroy impaling Coker (Argent, on a bend gules three leopard's faces or) existed at one time in Bowden House, as recorded in a Roll of Arms made by Sir George Carew.[15] Richard Pomeroy had a son Henry Pomeroy, who married Agnes Huckmore, daughter and heiress of William Huckmore. The marriage settlement commences: "in consideration of a marriage to be had, celebrated and solemnized between Henry Pomerey, son and heir apparent of Richard Pomerey of Bowdon, esquire, and Agnes, daughter of the said William Hokemore".[16] Richard Pomeroy sold Bowden to John Giles (died 1552/3) of Totnes and his son William Giles.

Giles

Arms of Giles: Per chevron argent and azure, a lion rampant counterchanged collared or[17]
  • John Giles (died 1552/53), who in 1542 with his son William, purchased from Francis Knollys for the sum of £800 the manor of Ashprington. Also with William in 1543 he purchased from Richard Pomeroy premises in Magna Totnes, Bowden in Totnes, Tybecombe, & Asprington. The purchase was not without legal difficulties as at some time between 1544–51, with his son William and with Richard Pomeroy, he brought a lawsuit in Chancery against "Nicholas the grandson & heir of John Carsewell, Esq, & William Webber (Webster) his father-in-law, 'a grete captayne and rebell in the late commocyon in the weste partyes', for detention & forgery of Deeds relating to messuages & lands called Bowden".[18] He was a merchant in Totnes, a Mercer and Merchant Stapler, reputed to have been the wealthiest man in Devon in his time. He was Mayor of Totnes in 1517-18 and in 1529 was elected the first Member of Parliament for the Borough of Totnes.[19] He married Ellinor Towkerman.[20]
  • William Giles of Totnes, who together with his father purchased the estate.[21] He married Joane Blackall, daughter of John Blackall (alias Blackaller) of Totnes.[20]
  • John Giles (died 1606), son, who married Agnes Stucley, a daughter of Sir Hugh Stucley (1496–1559) of Affeton, Devon,[22] Sheriff of Devon in 1545.[23] He purchased the adjoining estate of Sharpham also in the parish of Ashprington, from Edward Drewe.[24] He was buried at nearby Dean Prior, Devon.[20]
  • Sir Edward Giles (1566–1637), son, MP for Totnes, of Dean Court, Dean Prior, Devon, possessor of Bowden at the time of the writing of the manuscript on the history of Devon by Sir William Pole (died 1635).[22] He was knighted in 1603 and married Mary Drewe, daughter and heiress of Edmond Drewe of Hayne, Newton St Cyres, near Crediton, Devon, and widow of Walter Northcote (1566–1587), younger brother of John Northcote (1570–1632) of Uton and Hayne, Newton St Cyres, the latter who was ancestor of the Northcote Baronets and the Earls of Iddesleigh. He died without children and was buried in St George's Church, Dean Prior,[20] where survives his monument erected in 1642.[25]
  • Richard Giles (1581–1648), first cousin, son of William Giles (died 1581), 2nd son of William Giles and Joane Blackall. He married Dorothy Carew (died 1662), daughter of "Peter Carew",[20] possibly Peter Carew of Bickleigh Castle, near Tiverton, Devon.[26]
  • Peter Giles (died 1653), son, who died unmarried.[20]
  • Edward Giles (died 1669), younger brother, who married Mary Burthogg (sister of Richard Burthogge (1637/38–1705) of Devon, a physician, magistrate and philosopher), by whom he had a daughter Elizabeth Giles (died 1663/64), who predeceased him[20] and another daughter and sole heiress Mary Giles who survived him, the wife of Sir Richard Gipps (1659–1708), Knight, of Suffolk.[27]

Gipps

Trist

The Trist family owned Bowden for several generations[29] until about 1800.[30]

  • Nicholas Trist (1668–1741), who in 1704 purchased Bowden from Sir Richard Gipps.[28] In 1722 Nicholas Trist effected major alterations to the mansion house, which produced the surviving Georgian east and south fronts.[30]
  • Browse Trist (c. 1699 – 1777), son[28]
  • Hore Browse Trist (c.1736-80), son[28]
  • Rev. Browse Trist (c.1742-91), brother, who died leaving three daughters as his co-heiresses, who in about 1800 sold Bowden to William Adams (1752–1811), MP.[28]

Adams

Arms of Adams of Tunstall: Or, a lion rampant[31] between six cross crosslets within a bordure engrailed sable[32]
  • William Adams (1752–1811). Bowden was acquired in about 1800[30] from the Trist family by the merchant William Adams (1752–1811), MP for Plympton Erle (1796–1801) and for Totnes (1801–1811),[33] who made it his seat.[27] He was the eldest son of William Adams of Totnes by his wife Mary Chadder, daughter of William Chadder. In 1774 he married Anna Maria Dacres, daughter of Richard Dacres of Leatherhead, Surrey, by whom he has 2 sons and 2 daughters.[34] He was made a freeman of Totnes in 1779, of which borough he was three times elected mayor, and was appointed to the honourable position of recorder in 1807. He was probably a partner in the Totnes General Bank of Adams and Company.[34] The armorials of Adams appear in the plasterwork of the main reception room of the east front.[30] He was descended from the same family origin as Nicholas Adams (died 1584) of Townstal (alias Tunstall), Dartmouth, Devon, Member of Parliament for West Looe 1547, and four times for Dartmouth, twice in 1553, and twice in 1554. Nicholas Adams was from an ancient Somerset family formerly seated at Charlton Adam, 4 miles north of Ilchester.[35][36]
William Dacres Adams (1775–1862), portrait by his friend Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769–1830). Berger Collection
  • William Dacres Adams (1775–1862), eldest son and heir, Private Secretary to two Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, namely Pitt the Younger, 1804–06 and the Duke of Portland, 1807-09. He was Commissioner of Woods and Forests (1811–1834). He married the daughter and heiress of Mayow Wynell Mayow (died 1807) of Old House, Sydenham, Kent. He inherited from his wife the Old House estate which he made his seat. He allowed Bowden to be occupied by his younger brother, Lt-Gen. Sir George Pownall Adams (1779–1856) during his lifetime.[28]
  • Rev. Dacres Adams (1806–71), eldest surviving son and heir.[28]
  • Rev. William Fulford Adams (1833–1912), son, who in 1887 sold Bowden to Sir Mortimer Singer (died 1929)[28]

Singer

Descent c.1914-1990

In about 1914 Bowden was purchased by Montague Bush, who sold it to Robert William Campbell-Davidson (fl. 1923). In the Second World War it was requisitioned for use by the US Army, and was later used as a special school. In the ca. 1965 it was purchased by Ayles family who in 1976 sold it to Christopher and Belinda Petersen, who sold in 2000 to Mrs & Mr R. Taylor; sold 2005 to Jan Mosbacher; who sold in 2014 to Bowden Housing Cooperative.[28]

Bowden House Community

Bowden House Community, present day owner and occupier of the Bowden Estate, is a "group of families and individuals developing conscious, authentic and eco-mindful living within a culture of singing, working, eating, gardening, celebrating and learning together".[38] As part of this community Bowden House itself is owned by the Bowden Housing Cooperative Ltd. and is shared by its residents.

References

  1. ^ Listing text
  2. ^ Fanthorpe, Lionel; Fanthorpe, Patricia (1999). The World's Most Mysterious Places (1 ed.). Toronto: Hounslow Press. p. 75. ISBN 0-88882-206-5. Retrieved 7 June 2021. {{cite book}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
  3. ^ Historic England. "Bowden House (1236034)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  4. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1952). The Buildings of England: South Devon. Penguin Books. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
  5. ^ Thorn & Thorn, part 2 (notes), Chapter 1, entry 34
  6. ^ Pole, p.293, Regnal date 8 Edward II
  7. ^ Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960, p.106
  8. ^ Sanders, p.106, note 9
  9. ^ Thorn, Caroline & Frank, (eds.) Domesday Book, (Morris, John, gen.ed.) Vol. 9, Devon, Parts 1 & 2, Phillimore Press, Chichester, 1985, part 1, chapter 34, entry 48
  10. ^ a b c d e Vivian, p.607 pedigree of Pomeroy
  11. ^ "See". Archived from the original on 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  12. ^ "See Pomeroy Connections website". Archived from the original on 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  13. ^ 1491 deed: Devon Heritage Centre (South West Heritage Trust) 312M/TY120 [1]
  14. ^ "Text see Henry VIII Series II. Vol. 34 (65) Inquisitions post Mortem". Archived from the original on 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  15. ^ Sir George Carew’s Roll of Arms, number 625: Ar. on a bend g. 3 leops’ faces de or. This coate standeth impaled with Pomeroye in Bowden House by the name of Cauker. (Cawker, Coker. This is Mr. Gyles his house at Bowden, impalled with POMEROY by the name of Cawker, q. by the Ea. of Hartford[2] Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. Possibly George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes (died 1629), noted as an antiquarian
  16. ^ "Quoted in the inquisition post mortem of William Huckmore". Archived from the original on 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  17. ^ Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.409
  18. ^ National Archives, Kew, ref:C 1/1253/33-43 [3]; see [4] Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ See
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Vivian, p.409
  21. ^ Pole, p.293, who makes no reference to his father
  22. ^ a b Pole, p.293
  23. ^ Vivian, p.721, pedigree of Stucley
  24. ^ Risdon, p.167; Gray, Todd & Rowe, Margery (Eds.), Travels in Georgian Devon: The Illustrated Journals of The Reverend John Swete, 1789-1800, 4 vols., Tiverton, 1999, Vol.4, p.103
  25. ^ Pevsner, p.333
  26. ^ Vivian, p.136, Peter Carew of Bickleigh by his wife Elizabeth Chudleigh had a daughter named Dorothy, whose brother Sir Henry Carew was born in 1599
  27. ^ a b Risdon, 1810 Additions, p.380
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i Nick Kingsley, landedfamilies.blogspot.co.uk
  29. ^ Risdon, 1810 Additions, p.380; Pevsner, p.195
  30. ^ a b c d Pevsner, p.195
  31. ^ lion rampant gules per Burke, 1838, p.444, sable per Vivian, p.9
  32. ^ Vivian, p.9
  33. ^ History of Parliament biography [5]
  34. ^ a b History of Parliament biography
  35. ^ Burke, 1838, pp. 434–4, Adams of Bowden
  36. ^ Vivian, p.9, pedigree of Adams of Tunstall
  37. ^ Pevsner, p.839
  38. ^ "Bowden House Community website". Archived from the original on 2015-04-17. Retrieved 2015-04-17.

Sources

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

50°25′02″N 3°41′18″W / 50.4172°N 3.6884°W / 50.4172; -3.6884

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Bowden,_Ashprington&oldid=1027340730"