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The North Devon Journal 27 Jan 1876
Page 2 Column 1 and 2
“Antiquarian” writes to us:- Now that your correspondent “Marland” has completed his labour of love in his detour of the Devonshire parishes, a few supplementary notes from the hand of one who for more than ten years eagerly studied and contributed largely to the antiquities of this county will, no doubt, be interesting to many of your readers.
THE COHAMS, OF COHAM, AND DUNSLAND, AND TREVEFORE MANOR.
As “Marland” has so fully and exhaustively treated of the Sheepwash and Black Torrington pedigree of this family, I will not enter into it beyond giving a few supplementary details. The fine barton of Coham, with its noble old manor house, is still the seat of the COHAMS. W. H. B. COHAM, Esq., the present owner, has greatly improved the manor house within the last few years. During his minority, and for some time during the lifetime of his father, the late Rev. William Bickford COHAM, who resided at Dunsland, it was the residence of J. G. MAXWELL, Esq. (a graduate of Caius Coll., Camb.), whose reputation as a fine old English gentleman, and a poet, is too generally known to need more than passing mention.
The late Holland COHAM, Esq., of Compton Hartley, Plymouth (uncle of the present owner of Coham), who made Dunsland at one time his place of residence, was a much respected, able, and upright county magistrate. Educated at Eton, he passed to Trinity College, Camb., at a time when that justly-celebrated college possessed among its alumni some of the most distinguished men in the kingdom. But the anticipation of a bright career for him was marred by physical infirmities, which prostrated his bodily frame, and which he bore with a cheerfulness and Christian spirit which were pleasant to behold. He died universally and deeply regretted in 1867.
Thebridge, in Roborough, which formerly belonged to the COHAMs (through the BICKFORDs), has been sold to the HOLEs, of Ebberly.
The manor of Grindisworthy, in Ashwater, which decended from the BICKFORDs, is still possessed by Mr. Bickford COHAM, who has greatly improved this portion of the property. He also still possesses the barton of Carburrow, with the manor of Trevedoe, in Warleggan, in Cornwall, with its curious old manor house (now a farm). Highweek, in Black Torrington, was formerly the property of the COHAMs, but this has been sold. The present Mr. Bickford COHAM is also presumptive heir to his uncle (whose reputation as a sporting gentleman, and whose esprit de corps we all admire), Mr. G. L. COHAM, of Upcott Avenell, and of Down, in Sheepwash.
THE BRAUNDS, OF BRAUNDSWORTHY.
The BRAUNDs possessed Braundsworthy (near to Coham) for six centuries, but the property becoming greatly embarrassed, Braundsworthy has been sold within the last twenty years. The present representative of the family, George BRAUND, Esq., of Castle Hill, is a son of the late Arscott BRAUND, Esq., of Braundsworthy, and grandson(?) of George BRAUND, Esq., who possessed the estate in 1811 (as says Lysons). They have been connected with some very respectable families, the ARSCOTTs and the RISDONs among others. The late well-known clergyman (who died a few months ago), the Rev. W. H. BRAUND, rector of Ash, in Somerset, was a member of this family. He was the father-in-law of one of our most respected Devonshire magistrates, John WREFORD, Esq., of Claunsborough. It is a strange coincidence that of four Devonshire families, at one time of very considerable wealth, and still of some considerable importance, who were unique in respect to residing on their own estates, which gave them their name, (viz., Coham, Braundsworthy, Kelland and Bury,) contiguous to each other, only two of them, the first and the third, still remain, and at present there is no male heir to the Coham property.
BURDEN, OF BURDEN, IN HIGHAMPTON.
This family, which had been seated at Burden since temp. Richard I., and enjoyed the highest reputation for all the manly virtues which characterise Englishmen, and which intermarried with the COHAMs and other families of repute, have sold their estate to John REDDEWAY, Esq., of Inwardleigh.
LANDCROSS.
Our correspondent's (Marland's) notice of old Parson KELLAND (as he designates him), writes “Antiquarian,” hardly does him justice. (See 'Journal,' June, 1873: Landcross. W. H. K.) We are assured that he was highly respected by all who knew him, and sustained a character for probity and manly virtue of which his descendants may well be proud. He was the son of John KELLAND, Esq., of Hurst, in Coleridge, and grandson of Richard KELLAND, Esq., of Lapford, where the family, originally of Totnes, which they represented in Parliament, have been settled without intermission for 200 years. The Rev. Philip KELLAND was a distinguished graduate of Exeter College, Oxford, and I have heard his offspring speak in warm terms of his excellent example, and to the parental advice which they received at home they attribute in no small degree their afterwards very successful career. Professor KELLAND, of Edinburgh, and the late Captain KELLAND, R.N., of Jersey, were his two sons, and his only daughter is the wife of the distinguished mathematician and astronomer, the Redcliffe Observer (the Rev. R. MANN) at Oxford.