Abbotsham. Transcribed from - Morris and Co.'s Commercial Directory and Gazetteer. 1870 Please notify me of any errors. Contact.   Transcribed by David GALE Checked by Val HENDERSON Pages 359 - 360   ABBOTSHAM is a village and parish in Bideford union, containing, by the census of 1861, 365 inhabitants, and 1758 acres; in the deanery of Hartland, archdeaconry of Barnstaple, hundred of Shebbear, North Devonshire: 2½ miles south-west from Bideford, on the coast between Barnstaple Bay and the river Torridge. The cliffs overlooking the bay are much frequented in summer. The vicarage, in the incumbency of the Rev. Edward Dansey, M.A., is valued at £120 per annum, with residence and 36 acres of glebe land, and is in the patronage of Edward Urch Vidal, Esq. It was attached to the monastery of Tavistock until the dissolution by Henry VIII. The church is an ancient edifice, dedicated to St. Helen, in the Early English style, consisting of nave, chancel, south transept, and tower with four bells. The Baptists have a place of worship here, and there is a National School for children of both sexes. The poor have charitable bequests producing £10 per annum. Edward Urch Vidal, Esq., J.P., is lord of the manor, and he and the Rev. Edward Dansey and Messrs. Turner are the principal owners of the soil. Clergy and Gentry. Bassett Mr. William, Bow wood Brown Colonel St. Barbe, Riccard's hill Dansey Rev. Edward, M.A., vicar, Kenwith lodge Hugo The Misses, Coombe cottage Trebell Mr. Thomas Turner Mr. John, Coombe Vidal Edwd. Urch, Esq., J.P., Cornborough Wren Capt. Robert Fellows, The Vicarage Trades and Professions. Barton Barnabas, farmer, Kenwith Brown James, farmer, East Puse hill Cork John, farmer, West Puse hill Fulford William, parish clerk Glover Thomas Henry, mason and sub-postmaster Glover William, mason Grant Robert, blacksmith Heywood Joseph, farmer, Lake James Martin, blacksmith Littlejohn William, "Heart of Oak" Moase Edward, wheelwright Pettle John, farmer, Lotham Pickard Miss Elizabeth, farmer, Pitt farm Pridham Thomas, "New Inn" Turner Charles, farmer, The Barton Turner John, yeoman, Coombe ~ Post Office - Thomas Henry Glover, sub-postmaster. Letters from Bideford at 8.15 a.m.; dispatched at 5.40 p.m. Bideford is the nearest money order office. ____________ National School - Miss Emma Geary, mistress   TOP MY HOME PAGE RETURN TO 1870 LIST Updated 13/12/01 Please Report any non-working links. Please feel free to use the information on this page for your own personnel research, but please DO NOT use it for commercial purposes or financial gain. Thankyou. © 2001 Transcriber and Checker as named above.