Mamhead
Encyclopedia
Mamhead is a rural village
and civil parish
near Dawlish
and Kenton
in Devon
, South West England
, in the Teignbridge
local authority area.
On high ground on the Haldon Hills, dense woodlands open out into views of the coast and the estuary
of the River Exe
.
hundred.
According to Daniel
and Samuel Lysons
, in their Magna Britannia
:
John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales
(1870–1872) says of Mamhead:
The population was 230 in 1801, 178 in 1901. A parish history file is kept at Dawlish Library.
The Mamhead estate was sold by the adventurer Sir Peter Carew
(1514–1575) to Giles Ball, whose son Sir Peter Ball
(1598–1680) was attorney-general to King Charles I
's Queen, Henrietta Maria
. He began to build a country house
here, replacing an older house. His grandson Thomas Ball (1671–1749), a merchant, planted many exotic trees brought back from his travels. Between 1742 and 1745, he built an obelisk
on the hill above the house "out of a regard to the safety of such as might use to sail out of the Port of Exon
or any others who might be driven on the coast". The obelisk has a height of one hundred feet.
In 1823, Mamhead was bought by Robert William Newman (1776–1848), who completely rebuilt the house on a new site in 1827-1833, to the designs of Anthony Salvin
. In 1833, Westley Farm was also rebuilt by Salvin. Newman was Member of Parliament
for Exeter
from 1818 to 1826 and High Sheriff of Devon
in 1827. On 17 March 1836, he became Sir Robert William Newman, 1st Baronet
, of Mamhead in the County of Devon. The third Baronet was High Sheriff of Devon in 1871. The fourth Baronet represented Exeter in the House of Commons
from 1918 to 1931, when he was created Baron Mamhead of Exeter in the County of Devon, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
. The peerage became extinct on his death in 1945, but the baronetcy is still extant.
Mamhead Park became Dawlish College, a boarding school for boys. The building was owned by the Tyler family and run with a staff of approx 20. The usual number of boarders was around 75. The surrounding grounds were utilised for numerous activities from swimming,cricket,football,go karting etc. Dormatories and bathrooms were on the second and third floors. The ground floor was primarily used for the teaching and normal day activities including the school administration. The Camelia room was used as refectory. The Castle housed the science & craft rooms - Physics,Biology,Metalwork,Woodwork and Technical Drawing.The inner courtyard was used for 5-a-side football and Volley ball and also had a changing room area.
It was it this time that the magnificent lead drainage system on the castle roof was removed and sold for scrap value in Exeter. (I seem to recall getting £3 for each item)
It is rumoured that a "white lady" ghost can been seen on the main stair case late at night.
parish church, dedicated to St Thomas the Apostle
, stands in Mamhead Park and is a mostly 15th century building. The chancel
was rebuilt about 1830 by Robert William Newman, and the south transept
was turned into the Mamhead pew.
's Life of Johnson
. He was the grandfather of Frederick Temple
(1821–1902), Bishop of Exeter
and Archbishop of Canterbury
. Temple and Boswell had been undergraduates together at the University of Edinburgh
, and Boswell visited Mamhead just after Easter, 1775. Temple was a water-drinker, and under his influence Boswell made a vow under the branches of the great churchyard yew
at Mamhead (which can still be seen) never to get drunk again.
William Plenderleath
(1831–1906) was Rector
of Mamhead from 1891 until 1905, and kept notes of the parish, described as "census details (official and unofficial), offertory accounts, list of communions, collections in aid of voluntary church rate, and confirmations. In the front is a linen-backed map showing inhabited houses in Mamhead".
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
near Dawlish
Dawlish
Dawlish is a town and civil parish in Teignbridge on the south coast of Devon in England, from the county town of Exeter. It has a population of 12,819...
and Kenton
Kenton, Devon
Kenton is a small village located near Exeter, the capital of Devon, England.Kenton is known for its mediæval castle, Powderham Castle, where the Earl of Devon once settled in. Powderham Castle was built between 1390 and 1420 by Sir Philip Courtenay...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, South West England
South West England
South West England is one of the regions of England defined by the Government of the United Kingdom for statistical and other purposes. It is the largest such region in area, covering and comprising Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ...
, in the Teignbridge
Teignbridge
Teignbridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Newton Abbot.Other towns in the district include Ashburton, Dawlish and Teignmouth...
local authority area.
On high ground on the Haldon Hills, dense woodlands open out into views of the coast and the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
.
History
The village was part of ExminsterExminster
Exminster is a village situated on the southern edge of the City of Exeter on the western side of the Exeter ship canal and River Exe in the county of Devon, England. It is around south of the centre of Exeter, and has a population of 3,084 . Exminster is an ancient village associated with a Saxon...
hundred.
According to Daniel
Daniel Lysons
Daniel Lysons was a notable English antiquary and topographer of the late 18th and early 19th century, who published the four-volume The Environs of London ....
and Samuel Lysons
Samuel Lysons
Samuel Lysons FRS was a notable English engraver and antiquary of the late 18th and early 19th century, who - with his older brother, Daniel - published the four-volume The Environs of London...
, in their Magna Britannia
Magna Britannia
Magna Britannia, being a concise topographical account of the several counties of Great Britain was an ambitious topographical and historical survey published by the antiquarians Daniel Lysons and his brother Samuel Lysons in several volumes between 1806 and 1822...
:
John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales
Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales
The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales is a substantial topographical dictionary first published between 1870 and 1872, edited by the Reverend John Marius Wilson. It contains a detailed description of England and Wales...
(1870–1872) says of Mamhead:
The population was 230 in 1801, 178 in 1901. A parish history file is kept at Dawlish Library.
Mamhead Park
Peter Carew
Sir Peter Carew was an English adventurer, who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth of England and took part in the Tudor conquest of Ireland.He is to be distinguished from another Sir Peter Carew Sir Peter Carew (1514? – 27 November 1575) was an English adventurer, who served during the...
(1514–1575) to Giles Ball, whose son Sir Peter Ball
Peter Ball (MP)
Sir Peter Ball was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1626 and 1640. He was attorney general to Queen Henrietta Maria....
(1598–1680) was attorney-general to King Charles I
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
's Queen, Henrietta Maria
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
. He began to build a country house
English country house
The English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a London house. This allowed to them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country...
here, replacing an older house. His grandson Thomas Ball (1671–1749), a merchant, planted many exotic trees brought back from his travels. Between 1742 and 1745, he built an obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
on the hill above the house "out of a regard to the safety of such as might use to sail out of the Port of Exon
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
or any others who might be driven on the coast". The obelisk has a height of one hundred feet.
In 1823, Mamhead was bought by Robert William Newman (1776–1848), who completely rebuilt the house on a new site in 1827-1833, to the designs of Anthony Salvin
Anthony Salvin
Anthony Salvin was an English architect. He gained a reputation as an expert on medieval buildings and applied this expertise to his new buildings and his restorations...
. In 1833, Westley Farm was also rebuilt by Salvin. Newman was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Exeter
Exeter (UK Parliament constituency)
Exeter is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
from 1818 to 1826 and High Sheriff of Devon
High Sheriff of Devon
The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, he holds his office over the duration of a year. He has judicial, ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court...
in 1827. On 17 March 1836, he became Sir Robert William Newman, 1st Baronet
Newman Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Newman, one in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. Two of the creations are extant as of 2007....
, of Mamhead in the County of Devon. The third Baronet was High Sheriff of Devon in 1871. The fourth Baronet represented Exeter in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
from 1918 to 1931, when he was created Baron Mamhead of Exeter in the County of Devon, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
. The peerage became extinct on his death in 1945, but the baronetcy is still extant.
Mamhead Park became Dawlish College, a boarding school for boys. The building was owned by the Tyler family and run with a staff of approx 20. The usual number of boarders was around 75. The surrounding grounds were utilised for numerous activities from swimming,cricket,football,go karting etc. Dormatories and bathrooms were on the second and third floors. The ground floor was primarily used for the teaching and normal day activities including the school administration. The Camelia room was used as refectory. The Castle housed the science & craft rooms - Physics,Biology,Metalwork,Woodwork and Technical Drawing.The inner courtyard was used for 5-a-side football and Volley ball and also had a changing room area.
It was it this time that the magnificent lead drainage system on the castle roof was removed and sold for scrap value in Exeter. (I seem to recall getting £3 for each item)
It is rumoured that a "white lady" ghost can been seen on the main stair case late at night.
Parish church
The Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church, dedicated to St Thomas the Apostle
Thomas the Apostle
Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is best known for questioning Jesus' resurrection when first told of it, then proclaiming "My Lord and my God" on seeing Jesus in . He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside the Roman...
, stands in Mamhead Park and is a mostly 15th century building. The chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
was rebuilt about 1830 by Robert William Newman, and the south transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
was turned into the Mamhead pew.
Rectors
The Rector of the village from 1766 to 1777 was William Johnson Temple, who is mentioned several times in BoswellJames Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck was a lawyer, diarist, and author born in Edinburgh, Scotland; he is best known for the biography he wrote of one of his contemporaries, the English literary figure Samuel Johnson....
's Life of Johnson
Life of Johnson
The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. is a biography of Dr. Samuel Johnson written by James Boswell. It is regarded as an important stage in the development of the modern genre of biography; many have claimed it as the greatest biography written in English...
. He was the grandfather of Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple was an English academic, teacher, churchman and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1896 until his death.-Early life:...
(1821–1902), Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
and Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
. Temple and Boswell had been undergraduates together at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, and Boswell visited Mamhead just after Easter, 1775. Temple was a water-drinker, and under his influence Boswell made a vow under the branches of the great churchyard yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
at Mamhead (which can still be seen) never to get drunk again.
William Plenderleath
William Plenderleath
William Charles Plenderleath was an English Anglican clergyman, author and antiquarian, best remembered for his White Horses of the West of England .-Life:...
(1831–1906) was Rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Mamhead from 1891 until 1905, and kept notes of the parish, described as "census details (official and unofficial), offertory accounts, list of communions, collections in aid of voluntary church rate, and confirmations. In the front is a linen-backed map showing inhabited houses in Mamhead".
External links
- Mamhead location map at maps.google.co.uk
- Relationships unit history of MAMHEAD at visionofbritain.org.uk
- Mamhead Park and view to the Exe estuary at flickr.com
- Mamhead Park at British-towns.net