Bittadon
| Bittadon | |
| Devon | |
|---|---|
 St Peter's Church, Bittadon | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SS544414 |
| Location: | 51°9’13"N, 4°4’55"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Barnstaple |
| Postcode: | EX31 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | North Devon |
Bittadon is a tiny village in northern Devon, on a dead-end lane in a little valley, four and a half miles south of the county’s north coast at Ilfracombe, and about seven miles north of Barnstaple. The 2001 census recorded a population of just 45.
Though a small place, it has a church, St Peter, and is part of the ‘Parish of Holy Trinity and St Peter's, Ilfracombe with Bittadon’.[1]
Descent of the manor
During the reign of King John (1199–1216) the manor was held by the de Bittadon family, which took its surname from the manor. They remained seated there for six generations to the time of John II de Bittadon (fl. 1345).
The Lovering family next acquired Bittadon, by means unknown.[2] John Lovering held it during the reign of King Henry VI (1422–61) and Thomas Lovering held it during the reign of King Henry VII (1485–1509).[3] A possible descendant of this family was John I Lovering (died 1675) of Huxhill in the parish of Weare Giffard, and of Hudscott, Chittlehampton, a merchant.
The Luttrell family purchased Bittadon following the tenure of the Loverings.[4] This was a junior branch of the Luttrells of Dunster Castle in Somerset, and also held in the 17th century the nearby Devonshire manor of Saunton, purchased from Arthur Chichester, 1st Baron Chichester (1563–1625), a younger son of the Chichester family of Raleigh, Pilton, near Barnstaple.[5]
In about 1635 Bittadon was held by the Chichester family, the senior branch of which was seated at Raleigh, Pilton, near Barnstaple.[6]
Historic estates
The Pointz family of Northcote, Bittadon,[7] was a junior branch of the ancient and prominent Norman family of Poyntz; feudal barons of Curry Mallet in Somerset and later of Iron Acton in Gloucestershire. Little is known about the Pointz family of Devon until in the 16th century Edward Pointz, "son and heir of Richard Pointz" married Margaret Chichester, a daughter of Amias Chichester (1527–1577). A mural monument survives in Bittadon Church of a later Edward Pointz (died 1691).[8] and shows the arms of Poyntz of Iron Acton, Barry of eight or and gules, and the Poyntz clenched fist.
The Barbor family originated at Upcott in Somerset; William I Barbor, an eminent physician[9] educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, was the first of the family to settle at Barnstaple, and he married the daughter and heiress of the Pointz family of Northcote.[10] many generations followed, several heirs being recorded in monuments in the parish church. The mural monument to George Barbor (1756–1817) survives on the south wall of Fremington Church (west of Barnstaple), above that of his wife, and his funeral hatchment survives on the west wall, of St Peter's Church, Fremington.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Bittadon) |
References
- ↑ Parish of Holy Trinity and St Peter's, Ilfracombe with Bittadon
- ↑ Risdon, p.345
- ↑ Pole, p.402
- ↑ Risdon, p.345
- ↑ Risdon, p.339
- ↑ Risdon, p.345
- ↑ Lysons, Magna Britannia, Vol.6: Devon, "Gentry"
- ↑ Nikolaus Pevsner: The Buildings of England: Devon, 1952; 1989 Penguin Books ISBN 978-0-300-09596-8
- ↑ Risdon, p.423
- ↑ Lysons, Magna Britannia, Vol.6: Devon, "Gentry"
