The Lordship of Blakewell, Devon
Lordship of Blakewell Marwood Parish, Braunton Hundred Devon
The Manor of Blakewell
The Lordship of the Manor of Blakewell is a feudal lordship with a long history and is kept alive by the current custodians, the 6th Baron and Baroness of North Cadbury and 11th Lord and Lady of Blakewell, on behalf of the nation.
The Manor of Blakewell is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 and dates back to King Edward the Confessor, the first owner in 1066. It was apparently owned directly by the King and therefore a royal Manor - the King's Manor.
Blakewell is a hamlet in Marwood parish, 3 miles (5 km) N of Barnstaple in the North Devon district.
County of Devonshire - original Thomas Moule hand-coloured Map c.1840
1066 King Edward the Confessor hold Blakewell as 1st Lord of Blakewell. The Manor of Blakewell was apparently a royal holding. 1086 Domesday Book: the Manor of Blakewell in Devon has been recorded in the Domesday Book as part of Braunton, the King’s Manor.  Domesday Book extract for the Manor of Bakewell
1086 Robert de Pont-Chardon hold the lordship of Blakewell from Baldwin the Sheriff. Baldwin FitzGilbert of Brionis or Moels (d.1090) hold Blakewell as tenant-in-chief or 1st Baron of Okehampton. Robert de Pont-Chardon was a knight who came over with William the Conqueror and received the manor of Heanton and other manors from Baldwin the Sheriff. His Devon estates comprised the following manors, all located in North Devon:
date unknown - Sir William I de Punchardon, eldest son of Robert, who retained the Devon and Hampshire estates but those in Hertfordshire and Somerset fell to younger brothers. Date unknown - Roger de Punchardon (d.1243), eldest son. After a few transactions with his brothers Reginald and Robert, he confined his interest to Devonshire. 1243 Sir William II de Punchardon (d.1265), eldest son of Roger, succeeded his father and largely increased the estates. Sir William's widow Ermegard de Punchardon outlived him twenty years and married Alexander de Viteri, who tried unsuccessfully to retain possession of some of the Punchardon manors. Date unknown - Sir John de Punchardon, son and heir, last of the direct male line. Mention of him is frequently made in various documents down to 1296. It seems to be sure that until the death of Sir John, the male line with all the Devonshire possessions are also hold the Lordship of Blakewell. Sir John left three daughters as co-heiresses: Ermegard, heiress of Heanton Punchardon, wife of Sir Philip de Beaumont, Mabil, wife of Sir Henry Raleigh, Pilton and Margery, who married twice, firstly Sir Richard Beauple of Langkey and secondly Joel de Buckenton. The Heanton Punchardon estate which included the Manor of Blakewell went to the oldest daughter Ermegard. With her the possessions went into the Beaumont family. Date unknown - Sir Philip de Beaumont, (b.1315) Date unknown - John de Beaumont, (b.1340, d. 1379) son and heir of Sir Philip. John married Joan Stockhay and had two children Katherine and William. 1407 Sir William Beaumont, (b.1367, d.1408) Sheriff of Devon in 1399, held the Manor of Blakewell and other manors of the Punchardons. 1411 Thomas Pyllond held Blakewell as two messuages and one carucate as a 1/2 fee of Sir William Beaumont. This is the last record of the Lordship and Manor of Blakewell. The Lordship title has been dormant for approximiately for 599 years and was duly reassigned in 2010. 2010 Jörg Hubert Dumke and his wife Regina, 11th Lord and Lady of Blakewell obtain the title and hereditary rights of the Lordship of the Manor of Blakewell. |
