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Jenkyns Collection 84: Pyncombe Charity Papers

PYNCOMBE CHARITY PAPERS
Jenkyns III.9

When the Jenkyns Papers were studied in the 1980s, the prime interest was Richard Jenkyns Master of Balliol, and that was openly reflected in the bias of the Guide published then (John Jones, The Jenkyns Papers. A Guide, 1988) which passed over much material superficially.The items listed as Miscellaneous under the heading Topographical in op cit p13 were revisited in 2012. Jenkyns III.9 concerns the Pyncombe Charity, and is now described fully.

Gertrude Pyncombe, spinster of Welsbeare, who died on March 19 1730 or 1731 endowed by her Will a permanent Charitable Trust with extensive properties in many Devon and Somerset Parishes, with the principal purposes of providing schooling and augmenting poor clerical livings. There were three Trustees, one of whom for many years was Henry Lockett(1705-1778), Prebendary of Wells 1741-1778. He was connected by the marriage of a daughter to the Jenkyns family (op cit p16), and his Pyncombe Charity Papers passed into the Jenkyns Papers.

Gertrude Pyncombe has a monument in Poughill Church erected by her Trustees in the early 19th century; papers for her Charity survive in a number of repositories: see the NRA. Her will was proved in the PCC in 1731. On 31 August 2012, the Charity Commission database gave seven hits on Pyncombe, including three still active charities derived from Gertrude Pyncombe’s will.

The spelling of place names is as expected for the period erratic, although “Ilfordcomb[e]” is fairly consistent: this name is not traceable by Google but can be identified as Ilfracombe since a reference to “West Hagginton in Ilfordcombe” appears and West Hagginton is in Ilfracombe. No attempt has been made to correct or rather modernise placenames .
These accounts are clearly a valuable resource for residents of the West Country Parishes in which the Pyncombe Estate had property, especially for the Parishes where its ownership was concentrated like High Bickington.

Jenkyns III.9a
Formerly sewn together as a volume, but now mostly separated, foolscap, comprising front sheet + flyleaf + pages with contemporary numbering 1-44 of which 38 was omitted in error + pages numbered in 2012 45-47, of which 47 is blank and apparently last. The front sheet bears the bold legend “Pyncombe Estate “. All is in the same small neat hand, identifiable as Henry Lockett’s, except page 46; that the last sheet (pp46-47) belongs is confirmed by the exact fit if the paper tear irregularities are aligned.

• pp1-13. Indenture, copy. Indenture made 26 February 1757 between William Cholwick of the Six Clerks Office in Chancery on the one part, and Thomas Carew of Crowcombe, Sir Thomas Dyke Acland Bt, and Henry Lockett of the other part. The history and arrangements of the Charity to 1757 are recited at length in 18th century legalese. It appears that in July 1756 Thomas Carew was the only surviving Trustee nominated in Gertrude Pyncombe’s Will, and appointed Sir Thomas Dyke Acland Bt and Henry Lockett to act with him.
• pp14-17. Gertrude Pyncombe’s Will, copy.
  p18. ”Parishes wherein the Trust Estates of Mrs Pyncombe at Present lie with the value of ye Livings “. 18 Parishes are listed; then follows on the same page a list of 23 “Parishes where ye Estates have been sold since her Death”. The date of these lists is unclear, but one entry is dated or updated post-1761.
• pp19-22. ”Mr Read’s Rental of the Pyncombe Estates that were not sold by her Executors Roger Tuckfield Esqr and the Reverend Mr Creyk, and John Carew Esqr Heir to Mr Trenchard”. The various Estates are listed under the following headings, generally naming the tenants and rents payable: typically 2-6 entries per heading. No date appears for this section. Comparison with the next section suggests about 1760. Ash-Reigny; Atherington; Bickington (8 Free Tenants and 50 entries for Leaseholds, several tenants holding several properties each); Broadridge Manor (6 Free Tenants and 16 Leasehold entries); Broadwood Kelly; Cadely; Chawley; Chumley; Cruwys Morchard; Dunster; Bishops Morchard; Iddesley; Hatherleigh; Furze Barton in Ashreigny; West Hagginton; Withypole; Burrington; Kings Nympton; Oakford; South Molton; Riddlescombe Manor in Ash-reigny (13 Free Tenant entries and 8 Leasehold entries). By way of example, here are the names listed on p21 under Crwuys Morchard, (“Only a moiety of wch is Pyncombe Estate”) :-
  • Robert Thorn for Lower Yedbury
  • Mr Melhuish for Stephen Davies for Higher Yedbury
  • Wm & John Paddon for Yedbury Mills
  • Wm Yeoland forTithing Close and House
  • Heirs of Drake an High Rent
• p23. ”Estates in hand to be divided between the Trustees of Mrs Pyncombes Charities and John Carew Esqr 1760, theTrustees having 2/3 and Mr Carew 1/3d.” Headings in this section – entries are much the same as in the last section – are:- High Bickington Manor; Broadridge Manor in the Parish of Poughill; Cruwys Morchard; Broadwood Kelly; Chumley; Dunster; Iddesley; Okeford; Hatherley; Kings Nympton. Atherington; Burrington; Ilfordcombe.
• p24. “Estates belonging to the Trustees of Mrs Pyncombes Charities which Mr Carews Father sold his 1/3d in Fee or which belonged separately before her Death to Mrs Pyncombe“. Headings here are:- Atherington; Burrington; Ilfordcombe.
• p25-28. ”Surveys of the Pyncombe Estates that are unsold taken before Mrs Pyncombes Death”. Headings here are:-
  Ash-Reigny; Atherington; Bickington; Broadridge Manorin Poughill Parish; Broadwood Kelly; Burrington; Cadely; Chawley; Chumley; Dunster; Furze Barten in Ashreigny; Hatherleigh; Iddesley; Morchard Bishops; Morchard Cruwys; Nympton Kings; Oakford; West Hagginton in Ilfordcombe; Withypool.
• p29-31.” A Survey of Madam Pyncombes Estates taken 1684”. Essentially the same headings as in later years (listed above) with tenants names and rents paid. Bickington and High Bickington together had most entrants - 50 entries .
• pp32-33.”An account of the Estates that were sold by the Extors of Mrs Pyncombes Will and John Carew Esqr Heir of Mr Trenchard from the same Survey taken 1684”. Headings here are:- Abbotsham; Braunton; Bitheford; Barnstaple; Bradworthy; Chittlehampton; Carhampton; East Putford; George Nympton; Hartland; Instow; Imbercombe; Littleham; Langtree; Molland; Marwood; Northam; Rose Ash; Ruckenford; Satterley; Swymbridge; South Molton; Warkley; West Haggington in Ilfordcomb.
• pp34-36.”Mr Reeds Valuation of the Pyncombe Estates not sold given to the Trustees and John Carew Esqr in the year 1760”. Headings here are:- Atherington; Ashreigny ;Riddlecombe Manor in the Parish of Ashreigny; Furze Barten in Ash Reigny; High Bickington Manor(48 entries naming tenants places and rents); Broadridge Manor in the Parish of Poughill; Cadely; Cruwys Morchard; Okeford.
• p37.”The other Estates to be divided “. Headings here are:- Broadwood Kelly; Chawley; Chumley; Dunster; Hatherley; Iddesley; Morchard Bishop; Molton (South); Nympton (Kings) ; Withypool .
• [p38. Number not used in error. ]
• pp39-40. ”Livings augmented by Mr Carew and Mr Bampfylde”. Listing about 70 livings, mostly in Somerset and Devon, augmented 1748-1777; each Living has a name against it, either Donor or Patron (both in some cases, perhaps).
• p41. ”Estates belonging to theTrustees wch Mrs Pynecombe held held [sic] separately or wch Mr Carews Father sold in Fee” Headings here are:- Atherington; Chawley; “Burrington wch Mr Carew sold to Dr Tossel”; “Ilfordcombe ,wch Mr Carew sold to Mr Harding”.
• pp42-44. ”Leases and Covenants granted by Thomas Carew Esqr and John Bampfield Esqr (Mr Wrey declining the Trust) since the Estates were conveyed to them by the Executors Roger Tuckfield Esqr and the Revd Mr John Creyk”. Abstracts of over 30 leases etc granted 1742-1749, naming (often with ages) lessees and others entitled to succeed on death, property names and rents. A typical abstract from p42 is given below by way of example:-“A Lease granted Apr: 10th 1742 to Charles Parkins for ye 2/3d of ye moiety of an old House and wast plot in Ashreigny for 99 years, if John Babbage son of John Babbage aged 10 years and John Parkins his son aged 11 years so long live.”
• pp45-46.”An account of the Leases and Covenants granted on the Pynecombe Estate by Sr Thomas Dyke Acland Bart Thomas Carew of Crowcombe Esqr and Henry Lockett Clerk “. Abstracts of about 20 Leases etc granted 1757-1764. Some of p46 is not in Henry Lockett’s hand.
• p47. Blank.

Jenkyns III.9b
Loose foolscap.Two separate sheets with matching tear edges. Numbered in pencil 2012. ”Mr Sydenhams first Account (who was elected Receiver by Sr Thomas and myself; the other Candidate being Mr Carew’s servant Mr Hughes) from Lady Day 1760 to Lady Day 1761. Ashreigny Manor not included “. Rents paid, arrears etc are noted with some incidental detail as well as naming tenants and properties.

Jenkyns III.9c
Loose foolscap .Four separate sheets with matching tear edges and contemporary pagination 1-8. ”Mr Sydenhams Account of the Rents & Profits of Mrs Pynecombes Estates for a year ending at Lady Day 1776.”

Jenkyns III.9d
Loose foolscap. Five separate sheets with matching tear edges. Numbered in pencil 2012. More of Sydenham’s accounts on fos1r-5r. On fo5v: “The Names of the School Masters & Mistresses 1760 paid by Mr Sydenham to Lady Day 1761.” School teachers at Ilfordcombe, High Bickington, Chumleigh, Ashreigny, Poughill, Oakford, Dunster, Burrington, Cruwys Morchard are named, often with pupil numbers and subjects taught. By way of example, the first two entries are:-
“Abraham Boone Schoolmaster of Ilfordcombe, who teaches 12 children in Writing and Arithmetic to Lady Day 1761”. £6.
“Mary Steevins Schoolmistress at High Bickington who teaches 14 poor children in reading knitting &c to Do”. £4.

Jenkyns III.9e
Loose foolscap, two sheets. A list of about 70 Livings which had been augmented by the Pyncombe Charity 1748-1778, mostly in Somerset and Devon but a few elsewhere, with in each case a note naming “At whose Instance”.

Jenkyns III.9f
Single loose foolscap sheet. ”The Form of a Deed of Gift of Money to be executed by the Donor” for a gift to the Governors of Queen Anne’s Bounty.

Jenkyns III.9g
Single loose foolscap sheet. Incomplete transcript of the will of Richard Huish (proved in the PC 1616 as Huysh). What this has to do with the Pyncombe Charity is unclear (apart from region and charitable purpose) but the hand (Henry Lockett’s) and watermark are the same as the papers above.

- listed by JH Jones, 20 September 2012

- John Jones