Pill, Bishop's Tawton

Pill House, Bishop's Tawton, Devon

Pill (alias Pille, Pylle, etc.) is an historic estate in the parish of Bishop's Tawton, near Barnstaple, in North Devon, England. The surviving 18th century mansion house known as Pill House is a grade II* listed building[1] situated close to the east bank of the River Taw about 1 mile south of the historic centre of Barnstaple and 1 mile north of Bishop's Tawton Church. It was long a seat of a junior branch of the Chichester family of Hall, Bishop's Tawton. At some time before 1951 it was converted into apartments[2] and is at present in multiple occupation.

Descent

de la Pille

The earliest recorded holder of the estate according to the Devon historian Sir William Pole (d.1635) was the de la Pille family, which took its name from the estate. Successive holders were:[3]

Fulk/Fowke

Arms of "Fowke of Pyll": Ermine, on a bend cotised gules three escallops argent[5]

The descent of the Fulk family of Pill included:

Perrot

Arms of Perrot of Pill, according to Pole the same arms as "Fowke of Pyll": Ermine, on a bend cotised gules three escallops argent[9]

Travers

The Travers family from Hampshire succeeded Perrot at Pill.[13] Travers of Pill bore arms: Argent, three bears passant in pale sable muzzled and chained or,[14] which arms had been borne by Robert d'Estrivers, whose family was from Trévières, between Bayeux and Caen, in Normandy. According to the 1889 Battle Abbey Roll by the Duchess of Cleveland (1819-1901)[15]

"During the reign of William the Conqueror (1066-1087) Robert de Travers or d'Estrivers, Baron of Burgh-upon-Sands, married the daughter of Ranulph de Meschines, Lord of Cumberland, and the sister of Ranulph Bricasard, who succeeded his cousin Richard d'Abrincis as Earl of Chester in 1119. He received from his father-in-law the office of Hereditary Forester of Inglewood in fee, which passed through his only child, Ibria, to Ralph de Engayne: and from the Engaynes to the Morvilles, who transmitted it to the Multons and Dacres. The badge of this office, the jagged branch, is over and over introduced in the chapel of Naworth Castle, which is so rich with arms and cognizances... This forestership of Inglewood was so honourable, and gave so great command, that there is no wonder the family should wish by every means to set forth their claim to it..."

Bryan Travers of Pill was the last in the male line and his daughter and heiress Catherine Travers (d.1613) brought the estate to her husband Hugh Chichester (1574-1644) of Tavistock.[16]

Chichester

Arms of Chichester: Chequy or and gules, a chief vair

The descent of Pill in the Chichester family was as follows:[17]

Anne Chichester (1721-1781), a daughter of Arthur III Chichester (1670-1737/8) of Pill, later of Hall, and wife of Denys Rolle (1725-1797) of Stevenstone. Portrait by Thomas Hudson (1701-79); Collection of Great Torrington Almshouse, Town Lands and Poors Charities, formerly the property of Hon. Mark Rolle (d. 1907) of Stevenstone and donated by his heir Lord Clinton[19]

Sources

References

  1. Listed building text
  2. 1951 listed building text
  3. Pole, p.414
  4. Risdon, p.322
  5. Pole, p.483
  6. Pole, p.414 regnal date 19 Edward III
  7. Pole, p.414
  8. Pole, p.414
  9. Pole, pp.483,496
  10. Risdon, p.322
  11. Pole, p.414
  12. Pole, p.414
  13. Risdon, p.322
  14. Pole, p.505
  15. Battle Abbet Roll by Catherine Stanhope (Duchess of Cleveland)
  16. Vivian, p.176
  17. Vivian, pp.176-8
  18. Vivian, p.177
  19. Collection of Great Torrington Almshouse, Town Lands and Poors Charities, Rolle/Clinton Art Collection
  20. Vivian, p.177
  21. Vivian, p.177
  22. Vivian, p.177
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