At the general dissolution, the tithes of this parish were valued at
£5. 6_s._ 9½_d._ being a part of the ecclesiastical possessions of the
hospital of St. John at Bridgewater.
The great tithes now belong to the family of Trefusis, through those
of Walpole and Rolle.
This parish forms the north-eastern extremity of the county, and gives
origin to the river Tamar, (Ta-more, the great water,) which flows to
the south coast, there forming the superb harbour of Plymouth. The
portion of Morewinstow adjoining to the Irish channel, partakes of the
rugged grandeur common to this district. The church stands near the
cliff, commanding a fine view of the sea. The building is large,
containing several fine specimens of gothic architecture. It is also
decorated by monuments to the Kempthornes, Waddons, &c. Mr. Lysons
states, that the principal villages in this parish are Coumbe,
Crosstown, Eastcot, Gooseham, Hallabeer, Woolford, and Woolley.
He also states, that Stanbury, a seat and manor in this parish,
belonged to a family of the same name, and gave birth to Richard
Stanbury, Bishop of Hereford, who died in 1471. But Mr. Lysons seems
to have fallen into an error respecting the Christian name of this
individual, and also as to the year of his decease.
John Stanbury was confessor to King Henry the 6th, and made by him the
first Provost of the College, which that unfortunate king founded at
Eton in the 19th year of his reign, 1440-41. He was made Bishop of
Bangor, May 4th, 1448, and translated from thence to Hereford, on the
7th of February, 1453, and died May the 11th, 1474. Little more seems
to be known of this prelate, although he must have been a man of
learning and of much consideration in his time, and one who may fairly
be reckoned among the distinguished persons of the county. The
property of the Stanburys passed to the family of Mannings, and has
been subdivided among heiresses. The great tithes of this manor, and
of some other lands in the parish, have been endowed on the vicarage.
Tonacombe belonged to a family said to have changed their name from
Lea to Kempthorne, although the reason of their doing so is not known.
The family resided there during several descents, till it passed by an
heiress about a hundred and fifty years ago to the Waddons. It has
again passed by a female descent, and is now the property of William
Waddon Martyn, esq.
There is also a farm in this parish called Lea, belonging to George
Thynne Carteret, son of Henry Frederick Thynne, second son of Thomas
Thynne, and Louisa Carteret, daughter of Grace Granville, daughter and
coheir of John Granville, created Earl of Bath by King Charles the 2d.
George Thynne Carteret is Baron Carteret, by a creation, dated Jan.
the 29th, 1784, granted to his father.
This farm may have caused the double names of Kempthorne and Lea.
Cleave house is said to be pleasantly situated; and Chapel house, a
modern building, was the residence of the Hammetts, a family from
Carmarthenshire, and bequeathed to Zachariah Hammett Drake, by his
maternal uncle. It is now by purchase the property and residence of
Thomas Troad, esq.
Morewinstow measures 7038 statute acres.
Annual value of the Real Property, as £. _s._ _d._
returned to Parliament in 1815 4201 0 0
Poor Rate in 1831 707 7 0
Population, { in 1801, | in 1811, | in 1821, | in 1831,
{ 874 | 940 | 1091 | 1102
giving an increase of 26 per cent. in 30 years.
The Rev. Denis Young died Vicar of Morewinstow in 1834, having held
the living from 1807.