Combs &c. Families
of Ilfracombe, Devonshire, England
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Ilfracombe, a parish, ancient sea port and market town, and "the most
picturesque and fashionable bathing place on the north coast of Devon," is in the northern division, Braunton Hundred, Archdeaconry of Barnstaple, and the Diocese of Exeter, about 3 miles northwest of Berrynarbour, 4-1/2 miles northwest of Combe Martin, 7 miles northwest of Kentisbury, 8 miles northwest of Pilton, and 9 miles northwest of Barnstaple. The parish is comprised of 5,583 acres of land, including many scattered farm-houses, and the small hamlets, &c., of Damage, Campscott, Slade, Warcombe, and Lincombe.... Sir B.P. WREY, Bart., is lord of the manor of Ilfracombe, which was formerly part of the barony of Barnstaple, and was held successively by the MARTIN, AUDLEY, and BOURCHIER families. The manors of Lincombe and Warcombe belong to C. CUTCLIFFE Drake, Esq.; and the WREN, DAVY, MEEK, and other families, have estates in the parish. (White's
Devonshire Directory (1850))
On 1 May 1300 a writ of certoriari was filed by John de CUMB respecting the land holding "West Hagginton" (as spelled in White's Devonshire Directory of 1850, when it is listed as a farm owned by John WATTS) of his deceased father, Thomas:
1 May 1300 No. 606. Thomas DE CUMBE alias DE COMB. Writ of certiorari to the sheriff and coroners of Devon, on the complaint of John, son and heir of the said Thomas, that the sheriff had taken into the king's hand the lands &c. of the said Thomas, who carried away by madness hung himself at Westhagynton, as if he had been convicted of felony, 1 May, 28, Edw I. Devon. Inq. made at Barnestaple on Friday before the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 28 Edw. I
Westhaginton. The said Thomas on the day of the Adoration of
the Cross, hung himself in his oxhouse at 'la Comb' in the tithing of Westhaginton, and for long before was in a lamentable condition, always roaming about by himself. After his death the coroner took his lands into the king's
hand and delivered them to the tithing at a price, in the custody of which
they still are. After the death of William the parson they will be worth
1 mark yearly, and not before because he will receive 40s. yearly from
the same for his life: the[y] are held of Henry de RALEGH by service of 4 horseshoes yearly.
Endorsed. Let the sheriff be ordered to retin in the king's hand the chattels, and not to intermeddle with the lands. (Extracted by Combs Researcher Joe Kendalll and transcribed by Combs Researcher Denise Kendall from "Great Britain. CALENDAR OF INQUISITIONS POST MORTEM," 1906, by His Majesties Stationery Office, London, V.3, p.489. (C. Edw. I. File 98. (1.)) Underlined dates are estimates by Joe)
No Ilfracome entries have been located for the parish of Ilfracombe on the 1332 Devonshire Lay Subsidy Roll.
21 May 1636 Ilfracombe, Devon, England. Married: Mathew COMBE and Emme KNIGHT (IGI, Ba: E051211, So: 916849, Pr: 1037031, film not read)
17 Jun 1644 Ilfracombe, Devon, England. Married: Matthew COOMBE and Sarah RUDD (IGI, Ba: E051211, So: 916849, Pr: 1037031, film not read)
1644 Ilfracombe, Devon, England. Christened: Joane COOMBE, d/o Nath and Sarah (IGI Entry, Ba: C051211, So: 916849, Pr: 0933371, film not read)
These are the only Ilfracombe IGI entries located. "Nath" was probably "Math" and this Matthew and Sarah RUDD Coombe? See also Combs-Knight of Gloucester.
