# Ruxford > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ruxford > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ruxford.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruxford > Source revision: 1284779275 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Historic estate in Devon, England Ruxford Barton, Sandford 1608 [strapwork](/source/Strapwork) plaster escutcheon of four [quarters](/source/Quartering_(heraldry)) in upstairs bedroom of Ruxford [Barton](/source/Barton_(demesne)), near Crediton, Devon, with initials "EC" and "AC" for [Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester](/source/Edward_Chichester%2C_1st_Viscount_Chichester) (1568-1648) and his wife Anne Copleston (1588–1616) Detail of Chichester escutcheon, Ruxford. Armorials [quarters](/source/Quartering_(heraldry)) 1&4: *Chequy or and gules, a chief vair a mullet for difference* (Chichester); 2: *Argent, a chevron engrailed gules between three lion's faces azure a crescent for difference* (Copleston of Eggesford); 3: *Gules, a pair of wings conjoined ermine* (de Reigny of Eggesford) **Ruxford** is an historic estate in the parish of [Sandford](/source/Sandford%2C_Devon), near [Crediton](/source/Crediton) in Devon. ## History ### Pre-Norman Conquest *Hroces Ford* (Ruxford) is recorded in the Anglo Saxon Charters.[1] ### Courtenay The [inquisition post mortem](/source/Inquisition_post_mortem) dated 8 June 1404 of Thomasia de Raleigh, heiress of [Raleigh, Pilton](/source/Raleigh%2C_Pilton) in North Devon and of many other estates, and wife of John Chichester of Donwer, records that "the aforesaid Manor of Rokesford (Ruxford) is held of Philip Courtenay as of his manor of Bradninch by [knight-service](/source/Knight-service)". This was Philip Courtenay (c.1342-1406) (5th son of [Hugh Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon](/source/Hugh_Courtenay%2C_2nd_Earl_of_Devon) and his wife Margaret Bohun) who had been Steward of the Duchy of Cornwall in Cornwall 1388-1391.[2] The [feudal barony of Bradninch](/source/Feudal_barony_of_Bradninch), with its member manors including Ruxford, was held before and after Courtenay's brief tenure by the [Duchy of Cornwall](/source/Duchy_of_Cornwall). #### De Raleigh & Chichester The estate of Ruxford was held for several generations by the de Raleigh family from the Courtenay family. The eventual heir of de Raleigh was the Chichester family. The de Raleigh family [subinfeudated](/source/Subinfeudation) Ruxford to de Sully. The inquisition post mortem of Sir [John Chichester](/source/John_Chichester_(died_1569)) (died 1569) of Raleigh dated 2 January 1569 lists Ruxford as held by him from Queen Elizabeth "as of her Manor of Bradninch", which is the last surviving record of its dependency from the [feudal barony of Bradninch](/source/Feudal_barony_of_Bradninch).[3] #### Sully Effigies of Sir [John de Sully](/source/John_Sully_(d._circa_1388)) (1282–1388) and his wife Isobel exist in [Crediton Parish Church](/source/Crediton_Parish_Church). Sully was [lord of the manor](/source/Lord_of_the_manor) of [Iddesleigh](/source/Iddesleigh), but was said by [Westcote](/source/Thomas_Westcote) (d. circa 1637) to have had his seat at "Rookesford, lately the land of Chichester and alienated to Davye", i.e. Ruxford, in the parish of Sandford about 1/2 mile north-west of Crediton. He held *Rokysforde* from the [overlord](/source/Overlord) John de Raleigh of [Raleigh](/source/Raleigh%2C_Pilton) in the parish of [Pilton](/source/Pilton%2C_Devon), as is evidenced in the latter's deed of 1362 now held in the North Devon Record Office.[4] The heir of John de Raleigh by marriage to his daughter Thomasine was the [Chichester family](/source/Chichester_Baronets) of Raleigh. According to [Hoskins](/source/William_George_Hoskins) the estate of Ruxford is recorded in a charter dated 930 in which a large estate was granted to the canons of Crediton Church.[5] The existing farmhouse known as Ruxford Barton was rebuilt in 1608 by the Chichester family, as is evidenced by a [strapwork](/source/Strapwork) cartouche in plaster-work displaying the arms of that family with initials and date 1608, in the principal bedroom on the first floor of the parlour wing.[6] #### Davie In 1618 Ruxford Barton was purchased from Sir Robert Chichester, Bart, KB, by Emmanuel Davie, a "clothier of Crediton", a cousin of the Davie family of [Creedy, Sandford](/source/Creedy%2C_Sandford). The deed of conveyance is summarised as follows: - The Right Worshipful Sir Robert Chichester of the noble Order of the Bath, Bart, to Emmanuel Davie of Sandford in Crediton, gentleman, whereas ... the Barton Farm, messuage etc called Rokisfoorde or Ruxford, a close of land called Mylum and a parcel of lande a meadow called Nether Apple Meadow in Crediton ... a meadow called Heddge Mead... now sells the premises with all the messuages, buildings, goods, lands etc, etc, to Emmanuel...". In about 1620 a plaster escutcheon was affixed inside the house showing the *de Via* arms of the Davie family impaled with the arms of Northcote,[7] the arms of the family of his first wife Katherine Northcote (d.1620).[8] ## Sources - Maddock, Michael P. St J., *The Manor of Combe Lancey, Sandford, Crediton, Devon: A history of the 12th Century Norman Manor and the people associated with it through 900 years*, 3 volumes, 2015, Devon Record Office, Exeter; Vol.1, *Domesday to Hamlyn*, esp. pp.111-122, *Ruxford* ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Maddock, Michael P. St J., *The Manor of Combe Lancey, Sandford, Crediton, Devon: A history of the 12th Century Norman Manor and the people associated with it through 900 years*, 3 volumes, 2015, Devon Record Office, Exeter; Vol.1, *Domesday to Hamlyn*, p.11 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Maddock, vol.1, p.112 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Maddock, vol. 1, p. 22. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** See:"File:JohnDeRaleighDeed1362.JPG": Archives of the Chichester family of Arlington Court, North Devon Record Office: PILTON, ARLINGTON, LOXHORE, CHALLACOMBE, SANDFORD?, WEST DOWN, all in Devon BAGGEARN HUISH, DUNWEAR, in Somerset 50/11/1/1 31 January 1362 36 Edward III [\[1\]](http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=821-5011&cid=-1#-1) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Hoskins, W. G., A New Survey of England: Devon, 1959, p. 473. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hoskins, W. G., A New Survey of England: Devon, 1959, p. 473; Pevsner & Cherry, The Buildings of England: Devon, 2004, p. 719. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Information on armorials as given by Ferguson-Davie, Sir Michael, 8th Baronet, author of The Davies of Devon in posting [\[2\]](http://genforum.genealogy.com/stokes/messages/3838.html) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** [Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L.](/source/John_Lambrick_Vivian), (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.272 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ruxford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruxford) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruxford?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.