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Summary

Now known as Manaton Gate, a house existed on this site from at least the mid-17th century, and is known in the history of Manaton as being a royalist enclave during the Civil War. It served as the Rectory for Manaton from at least the early 19th century to 1967, when sold by the Church of England. In the early 20th century, after falling into severe disrepair after a period of neglect, it was acquired and thoroughly restored and partly rebuilt by Viscount Hambledon.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• VICARAGE (Constructed, XVI to XVII - 1600 AD? to 1699 AD (Between))

Full description

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

'Rectory House' depicted on the Manaton Tithe Map. Plots 514: House and Cottage and 513; Tor Park, both owned by Reverend John Charles Carwithen.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Rectory' depicted on the late 19th century historic map.

Ordnance Survey, 1963-1996, 1963-1996 National Grid OS Metric (Cartographic). SDV350058.

'Rectory' is depicted on the later 20th century historic mapping.

Baldwin, J. + Butler, S. + Harper, B. + Hewitt, J. + Hugo, R. + Kapff, M. + Perkins, K. + Stewart, C. + Taylor, A., 1999, The Book of Manaton, 32, 33, photograph and 1830 elevation image (Monograph). SDV351773.

This building, known since the early 19th century at least as The Rectory (now called Manaton Gate), is an elegant building with several acres of surrounding land. During the Civil War it was a Royalist enclave surrounded by Cromwellian troops. The hill up above is a group of rocks known as the 'Garrison', from which (the story goes), the King's troops kept watch.
During the occupation of Reverend John Charles Burch Sanders (1894-1920), the house was almost totally neglected and fell into extreme disrepair in the 20th century. Sanders and his wife engaged in a number of rows with parishioners and were unpopular figures. The Dean noted noted in 1907 that the 'church requires considerable and immediate repairs', although these weren't carried out until 1912. Problems to the Rectory followed this, the general state being described as 'deplorable'. In 1920 Sanders was called to a consistory court in Exeter, charged with selling treasures from Manaton church and he was dismissed in disgrace.
When Viscount Hambledon became patron of the parish soon after the turn of the century and in 1922 acquired the Rectory and though rally restored and partly rebuilt it. In around 1967 the building was sold by the Church of England, and the rector and later successors lived up the road in the 'new' rectory, a modern house known as Oak Wood (that later sold in 1978; from then on the rectors lived in Moretonhampstead).
Image of the Rectory in 1830 (Devon Record Office) and photograph of Manaton Gate (as it became known) at time of sale in 1967.

Ordnance Survey, 2018, MasterMap 2018 (Cartographic). SDV360652.

Building is shown on the modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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