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Summary

The medieval manor of Paignton belonged to the Bishop of Exeter.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020764: The Bishop's Palace, Tower Road

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SE/44
• Torbay HER: MTO15976

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANOR (VIII to Post Medieval - 701 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Torbay HER record (SMR record). SDV361984.

A large and fertile pre-Conquest manor belonging to the Bishops of Exeter [1]. Recorded in Domesday Book as Peintona: Before 1066 it paid tax for 20 hides. Land for 60 ploughs. In lordship 8 ploughs; 36 slaves; 6 hides. 52 villagers and 40 smallholders with 42 ploughs and 14 hides. 5 pigmen who pay 50 pigs. A salt-house which pays 10d; Meadow 18 acres; pasture 40 acres; woodland 41 acres. 4 cobs; 20 cattle; 16 pigs; 350 sheep. Value 1072 (sic, when Bishop osbern received it) £13; 1086 £50 [2]. The Manor included estates in Marldon and Stoke Gabriel and is also recorded in the "Testa de Nevil" in 1244 [3]. A charter for a weekly market and an annual three-day fair at Paignton were granted to the Bishop of Exeter in 1295 [4]. Paignton was one of twelve manors held by the Bishop of Exeter in the fourteenth century.[5]

Carter notes that as many as 331 burgage tenants are recorded in the Manor of Paignton - ordinary farmers, to some extent free from manorial and seignoral obligations and claims. In 1644, the fourth Earl of Pembroke sold the whole of his Manor of Paignton to Sir Henry Cary of Cockington.[8][9][10]

ALEXANDER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV219470.

At paignton the site of the manor of peintona, a possession of the bishop of exeter and included in the domesday survey. The manor included estates in marldon and stoke gabriel. The record of a small grant of land made in 1332 is given. The manor is mentioned in "testa de nevil" in 1244.(reichel). Paignton was a large and fertile manor which came into the hands of the bishops of exeter before the norman conquest.(hoskins).
The author notes that the survey of 1567 recorded as many as 331 burgage tenants in the manor of paignton - ordinary farmers, to some extent free from manorial and seignoral obligations and claims (carter). Paignton was one of twelve manors held by the bishop of exeter in the 14th century (walker, 1961). In 1547, the manor of paignton was conveyed by bishop veysey, by royal requisition, to sir thomas speke. Ten years later, again by royal requisition, it passed to sir william herbert in whose family it remained until the reign of charles i. In 1644, the fourth earl of pembroke sold the whole of his manor of paignton to sir henry cary of cockington (walker, 1968). The changes of ownership of the manor in the mid-16th century are traced. The neglect of his property by bishop veysey, the last episcopal owner of the manor, is also noted (alexander).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316560.

Reichel, o. J. /tda/40(1908)129/the hundred of haytor in the time of "testa de nevil" ad 1244.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316561.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)449.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316564.

Carter, g. E. L. /tda/65(1933)391,392/borough english and burgage tenure.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316565.

Walker, h. H. /tda/93(1961)312-3/notes for a study of bishop walter de stapledon and the church in the westcountry in the early 14th century.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316566.

Walker, d. H. /tda/100(1968)144,146-7/occombe in the parish of marldon, south devon: an historical survey.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV316567.

Alexander, j. J. /dcnq/19(1936-1937)127-130/paignton and miles coverdale.

Couldrey, W. G., 1932, Memories and Antiquities of Paignton, 223-225, 231-232 (Article in Serial). SDV343465.

The manor and borough of Paignton was owned by the Bishops of Exeter for more than 500 years, from the time of Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. It is named as Peintona in Domesday Book of 1086. It not only included Paignton but also the manors of Goodrington and Collaton. In 1288 it was the second most valuable manor in the see of Exeter after Bishop's Tawton.
The post-medieval history of the Manor begins in 1547, when it was conveyed by Bishop Veysey (who had neglected it) by royal requisition, to Sir Thomas Speke. In 1557 it was conveyed to the Earl of Pembroke and in 1644 the 4th Earl sold it to Sir Henry Carey. It subsequently came into the possession of the Kelland and the Templer families.
Twenty three variations on the spelling of the name from Peintona in 1086 to Paynton in 1394 to Paignton in 1810 are given.

Churchward, J. E. B., 1932, Paignton in the Pembroke Survey of 1567, 239, 240-244 (Article in Serial). SDV316089.

The manor of Paignton belonged to the See of Exeter at the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086. The medieval manor comprised Paignton (less Goodrington, which was a manor on its own), Stoke Gabriel and Marldon. It ceased to be an episcopal possession in about the mid 16th century when John Veysey, Bishop of Exeter at the time disposed of nearly all the manors belonging to his see. The manor was leased to Sir Thomas Speke in 1545 who subsequently conveyed the manor to Sir William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke. A survey of all of Pembroke's lands including Paignton was made in 1567. See article for details of the Paignton section, which is described as containing interesting social, historic and linguistic features and records the names of many of the inhabitants of Paignton at that time.

<01> Hoskins, W.G., 1954, Devon, p. 449 (Monograph). SDV362468.

X

<02> Thorn, C. & Thorn, F. (eds.), 1985, Domesday Book, Part 1, 2.18 (Monograph). SDV362053.

X

<03> Reichel, O.J., 1908, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p. 129 (Article in Serial). SDV362439.

X

<04> Beresford, M. & Finberg, H.P.R., 1973, English Medieval Boroughs: A Handlist, p.96 (Monograph). SDV362472.

X

<05> Walker, H.H., 1961, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p. 312-3 (Article in Serial). SDV362379.

X

<08> Walker, H.H., 1968, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p. 144, 146-7 (Article in Serial). SDV362058.

X

<09> Carter, G.E.L., 1933, Transactions of the Devonshire Association, p. 391-2 (Article in Serial). SDV362470.

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<10> Alexander, J.J., 1936-37, Paignton and Miles Coverdale, p. 127-130 (Article in Serial). SDV362471.

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Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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