The Anglo-Saxon holder of the estate of Teweberie (in the hundred of Black Torrington) immediately prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066 was Bristvold, as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086,[3] the standardised spelling of which name is Brictwold. A man named Brictwold, spelled variously as Bristvold, Brictvold, Bristvoldus, Bristoald, Brictwold, etc., held 11 other estates in Devon as listed in the Domesday Book, namely:[4]
The de Esse or de Ashe/Aysshe family took its surname from one of the many ancient estates in Devon named Esse/Ash. A branch of the family survived seated at the manor of Sowton (alias Clist Fomeson/Somson[8]) until the 18th century.[9] The arms of this family were: Argent, two chevrons sable,[10] and "were quartered by several worthy families" according to the Devon historian Tristram Risdon (d.1640),[11] who recorded the following descent of the manor of Therborough:[12]
Sir Ralph de Esse, tempore King Henry III (1216-1272)
Sir Alan de Esse, tempore King Richard II (1377-1399), who left two daughters and co-heiresses:[13]
Ingaret de Esse, eldest daughter, heiress of Thuborough, wife firstly of Andrew Giffard and secondly wife of Richard Halse of Kennedon
Elizabeth de Esse, wife of John Giffard of Helland, Cornwall.
Giffard
The descent of Thuborough in the Giffard family was as follows:
Andrew Giffard, second son of John II Giffard of Halsbury in the parish of Parkham, Devon, by his wife Jone Deuclive, daughter and heiress of Richard Deuclive.[14]
John Giffard *(son) of Thuborough, who married Alice Ugworthy, a daughter and co-heiress of John Ugworthy.
Stephen Giffard (fl. 1438) (son) of Thuborough who married firstly to Joan Spencer, daughter and heiress[15] of John Spencer of Spencer Combe, Tedburn St Mary, near Crediton.
Sources
Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, pp. 618–620, pedigree of Prideaux of Adeston and Thuborough
^Vivian, 1895, pp.25-6, pedigree of Ashe or Aysshe of Sowton
^Pole, Sir William (d.1635), Collections Towards a Description of the County of Devon, Sir John-William de la Pole (ed.), London, 1791, p.481; Vivian, p.25
^Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, pp.248-9
^Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.397, pedigree of Giffard
^Pole, p.374-5; and expanded by Vivian (1895), pp.396 et seq