LANCELLS, LAUNCELLS, LAWNCELLS.

HALS.

The manuscript relating to this parish is lost.

TONKIN.

Lancells is situate in the hundred of Stratton, having to the west Stratton, to the north Kilkhampton, to the east the river Tamar, running between it and Devonshire, to the south Marham church and Bridgerule. This church is so called from its being a cell to the abbey of Hartland in Devonshire. The patronage in Paul Orchard, Esq. by purchase from Francis Basset, Esq.

It is a vicarage valued in the King’s Book at 10l. 10s. 8d.

The incumbent, Mr. Thomas, brother-in-law to Mr. Paul Orchard.

In 1291, 20th of Edward I. this church was valued for Pope Nicholas at 7l. 15s. for the rectory, 15s. for the vicarage, and 15s. 6d. for the tenths; it being then appropriated to the abbey of Hartland, as was

The manor of Lancells. After the dissolution of Hartland abbey, this estate came to Sir John Chamond, who made it his chief residence. Mr. Carew says, he was a man learned in the common law, and knighted at the Sepulchre (that is of our Saviour at Jerusalem). He had a park of fallow deer at this place, which Norden notices, as I suppose the abbats of Hartland had before him. It seems to have been to Sir John Chamond a country seat and a place of retirement. He was Sheriff of Cornwall in the 20th year of Henry VIII. and again in the 28th year.

His son, Richard Chamond, Esq. was three times Sheriff of Cornwall, 35th of Henry VIII. 2d. of Edward VI. and 4th of Elizabeth. He received, says Mr. Carew, at God’s hands, an extraordinary favour of long life. He served the office of a justice of the peace almost sixty years; he knew above fifty several judges of the western circuit. He was uncle and great-uncle to at least three hundred; wherein yet his uncle and neighbour, Master Greynville, parson of Kilkhampton, did exceed him. He married one of the daughters and heirs of Trevenner, and by her saw five sons and two daughters, the youngest oustepping forty years.

This Mr. Chamond was knight of the shire 14th Elizabeth, as also before in the 2d. and 3d. of Philip and Mary.

He had an elder brother, called Thomas, whose two daughters and heirs carried part of the lands to Tripcony and Trevanion, with whom they matched. Master Chamond beareth, Argent, a chevron between three flowers-de-luce Gules. And so far Mr. Carew; where note that part of the lands so carried off, contained those in the parish of St. Gorran, lately in the possession of Charles Trevanion, of Tregarthyn, Esq.

THE EDITOR.

Here was a cell of Austin Canons, dependent on the abbey of Hartland, distant from it but a few miles, although in the county of Devon.

The following entries are found in the Augmentation Office, in the roll 32d Henry VIII.:

Payment from Lancells to the Abbey of Hartland.

£.s.d.
Lancells—Redd’ liber’ ten’5184  
Custum’ ten’1685¾
Perquis’ cur’013  
£2280¾

Nothing seems to be known about the foundation of this small religious establishment.

Hartland is said to have been founded before the Conquest, for secular priests, by Githa, the wife of Earl Godwin; but in the time of King Henry the Second, Geoffrey de Dinam, by the authority of that King, and of Bartholomew Bishop of Exeter, and by the assistance of Richard Archdeacon of Poictiers, changed the establishment of Seculars into an abbey of Austin Canons.

The patronage of this abbey remained in the family of the founder, Geoffrey de Dinam, till the general dissolution; and the abbats were accordingly named alternately by Fitzwarren, by Touche, by Carew, and by Arundell, in consequence of their having married the four daughters and coheiresses of the founder.

Mr. Lysons gives a very ample detail of the descent of property in this parish.

The barton of Lancells was leased by King Henry VIII. to John Chamond, and became the seat of that family. The freehold has been for a considerable time in the family of Orchard. It is now the seat by lease of Mr. Joseph Hawkey, in right of his wife, widow of the Rev. Cadwallader Jones.

The manor of Norton Rolle has the bailiffry of the hundred of Stratton annexed as an appendage.

This manor has passed from the Rolls to Trefusis.

The manor of Yellow Leigh is the property and the residence of Mrs. Mary Harris.

The manor of Thorlibear belonged to the Arundells of Trerice, and has passed by inheritance to Acland.

The manor of Mitchell Morton, extending into several other parishes, belonged to a family of Smith, and became divided among coheiresses.

Two thirds, having passed through different hands by purchase, became the property of Wrey J’Ans, Esq. and have descended to his daughters. The remaining third, with the barton and the advowson of the living, having been for many years in the family of Orchard, now belong to the Reverend F. H. Morrison, heir of the late Mr. Paul Orchard.

Tre Yeo, said to have been the ancient seat of the Yeos, is now the property and residence of Robert Kingdon, Esq.

The church stands in a vale, about a mile and a half from Stratton. It has a handsome marble altar-piece and several monuments; one of considerable size, and decorated, to the memory of John Chamond, who died in 1624.

Scarcely any traces are to be seen of Lancells House, the splendid residence of the Chamonds.

This parish measures 5610 statute acres.

£.s.d.
Annual value of the Real Property, as returned to Parliament in 1815392000
Poor Rate in 1831637130
Population,—
in 1801,
647		in 1811,
672		in 1821,
891		in 1831,
848

giving an increase of 31 per cent. in 30 years.

Present Vicar, the Rev. Henry Bourchier Wrey, presented by L. W. Buck, Esq. in 1825.

GEOLOGY, BY DR. BOASE.

This parish is situated entirely on the dunstone of the

northern parts of Cornwall and Devon; for a more particular account of which, reference has already been given under the head of Boyton.