Rashleigh in the parish of Wemworthy, in Devonshire, gave name this ancient family, the elder line of which became extinct in the reign of Henry VII.
John Rashleigh, a merchant of Fowey, was the first who settled in Cornwall, and was in fact the founder of the present family. He is thus mentioned by Carew, writing in 1602, "I may not passe in silence the commendable deserts of Master Rashleigh the elder, descended from a younger brother of an ancient house in Devon, for his industrious judgement and adventuring in trade of merchandize first opened a light and way to the townsmen newe thriveing, and left his sonne large wealth and possessions, who, with a dayly bettering his estate, converteth the same to hospitality, and other actions fitting a gentleman well affected to his God, Prince, and Country."
See Carew, p. 136 a; Gilbert's Survey, ii. 244; Lysons, pp. cxiii. 316.
Arms.—Sable, a cross or between, in the first quarter, a Cornish chough argent, beaked and legged gules, in the second a text T, in the third and fourth a crescent, all argent. The Cornish chough and crescents were added on removing into Cornwall; the elder branch bore only two text T's in chief with the cross S.
Present Representative, William Rashleigh, Esq.
Glanville of Catchfrench, in the parish of St. German.
Descended from the Glanvilles of Halwell, in the parish of Whitchurch, in Devonshire, where they were settled about the year 1400. This branch is derived from a younger son of Serjeant Glanville, the son of Sir John Glanville, one of the Justices of the Common Pleas in the reign of Elizabeth. Catchfrench became the seat of the family in 1728.
See Prince's Worthies of Devon, pp. 326 and 339; Gilbert's Survey, ii. 121; Lysons, pp. civ. 116.
Arms.—Azure, three saltiers or. Present Representative, Francis Glanville, Esq.