The town suffered severely from fire some years ago, but most of the  houses were soon afterwards rebuilt and the principal streets widened and much improved. A new Market House was built in 1840 at the cost of £280 and the market, now held on Tuesday, was then re-established, after being disused more than half a century. Two Public Rooms were built by a number of shareholders in 1821, Four cattle fairs are held here on May 21st, June 22, September 4th and November 8th, or on the Tuesday following when any of these  fall on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday.

Petty Sessions are held at the George Inn on the last Wednesday of every alternate month, by the Magistrates of Black Torrington and Shebbear Division, to whom Mr H Hawkes of Okehampton is Clerk. Joseph Lang Esq. is lord of the manor of Hatherleigh, which formed part of the endowment of Tavistock Abbey and was afterwards held by the Arscotts and Molesworths.

A portreeve and other officers are elected yearly at the manor court. The manor of Fishley, which belonged to the same Abbey, was afterwards  held by the Yeo and Darke families. Harwood, or Stone Fishley, now belongs to Mr William Pearse of Chulmleigh. J. H. Veale Esq; J M Woollcombe Esq; W C Morris Esq., and a number of smaller owners, have estates in the parish, mostly freehold and partly leasehold. The Hundred Court, formerly held here for the recovery of debts under 40 shilling, has given  place to the new County Courts. Freestone is got in the parish and there was formerly a woollen manufactory here.

The Church ( St John the Baptist)  was enlarged and beautified about 16 years ago, when the Vicarage house was rebuilt by the present  incumbent, the Rev. Samuel Feild, MA. The Trustees of the late James Ireland are patrons of the vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £20 and in 1831 at £241. The glebe is 51 acres, and the tithes were commuted in 1841, the vicarial for £224 10s and the rectorial for £335 10s. The later were formerly  held by Tavistock Abbey and now belong to the three daughters of the late Dr. Boughton. The Presbyterians had a meeting house here as early as 1715 and there is now in the town a Baptist Chapel, erected bout 20 years ago, at the cost of £200.

The Church Houses comprise ten rooms, let for £5 and adjoining them are some old Almshouses, occupied at small rents by poor families. The poor have £7 10s yearly in three rent-charges, left by Walter Bennett, Roger Walter and Joseph Gliddon. For distribution in clothing, they have the dividends of £156 2s 10d three per cent Consuls, purchased with £82 left by John Lethbridge and Richard Lucas. The interest of £100 left by Charles Luxmoore in 1793, is applied in schooling poor children.

The National School, built in 1838, is attended by 140 children. The Post Office is at Mr John Hooper's and letters are despatched daily by the mail to Exeter &c. Money orders are not paid here.

RESIDENTS

Allen, James, tinner and brazier

Axford, John, carrier to Exeter

Ayre, Miss Martha, boarding school

Balkwill, John, corn miller

Boles, James, auctioneer, brick & tile maker etc

Bolt, William Henry, druggist &c

Brook, William, travelling tea dealer

Chasty, Robert, watchmaker &c

Clark, Rev. Thomas (Baptist)

Day, Mrs, Reed House

Dennaford, William, brewer & maltster

Feild, Rev. Samuel MA, The Vicarage

Gould, John, surgeon

Heale, John, millwright

Luxmoore, John, gent.

Madge, Mrs

Madge, John, tax collector

Mitchell, John, postman to Beafield

Morris,William C Esq, Fishley House

Oldham, Joseph Lang Esq. Strawbridge

 Pearse, John, solicitor, master extraordinary in Chancery

Phillips, John, National School

Reddaway, J, gent.

Risdon, Misses

Sanders, Samuel, farrier

Short, John S gent., Redhill Cottage

Smale, William G, hatter

Truman, George Robert, surgeon

Veale, James Harris Esq., Passaford

Wills, John Collins, druggist &c.

INNS AND TAVERNS

Bridge Inn, James Boles

George Inn, Thomas Allen

London Inn, William Andrews

New Inn, John Trace

Royal oak, Thomas Bowden

BAKERS &c

Glanville, Peter Henry ( & confectioner)

Lang, Elizabeth

Scott, Joseph

BLACKSMITHS

Edwards, John

Petherick, William

Petherick, William jun.

BOOT AND SHOE MAKERS

Abell, Joseph

Abell, Henry

Madge, John

Northcott, William

Pawley, Richard

Petherick, John

Squire, Henry

CARPENTERS &c

Balkwill, John

Bulleid, Thomas

Chudley, Thomas

Edwards, James

Edwards, John

Horn, James

COOPERS

Hockin, John

Strange, John

FARMERS

(marked * are at Fishley)

Abell, Henry

Abell Richard, Lake

Acland, James, Hean

Ash, Robert, Stepleford

Beal, Abraham, Pynd

Bott, Mary, Upcott

*Darke, Henry

Duffty, Elizabeth

Ellicott, Thomas

Hurford, John

Johns, James

Johns, Thomas, Totley

Keener, Richard

King, Thomas

*Luxton, George

Luxton, William

*Morris, Mrs J

Rattenbury, William

*Risdon, Mrs

Seldon, Thomas

Southcombe, John

Squire, Henry

Spear, Richard

Tucker, John

PLUMBERS &c

Essery, James

Knight, James

Strange, Robert

SADDLERS

Cardew, Henry

White, William

SHOPKEEPERS

Balkwill, John

Essery, William,

Luxton, Thomas

Palmer, Mary Ann and Elizabeth

Williams, William (& Ironmonger)

STONEMASONS

Hooper, John

Hooper, Samuel

Hooper, S jun ( and stamp office)

TAILORS

Harwood, John

Hooper, John (& stationer)

Petherick, Richard

Short, John

Stevens, Samuel

Stevens, William

THATCHERS

Luxton, Thomas

Medland, Richard

WHEELWRIGHTS

Luxton, John

Luxton, William

Pilefant, William

COACHES

Mail to Exeter: 3.30 afternoon; to Bude: 9.15 morning

Coach to Plymouth: Wednesday and Friday 10 in the morning

Coach to Barnstaple: Saturday 8 in the morning

CARRIERS to Exeter etc. call at all the Inns daily

John Axford to Exeter, Thursday 4 in the afternoon.