Alswear (spelt Alswere below) - Winter 2007

© Richard J. Brine

Mariansleigh is a parish and village, on a hill overlooking the valley of the Mole, 4 miles south-east from the South Molton station on the Great Western railway, in the South Molton division of the county, hundred of Witheridge, petty sessional division, union, county court district of Barnstaple and diocese of Exeter.

The church of St. Mary is an ancient building of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and an embattled western tower containing 5 bells, a new treble having been added in 1894, at a cost of £110, which included the cost of rehanging and adding a chiming apparatus: the font, constructed of granite, and probably of Norman date, has a square panelled basin: the east window is a memorial to W. T. Shackleton esq. died 1882, and there is another, erected in 1900, to Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, formerly of this parish: in the window of the north aisle are some remains of ancient glass: the church affords 150 sittings. The register dates from the year 1727. The living is a perpetual curacy, net yearly value £231 with residence and 3 acres of glebe, in the gift of trustees, and is at present (1923) vacant. there is a Wesleyan chapel at Alswere.

The land is chiefly owned by the farmers. The soil is light loam or run; subsoil, clay, skillett and substances of slate. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. the area is 2, 030 acres; rateable value £1,799; the population in 1911 was 212.

ALSWERE, 1¼ miles south and KEMPSTOWN, 1½ south-west, are hamlets.

Letters through South Molton. Bishps Nympton, 1½ miles distant, is the nearest money order & telegraph office. Letters for Alswere are delivered direct from South Molton.

The place is included in the United School District of Romansleigh & Mariansleigh; William John Smyth, Hobby House, South Molton, Correspondent.

County Council Provided School (mixed), built in 1876 for 100 children; Miss Jessie Lee, mistress. 

PRIVATE RESIDENTS

Babbage, Percy, Silva, Leighcott

Persse, Miss, Alswere

 COMMERCIAL

Ayre, Thomas, farmer, Town Living

Ayre, William D, farmer, Milltown

Baundy, Amos, farmer, Trittencott

Bulled, Mark, farmer, Pitt Farm

Davey, James, King's Arms Public House

Devon Farmer's Union Branch, W. J. Smyth, hon.sec. Hobby House, Alswere

Haskings, Benjamin, farmer, Greencap Silver

Hill, Charles, farmer, Eastacott

Hill, Jesse, Butcher's Arms Public House, Alswere

Kerslake, Jesse, blacksmith, Alswere

Kerslake, Stanley, farmer, Kempstown

Kingdon, William, farmer, Alswere

Litson, John, farmer, Rowcliffe

Mildon, Irby, poultry dealer

Mogford, John, farmer, Mariansleigh Barton

Roberts, Benjamin, farmer, Yeo Barton

Roberts, John, boot repairer, Alswere

Searle, Henry, farmer, Spenscott

Setherton, John, farmer

Shapland, Francis, farmer, Buthay

Sing, John Saunders, farmer, Westacott

Smyth, William John, farmer, asst. overseer, Correspondent etc, Hobby House, Alswere

Trebble, Arthur, farmer, Tidlake

Tucker, Harry, farmer, Upcott

Webber, Florence (Mrs. ) farmer, Hilltown

Wright, Charles John, farmer, Nott Cleave