SOUTH MOLTON IN THE GREAT UNIVERSAL DIRECTORY OF 1794

Here is a market every Saturday, and of them six considerable ones, viz. the Saturday after February 13; Saturday before April 23, Saturdayt before October 10; Saturday before December 12; Saturday after march 25 and the Saturday before August 1; all of which are supplied with great quantities of cattle &c. There are also two fairs: one on the Wednesday before June 22, and the other on the Wednesday before August 26.

The chief manufactures of this town are serges, shalloons* and felts; and great quantities of wool, brought from the country, are brought up here every Saturday. In the year 1614, a merchant of London, a native of this place, built and endowed a free-school here, besides which here is a charity school. In the church is an elegant altar piece, facing which is a large organ. The church also contains many handsome monuments and is allowed by travellers to be as beautiful as any in the west of England. The guildhall is large and commodious.

The are four large lime kilns within three miles of the town. The principle inns are Lord Fortescue's Arms, the George, the Star and the White Hart..

*Shalloon is a lightweight twilled fabric of wool or worsted, which was often used  for linings  in bed-hangings or curtains for example.

The post office is kept by Mrs Christiana Elston at the Fortescue Arms. The post comes every morning by eigh o'clock from Chulmleigh and sets off for Barnstaple at half past eight; returns by seven every evening and goes off immediately for Chulmleigh. Postage from London is 6d; from Bristol 5d and so on in proportion.

The mail-coach arrives on Wednesday at three o'clock and sets off by four for Barnstaple; it returns every Thursday morning at eight and sets off at nine for Tiverton; returns on Friday at three in the afternoon, and sets off for Barnstaple at four;  returns on Sunday at nine in the morning, and sets off for Tiverton at ten. Fare to London £2. 10s; to Taunton 13s, and four pence a mile elsewhere.

George Huxtable's stage waggon sets of from South Molton every Monday morning at two o'clock for Exeter, where he arrives at  five the same evening; sets off from Exeter on Tuesday at ten o'clock, and arrives at South Molton at twelve at night. Sets off again at the same time on Thursdays, and returns at the same time on Fridays. William Warren's waggon goes and comes the same as the above. The carriage of goods is 2s per CWT; passengers pay 2s 6d each.

The Taunton waggon arrives at South Molton on Tuesdays at twelve o'clock and sets off  for Barnstaple at three; returns to South Molton on Wednesdays at six in the evening, and sets off on Thursday morning at six for Taunton:;  it carries goods from South Molton to London at 8s 6d per cwt.

The following are the principal inhabitants:

William Roberts Esq. recorder

John Bawden Esq.

Mr Lewis Hole

Mr. Joshua Bryan sen.

Mr Joshua Bryan jun.

Mr Charles G. Cutcliffe

Mr. George Stawell

Mr James Handford

John Sharland Town Clerk

GENTRY

Mr. Thomas Anthony

Mr John Badcock

Mrs. Sarah Badcock

Mr. George Badcock

John Bawden Esq.

Mrs Ann Brooking

Mr. Joshua Brooking sen.

Mrs. Rachel Carder

Mr Geogre Chapple

Mr John Chapple

Mrs Catherine Deane

Mr. Matthew Hole

Mr William Jones

Mrs Elizabeth Kingdon

Mr John Lake

Mrs Ann Lucy

Mr Thomas Maire

Hugh Matthews Esq.

Mrs Ann Meddon

Mrs Agnes Moore

Joseph Palmer Esq.

Mrs Ann Passmore

George Stawell Esq.

Mr John Stoyl

Mrs Rachel Thorne

Mr William Widgery

Mr Samuel Widgery

CLERGY

Rev, J. Elworthy

Rev. J. Gould

Rev. Mr Oliver

Rev. Mr Stawell

Rev. Mr. Taperhill, Dissenting Minister

PHYSICIANS

William Binford, Surgeon

Joshua Bryan jun. Surgeon

Charles G. Cutcliffe, Druggist

William Gould, Surgeon

Southcombe Hole, Apothecary

William Ven, Surgeon

LAWYERS

James pearce, Attornery

George Sharland, Attorney

TRADERS ETC.