Highbear hamlet, Black Torrington, Devon

[brentor boy]

This address is shown on the record of Devon Freeholders, compiled during the 1700s, but I am struggling to locate it on any modern map. Is there anyone who might be able to point me in the right direction?

 

[oznannie]

Hi
I don't know if you have used GenUK site?
It's so informative.
Here is the link which also may help others.
Good luck

http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Gazetteer/entriesAC.html

 

[leefer]

High Brentor....i travel to Torrington a fair bit(love that whole area,Holsworthy etc) and i feel there isnt a place recognised by that name officially anymore..i think it was a very small hamlet in the area of Black Torrington but alas no longer exists,and when it did centuries ago was probably Highbeare in keeping with the other placenames in the area ending with beare.
The locals may still refer to the area as Highbear as i am sure there are some addresses and house names with it in.

Regards..Lee

 

[leefer]

http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Freeholders/Documents1765.html

This 1765 document?...confirms that Highbear was in fact as i said above in the area of Black Torrington....towards the bottom of the link are entries to suggest this...you will probably only find it on a very old map.

 

[nainmaddie]

Hi Brentnor boy

I have a very good friend whose husband is the Vicar at Black Torrington, and she has lived there all her life. I will email her and see if it is still an area that is known there for you.

She may be on holiday, but it is worth asking

Maddie

 

[brentor boy]

Thanks all, particularly nainmaddie for your kind offer.

I have seen a Beara Court, which is a small collection of houses on a ridge of high ground to the south of Black Torrington which might be where I am looking for. It would be nice to have a local view on that possibility.

 

[oznannie]

Hi
Here's a look to British History online
Ordnance Survey Map Black Torrington.
I hope this helps.
The site also has a lot of info regarding history
of counties.
All the best
ozn

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/ma...&sheetid=2763&ox=0&oy=0&zm=1&czm=10&x=73&y=73

 

[brentor boy]

I have looked on a large scale modern map and cannot find the name "Highbear" preserved in any road name or outlying farm, nor can I find it marked on any older map.

If any evidence of it still remains, the collection of houses around Beara Court/Cross seems the most likely location or possibly Highweek to the west of Black Torrington.

 

[nainmaddie]

Hi Brentnorboy

I have had an email from my friend, and she is hoping her husband may know something about it. The problem is that they have only just got back from holiday, and he,with ill health, will take a few days to get back to normal. As soon as she is able to , she will get back to me

Maddie

 

[leefer]

Thats weird Maddie...i keep refering to Brentor as Brentnor like you have in your posts...i only noticed this morning.

 

[nainmaddie]

Sorry about that !! I do apologise .

Maddie

 

[leefer]

Sorry about that !! I do apologise .

Maddie

No Maddie i wasnt having ago....i have been doing it all the time also!

 

[brentor boy]

I am not too troubled what I am called - a rose by any other name smells just as sweetly - it is when no one calls me at all that I start to get upset. I thought Maddie might have made the connection with "the church on the hill" near Tavistock.

I shall be interested what information your contacts may be able to provide, Maddie, but if they come back with a negative I think I may have a possible explanation. Looking at the various Freeholders lists in detail and comparing named locations and recorded names, I have come to the conclusion that Highbear, Black Torrington, and Kegbear, Okehampton, may be one and the same place.. On no one list do they both appear, and at different times the same names are recorded at both places. Both are in Black Torrington Hundred.

Kegbear/Kigbear was just west of Okehampton and included the farms of Southcott, Nethercott, Maddaford ond Croft.

 

[nainmaddie]

Hi Brentor boy

Have just heard back from my friend's husband who thinks that orginally Beara Court was a group of farm buildings.

Next week I will go into the West Studies Library for you and see what maps of 18C they have , or information on Highbear. I have a family party this w/e so it will have to wait until Tues. or Thurs. The might even have some tithe maps. We can only hope

Maddie

 

[nainmaddie]

Hi Brentor boy

I have today been in to the Westcountry Study Library which is in town as opposed to Devon Record office which was moved out to an Industrial Estate.

We ( I had some help ) searched through the Devon Names book which mentions farms and villages, and found nothing which is strange as places mentioned go back to the 1200's.

Bear or Beara is a small copse.

Beara court was most probably owned by Nicholas atte Beara/Beera

The librarian did look it up on the Internet and I think he found our previous messages. He said that it was in 2008 !! The only link that the person had found was a list of landowners the 1700's.

When I am next in the Devon Record office,dreary place if ever there was one, I will see what they have in Tithe maps, but I would not hold your breath, as I suspect they might not have anything there. I shall live in hope!!

Maddie

 

[brentor boy]

Many thanks for your efforts, Maddie. Please do not put yourself to too much tro.uble on my behalf; I fear I may be sending you on a wild goose chase. My instinct is that I may be close to the answer in my post#13