Winscott was a historicmanor in the parish ofPeters Marland, northDevon, England. Winscott House was built or re-built in 1865 and was demolished after 1931.
Winscott was a seat of the Stevens family also of Velstone, in the parish ofBuckland Brewer andCross, in the parish ofLittle Torrington, the latter existing today as a large Georgian mansion about 2 miles south ofGreat Torrington.
There must have been a house at Winscott for several centuries – it was the home of the Stevens family, long prominent in Torrington. The family also ownedCross, a large house on the outskirts of that town. The old Winscott property had vanished by October 1865 when plans for a large Victorian mansion for Mr J. C. Moore-Stevens were published inThe Builder. The new house was built of local yellow brick from theMarland clay works nearby. Said to have cost over £7,000, the building incorporated a central hall almost 30 feet square. Left empty in 1920, it was finally demolished and all that remains today is a flat area in the middle of a field.[1]
TheDomesday Book of 1086 records the manor of "Winescote" as one of thirty-one manors, including "Mirland" (Peters Marland) and "Tuchbere" (Twigbeare), held by Roald Dubbed. Before 1066 it was held by Alwin.[2]
Richard Stevens (1702-1776) of Winscott, was MP forCallington in Cornwall. His mural monument exists in Peters Marland Church. He married Elizabeth (1707-1760), of unknown family, by whom he had three sons who pre-deceased him without children and two daughters who were also without children. His daughter Elizabeth Stevens (1727-1792) married twice, firstly to Robert Awse,[3] and secondly in 1782 toJohn Clevland (1734-1817) ofTapely, MP forBarnstaple 1766-1802.[4]
Thomas Moore-Stevens succeeded to Winscott under the will of Elizabeth Clevland,[5] He adopted the name and arms of Stevens, by royal licence dated 12 July 1817, on the death of John Clevland, as a condition of his wife's will.[citation needed] According to the death notices in the 1832 Annual Register, Thomas Moore-Stevens died by suicide.[6][better source needed]
He was the son and heir of Thomas Moore-Stevens and was MP forNorth Devon andHigh Sheriff of Devon in 1870.[7] He rebuilt Winscott in 1865, immediately following his inheritance, at a cost of over £7,000.[8] He served as aJustice of the Peace and Winscott House was built with its own "Justice Room" with a separate entrance and lobby.[1]
He also rebuilt the nave and chancel of St Peter's Church, Peters Marland, in 1865, also to the designs of William White.[1]
Col. Richard Arthur Moore-Stevens (1854-1931), was the son and heir of John Curzon Moore-Stevens. In 1886 he married his third cousin May Clare Sophy Haworth. They had three children: John (born 1900), Ralph (born 1904) and Joyce.[9] A very religious man, he disinherited his son for marrying a Roman Catholic. He shut up Winscott House in around 1920 and moved to Exeter.[1]
Some time after Richard Arthur Moore-Stevens died, the Winscott estate was sold. A timber merchant purchased the grounds and felled the trees, whilst the building firm of Chambers ofWinkleigh purchased the house, which was eventually demolished without a trace surviving above ground. Some materials were used to construct a new village hall. A few specimen trees survive, but all traces of the orchard, terraces, tennis court and walled garden have vanished. The imposing entrance gates and lodge survive.[1]
Colby, Frederic Thomas, Pedigree of the family of Stevens of Vielstone, Cross, and Winscott. Published by W. Pollard, Exeter, 1891.