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A brief history of Alphington

Alphington through the ages

By Rowena Jay

From research carried out in Libraries, Studies Libraries, Records Offices and also by chatting with villagers.

The name Alphington

The modern name of Alphington derives from "Alfa", "ing" and "ton". "Alfa" was a Saxon farmer who owned most of the land that Alphington was built on,  "ing" means "place of" and "ton" means "a settlement".

Early history of the village

In 658 the village passed on to the Saxon Kings and they held it until the Norman Conquest of 1066. King William I then held the manor and let it to various families. Baldwin The Sheriff was a leaseholder around 1100 and the village became part of the Barony of Okehampton. The village fell into the hands of William Avenol between 1142 and 1155 and somewhere between 1242 and 1284 the Neville family took over. The manor was passed on to John Burgeys in 1357 and in 1382 Sir Hugh Segrave purchased it. In around 1385 he exchanged it for Newham Courcy with Sir Philip Courtenay, who also held Powderham. From that time on the manor remained in the hands of the Courtenay's.

Alphington parish

Alphington is not just a village but also a parish. According to White's Devonshire 1850 Alphington  Parish had 1286 inhabitants and about 2700 acres of fertile land. Matford belonged to Sir L. V. Palk and Risdon states that a man by the name of Stone died in the village at the age of 120 years during the reign of Elizabeth I. The Poor's Land comprised of about 12A and also a farm house at Holcombe Burnell purchased in 1716 from money left by John Bliss and other donors. It was let for £15 per year. The poor parishioners had 30/- a year from the Matford Estate left by Francis and Daniel Vinnicombe in 1675 and the dividends of £230 three per cent consols purchased in 1784 with £110 left by Edward Leach and another donor. Also the interest of £5 left by James Pitman. The Poor Houses were four small cottages purchased in 1675 with £45 given by various donors and rented free to poor families.

From White's Devonshire 1878-1879 during 1871 there were 1166 inhabitants, 561 males and 605 females that lived in 251 houses on 2471 acres of land. Matford belonged to Sir L. V. Palk and the Gibbs family. The Poor's land was sold in 1876 for £800, the money was invested and the dividends were distributed in bread. The four small cottages, that were the poor houses, were still occupied by the poor families for a weekly rental of 3d.

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