Visitation of the County of Devon 1620. Harleian Society
CONTENTS
Background
By the early 15th century the`the bearing of coat armor' was so widely abused that it became necessary to ascertain precisely who was entitled to use arms. It was not until the sixteenth century that heralds' visitations were undertaken in a regular and systematic way.
Persons using titles or arms were summoned to appear before the herald or his deputy at a specified time and place. Each claimant was required to provide an example of his arms and the authority by which the arms were borne. The herald recorded the pedigree and sketched the arms in sufficient detail for them to be transferred later to the manuscript volumes which now make up the Library of Visitation Books at the College of Arms.
These documents, in the handwriting of the heralds themselves, are for the most part signed at the foot of the pedigree by the then head of the family or by someone on his behalf. The Gilbert pedigree was initialled RG – presumably one of the Richard Gilberts.
The Arms ascribed to this family, in the visitation of that year, (a fesse between 3 crescents) are those of Rossington, of Derbyshire, whose heiress married Gilbert.
From: 'General history: Families removed since 1620', Magna Britannia: volume 6: Daniel and Samuel Lysons. 1822
Notes on some of those mentioned
Sources
Magna
Britannia: V 5: Derbyshire (1817)
Magna Britannia: V 6: (1822)
Daniel
and Samuel Lysons.
Daughter of Caule
Possibly one of the 'Calle' family who lived in Bridgerule. In 1498 John Calle
the elder and John Calle the younger paid
40 marks of silver for “1 messuage, 1 toft, 2 gardens, 200 acres of
land, 20 acres of meadow, 2 acres of pasture and 20 acres of furze and heath in
Briggerull'”
In the muster of 1569 a ‘John Calle’ appears on the roll at Bridgerule among the providers. These
were citizens possessed of certain wealth who had a duty to provide armour. John Calle presented ‘1 bow, 1 sheaf of
arrows, 1 steel cap, 1 bill plus1 harquebut (early type of firearm) 1 morion (type of helmet)’
Feet of Fines
http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk
Devon Muster Roll 1569
Richard Gilbert of North Petherwin
Richard Gilbert appears in the tax assessment of 1581 where he is assessed at L5, indicating that he was the largest landowner in that parish.
Possibly died 1602.(will not consulted)
1581 Subsidy - North Pederwyn Parish
Cornwall record
office online catalogue AP/G/13
Will
of Richard Gilbert, gentleman, of Godcott, North Petherwin
The daughter of George Rolle, a wealthy Tudor merchant who bought an estate at Stevenstone, Devon. He married three times and had ‘no less than 20 children’. By his third wife, Margery Vaughan, he had three daughters: “Jackit, Besse & Mary”. In his last will in 1552 he left them 600 marks each. Jaquet possibly died in 1609 (will of Jacquett Gilbert –not consulted)
A general & heraldic dictionary of the peerages. Burke, 1831
Collins’ Peerage of England: Arthur Collins, Egerton Brydges
Cornwall record office online catalogue AP/G/114
(Will of Jacquett Mistress Gilbert of North
Petherwin)
John Gilbert of Bridgrule
1564
16 Sept. 6 Eliz. Roger Prydeaux, of Solden, in Holdisworthy, Esq., to John Gilbert the elder, gent., and Elizabeth his wife, of Tackbeare, in Bridgerule, co. Cornwall. Grant by Royal licence of the Manor of Tackbeare and two messuages now in the occupation of Wm. Gilbert, father of sd. John. Five witnesses. Signature (and Firma) of Roger Prydeaux. Seal gone.
10 Feby. 6 Eliz. Roger Prideaux, of Solden, Devon, arm., to John Gilbert and Elizabeth his wife (licence for alienation of Tackbeare). Great seal attached.
From Notes & Queries Vol 5 part 1
John Gilbert
Married Grace Pomeroy 2nd March 1581, Bradford, Devon
Died 26 March 1606:
12 Aug. 3 Jac. I.P.M. of John Gilbert, gent., who died 26 Mar. last past, seized of Manor, Tackbeare, messuages at Downrowe and Stratton, etc. Samuel Gilbert, gent., being his son and heir. Seals.
IGI
From Notes & Queries Vol 5 part 1
Cornwall record office online catalogue AD1023/32
12
Aug 1606 Inquisition post mortem. Taken
at St Stephen by Launceston by Thomas Thompson, gentleman, after the death of
John Gilbert, gentleman. Discusses the lands held at
Tackbeare in Bridgerule
Grace Pomeroy
Daughter of Hugh Pomeroy of Ingelsdon, also called Ingesdon or Ilsington. This family was a younger branch of the Pomeroys of Berry Pomeroy castle
Agnes daughter of Nicholas Currey
Nicholas Currey recorded as pikeman in Bridgerule muster
Devon Muster Roll 1569
Samuell Gilbert
Christened 19th June 1583, Bradford, Devon
Died 1652/1653, Bridgerule
IGI
Will of Samuell Gilbert,
Gentleman of Ridgerule, Cornwall 30 May 1653
Children of Samuell and Agnes
In his will Samuell Gilbert made bequests to his wife, Agnes, his daughters - Grace, "now the wife of John Werrye of St Merryn", Kathryn my daughter, "now the wife of John Avery" & also to his daughter Deborah Gilbert who was not born at the time of the Visitation. He left Richard items of furniture but appears to have left his son, Samuel, nothing but instructions on how to distribute his bequests! "I do hereby make and ordain this said Samuel my son to be my whole & solo executor of this my last Will & Testament."
NB There is no mention of a Gilbert, in Bridgerule, in either the Devon Muster Roll of 1569, the 1581 Subsidy or the 1642 tax assessment.