Tithe No.
1074/5
C/Rental No. 64
This cottage is believed to have been built in
the second half of the 17th. century, with two
blocks built onto the rear. It has been
modernized in both the 19th. & 20th.
centuries. However it is not first mentioned
until the 1779 Auction Prospectus (DRO 96M/Box
2/4) when three sisters, Deborah, Mary and
Anne Simons were leasing it.
They were daughters of the Vicar of Otterton,
Revd. William Simons. He had been Vicar
since 1720 and died in office in 1782. The
sisters were all born in Otterton and remained
spinsters throughout their lives. The 1790
Survey shows Deborah as the Lease holder and
lists “ Dwelling House, Malthouse, garden
& orchard Rent 1/-. The lives were her two
sisters . She died in 1799 aged 64 and her two
sisters gave up the Lease the following year.
They both died in 1810. John Copplestone (age
33) then took the lease in 1800 with an
increased Rent – 5/-. The malthouse named
suggests that the sisters ran a beerhouse at
the turn of the 19th. century.
In 1843 (Tithe Award) Thomas Tedbury is
Copplestones tenant. He was a saddler and
harnessmaker probably at Brooklyn from the
1820’s . He and his family worshiped at Salem
Chapel as did other Tedbury’s who were Millers
at Town Mills (Joseph), Thorn Mills (Isaac)
both in East Budleigh and Otterton Mills
(Oliver). John Copplestone died in 1846 and
Thomas Tedbury took over his lease on
Brooklyn. By 1856 he had moved to Brook House,
Fore Street as Ottertons Subpostmaster, still
holding the Brooklyn lease, which passed to
his son Thomas(born 1822) on his death in
1857. Thomas junior at 1841 census is
described as Maltster, aged 18, which suggests
that Brooklyn still had a malthouse at that
time. However Thomas had taken over Stantyway
Farm by 1857 and his wife Jane continued with
the farm on his death in 1871, but still
holding Brooklyn’s lease. In February 1880
Brooklyn’s Lease had “fallen into hand” ie
handed back to the Rolle Estates. It is
described as “Lessee – Mrs. Jane Tedbury, 2
cottages and garden Tenant – Mark Carter, Rent
£7pa.
It is not known who was tenant during these
30/40 years or Mark Carter’s occupation. He
was still tenant in 1911 (Rent
£7.5/8dpa)
Further tenants are not known until 1956/61
Mrs. E.M. Anniss; 1974/77 Irene B.M. Till;
1984 Samuel Thorneywork. Not known when
Estate sold Freehold.
G. Millington 2012
SOURCES
Clinton Devon Estates, Devon Records Office,
Census, Directories etc.