8 KINGSBRIDGE 



and Mary, A.D. 1558, a period of twenty-five years; when 

 they were sold to John Drake and Bernard Drake, Esquires, 

 who, in the same month, conveyed them to Sir William 

 Petre, the ancestor of the Right Honourable Lord Petre, 

 of Writtle. From that time till the year 1793, when the 

 late Robert Edward, ninth Lord Petre, sold the said manor 

 to a relative of the present proprietor, it continued in that 

 family." 



The Manor of Kingsbridge belonged for many years to 

 Colonel Scobell, of Nancealvern, near Penzance, Cornwall. 

 He died June 16th, 1866, in his 88th year. He was the son 

 of the Rev. Mr. Scobell, Vicar of Sancreed, Cornwall. At an 

 early age he entered the Marine service, and was in action 

 at the battle of the Nile. According to the statement of 

 the late Mr. Robert Cox,* (who was steward to the Lord of 

 the Manor), Colonel Scobell was born at Nutcombe, in 

 the parish of East Allington, originally the property and 

 residence of the Scobell family. When a child, he was a 

 favourite of an uncle, a barrister, and Lord of the Manor of 



* On the 31st of March, 1870, the Portreeve wrote to George Scobell, Esq., 

 to inform him of the death of his steward, Mr. Robert Cox, and received the 

 following reply : — 



" Montvale House, Hallatrow, Bristol, 

 4th April, 1870. 

 Dear Sir, 



I am obliged by your note of the 3lst ult., addressed to my 

 brother, Mr. George Scobell, upon the death of the late manor bailiff and 

 town crier. The settlement of a new appointment has been referred to me, 

 as trustee of the manor property at Kingsbridge. These offices having been 

 held by the Cox family for the last three generations, as I am informed, we 

 should naturally favor any other member of the same family, if entirely 

 fitted for the business. It has been proposed that the widow should retain 

 the offices, with Mr. John A T eale as her deputy. Still, I am open to any 

 recommendation or information on the subject, my only object being to 

 appoint some one suitable for the interests of the manor and the require- 

 ments of the town. 



I am, dear sir, 



Yours faithfully, 



J. USTICKE SCOBELL." 

 [The appointment was made as above suggested.] 



