AND ITS SURROUNDINGS. 9 



Kingsbridge, who resided at the Manor House (now called 

 Knowle House), which was then a part of the Manor, but 

 was sold to Sir Edwin Bayntun Sandys. He (Col. Scobell) 

 lived with his uncle, and went to our Grammar School until 

 he was seventeen years old. 



Colonel ScobelPs eldest son, John Usticke Scobell, Esq., 

 who now owns Nancealvern, although he generally resides 

 near Bristol, is Trustee for the Manor of Kingsbridge, but 

 George Scobell, Esq., the Colonel's younger son, receives the 

 rents of this property. His residence is at Lower Poltair, 

 near Penzance. 



The Steward holds a Court Leet and Court Baron on 

 alternate years, and appoints a Portreeve, Constables, and 

 Ale Tasters. At the Manorial Court held in 1865 (which 

 was the last preceding the death of Colonel Scobell) Mr. 

 William Parkhouse was re-elected Portreeve, an office he had 

 already held for a number of years, and which he held up 

 to the time of his decease, having been again elected in 

 October, 1873* On the occasion above referred to, he 

 informed the newly-appointed Ale Tasters that it was " their 

 duty to taste the ale of every brewing at the various breweries 

 and inns in the town (each Ale Taster having the power to 

 demand half a pint), and if they did not consider it good, 

 they might set the tap running, that the bad ale might be 



* From the Kingsbridge Gazette of November 29th, 1873 :— " The late 

 Portreeve. — During the past week one, crcwhile, of our most prominent 

 public men has been removed by the hand of death., Mr. W. Parkhouse, 

 senr., represented the parish of Kingsbridge at the Board of Guardians for 

 some years ; and so diligently and heartily did he transact all such business 

 as modern institutions have left to be performed by the Court of the Lord 

 of the Manor, that he was unanimously re-elected, for a considerable number 

 of years to the office of Portreeve. The remains of the deceased were 

 followed to their last resting-place, in Dodbrookc Churchyard, on Wednesday 

 last, by a large number of townsmen." [In December, 1873, Mr. John Port 

 was elected to till the vacant office.] 



