NOTES ON THE EARLY HISTORY OF STONEHOUSE. 347 
Joan Durnford was twice married — first to Charles Dinhani, by 
whom, of course, she could have had no issue, or none that 
survived. The manor has now been in the Edgcumbe family just 
400 years — as long as all its previous owners since the Conquest 
together. 
It was under the Durnfords that Stonehouse began to develope 
from a hamlet into a village, and to progress from its small 
beginnings to the "conveniente bigge towne well inhabited," which 
Pole describes it about the end of the sixteenth century. James 
Durnford the elder was particularly active, for in 1448 (26 
Henry VI.) a dispute was settled which had arisen between him 
and the Abbot of Buckland, and which had its origin in the 
assertion by Durnford of territorial authority. 
The Abbot of Buckland held the hundred of Roborough and 
view of frankpledge therein, and complained that Durnford had 
" caused to be set-up a certain pillory and tumbrel at Estonhouse 
and a certain court to be holden at Estonhous, within the precincts 
of the hundred aforesaid, and there had caused to be presented in 
his court aforesaid by his ministers the assize of bread and ale 
there levied, and effusion of blood and of arms and injuries done 
against the peace, and other articles, which ought to be presented 
in the view of frankpledge at the hundred aforesaid." The dispute 
was referred to the Prior of Plympton and James Chudleigh, 
as arbitrators, and they gave judgment against Durnford, ordering 
the pillory and tumbrel to be destroyed ; the abbot and his officers 
to have rule as theretofore, and that Durnford should pay the 
abbot £20 as costs. 1 
Stonehouse was, however, distinctly recognised about this date 
as a part of what I may call the Duchy port of Plymouth, for 
there is a writ extant, July 28, 1479 (19 Edward IV.), in the 
name of Edward Prince of Wales, to the underbailiff of the water, 
of Sutton Pole, directing the summoning of twelve men of 
Plymouth, six of Stonehouse, six of Yalm and Newton Ferrers, 
and six of horston (Oreston), for a court to be held on the 7th 
August following, before Nicholas Henscotte, locum tenens. 
There are extant a few entries of manor courts of East Stone- 
1 Yet the value of the abbot's rights could not have been very much, 
seeing that they were granted in 1498 to Sir Peter Edgcumbe at an annua 
rent of 5s. ; even though another authority says 20s. 
