THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 
191 
that the deaneries continue living units of county organization, in 
a sense which the hundreds have long ceased to fill; and while 
therefore they have been exposed to more continuous change ; there 
still remains so very remarkable a correspondence between the two 
as at once to suggest that when the deaneries were first planned 
the hundreds were taken as a basis, just as in the majority of cases 
the ancient parish was the child of the manor, or group of manors, 
belonging to the same proprietor. The hundreds and the deaneries 
are indeed commonly known by different names ; for the eccle- 
siastical centre of the district was rarely the same as the civil ; but 
still the relationship is distinct ; and it is a noteworthy fact that it 
is best seen in connection with the oldest hundred list than with 
the newer. Thus the deanery of Tavistock is the old hundred of 
Lifton — the modern hundreds of Tavistock and Lifton, with a 
fringe cut off to the north and east — more convenient of access 
from Okehampton, and joined thereto. Okehampton Deanery 
takes most of its parishes from Torrington Hundred; and Hols- 
worthy Deanery is wholly formed out of Torrington. Hartland 
Deanery includes not only the whole of the present Hartland 
Hundred, but the northern portion of Shebbear, over which the 
detached portion of which Yarnscombe forms a part gives evidence 
that Hartland formerly extended. Torrington Deanery in the main 
represents the ancient Merton Hundred, included in the modern 
Shebbear. The development of Barnstaple naturally drew from 
all the adjacent hundreds. Shirwell Deanery comprises all Shirwell 
Hundred and all Braunton, except Barnstaple, Pilton, and Filleigh, 
which are taken by Barnstaple. Chumleigh Deanery is chiefly 
North Tawton Hundred. South Molton, as an important centre, 
includes parts of its own hundred and that of Witheridge. Cad- 
bury takes all West Budleigh, except Washfield, with adjoining 
parishes, and probably represents fairly well the lost hundred of 
Cadelintone, but with the bulk of Crediton Hundred added. 
Tiverton Deanery swallows three whole hundreds — Tiverton, 
Bampton, and Halberton — with a little more. The other deaneries 
in East Devon are, as we might expect from the changes in the 
hundreds, very much mixed. Thus Dunkeswell includes portions 
of Hemiock and Axminster Hundreds, and may represent the lost 
Hertesberie. Honiton is chiefly Axminster, with Axmouth and 
part of Colyton. Plymtree Deanery is chiefly Hayridge Hundred, 
and may more nearly represent the ancient Silverton. Aylesbeare 
