Cottages next to Washfield Church

© Richard J. Brine

The church of St. Mary the Virgin is an ancient edifice of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of a chancel, nave, north aisle, south porch and an embattled western tower containing 6 bells dating from 1787 to 1901; both the tower and the bells were restored in 1900-1901 at a cost of £500 by the late John Coles Esq. JP: there is a very ancient Norman font and a richly-carved Jacobean screen, dated 1624 and made by Bernard Seridge; on the wall of the north aisle is a brass with kneeling effigies of Henry Worth Esq. ob.3 August 1606, his wife and daughter with a shield of arms, and at the foot a Latin inscription: there is also an inscribed brass with a long rhyming epitaph and two shields of arms. The church was restored in 1874 at a cost of about £1000 and in February 1891, a flagstaff and weathercock were placed on the tower by the Rev. C. Govett (Rector 1890 - 99) and the churchwarden, Mr. Robert Morgan: there are 150 sittings; the lych gate was erected by the late Sir Edwin H. Dunning. The register dates from the year 1556. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £370 including 4 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Rev. John Maurice Turner BD of London University.

The Memorial Hall was erected in 1924 to commemorate the late Madame de las Casas. There are charities of over £30 yearly value. Worth House, pleasantly situated, is the property and residence of Roger Pilkington Young Esq. The Worth estate which had been the property and residence of the elder branch of the Worth family since the first half of the 12th century, was sold in the years 1877 and 1888. Albert de la Cassas Esq. who is Lord of the manor, and Roger Pilkington Young Esq. are the chief landowners.

The soil is light; subsoil, partly clay. The chief crops are wheat, oats and grass. the are is 3294 acres of land and 16 of water; the population in 1931 was 315.

POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE: Letters through Tiverton which is the nearest money office.

PRIVATE RESIDENTS

Bowden, William, Newpark

Britton, Miss, Beecroft

de Las Casas, Albert, Beeches

Dixon, Captain Joseph Percy, Little Hatswell

Jones, Montague Francis, Brambles

Turner, Rev. John Maurice, BD (rector), The Rectory

Worrall, Captain Robert Douglas MC, Beauchamp

Young, Roger Pilkington, Worth House

COMMERCIAL

Arnold, Thomas, farmer, Emmerford

Balment, Charles, tobacconist

Balment, Frederick Charles, shopkeeper & post office

Brice, George, farmer, Mill Farm

Chave, Albert, farmer, Beauchamp Farm

Clarke, Robert  James, farmer, Marsh Farm

Cole, Cecil Courtney, farmer, Courtney

Curtis, Henry, farmer, Velaines

Edwards, Alfred James, farmer, Ennerleigh

Elston, Frank, farmer, Hatherland Mill

Gammon, John Henry, farmer, Hatswell

Gill, Frederick, farmer, Church Pitt

Heal, Albert, smallholder, Spilliford

Henson, John, farmer, Lower Pitt

Hocking, Edgar John, farmer, Little Haydon

King, Henry Shilson, farmer, Easterland

Langworthy, Charles, farmer, Webland

Lewis, William James, farmer, Kensington House

Manley, Joseph William, farmer, Cotleigh

Meager, George Henry, dairyman, Swines Bridge

Mogford, Frederick, farmer, Higher Pitt

Mogford, John, farmer, Pilemore

Morrish, Alex John, farmer, Ramsterland

Norman, Ronald C, farmer, Moorhayes

Palfrey, Tom, smallholder, Cowlings

Raymont, Bert, farmer, Great Harpbridge

Sellick, John Greed, farmer, Winbow

Skinner, William, farmer, Middle Hill

Troake, Walter George, farmer, Hatherland

Tucker, William, farmer, Stanterton

Venn, George, farmer, Selwells