COURTENAY OF POWDERHAM

TITLE

Irish deeds, leases and estate papers

Devon deeds, leases and papers

LEASES

Early leases

Late leases and letting agreements

ESTATE

Powderham Castle accounts

Rental

Building agreements

Repair and alterations files

Insurance files, Newton Abbot

Other insurance files

20th cent. estate correspondence

Sales off

Estate accounts

Survey and Valuations

Valor (attainder)

Estate office diaries

C. Agricultural Committee papers

Estate miscellaneous

Maps and plans

MANORIAL

Manor of Kenton

Manor of Powderham

Manor of Teignmouth Courtenay

LEGAL

General legal papers

Earldom claim papers

FAMILY

Silva family trusts

Family miscellanea: Courtenay

Family miscellanea: Silva

Printed miscellanea

Correspondence

SPECIAL SUBJECTS

Mining

Rivers

Wharfs, etc.

Roads and Turnpikes

Railways

Clay

Clubs

Parish

Rural Deanery (Honiton)

Political

Volume: "Variae Tractati Mss."

The Courtenay records have come to Devon Record Office from two sources. Collection D1508M-1, which is the first of a number of additional deposits, was received from Powderham Castle and the Estate Office at the castle gates, in Devon. For the initial deposit from this source, see D1508M. For records received from the family's London solicitors, see collection L1508M.

The Courtenays crossed from France to England with Eleanor, wife of Henry II, in 1152, and immediately established themselves among the most eminent families in Devon though the acquisition by marriage and descent of extensive properties in the county. The family, in the person of Hugh Courtenay, were granted the earldom of Devon in 1335. Their fortunes suffered in the Wars of the Roses with the forfeiture of the earldom, together with their estates, in 1461 and the extinguishment of the main line. However, Henry VII restored the earldom and all the former lands and honours to the next heir, Edward Courtenay of Boconnoc, in Cornwall, whose son, William, married Catherine, daughter of Edward IV. His son, Henry, a cousin of Henry VIII, created Marquis of Exeter, suffered from this relationship by attainder and execution in 1539 as a result of his opposition to Henry's dispute with the Pope over the control of the English Church, and the great estates of the elder branch of the Courtenays were lost for ever. His son was recreated earl in 1553 but died without issue. Powderham, which came to the family through marriage in the late 14th century with another eminent Devon family, the Bohuns, and was settled on a younger son of the 2nd Earl, now became the principal home of what became the main branch of the Courtenays. This family acquired a baronetcy in 1644, a viscounty in 1762, and in 1831, in the person of the 3rd Viscount, William Courtenay, the earldom of Devon was revived with him as the 9th Earl. Only the 11th Earl (1807-1888) achieved national political office, in the Poor Law Board and as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Otherwise, these Courtenays were prominent in local government and local affairs and occasionally as MPs. In 1873 the family had the third largest Devon based estate.