Cornwood Online Parish Clerk Pages

Calling all Cornwood Descendents! St. Michaels's and All Angels Church, where many of our ancestors were baptized, married and buried, is in need of some repairs. The congregation is fairly small and they have limited means of raising needed funds. If you think you can help with even a small donation, please contact Marilyn Sharp, Church Warden. Any assistance will be most appreciated.

Parish History
Slade

Nothing is known of Slade in early days, but it is recorded that Walter de la Slade dwelt there in the reign of Edward I. Eventually it came into the possession of one who rejoiced in a surname, namely Reginald Cole, who lived there in the time~ of Henry IV and from whom it was inherited by his son John and he, in turn, was succeeded by his son Simon, or Sir Simon as he was frequently called. He died in 1497 and for five generation Slade continued to be the property of the Coles, who from time to time became connected by marriage with many of the leading families in the west.

Undoubtedly they came of a very old race, for one of them is mentioned in Domesday as being signatory to a deed which is now at Winchester. Many of them were held in high esteem by the ruling powers, as evidenced by the number who were raised to the dignity of Knighthood. As instances of their eminence it is recorded that in 1377, Adam Cole was commissioned by Edward III to protect the shores of Devon from incursions of the French, and another is that of Sir John Cole, who was in the train of the Duke of Gloucester in the battle of Agincourt.

Richard Cole, the last of that name to own Slade, sold it to a person called Sture, and retired to other property in Wolfardisworthy, near Clovelly, where he died on 19th April, 1614 and was buried in the north aisle of the parish church. Shortly afterwards it was purchased by Cristofer Savery of Shilston in the parish of Modbury, who was a member of a well to do family, resident in the west.

He traced his lineage from Sir Cristofer who, in the time of Queen Elizabeth, had the unusual honour of being created Knight Banneret for conspicuous bravery on the field of battle. After him, the most noted was Captain Thomas Savery, who found the practical use of steam and made other scientific discoveries. In the time of Charles I the Saverys were on the parliamentary side and later took an active part in bringing over William of orange.

Among the family papers of the Saverys, Slade is described as a large and stately mansion, which may account for it's being the only residence in the immediate neighbourhood, shown in an old map of Devonshire dated 1575, but during their occupancy it became much dilapidated and in order to make it a comfortable house it was remodelled on a smaller scale, but the Tudor hall, with it's lofty roof, richly carved panels and minstrels gallery was fortunately preserved, as well as the handsome staircase leading to some of the rooms in the western wing.

Slade, like Fardel and many another old house, had its warren, fishpond and mills and with its trout stream and rights of tributary was to a considerable extent independent of supplies from outside.

Waltham Savery sold Slade in 1780 to John Spurrel of Stoke Damerel who, however, did not reside there, but made it over to the son of his nephew John Pode, of Woodlands, in the parish of St. Budeaux, whose relations have made it their home ever since.

Fardel passed into the hands of Mr. R.E. Cocks (XL Dairy Company of Plymouth) by purchase in 1922 and Slade to Mr. Reginald Martin, managing director of Clay Works at Lee Moor in 1923. The sale of the contents of the house being largely attended by many people from all parts of the country and producing about E3000.00