John Arscott

Arms of Arscott: Per chevron azure and ermine in chief two buck's heads cabossed or[1]

John Arscott (1613-1675), of Tetcott, Devon, was Sheriff of Devon in 1675.[2]

Origins

W. G. Hoskins described the Arscotts as one of the ancient families of freeholders that rose to the ranks of the squirearchy over a period of 300 years or so by the steady accumulation of property, mostly through marriage.[3] Originating at Arscott (now known as South Arscott, north of the town of Holsworthy),[4][5] a junior branch of the family moved to Tetcott in about 1550.[6]

John Arscott was the eldest son and heir of Edmund Arscott (1588-1656), of Tetcott, by his wife Mary Walrond (d.1652), daughter of William Walrond (d.1627)[7] of Bradfield, Uffculme. Arthur Arscott (1554-1618), the sheriff's grandfather [8] (son of John Arscott of Tetcott (d.1558), fourth son of John Arscott (1469-1541) of Arscott[1]) built a new manor house at Tetcott in 1603.[9]

Marriage

Arms of Arscott (Per chevron azure and ermine in chief two buck's heads cabossed or) impaling Calmady (Azure, a chevron between three pears or), detail from mural monument in the Arscott Chapel of Holy Cross Church, Tetcott, to John Arscott (1613-1675), of Tetcott

He married Gertrude Calmady (1622-1699), a daughter (by his 2nd marriage) of Sir Shilston Calmady (1585-1645) of Langdon, Wembury, who was killed during the Civil War during the siege of Ford Abbey[10] and was buried in the nearby church at Membury where exists his monument.[11] In 1638 John's sister Mary Arscott had married Gertrude's half-brother John Calmady (b.1614, died pre-1645) in Ashwater parish.[12] John Arscott died without progeny.

Death & succession

John Arscott was buried 25 September 1675 at Tetcott.[8] As he was childless his heir was his nephew John Arscott (d.1708) of Tetcott, (son of his younger brother William Arscott (born 1617, living in 1675) by unknown wife) who married as his 2nd wife Prudence, of unrecorded family. John the younger's 3rd son was Dennis Arscott (1685-1721) of Ethy, Cornwall, Sheriff of Cornwall[8] and his daughter was Jane Arscott (born 1678) who married in 1699 Sir John Molesworth, 3rd Baronet[8] (1668–1723), whose later descendants inherited Tetcott in 1788.

Monument

Monument to John Arscott (1613-1675), Holy Cross Church, Tetcott

A mural monument to John Arscott (1613–1675) of Tetcott exists in the Arscott Chapel of Holy Cross Church, Tetcott, inscribed as follows:

"Here lyeth the body of John Arscotte Esq. who married the daughter of Sr. Shilston Calmady. He dyed while sheriffe of the county the 25th day of September 1675 aetatis suae 63. Here also lyeth the body of Gertrude wife of the above said John Arscott Esq. who dyed the 18th of October 1699 aged 77"

References

  1. 1 2 Vivian, p.16
  2. ↑ Vivian, p.21; in regnal year 28 Charles II (1675) per Risdon, Tristram p.14; at his death as recorded on his monument in Tetcott Church
  3. ↑ Hoskins, p.79. He includes the Acland, Furse, Monk, and Edgcumbe families and a "whole host" of others in this description.
  4. ↑ Hoskins, p.411. He says the family started here in the time of Henry III.
  5. ↑ Day, W. I. Leeson (1934). Parochial Histories of Devonshire, No 2 – Holsworthy. The Devonshire Association. pp. 2 (map facing), 29.
  6. ↑ Hoskins, p.493.
  7. ↑ Vivian, p.21, Arscott, and p.769, Walrond.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Vivian, p.21
  9. ↑ Hoskins, p.493; Pevsner, p.802 states however that the 1603 datestone was removed from Tetcott Mill and affixed to the present house in the 20th century.
  10. ↑ Vivian, p.130, Calmady of Calmady
  11. ↑ Pevsner, p.567
  12. ↑ Vivian, p.21; p.130, pedigree of Calmady, where she is called "Anne". John Calmady was Sir Shilston's 2nd son by his 1st marriage and predeceased his father (Vivian, p.130)

Sources

  • Hoskins, W.G., A New Survey of England: Devon, London, 1959. (first published 1954)
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus & Cherry, Bridget, The Buildings of England: Devon, London, 2004.
  • Risdon, Tristram (d.1640), Survey of Devon, 1810 edition, London, 1810, p. 250
  • Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon, Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620. 2 vols, Exeter, 1895.
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