HUXTABLE – the Name and Book
The name ‘Huxtable’ is considered to have originated here in the early 14th Century.
We have produced a book titled ‘Huxtable the story of a Devon Farm’ edited by Barbara Payne. A chapter has been written by John Huxtable, whose family is from this area, and who has carried out family research for many years. An appendix gives details of this, which may be of interest to anyone investigating their own genealogy.
‘Huxtable the story of a Devon Farm’ can be purchased @ £7.50 per copy plus £3.50 postage & packing within the UK (please contact us for an overseas postal price). Contact us by e-mail jackie@huxtablefarm.co.uk We accept credit cards.
‘Huxtable the story of a Devon Farm’ can also be purchased on AMAZON
Huxtable Farm – The story of a Devon Farm
The book is A5 in size and has 104 pages of text & illustrations.
The book was originally produced as a result of the Payne family’s (the existing owners of the farm) interest in the farm’s history and in answer to repeated questions about the farm and local area. The result being an informative book detailing the history of the farm and important aspects of the local area.
‘Huxtable’, a Hall house, now listed as a Longhouse, was built in the early 16th Century and the present farm is of similar size although no longer home to the descendants of the Huxtables who were here in the early 14th Century. These two features make ‘Huxtable’ a unique and interesting farm. Every effort has been made, with the help of the Record Offices in North Devon and Exeter, to verify factual statements although the chapters are the personal contributions of the individual writers.
Chapter 1 – The History of Huxtable Farm ;- A chronological account of the living history of the farm, the result of a local study by Barbara Payne.
Chapter 2 – The History of the Huxtable Family;- A genealogy of the Huxtable family which is considered to have originated her in early 14th century. This chapter has been written by John Huxtable, whose family is from this area, and who has carried out the family research over many years. There are a number of appendixes in the back of the book, (the Devon Muster Roll 1569, Devon Protestation Returns 1641, list of ‘Huxtables’ on West Buckland Church gravestones, the Will of Thomas Huxtable 1622 and Archival notes) which may be of interest to anyone investigating their own genealogy.
Chapter 3 – The archeology of the Farmhouse;- A report, with plans, of the archaeology and architecture of the buildings. This has been prepared by John Thorp of Keystone Historic Buildings Consultants.’ A surprising amount of original late medieval house survives in the entrance hall, kitchen/living room and bake house section of the house’.
Chapter 4 – The Fortescue Family;- The Fortesuce family has had a major influence on both the area and Huxtable Farm. In 1454 Martin Fortescue was the first Fortescue at Castle Hlll, and from 1797 the family was landlord of ‘Huxtable’ for nearly two hundred years. Lady Margaret Fortescue has kindly written of her family in this context.
Chapter 5 – West Buckland School;- Founded by the Fortescues in 1858 and whose physical presence dominates the area and is the immediate neighbour to Huxtable. Mary Cameron, who has written other local studies and whose husband was a teacher at the school has written this chapter.
Chapters 6 & 7 – The Ridds at Huxtable: pre 1940 – 1980;- Doreen Ridd gives her personal account of the years the Ridd family lived at the farm, years that included World War II.
Chapters 8, 9 & 10 – The Paynes at Huxtable: 1980, Sheperding at Huxtable Farm, Huxtable Farm Holidays;- The farm in the years of its ownership by the Payne Family, written by Barbara & Jackie Payne.
Mr Dunn, from Australia, has visited Huxtable Farm and done some research on the name ‘Huxtable’, if you are interesting in his findings and seeing his videos of of Huxtable Farm Click here