Abbotskerswell, the village
Abbotskerswell (or Carswell) is a village and parish in the Newton Abbot union in the deanery of Ipplepen, archdeaconry of Totnes, diocese of Exeter, hundred of Haytor, East Devonshire, 2 miles south from Newton Abbot, 6 miles north west from Torquay and 18 miles south from Exeter, near the main road from there to Totnes.Aller, a small hamlet about 2 miles East of Abbotskerswell, forms a part of this parish.
Both Abbotskerswell & Aller are mentioned in the Doomsday Survey of 1086 when the population of Abbotskerswell was less than 100 & was called Carsuelle.
In 1086 the manor belonged to the Abbot of Horton.
Abbotskerswell was settled by farmers of the Bronze & Iron Ages in about c1500BC and first became a parish in the 10th century.
St Mary's Church. A church has been on the present site since the 10th century, with some parts of the present building dating back to the 13th century. The latest renovations were done in the 1880's.
St Augustines Priory. Formed by English nuns from the community of St Ursula, Louvain in 1861 after they had been driven out of France during the French Revolution.
For more information about Abbotskerswell see Genuki Devon
St Mary's Church 2010
The earliest known ancestor of the ELLIOTT FAMILY, William ELLIOTT married Catherine BURT 1740 in Abbotskerswell.
In 1821 Elizabeth ELLIOTT married William BEGBY, they had 3 children.
Family historians who have a Devon convict ancestor who was convicted and transported to Australia in the period 1782-1821 will find this a valuable addition to their library, including those with a general interest in convicts and the convict system. Thomas Webber according to one reference was born about 1799 in Abbotskerswell. He was convicted at the Devon Assizes in 1821 and sentenced to transportation for life to Australia.
Other Pages on this Website
The Elliott Family
For more information see the Elliott Family
John Henry George LEE
grandson of
Elizabeth ELLIOTT of Abbotskerswell
By 1831 William & his 3 children had disappeared & the "widow" Elizabeth BEGBY (nee ELLIOTT) was to marry John LEE from Ipplepen.
Two generations later one of her grandsons was to become the infamous John Babbacombe LEE
"the man they could not hang"
For more of the story see
The Lee Family
The Last Farewell
Devon Convicts Transported to Australia 1782-1821
author - Jack Walton
For a list of the 574 convicts see
Appendix A
For the complete index to the book see
The Full Index
Thomas Webber - Convict
For further history see
Thomas Webber
For any further information on any of the people or families on these pages
contact
Alan Elliott
Last
Modified: 8 February 2011