Bowden is an historic estate in the parish of Ashprington, near Totnes in Devon, England. The present Mansion house known as Bowden House is a grade I listed building and, having been modified over many centuries, is composed of various building styles, with an emphasis on English Baroque and Tudor.
Two possible derivation have been put forward as to the roots of the word Bowden. Bowden’s elevated, yet sheltered, location would match the combining of the words ‘Boga’ and ‘Dunne’ - a phrase meaning ‘the crest of a hill’ or’ rounded hill‘ an explanation put forward and favored by Humpreys (2003) . Considering that the original access route from Totnes was an Eastern approach going straight over the hill this would seem to be appropriate. A second proposition derives the origin from the word ‘Bodeton’, in which ‘ton’ - from the Anglo Saxon ‘tun’ - means enclosure, farmstead or village, in this case belonging to someone named Bode or Bude (Fanthorpe, 1999) - again there is no further evidence to support this latter derivation.
Bowden House was given a grade 1 listing in 1952, being one of less than 10 000 such building in the UK and so is in the same category as Windsor Castle, York Minster and Blackpool Tower. Bowden House is thus considered of exceptional interest and of national importance. The Register of Listed Building provides the following description: 5180 GREEN LANE ---------- Bowden House (Formerly listed as Bawden House and Outbuildings of Bowden House) SX 85 NW 8/5 7.1.52. GRADE I Listing NGR: SX8014358848 Circa 1509 manor house built for John Gyles, remodelled with new south-east and south-west fronts circa 1700-4 for Nicholas Trist. 2 storeys. South-east facade, symmetrical with central entrance; 5 bay with fenestration 2:1:1:1:2. South-west facade, also symmetrical with 5 bays and fenestration 2:2:1:2:2. Hipped Welsh slate roof with rendered stacks. Devonian limestone ashlar with pilasters carrying entablature and parapet, plain 1st floor band. Architraved sash windows with glazing bars. Main entrance with architraved doorway, console bracketed entablature with pulvinated frieze and ½ glazed door (garden entrance with similar doorway with pediment): early C19 glazed porch. C16 range at rear with original doorways to former screen's passage; original main entrance (now internal doorway) of granite with arched head, moulded square surround with carved spandrels and hoodmould (similar doorway reused in C19 stable range. 3-light mullioned window with cavetto mouldings and hoodmould over former rear entrance. Early C19 stable block adjoining C16 range with arcaded stable yard. Symmetrical stable block with honey-comb brick treatment to 1st floor hay lofts, possibly for ventilation. Outbuildings incorporate doorway (see above) and other carved fragments from the C16 house. Interior Former Tudor hall, later the kitchen, retains a moulded plaster ceiling decorated with rib work and part of figured frieze; open fireplaces, one with early C18 mantle. C18 front room with earlier C17 panelling (brought from elsewhere in the old house) and similarly a fine carved chimneypiece with elaborate coat of arms and crowned supporters inscribed below Holophernies and Judith with date 1585. Elaborate C18 plasterwork to entrance hall including doorcase, niches, chimney- piece etc. Naturalistic classical ceiling. Medallion of Charles I dated 1735. Large panelled room over entrance hall. Fine mid C18 open staircase with open string, closely spaced, turned balusters, column newels and swept, moulded handrail.
Bowden is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, but it is thought to have been within the large royal manor of Chillington. A part of this manor was Harberton, granted by King Henry I to Roger de Nonant. It later became the caput of the feudal barony of Harberton whose barons were the Vautort family. The Barony of Harberton received half of the lands stripped by the king from Juhel de Totnes (died 1123/30), first feudal baron of Totnes, before he became feudal baron of Barnstaple. Amongst the holdings of the barony of Harberton was Bothon, Bodeton, Boghedon (Bowden).
In 1314 Bowden was held from the feudal baron overlord by John de Bowdon, whose family took their name from the estate.
The de la Pomeroy family were feudal barons of Berry Pomeroy, seated at Berry Pomeroy Castle near Totnes, built by Radulfus de Pomerei (Ralph de Pomeroy), from La Pommeraye, Calvados, Normandy, listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as holding Berie in demesne with 57 other manors.
Henry IX de la Pomeroy (1416–1481), whose second wife was Anna (or Amy) Cammel, daughter of Robert Cammel of Tittleford, Dorset, and widow firstly of Henry Barrett of Whiteparish, Wiltshire and secondly of Thomas Gyll of Loddiswell, Devon. "A succession of records suggest that she brought Bowden to the Pomeroy's, along with 3 generations of chancery suits brought by the Gyll heirs".
Thomas Pomeroy (died 1493), 3rd son by his father's first wife Alice Raleigh. He was in possession of Bowden after 1487. In 1491 he entered into a bond summarised as follows:
He married Agnes Kelloway (died 1518), great-grand-daughter of his step-mother Anna Cammell, and daughter of John Kelloway, son of John Kelloway of Sherborne, Dorset, by his wife Johanna Barrett, daughter of Henry Barrett of Whiteparish, Wiltshire, by his wife Anna Cammell. In 1478 John Kelloway settled various lands on his daughter Agnes and her husband Thomas Pomeroy. The Inquisition post mortem of Agnes states her to have died seized of Bowden Manor in Totnes Magna.
Richard Pomeroy (fl.1531) of Bowden and of Rousdon, Devon, son and heir, who married Eleanor Coker, daughter of John Coker of Mappowder ("Maypowder"), Dorset. An heraldic escutcheon showing the arms of Pomeroy impaling Coker (Argent, on a bend gules three leopard's faces or) existed at one time in Bowden House, as recorded in a Roll of Arms made by Sir George Carew. Richard Pomeroy had a son Henry Pomeroy, who married Agnes Huckmore, daughter and heiress of William Huckmore. The marriage settlement commences: "in consideration of a marriage to be had, celebrated and solemnized between Henry Pomerey, son and heir apparent of Richard Pomerey of Bowdon, esquire, and Agnes,
daughter of the said William Hokemore". Richard Pomeroy sold Bowden to John Giles (died 1552/3) of Totnes and his son William Giles.
John Giles (died 1552/3), who in 1542 with his son William, purchased from Francis Knollys for the sum of £800 the manor of Ashprington. Also with William in 1543 he purchased from Richard Pomeroy premises in Magna Totnes, Bowden in Totnes, Tybecombe, & Asprington. The purchase was not without legal difficulties as at some time between 1544–51, with his son William and with Richard Pomeroy, he brought a lawsuit in Chancery against "Nicholas the grandson & heir of John Carsewell, Esq, & William Webber (Webster) his father-in-law, 'a grete captayne and rebell in the late commocyon in the weste partyes', for detention & forgery of Deeds relating to messuages & lands called Bowden". He was a merchant in Totnes, a Mercer and Merchant Stapler, reputed to have been the wealthiest man in Devon in his time. He was Mayor of Totnes in 1517-18 and in 1529 was elected the first Member of Parliament for the Borough of Totnes. He married Ellinor Towkerman.
William Giles of Totnes, who together with his father purchased the estate. He married Joane Blackall, daughter of John Blackall (alias Blackaller) of Totnes.
John Giles (died 1606), son, who married Agnes Stucley, a daughter of Sir Hugh Stucley (1496–1559) of Affeton, Devon, Sheriff of Devon in 1545. He purchased the adjoining estate of Sharpham also in the parish of Ashprington, from Edward Drewe. He was buried at nearby Dean Prior, Devon.
Sir Edward Giles (1566–1637), son, MP for Totnes, of Dean Court, Dean Prior, Devon, possessor of Bowden at the time of the writing of the manuscript on the history of Devon by Sir William Pole (died 1635). He was knighted in 1603 and married Mary Drewe, daughter and heiress of Edmond Drewe of Hayne, Newton St Cyres, near Crediton, Devon, and widow of Walter Northcote (1566–1587), younger brother of John Northcote (1570–1632) of Uton and Hayne, Newton St Cyres, the latter who was ancestor of the Northcote Baronets and the Earls of Iddesleigh. He died without children and was buried in St George's Church, Dean Prior, where survives his monument erected in 1642.
Richard Giles (1581–1648), first cousin, son of William Giles (died 1581), 2nd son of William Giles and Joane Blackall. He married Dorothy Carew (died 1662), daughter of "Peter Carew", possibly Peter Carew of Bickleigh Castle, near Tiverton, Devon.
Peter Giles (died 1653), son, who died unmarried.
Edward Giles (died 1669), younger brother, who married Mary Burthogg (sister of Richard Burthogge (1637/38–1705) of Devon, a physician, magistrate and philosopher), by whom he had a daughter Elizabeth Giles (died 1663/4), who predeceased him and another daughter and sole heiress Mary Giles who survived him, the wife of Sir Richard Gipps (1659–1708), Knight, of Suffolk.
Sir Richard Gipps (1659–1708) of Great Whelnetham, Suffolk, was Master of the Revels at Gray's Inn and a historian of the county of Suffolk. In 1704 he sold Bowden to Nicholas Trist (1668–1741).
The Trist family owned Bowden for several generations until about 1800.
Nicholas Trist (1668–1741), who in 1704 purchased Bowden from Sir Richard Gipps. In 1722 Nicholas Trist effected major alterations to the mansion house, which produced the surviving Georgian east and south fronts.
Browse Trist (c. 1699 – 1777), son
Hore Browse Trist (c.1736-80), son
Rev. Browse Trist (c.1742-91), brother, who died leaving three daughters as his co-heiresses, who in about 1800 sold Bowden to William Adams (1752–1811), MP.
William Adams (1752–1811). Bowden was acquired in about 1800 from the Trist family by the merchant William Adams (1752–1811), MP for Plympton Erle (1796–1801) and for Totnes (1801–1811), who made it his seat. He was the eldest son of William Adams of Totnes by his wife Mary Chadder, daughter of William Chadder. In 1774 he married Anna Maria Dacres, daughter of Richard Dacres of Leatherhead, Surrey, by whom he has 2 sons and 2 daughters. He was made a freeman of Totnes in 1779, of which borough he was three times elected mayor, and was appointed to the honourable position of recorder in 1807. He was probably a partner in the Totnes General Bank of Adams and Company. The armorials of Adams appear in the plasterwork of the main reception room of the east front. He was descended from the same family origin as Nicholas Adams (died 1584) of Townstal (alias Tunstall), Dartmouth, Devon, Member of Parliament for West Looe 1547, and four times for Dartmouth, twice in 1553, and twice in 1554. Nicholas Adams was from an ancient Somerset family formerly seated at Charlton Adam, 4 miles north of Ilchester.
William Dacres Adams (1775–1862), eldest son and heir, Private Secretary to two Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom, namely Pitt the Younger, 1804–06 and the Duke of Portland, 1807-09. He was Commissioner of Woods and Forests (1811–1834). He married the daughter and heiress of Mayow Wynell Mayow (died 1807) of Old House, Sydenham, Kent. He inherited from his wife the Old House estate which he made his seat. He allowed Bowden to be occupied by his younger brother, Lt-Gen. Sir George Pownall Adams (1779–1856) during his lifetime.
Rev. Dacres Adams (1806–71), eldest surviving son and heir.
Rev. William Fulford Adams (1833–1912), son, who in 1887 sold Bowden to Sir Mortimer Singer (died 1929)
Sir Adam Mortimer Singer (1863–1929), who purchased Bowden in 1887, was the eldest son of the American Isaac Merritt Singer, founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, the latter who in 1873 built Oldway House in Paignton, Devon, later greatly expanded by his son and Sir Adam Mortimer's brother, Paris Singer, in imitation of the Palace of Versailles.
In about 1914 Bowden was purchased by Montague Bush, who sold it to Robert William Campbell-Davidson (fl. 1923). In World War II it was requisitioned for use by the US Army, and was later used as a special school. In the ca. 1965 it was purchased by Ayles Family who in 1976 sold it to Christopher and Belinda Petersen, who sold in 2000 to Mrs & Mr R.Taylor; sold 2005 to Jan Mosbacher; who sold in 2014 to Bowden Housing Cooperative.
The Bowden House Community, present day owner and occupier of the Bowden Estate, is a "group of families and individuals developing conscious, authentic and eco-mindful living within a culture of singing, working, eating, gardening, celebrating and learning together". As part of this community Bowden House itself is owned by the Bowden Housing Cooperative Ltd. and is shared by its residents.
