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Ref: Abstracted by Combs Researcher Thom Mont from The Devonshire Lay Subsidy of 1332, edited by Audrey M. Erskine; The Devonshire Press Ltd.; Torquay; 1969; and annotated by Thom Mont and C. Hamnet with the aid of Rev. Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of England, Volumes I-IV, S. Lewis and Company, London, 1831; and Combs &c. of Devonshire.
From the late 1100s until 1334, personal property taxes (levies based on moveable goods) were determined and collected by local assesors who kept detailed accounts to present to the Exchequer. The lay [1] subsidy rolls of 1332 were enacted by Parliament on 9 Sep 1332 in order to fund "great and arduous affairs in Ireland and elsewhere," and were arranged in lists by location -- tithings, hamlets, villages, boroughs and ancient desmesne [2]-- for each hundred in the county.

The following list of Comb, Combe and Cumbe tithables appear to include some individuals more than once, and some are listed with more than one location after their names, yet none are duplicate entries. This may indicate the individual was being taxed on moveables in more than one location, or that an individual moved during the assessment period (less likely). These lists were published without the Divisions and Hundreds being listed, and we have added both the division and hundred and information about each location, where known (as of the early 1800s). as well as additional data when available (we have not in every instance been able to identify the location).


1332 Devonshire Lay Subsidy Rolls
By Name, Levy, Location


Alexander de Cumbe, 12d, Torbryan and Denbury
Torbryan and Denbury Parishes are both in the Southern Division, Hundred of Haytor, only 1-1/4 miles apart and only 2-3 miles north of Berry Pomeroy.
Henry Come 12d East Allington and Hauleston
East Allington is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Stanborough, 3 milies from Loddiswell (see next); and 3-1/2 miles north northeast of Kingsbridge; Hauleston not yet located
John de Come 12d, Loddiswell
Loddiswell is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Stanborough, 3 mi. from East Allington (see above) and 3 miles north northwest of Kingsbridge.
John atte Combe 14d, Newton St. Petrock
Newton St. Petrock is in the Northern Division, Hundred of Shebbear, 2-1/4 miles northwest of Shebbear, and 7-1/2 miles southwest of Great Torrington
Walter de Comb' 18d, Abbotsham
Abbotsham is in the Northern Division, Hundred of Shebbear, 1-1/4 miles west of Bideford, and 2 mi. from Northam
Henry atte Combe 16d, Roboroudgh
Roborough [sic] Parish is in the Northern Division, Hundred of Fremington (adjacent to the Hundred of Shebbear), 5-1/2 miles southeast of Great Torrington and 7-1/2 miles northwest of Wembworthy (see below). It is not to be confused with Roborough Hundred, which is in the Southern Division.

Roger atte Comb' 18d, Lynton

Lynton (sometimes Linton) is in the Northern Division, Hundred of Sherwill, and includes the seaport of Linmouth. It is 6 miles northeast of Kentisbury and 8 miles northeast of Combe Martin.

William atte Combe 12d, South Molton
Walter atte Combe 12d South Molton
John atte Combe 8d South Molton

South Molton is an incorporated town with local jurisdiction in the Northern Division, Hundred of South Molton, six miles southeast of Swimbridge, less than ten miles southeast of Bishops Tawton (below), 28 miles north northwest of Exeter.
Thomas de Comb' 2s, Bishops Tawton
Bishops Tawton is in the Northern Division, Hundred of South Molton, two miles southeast of Barnstaple, less than ten miles northwest of South Molton (above).
Robert de Comb' 18d Puddington
Puddington is in the Northern Division, Hundred of Witheridge, six miles north of Crediton (Southern Division) and eight miles southwest of Tiverton (Eastern Division).
William de Combe 12d, Criditon
Simon de Combe 18d, Criditon
John atte Combe 12d, Criditon
Richard de Comb' 40d, Criditon
No parish of Criditon located. Could it be the same as Crediton, in which case a borough, market town and parish in the Southern Division, Hundred of Crediton, which extends into the Hundred of West Budleigh. It is 8 miles northwest of Exeter. See also the Crediton entry below.
Nihcolas [Nicholas?] atte Comb' 8d Tiverton
Tiverton (also a borough and market town) is in the East Division, Hundred of Tiverton, 4-3/4 miles west southwest of the parish of Uplowman (see next) and 14 miles northeast of Exeter.
Robert Reed de Combe 12d, Uplowman
Uplowman is in the East Divsion, chiefly in Hundred of Tiverton, but partly in the Hundred of Halberton; 4-3/4 miles east northeast of the parish of Tiverton
Andrew atte Combe 12d, Huntsham
Huntsham is a parish in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Tivertoon, 3 miles east southeast of Bampton.
William de Combe 8d Appledore
South [sic] Appledore is a hamlet in that part of the parish of Burlescombe that is in the Eastern Division, hundred of Bampton, and 5 miles west southwest of Wellington. Parliament maintained a fort at Appledore in 1645.
Geoffrey ate Combe 8d, Broad Clystan
Broad Clyst [sic] is a parish in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Cliston, 5-3/4 miles northeast of Exeter.
Richard atte Combe 12d? Clyst St. Lawrence
William atte Combe 12d?, Clyst St. Lawrence
Clist St. Lawrence is a parish in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Cliston, 5 miles southeast of Cullompton.
John de Combe 20d Colyton
The parish and market town of Colyton is in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Colyton, less than five miles south of Dalwood (locally in the Hundred of Axminster, Devon, which is also considered part of Dorset), where Joan, daughter and heir of John COMBE, married Richard WARRE of Somerset.
Dionis' de Combe 12d, Combe Ralegh
Combe Raleigh (aka Comb Rawleigh) is a parish in the East Division, Hundred of Axminster, 1-1/2 miles north northwest of Honiton, less than five miles northeast of Upottery, eight miles northwest of Colyton... formerly denominated Comb-Baunton and Comb-Matthew.
Walter atte Combe 2s, Cowick with Christow
Cowick is now a chapelry in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle, Exeter, Hundred of Wonford, Eastern Division, 1 mile south southwest of Exeter, but was once a Benedictine monastery established as a cell to the abbey of Bec in Normandy by William, son of Balwine, in the time of Henry II (no remains). The parish of Christow is in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Wonford, 5-1/2 miles north northwest of Chudleigh. Pope House at Christow is said to have been a cell of the priory of Cowick.
William Luuenet de Comb' 8d, Alphington
Alphington is a parish in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Wonford, 1-1/2 miles south of Exeter.
Stephen atte Comb' 12d, Throwleigh
Throwleigh (aka Throwley) is a parish in the Southern Division, hundred of Wonford, less than five miles southwest of Spreyton, 6-3/4 miles east southeast of Oakhampton (Okehampton), and less than 10 miles northeast of Bridestowe.

Walter atte Combe 8d, Great Fairwood
Great Farwood [sic] is in the parish of Tedburn St. Mary.
Nicholas atte Combe 8d, Melhuish Barton
Melhuish Barton is in the parish of Tedburn St. Mary.
Alexander atte Combe 8d, Spreyton
Spreyton is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Wonford, less than five miles northeast of Throwleigh (above) and 8 miles northeast of Oakhampton, which is in the Northern Division [sic].
William de Combe 14d, Ashburton
Ashburton is a parish, borough and market town in the Southern Division, Hundred of Teignbridge, less than five miles south southwest of Ilsington, and 19 miles southwest of Exeter, its ancient name Aisbertone, and in the time of Edward the Confessor, belonged to Brietric, and at the conquest to Jukel de Totnais. It was made a stannery town by charter by Edward III in 1328. During the parliamentary war, it was occupied by royal troops under Lord Wentworth until it was taken by Sir Thomas Fairfax on his march westward in Jan 1654.
William atte Combe 8d Moretonhampstead
Richard atte Combe 12d, Moretonhampstead
Moretonhampstead is a market town and parish in the Southern Division, Hundred of Teinbridge, five miles northwest of Christow, six miles southeast of Throwleigh, 7 miles southeast of Spreyton, and 11 miles south southwest of Exeter.
Richard atte Combe 12d, Sourton
Sourton is a parish in the Southern Division, Hundred of Lifton, 1-1/2 miles northeast of Bridestowe (next), and five miles southeast of Ashbury (below).

William de Combe 2s, Bridestow
Bridestowe is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Lifton, 1-1/2 miles southwest of Sourton, and 6 miles southwest of Oakhampton

Roger de Comb' 12d, Broadwoodwiger
Broadwood Widger (aka Bradwood-widger) is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Lifton, 6 miles west of Bridestowe and 6 miles northeast of Bradstone.
Walter de Comb' 12d, Ashbury
Ashbury is in the Northern Division, Hundred of Black Torrington, roughly 5 miles northwest of the Southern Division, Hundred of Lifton parishes of Oakhampton, Sourton and Bridestowe, and about eight miles northeast of Broadwood Widger.

Isabel atte Combe 8d Wembworthy
Wembworthy is a parish in the Northern Division, Hundred of North Tawton with Winkley, 3-1/2 miles south southwest of Chulmleigh, about eight miles northwest of Spreyton (above) and 7-1/2 miles southheast of Roborough (also above)
Richard atte Combe 12d, Morebath
Morebath is a parish in the Northern Division, Hundred of Bampton, 2-1/4 miles northwest of Bampton.
John atte Combe 17d Holcombe Rogus
Holcombe Rogus is a parish in the Northern Division, Hundred of Bampton, 7 miles east southeast of Bampton.
Susanna de Combe 3s, Dittisham
Dittisham is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Coleridge, 5-1/2 miles north of Dartmouth
John atte Combe 8d Norton
Laurence atte Combe 8d Norton
Norton not yet located.
Henry de Combe 12d, Stoke Fleming
Stoke Fleming is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Coleridge, 2 miles south southwest of Dartmouth.
Ranulph atte Comb' 12d, North Pool
North Pool is a hamlet in the parish of South Pool, Southern Division, Hundred of Coleridge, which is 5 miles east of East Allington, 6 miles southeast of Loddiwell, 7-1/2 miles southwest of Stoke Fleming and 9 miles southwest of Dartmouth.
William de Combe 2s Halbeton
Holbeton [sic] is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Ermington, 3-1/4 miles west southwest of Modbury, and about 6 miles northwest of Loddiswell (see above). There is also a Halberton [sic] parish, which is in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Halberton, 3-1/2 miles east of Tiverton, but see below).
William de Combe 4s Langford Barton
William Taillour de Comb' 8d Langford Barton*
Langford Barton not yet located. There is also a Taillour [Taylor?] family in these Devonshire Lay Subsidies.
Guy de Combe 16d, Modbury
Andrew de Combe 8d, Modbury
Joan de Combe 2s, Modbury
Simon de Combe 12d, Modbury
Modbury is in the Southern Division, Hundred of Ermington, 3/14 miles east northeast of Holbeton. In February of 1645, Sir Nicholas SLANNING, while entrenched at Modbury with two thousand men, was defeated by the "Devonshire club-men." (History and Georgraphy of Devonshire)
John de Combe 8d Woodbury
Woodbury is a parish and former market town in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Budleigh, 2-1/4 miles northeast of Lympstone (see next), 3 miles southeast of Topsham and about six miles southeast of Alphington (see above).
William Combe 12d, Lympstone
Adam atte Combe 8d Lympstone
Lympstone (aka Lympston) is a parish in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Budleigh, 2-1/4 miles southwest of Woodbury (above) and 2-1/2 miles north of Exmouth.
John de Combe 12d Gittisham
Gittisham is a parish in the Eastern Division, Hundred of Budleigh, less than two miles northeast of Ottery-St. Mary, 2-3/4 miles west southwest of Honiton and less than 4 miles southwest of Combe-Raleigh.
Robert atte Combe 10d Olterton
No Olterton has been located. More likely this is the parish of Otterton in the eastern division of the Hundred of Budleigh (which is also in the southern division), 6 miles southwest of Ottery-St. Mary; and 7 miles southwest of Gittisham.
John de Combe 12d Crediton
William de Combe {Assessor} 8d, Crediton
Crediton is a borough, market town and parish in the Southern Division, Hundred of Crediton, and extending also into the Hundred of West Budleigh. It is 6 miles south of Puddington (above), and 7-1/2 miles northwest of Exeter.
William atte Combe 23d Bradninch
Ralph atte Combe 20d, Bradninch
Bradninch is a parish (formerly a borough and market town) in the Southern Division, Hundred of Hayridge (but with local jurisdiction), less than three miles northwest of Clyst St. Lawrence (above), about 5 miles southwest of Willand and Halberton, six miles southeast of Tiverton and eight miles northeast of Exeter.
Agnes atte Combe 2s, South Tawton
South Tawton is a parish in the Southern Division, Hundred of Wonford, 3-1/4 miles southeast of Oakhampton.
Walter de Comb' 20d, Ottery St. Mary.
Ottery St. Mary is a parish, market town and Hundred in the Eastern Division, 12 miles northeast of Exeter. Originally named Ottery, it became Ottery St. Mary sometime after its manor was given to the Church of St. Mary at Rouen in Normandy by Edward the Confessor. During the civil war between Charles and the Parliament, it was alternately occupied by both parties, in 1645, a detachment of the parliamentary army under Sir Thomas Fairfax quartered here.

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1 These rolls were called "lay" rolls because collections were from the laity (laymen) as versus "temporal" rolls having to do with the Church.

2 A tithing (tything) was an administrative division consisting of ten householders in the old English system of frankpledge wherein each of the ten householders in the tithing was responsible for the conduct of all (communal living?). A demesne was manorial land retained for the private use of a feudal lord, from which the modern word, domain, developed.


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