Christopher Chilcott and Hannah Langford

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Father  :  Robert Chilcott and Joan Fulbroke      Hannah's parents not known   

Christopher Chilcott (b 1665 Beaminster Dorset, m Hannah Langford 1690 Bridport Dorset, d 1725 Tintagel Cornwall)
                                                                     (also m Elizabeth Gubbins 1725)
Hannah Langford (d 1705 Tintagel)
     Susannah Chilcott (b 1691 Beaminster Dorset, d 1712 Tintagel)
     Hannah (b 1692, m Henry White 1715 Tintagel, d 1719)
     Christopher Chilcott (b 1696 Tintagel, d 1696 Tintagel) 
     Eleanor Chilcott (b 1697 Tintagel, m Richard Rock 1734 Bristol Glostershire, d 1754)
     William Chilcott (b 1700 Tintagel,  m Rebecca Williams 1739 North Hill Cornwall, d 1744)
           Charles the Giant Chilcott (b 1742, m Mary Jose 1768 St Juliot Cornwall, d 1815)
                Langford Chilcott (b 1769 Tintagel, m Ann Medling 1800, d 1823 Tintagel) 
                      Charles Chilcott (b 1802 Tintagel, m Mary Strout 1822 Tintagel, d 1869 Launceston Tas)
                            Mary Chilcott (b 1827 Tintagel, m John Cubit 1845 Longford, d 1874 Deloraine Tas)
                                   Ellen Adelaide Cubit (1856 Westbury, m William Mitchell 1880 Sandridge, Melb, d 1937 Wodonga, Vic)
                                          Ernest Harold Mitchell (b 1887 Whiteford, m 1914 Liela Muriel Roach, d 1960 Wodonga)
     Ann Chilcott (b 1702 Tintagel, m William Blake 1725)
     Clorinda Chilcott (b 1704 Tintagel, m Thomas Roskelly 1726 Tintagel)    

Tintagel is the site of King Arthur's court in the Knights of the Round Table legend. It has an extensive website, including photographs and hsitory. Five Generations of our Chilcotts lived there.

The Will     The Vickarage    The Glebe    The Parson     The Family     Notes and Queries     Acknowledgements

Chronology

1665 Born Dorset
1683 Christopher Chilcott matriculated from Magdalen Hall, Oxford aged 18 .
1687 He received his BA
1690 Married Hanna Langford in January
1690 Received his MA in April
1692 Installed at the vicarage of St Materiana in December
1700 Mayor of the borough.
1704 Mayor of Tintagel.
1705 Hannah dies
1712 Admitted to the rectory of Michaelstowe in plurality with the living of Tintagel.
1725 Marries Elizabeth Gubbins in August
1725 Died in Tintagel  25 December, aged 60

Will

dated 3 December 1725, proved Arch Corn 18 April 1726; Inv . #332.8.0.
1725, 25 Dec Will dt cr?  Chilcott, Christopher Vicar of Tintagell Chilcott, Eliz; my wife estate in Trewarnett in Tintagel for life of Prout, Wm Chilcott, Wm, my son, £40, to son's wife 5/-, to his sons and daughters £5 each Chilcott, Eleanor my dau £2 White, Henry my son in law 5/-;  each of his children 5/- Kemp, Catherine, who lived with me £5, rest to my two youngest daus, ie: Blake, Anne, wife of Wm B and Chilcott, Clorinda, extrices.  Proved 18 April 1726 Arch Corn inv £332 (BA)

The Vicarage, Tintagel

Chapter Eight:  Of Glebe, Tithes and Offerings
54.  The Vicarage c 1679. 
    It is possible to get a fair idea of the parsonage house towards the end of the 17th century, for Sylvester Sweetser left a description of the house and glebe signed by himself and his churchwarden Richard Hayne and six others.  Successive alterations over the 300 years that have since passed have made the ground plan of the old parts somewhat difficult to identify; but perhaps the "hall" is the present kitchen and the "parlour paved with slate" the inner room.  The "room called the higher howse" could be the present chapel (thought to be the original 13th century one room vicarage) and the "roome called the lower howse" below the entry could be the present vestry, but room has still to be found for the milk-house, a larder, a butter house and a cellar to be fitted in.  Various linneys or lean-to structures now removed seem to have protruded into the roadway; a "kitchen, a bogge howse and two pigge sties".  Upstairs there were said to be "five chambers and a study all boarded" (originally in mediaeval houses there was nothing between floor and rafters)..Later on the walls were often heightened, roof raised and small windows inserted, beams boarded and ladders fixed, later to be replaced by staircases, to provide extra storage place and sleeping quarters.  The rooms must have been very small, and downstairs most of the floors were not paved with slate as late as 1727, but were still made of lime and earth.
    This is all rather a tight fit and does not follow the usual mediaeval house-plan.  There is no indication of where the main doorway stood in relation to the hall:  one would have expected it to have been approached from the inside of the courtyard but there is no trace of it there.  It is possible that there were other  domestic buildings, part of the vicarage, which may have been taken down to make way for 18th century extensions.  The present dining room might have already been built on at the corner.  There remains the puzzle of the great archway, which some have suggested may have been brought from the castle though it does not seem to have a place there.
    Various other outhouses are mentioned at this time:  a malthouse, a stable, a strawhouse and a "henne howse".  We are not told of their position in relation to the house but they must have been across the road.  All were built of stone and roofed with slate.  There was a pigeon house made all of stone and among other farm buildings mentioned are a barn and oxen house above it, a "boare's howse", tow more pigsties at the south east end of the house.  Beyond the culver-hey there was an orchard containing about twenty rods of ground (one eighth of an acre) sloping down to the river.  Higher up near the mowhay was a small garden with "divers good apple-trees" in it. To the north-west of the house and below the highway leading up to the church was a plot of ground about four or five rods "hauing diuers trees in it for the defence of the said dwelling howse from the north-west windes".  There were more trees on the south and east (but in 1727 there was said to be no timber, only seven or eight sycamores).   There was also "an hopyard contayning about two rod of ground and a garden contayning about six rod of ground.  The Orchard, Culverts, Kitchen plot and hop yard are all bounded on the north side by the river".

The Glebe

55.  The Glebe 1679
    Sylvester Sweetser's terrier also gives details of the extent of the glebe at this date.  It is interesting to find that the field-patterns of this part of the parish show every sign of having been fixed for quite a long time, and they remain little changed to the present day.  The Higher and Lower Beef Parks, ten acres in all, stretched away to the south-east to border on the rectorial glebe of Trebissons.  There was the Trop Park with the footpath to Trevillick passing through its narrow length.  Close to the churchyard were the Higher and Lower Church Parks, altogether of seven acres, said to be some of the best corn-growing land in the parish.  There were thirty-five acres of cliff land, rough pasture for sheep, stretching from the castle down to Dunderhole Point (there is no mention yet of any quarry workings there).  On the north side of the churchyard lay the three acres of Stone Park where the plough has turned up ancient slate-lined graves.  Next to it was a small portion called Trecarne Commons where the glebe held four quillets (another word for lynchets or "lands") where the men of the parish, as at Bossiney, tried, perhaps rather half-heartedly, to copy the wasteful English open-field system. Below this, on the hill, was Rack Park (now called Lower Meadow) falling away to the river in a steep and rocky descent where the grass gave way to "ferns" (bracken) and furze.  The river was generally the boundary but the glebe crossed it here at one point by "two roods of like ground".  Finally there was the small tapering field running up the hill above the mowhay then known as Quarry Park, now Higher Meadow.  The glebe at this date comprised some sixty acres.
    The document also gives us the names of the owners of the contiguous fields;  Argent the widow of Clement Avery owned Messa Park; Well Park belonged to Robert Pethick; Trevillick Meadow belonged to Christopher Avery and the West Trop Park to Joseph Fuge; Trecarne Parks belonged to Jerom Dangar; Barn Park to Ralph Cann together with a field called Four Acres away on the cliff; while the widow Marion Robyns owned Lindra Corner, which would seem to be a piece of land reclaimed from the cliff in the corner of the churchyard hedge and the ancient camp-site.
    The rectorial glebe of Trebissions, which belongs to the patrons of the living, the Dean and Canons of St George's,, Windsor, was let to various tenants at various times:  in 1526 for instance it was let to John Brown of Tintagel for thirty years at a yearly rental of ten shillings.  In 1530 his lease was extended to forty years.  In 1605 it was let to Gregory Baker of New Windsor for twenty-one years at £11 13s 4d with two couple of capons and lodging for three nights and two days at the parsonage for the dean, stewards and others.  In the renewal of the lease in 1608 he is reminded that it is the responsibility of the lessee to keep the chancel of the parish church in good repair.  Members of the  Baker family - Giles (1640), William (1675), Elizabeth (1698) - kept the lease throughout the 17th century.  During the Commonwealth the land was sold to the sitting tenant, Giles, but was promptly returned to St George's in 1661 to Giles at the old rent and two couple of capons or eight shillings in lieu.  William Baker describes himself as "Rector" of Tintagel in his will of 1698.
   Glebe = "land going with benefice". Benefice = "church  living". 

Parson Chilcott

56.  John Gill and Christopher Chilcott
    John Gill, a young man from Pelynt and previous Vicar, probably having some connection with the Camelford family of that name.  He had taken his degree at Christ Church Oxford in 1675 and was instituted to Tintagel on March 6th, 1684.  His incumbency was tragically short: he died while still in his thirties on June 9th, 1692.  A memorial tablet was placed by his "mourning wife Agnes" in the floor of the chancel, under which he was probably buried (now in the north transept).  He was followed by Christopher Chilcott, who was instituted on December 7th, 1692.
    Parson Chilcott continued as vicar for thirty-four years and struck deep roots in Tintagel, so that his descendants are still to be found to this day among the communicants and church councillors of the parish.  Christopher Chilcott was the son of a Dorset man, Robert Chilcott of Beaminster.  He went up to Oxford at the age of 18 to Magdalen and graduated in 1687.  It was as a young man of 27 that he came to Tintagel.  His wife family was probably a Langford if we may judge from the name's constant reappearance in the family as a Christian name right down to the present day [this is a sensible assumption but wrong - Christopher Chilcott married Hannah Long].  They had seven children, five of them girls:  Hannah who became the wife of the Rector of St Tudy [wrong - Henry White was the curate of St Tudy and became the rector of West? Coker, Somerset]; Eleanor who married a Somerset man; Ann who married the Vicar of St Breward; Clorinda who married a Cornishman, Thomas Roskelly; and Susan who died young.  The first son Christopher died as a baby only six months old, to the bitter grief of his parents.  High on the wall of the north transept may be seen his memorial tablet with the words "Haeredem flevit pater" (the father weeps for his heir) with the following touching lines:
This was Too sweet a Babe for Earth: this Fate
In Paradise did Him in Oculate.
What Heavenly joys at God's right hand there be
This Blessed Inocent is Gone to See.
We have lost in him Oh pitty our complaint
A hopefull Child But hes gone to be A Saint.
Noe more Therefore of tears but cease to weep,
He lies in Abrahams Bosome.  Let him Sleep.,
    However, the Chilcott line was continued through William the second son who was born in 1700, the year his father served his turn as Mayor of the borough.
    Christopher Chilcott was admitted to the rectory of Michaelstowe in plurality with the living of Tintagel in 1712. At that time he had been a widower for the past seven years and no doubt found it a struggle to bring up a large family, most of whom were still very young.  His eldest daughter was only twelve when her mother died.  The holding of more than one living "in commendam" as of course a common practice then, and Parson Chilcott would probably be very thankful for any extra means of support which came his way.  He no double made proper provision for Michaelstowe while continuing to live in Tintagel.  He eventually married again - a certain Elizabeth Gubbins - in 1725, but a few months later he died at the age of 60 and was buried in Tintagel, probably in the chancel, on Christmas Day.

Chilcott Family

Chapter Ten:  Some Famous Families
67.  Dangars, Chilcotts and Browns
    Another interesting Tintagel family are the Chilcotts, who all descend from Parson Chilcott who died in 1725.  His son William (1700 to 1745) stayed on in the parish as a gentleman farmer and acquired lands also in Poundstock and St Gennys through his second marriage with the widow Rebecca Williams of Poundstock.  The children and grandchildren of his first marriage (to Hannah Henwood) moved to St Minver and were dispersed through marriage.  But Rebecca's son Charles (born in 1742) grew to be famous for his gigantic stature and extraordinary strength. 
    The giant Charles had a son, Langford (the  name probably comes from Parson Chilcott's first wife's family and appears in every generation).  One of Langford's sons, Charles, farmed at Fenterfriddle; another son, another Langford, married Ann daughter of John Bray and probably lived in Bossiney where this branch of the family continued for another generation and then died out.  The Chilcott line was however maintained by the marriage of the giant's great-granddaughter, Mary Ann of Fenterfriddle, with William Doidge "the tallest man in the parish".  Old Parson Chilcott would be pleased to know that more than twenty people of Chilcott blood still live in the parish.
proved Arch Corn inv #332.8.0

Children

Hannah (b 1692)
She married Henry White, clerk, of St. Tudy,
My notes on burials say he died1754 but the next vicar is dated from 1755.  Could there have been a lapse in appointment?
Pleb. Balliol college, matriculated 11.07.1707 BA Exeter 1711 .  Vicar East Coker 27 feb 1716/7.
Per Chilcott pedigree rector of St Tudy at the time of his marriage but Edward Trelawny MA was rector 25 Sept 1677 - 24 Oct 1726 Henry was curate (see ordination papers).
Ann
Married the same day and at the same place as her father’s second marriage to Elizabeth Gubbins.

Notes and Queries

The parentage of Christopher Chilcott will perhaps be found in one or both of these documents.
    a.  Grant of administration of goods of Robert Chilcott of Beaminster dated 1686.
    b.  Will of William Chilcott of Beaminster proved 1687.
Both will now be found among the records of the Prebendal Court of Netherbury, now in the Probate Registry at Somerset House.

The following notes may be of use:
    The will of William Chilcott of Boughgrove in Beaminster, yeoman, dated 6th March, 1723-4 and proved PCC 21 May 1724 (108 Bolton) mentions his wife Susannah and his brothers, Robert Chilcott and Christopher Chilcott, the last being father of William, Elianor, Anne and Clorenda.
    As Christopher Chilcott is described as "pleb" it seems unlikely that he was nearly related to the Chilcotts of Symondsbury.  He was more probably descended from a yeoman family of his name, who were settled at Chilfrome in 1641 and probably earlier, and who continued there for many years after that date.

Episcopal Consistory Court of Exeter and Episcopal Principal Registry of Exeter had particular jurisdication over Cornish clergy.  Wills destroyed 1942.

Acknowlegements:

    Researchers on the Cubits and Chilcotts have shared their work generously, and I have not been good at noting sources. However, much is owed to Val Trickett, Sue Royce, Jenny Mitchell and Fred Mitchell. Sue Royce is happy to be contacted by email at  <sroyce@xtra.co.nz>. Another source was Beris Wilkinson.

Research Notes

LDS has a burial for Christopher Chilcott, father Robert on 7 Dec1692, father Robert, spouse Hannah. This is strange, as Christopher and Hannah Langford are being cited as parents at baptisms as late as 1704 (Clorinda). Peter Cubit's LDS entry has him b 1665, gives two spouses and father Robert, and dying on Christmas day 1725, so believe that
LDS has nothing for Hannah. There is a surprisingly good fit for Robert Chilcott, b abt 1637, Breedy, Dorset, parents William Chilcott and Mrs Mabel Every. Catch is I cannot find out where Breedy is.....
I sent a query to Zoe Martin, Beaminster OPC to see if it rings any bells. It did. She replied 
....the area you're looking for is the valley of the river Bride, between Bridport in the west & Dorchester in the east, it is just south of the modern A35 road. My husband has just looked out his O.S. map for me. I knew Little Bredy & Long Bredy. We also noticed a Bredy Farm in the area. I do recognise the Chilcott name from the transcriptions I've done ( I noticed it because I remember the Bath & England Rugby player Gareth Chilcott!)
Christopher (Robert's son) was married in Bridport, so I reckon that William and Mrs Every are 80% chances to be  Robert's parents.
Incidentally Charles the giant wouuld have made a reasonable rugby player?

Notes from Julian Higgins in GR

Church of England Cleric, obtained a BA/Ma from Magdalen College, Oxford 1692 CHRISTOPHER CHILCOTT, a native of Dorset. His grandson Charles was known as the Tintagel giant, of the and the family continued to live in Tintagel for several generations. The church of St. Symphorian, standing on a hill overlooking the sea, about half a mile west of the village, is an ancient cruciform building of stone in the Norman and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, with north chapel, nave, aisles, transepts, north and south porches, and an embattled western tower of three stages, containing 5 bells, dated respectively 1735, 1868, 1783, 1828 and 1868: several of the windows are stained, one being a memorial to John Douglas Cook esq, formerly editor of the "Saturday Review", who died 10th Aug. 1868, and is buried in the churchyard: there are others to Robert Jope Kinsman esq. and Susannah, his wife, d. 1855; Sarah Anne Radcliffe, d. 31st May, 1865, and Peter Radcliffe, d. 13th July 1868: in the south transept (but formerly in the chancel) is a stone coffin lid with a floriated cross, and above it the head of a priest only of a priest, and near it a brass with half effigy and inscription to Joan, the mother of John Kelly, dean of the collegiate church of Crantock, near Padstow, to which he was appointed; January 16, 1430: on the south side of the chancel is a piscina and an Easter Sepulchre, inclosing a low raised tomb: on the north side is an aumbry; the reredos is formed out of ancient bench ends; the chapel, a work of the Transition period, retains its original stone altar, the upper slab bearing five crosses, and on each side are wall brackets; in the north transept, one of the windows exhibits a niche and a bracket, and here also is a hagioscope, now closed; the west and south sides and part of the east side of the south transept have a stone bench running along them; the early Norman font consists of a basin, square at the top but rounded below, supported on a cylindrical pedestal, and at the angles by octagonal shafts leaning outwards toward the base; the basin is ornamented with rude masks and figures of serpents; in the chancel are carved stall ends brought from St. Teath, and in the nave others of Perpendicular date, carved with shields of arms, apparently those of Chamond, Hill and Trecarrell; there are various memorial tablets, including one to John Gill, vicar ob. 9th June, 1692, and others to Christopher Chilcott, ob. 29th Jan. 1676; Matthew Sweerser, vicar, ob. 28th July . 1644, and Joan Struate, ob. 1633: in th churchyard are numerous inscribed stones to the Avery, Arthur, Bray and Wade families: the communion plate includes a chalice of late 17th century date, with a paten cover: the church was restored in 1870, under the direction of Mr J.P. St. Aubyn, architect. The register of baptisms dates from the year 1569; marriages, 1558; burials 1546.

Bronwin Heslop (GR) has Christopher marrying Hannah Long  (same date and place)
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