www.loveys.net
Ogbeare Hall
25th September 2007
Dear Mark and Peter
Sorry to have taken so long in responding - I've only recently checked out your website again!
I recently had a visit from English Heritage who wanted to take a photo of the Hall and it re-kindled my interest (I've been very busy at our local rugby club!).
I'll give you all the info I have and you can cross-check it with what you have - it makes a fine story!
An excerpt from "Old Cornwall" The Autumn Edition of 1973 published by The Federation of Old Cornwall Societies reads....
"Ogbeare Hall may be approached from the road at Hornacott Chapel. This way winds through woodland, and the first glimpse of the Hall, set a little below the ridge of the hill, makes it appear somewhat incongrous, as if a Victorian villa from a prosperous suburb had been placed in this somewhat remote Cornish district. The house was indeed rebuilt in Victorian times and subsequently modernised, but it still has at its heart, the Great Hall, with its granite fireplace, of stone mullioned windows and fine wooden roof, reminds one irresistably of Cotehele or Trecarrol. Under the passage and accessible by stone stairs is a fine well. Outside, built into the wals or lying beside them are stones from the earlier Hall in which lived Leonard Lovis. There is a Brass to his memory in North Tamerton Church [St Denys]. Now fixed to the South Wall, it was formerly on a low tomb at the east end of the south aisle:
"Here lyeth Leonard Loves of Ogbeare Esquyer who Dyed the Fortynth daye of Apryll Anno domini 1576 Generall receaver to ye Queenes Maiestie of all her revenewes in the countyes of Devon and Cornwall."
Then, on an ajoining stone, there was an inscription to Ebotte Lovis, widow of Leonard, who died on 2nd December 1606. This slate is now on the floor below the brass, and is recognisable only by the beds of three of her brasses, one of which had evidently been a figure, and another had borne the arns of Lovis - or a chevron gules between three seapies proper - impaled with those of Upcott.
Leonard Loves was possible decended from Richard Lovyes (Lovice, Loveis), one of the Members of Parliament for Launceston in 1392, and he was the son of Humprey who lived at Ogbeare. Leonard had married, first, Jane the daughter and heiress of Richard Upcott, by whom he had Thomas of Ogbeare who died intestate on 30th August 1593, and William of Ogbeare, who died in April 1620( married Mary Ameredith, daughter of Edward Ameredith d 13/6/1606 and Elizabeth Fortisque); Richard of Beardon in Boyton, who married Frances Rolle of Heanton, and another son, Humphrey, and five daughters, of whom one, Frances, paid Rates of Continuance for the reparation of the Parish Church, on Hornacott Moor in 1628. By his second wife, Ebbotte Specotte of Thornbury, he had one daughter, Elizabeth (b 1571 d 3/5/1651), who married at Alvington on June 10th 1589, Richard Coffin (b 1569) of Portledge, Devon. Issue John, Wilmot, Julian and Elizabeth
Ogbeare Hall went from the representatives of the Lovis family to the Michells, and then to the Welches of Launceston. From them it passed to G W Owen of Tiverton who sold it to Sir William Pratt Call, the owner in 1820. It was then described as 'certainly a building of great antiquity. Large mullioned windows, loaded with iron bars, give it an air of gloomy dignity. It is now inhabited by a farmer.
The lands, well tilled, abound with cultivated hills: the vallys are filled with wood and pasturage.'.
Kelly's directory of 1889 records that Ogbeare Hall had been restored and enlarged. It was then the residence of Major Holt, one of the principal landowners in the area, holding Mr J H Hockin the gift of the living. A later entry, in 1906, mentions the fine banquetting and entrance halls with their elaborately carved celings. Older people recall the days when Squire Alexander lived there, and gave schoold treats to the children, with Xmas trees and presents. The beaters went to the Hall each year for a pheasant dinner. He provided the land and the larger part of the money for the building of the parish hall in 1924.
Since then Ogbeare has changed hands, and early in 1971, it was sold again. The lake was restored in 1968; with its islands, it extends over 2 1/2 acres, being fed by a stream running from the Forestry Commission woodlands."
Other facts I have gathered....
Leonard Loves (b 1533 d 1576) married Jane Thorne (b 1535 in Upcott) in 1543.
Issue Thomas (d 1593), William (d 1620), Richard of Beardon, Humphrey, and 5 more daughters.
Leonard then married Ebbotte (Ibbott) Speccott (d 1606). Issue Elizabeth who married Richard Coffin 10.6.1589
Ebbott was the daughter of Edmund Speccott and Jane (Grenville).
I know they're not Loveys, but this is interesting anyway, so bear with me!
Jane Grenville was the 2nd child of Sir Thomas Grenville (b 1451 d 18/3/1513) who married Elizabeth Gilbert in 1573 (d 1456). Their other children were, Richard(b 1541) then Jane, Roger, Mary, Agnes, Honor and Phillipa. The Grenville family are a very famous name in this neck of the woods, Sir Richard, for fighting the spanish, and then his grandson, Sir Bevil, for fighting with the King in the civil war, with his notorious army, unrivalled until Cromwell's New Model Army. Sir Bevil fought "invinciblyagainst overwhelming odds. They captured Launceston from the Parliament men, although they marched to battle 'so destitue of provisions that the best officers had but a biscuit a day', and there was only a handful of powder for the whole force. They stormed Stratton Hill and captured nearly 2000 men [this baatle is re-enacted every year]. There, as at Braddock Down four months before, Grenville led them, after solemn prayer for each division. They cleared Cornwall of the Parliamentary forces, overran Somserset, and compelled Essex to despatch a picked force under Sir William Waller to stay them. He arrived in Bath to find Somerset already lost, but he made battle on Lansdown Hill. It was his last battle; he fell as he was leading a charge up on the height." Taken from The King's England, Cornwall by Arthur Mees.
Back to the Loveys....
I also have a note of a Richard Lovel (b 1283 Castle Cary, Somerset), whose father was Hugh Lovel, mother Alianore Lovel. Richard married Muriel Douglas in 1305, and had a daughter Joan.
There is a very worn shield above the main door, but it bears no resemblance to the shield on the site. This may be because it is from one of those later families. When I get a new camera USB lead, I'll take a picture for you anyway.
Phew! This is the 1st time I've colated everything, but I've been meaning to do it for quite a while.
If you have any questions, I'll try and help - I feel a connection with this house and its previous inhabitants (I'm sure its past life stuff!), and the current 'caretaker', I feel its important to pass on information to those interested parties.
Bright blessings
26th September 2007
Hi all
I'm glad you found it interesting.
I think the Grenville connection is important to both the Loveys and Ogbeare Hall, as it shows how well connected the families were, both to each other, and to the Royal family, particularly Queen Elizabeth I. The Loveys were obviously very pro-Royal for quite a few generations at least, given Leonard's grandfather being an MP etc).
There's a fair bit in 'The King's England', both the Cornwall and the Devon editions, by Arthur Mees (he appears to have been a nosy chap who made it his life's work to go around England writing up bits about towns and people. Very interesting books though, first published in 1938 by Hodder and Stoughton.
Another interesting connection to Ogbeare (but not the Loveys, unfortunately), is also taken from Arthur Mees. It refers to Parson Robert Stephen Hawker (b1803 d 1875). He is well known in these parts for being quite eccentric, and as a poet - the Cornish National anthem is by him, 'Song of the Western Men'. His first job as a curate was here at North Tamerton, where he was known for his 'interesting' dress sense, and also being accompnyed on his visits to parishioners by his pet pig!
He surely would have visited here then! There's more on Wikapedia about him, although local stories don't paint him in such pretty colours - he's said to have aided the wreckers.
Bright ones
The following email messages relating to Ogbeare Hall were reproduced on this web site by kind permission of Sarah Goodwin who currently lives there with her family. We ask that you respect Sarah's privacy and any questions to her should be
directed through this web site.
Leonard and Jane's son, Richard appears to have been built his own estate by Leonard, just down the road, about 3 miles away, called Beardon. Its still there, because the lady from English Heritage mentioned it and I went back and checked my notes. Hence the 'Richard of Beardon'. He and Frances had a daughter, Amye (Emma) Loves (b 1605 d Aug 1649 Newton Ferrers, Devon) who married William Upton. They had a son John (b 1625 d 1699) who married Eleanor Stuart (b 1630). There's a bit more on this lineage, but I'll stop there!
There's a note of a Richard Loveys of Beardon and unknown spouse who had a daughter, Elizabeth.
Sarah Goodwin
Sarah