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RUGROAD Manor and parish of Spreyton Rugroad, also spelt Ruggerode (in 1491) and Rugrode (1765) may have been named after a Saxon owner called Hrugca, “Hrugca” becoming Rug-. The second element -rode probably came from a Germanic word meaning “clearing”, so it was “Hruga’s clearing”, and obviously very ancient in origin. But it has also been spelt “Rough Road”, “Rugged Road”, Rugg Rode”, “Rug Rode” and “Rugrow”. It was part of the Manor of Spreyton, but appears to have been a freehold property (or copyhold, the equivalent for lands belonging to a Manor) by the 16th century, as in 1543 Sir John Fulford of Great Fulford in Dunsford conveyed to Richard Martyn of Spreyton “all his messuages, lands etc called Rugg Rode als Rug Rode”. The property seems to have been associated closely with the neighbouring farm of Croft, as a 19th century document refers to an annual payment of one glove being due out of “Croft or Rugroad tenement” to the Lord of the Manor (in 1644, Henry or Hugh Pyke, was paying 1 pair of gloves to the Lord of the Manor, so presumably either the Pykes owned both properties and each landowner became responsible for one glove when the Pykes sold Rugroad; or the two gloves became separated when the Manor of Spreyton was broken up). The two farms also seem to have been treated as a single unit for the payment of tithes, as in an 1802 conveyance of the right to certain Spreyton tithes they are bracketed together as “Cruft or Croff’s Heath and Rugroad”. By the 18th century, Croft seems to have fallen back into the hands of the Lords of the manor of Spreyton, the Kellys, as in 1765 Arthur Kelly sold Rugroad to William Cann of Fuidge, although still subject to the requirement to pay the manorial due every year of a glove (commuted by the 19th century or earlier to 1s. 6d.) to the Lord of the Manor of Spreyton. Rugroad was a small farm and the Canns probably always rented out. In 1751, for instance, a William Spear is recorded in the parish records as taking an apprentice for “Rugged Road”; and the tenant in 1765 was one Henry Shilston. William Cann died in 1801, leaving Rugroad to his brother George Cann, who lived at nearby at Falkedon. George died only three years later, leaving his estate to his sister’s son George Lambert Gorwyn (1763-1837). George Lambert Gorwyn, like his uncle, lived at Falkedon and appears to have taken the land at Rugroad in hand, farming it together with Falkedon and probably Croft which he also owned. George Lambert Gorwyn died in 1837, leaving Rugroad, Croft, Falkedon and Coffins to his grandson, another George Lambert Gorwyn (1818-1885). The latter also appears first to have farmed the land at Rugroad himself, using the house for his farm labourers. In the 1840s, however, he seems to have let Rugroad along with Coffins to a Mr Hooper, who was still there in 1864. By the 1880s George Lambert Gorwyn seems to have taken Rugroad in hand himself again. In 1885 the farm was inherited by George’s son, George Lambert (1866-1958; he became an MP in 1891 and 1st Viscount Lambert in 1945). The other Lambert family property in Spreyton included the neighbouring (and mostly larger) farms of Coffins, Spreytonwood, Croft and Falkedon. From then on, Rugroad was usually let with one of these neighbouring farms or even split between them. But in the 1950s, the farm (by then 60 acres) was let to the Sampson family, who had given just up the larger farm of Falkedon. When they died or retired, it was taken in hand again by the Lambert family. It was sold with the rest of the Lambert estates in 1972, after the death of the 2nd Viscount Lambert’s only son and heir to the estate in a car accident. © Sophia Lambert May 2006 DOCUMENTS RELATING TO RUGROAD IN THE DEVON RECORD OFFICE Lease and release of 20/21.5.1765 (5 Geo III) whereby Arthur Kelly Esq. of Kelly conveys to William Cann of Spreyton, yeoman, the tenement of Rugrode in Spreyton now in the tenure of Henry Shilston as under-tenant to Arthur Kelly at a rent of £12.12s. Arthur Kelly covenants that it is free of any encumbrances through acts of him or his father Arthur Kelly Esq., except for a 21-year lease granted by AK deceased to Henry Shilston of which about four years are expired. Signed Arthur Kelly; witnesses Christopher Gullett and Edward Clyff. Lease and release of 6/7.11.1772 whereby John Newcombe of Exeter St David Esq. conveys to George Cann of Spreyton, gent. for £16.10s the high and chief rent of 5s.6d payable yearly out of Rugrow als Rugrode in Spreyton now in the possession of William Cann; and the high and chief rent of 5s1d payable yearly out of Croft in Spreyton, now in the possession of George Cann. The token rent in the lease is a barley corn. Signed John Newcombe. Witnesses: Richard Sydston Newcombe, William Upton Lease of 7.10.1911 granted by George Lambert MP to Samuel Lang. The property is described as ‘Rugroad, part of Spreytonwood’. The lease is for 7 years from 25.3.1912 at £60 a year. A memorandum records that the landlord is allowing £30 to the tenant in compensation for the state of the land and for repairs.
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