Summary of Indentures re 12 Townstal Crescent and Mt. Boone Estate/Townstal Farm

The Seale family (Sir Henry P Seale, Emily Seale and son John H Seale) owned the freehold, entailed for their family in perpetuity, of the 2000acre Coombe Estate in the 1860’s, which included Mount Boone and most of

Townstal north of Townstal Road. In 1871 the Seale’s tried to sell this Estate by auction but failed to obtain a satisfactory price. They were evidently short of money, and mortgaged part of their Estate in April 1872 by a Deed of Arrangement for £64,000. There were also other mortgages.

Meanwhile Edward W W Raleigh, a surgeon of 32 Pall Mall, London, had died on 22/1/1865 leaving a Will which directed his Executors to use his estate to “obtain a satisfactory investment in a compact freehold estate in Devonshire …”, with his nephew Edward W Raleigh and his son Walter F C Raleigh being entitled to live in a house there and arrangements made in the Will for repair and maintenance of such estate. Consequently on

14 April 1873 a sale of the whole estate was agreed to the Trustees of the Raleigh Will for £123,750. The land was specified as:- “all those the Manors or Lordships of Norton Dawnay and Bosomzeale in the County of Devon, and also all the several messuages farm lands Steam Floating Bridge, right to take tolls and other hereditaments …“shown in a plan.

The mortgages were paid off, and a condition allowed the Seales to continue to live at Norton House. The land sold included Townstal Farm, occupied in 1873 by William Ellis, and the triangle of land between Higher and Middle Lodges later forming Townstal Crescent (called in 1873 Little New Park and waste, numbered 119 on the Tithe map).

Indenture of 17 April 1874_. This agreement confirmed the sale of the Estate, which had been approved by the High Court and a good title confirmed. There were 9 parties to the agreement including the Seales, the mortgagees, and the Raleigh Trustees.

Indenture of 20 May 1898_. Following a High Court decision after the death of Edward W Raleigh the remaining Trustee of the Raleigh Estate, Lord R H Browne assigned the freehold of Townstal Farm (and other land not already sold), to Edward’s son Walter F C Raleigh. The occupier of Townstal Farm was John Munford.

Death of Walter F C Raleigh, 24 Feb. 1906_. Walter Raleigh died intestate, leaving his widow Helen Raleigh and daughter Mary D Raleigh.

Indenture of 24 July 1922_. Following Mary Raleigh’s 21st birthday in 1921, Helen Raleigh as personal representative of Walter Raleigh conveyed the freehold of the estate parts not already sold to daughter Mary. These included Townstal Farm, Little New Park, Higher Lodge and Pike Cottage, numbered 119 and 116 on the Tithe map.

Indenture of 7 August 1923 (Marriage Settlement)_. In contemplation of the marriage of Mary Raleigh to Henry C Gann, Mary conveyed the Mt Boone estate to Trustees, ie Helen Raleigh and Courtenay Stevens (solicitor), to hold for Mary and her heirs and assigns.

Indenture of 6 April 1927. _The Trustees agreed (following the Settled Lands Act, 1925) that the property of Mt. Boone estate held by the Trustees should now be vested in Mary Gann alone.

Indenture of 30 July 1929 _ Mary D Gann conveyed the freehold of the Townstal Crescent land (2.734 acres) to the Dartmouth Council (Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses) for £900. This was excluding the right of way along Townstal Road.

Conveyance of 9 Jan. 1930_. Dartmouth Council conveyed the freehold of 12 Townstal Crescent (3010 sq.ft. including a house built by the Council) to Charles Green, printer, for £540. There was a condition that Mr Green was to reside there and not to dispose of the land without the Council’s consent before Dec. 1934 or for more than £550.

By a Mortgage Deed dated 10 Jan. 1930 Charles Green arranged a mortgage with the Refuge Assurance Co. Ltd for £400, for a term of 3000 years (!) at a premium of £29-4-8 pa. Witnessed by Reginald J Harris, Elmswood,

Dartmouth, builders’ foreman. The mortgage was repaid and receipt given on 1 Nov. 1944.