Langley, Yarnscombe

Langley was a historic estate in the parish of Yarnscombe, Devon, situated one mile north-east of the village of Yarnscombe. It was long the seat of a junior branch of the Pollard family of Way in the parish of St Giles in the Wood, Devon, 3 miles to the south.

A family of this name is not recorded in surviving records, however Richard Langley of Bawley in the parish of Braunton, Devon, may have been an ancestor of Emma Doddiscombe, wife of John I Pollard of Way (see below).

According to Risdon (d.1640), the family of Britton held Langley at time unspecified. On the failure of the male line, a daughter of the family brought Langley to her husband Roger Pollard "who planted himself so firmly in this place that his posterity have hitherto possessed the same".

The descent of the Pollard family of Langley is as follows:

John I Pollard of Way, who married Emma Doddiscombe, one of the five daughters and co-heiress of Sir John Doddescombe of Doddescombe Leigh, Devon. Sir John Doddescombe's father was possibly Walter Doddescombe, whose wife was Susan Langley, daughter of Richard Langley of Bawley, Braunton. Langley eventually passed to the descendants of John I Pollard's third son Roger Pollard, but initially descended to his second son Richard Pollard.

Richard Pollard, second son, who married Thomasine Cruwys, a daughter and co-heiress of William Cruwys, a junior member of the Cruwys family of Cruwys Morchard, Devon

Roger Pollard, third son of John I Pollard of Way by his wife Emma Doddiscombe. He appears to have married twice, in order unknown:

William Pollard (son by marriage to Eline Hansford), who married Elizabeth Hatch, daughter of John Hatch (1394-1477) of Wooleigh, in the parish of Upcott (or Beaford,) and widow of John III Bury (d.1479) lord of the manor of Colleton in the parish of Chulmleigh, Devon.

Patrick Pollard (son), who married Margerie Bury, a daughter of his uterine half-brother William Bury of Colleton, son of John III Bury (d.1479)

George Pollard (2nd son), who married Thomazine Coplestone, a daughter of John III Copleston (1475-1550) "The Great Copleston" of Copleston, Devon, by his second wife Katherine Bridges, daughter of Raphe Bridges. His second son, of unknown name, was Gentleman Usher to Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) and to her successor King James I (1603-1625) and married a sister of Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury (c. 1527-1608) ("Bess of Hardwick"). His daughters by this marriage were Maids of Honour to Queen Elizabeth I.

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