Membland

Membland is an historic estate in the parish of Holbeton, Devon, situated about 8 miles south-east of the centre of Plymouth. The estate was purchased in about 1877 by Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke (1828–1897), senior partner of Barings Bank, who rebuilt the mansion house known as Membland Hall. He suffered financial troubles in the 1890s and in 1916 the estate was sold by his heir. The house had become derelict by 1939 and was demolished after World War II. Several of the estate's service buildings survive, including the Bull and Bear gatekeeper's lodge, stables, gasworks, forge and laundry. On the site of the house a smaller dwelling was built between 1966-8.

Anciently called Mimiland, it was successively the seat of the families of de Mimiland, Hillersdon, Champernowne, Stert, Bulteel, Perring and Baring.

The Hillersdon family originated at the estate of Hillersdon in North Devon before the 14th century. By the 16th century they had become seated at Membland. Richard Hillersdon (c.1639 – 1703), of Membland, was an MP for Plympton Erle in 1679. He had one son and two daughters, but the son died in or before 1693, after which he appears to have conveyed Membland to his son-in-law Arthur Champernowne. His other daughter married Courtenay Croker (died 1740), of Lyneham, MP for Plympton as a Whig from 1695 to 1702.

On 30 August 1693 Richard Hillersdon of Membland signed a deed of release to Arthur Champernowne of Modbury, relating to the "Mannor of Lambside, messuage and barton of Membland, Pool Mills, Holbeton".

Letters survive from Arthur Champernowne (1671 – before 1717) of Membland to Courtenay Croker of Lyneham, Yealmpton. Champernowne died childless at some time before 1717, the last of the Champernownes of Modbury.

After 1723 the mansion house was occupied by Arthur Stert (died 1755), MP for Plymouth 1727–54, who rebuilt it with detached wings. He married but was predeceased by his only son, leaving two daughters. His family had lived in the area around Plymouth since the early sixteenth century. In 1723 he purchased Membland from the Champernowne family. He received a grant of arms in 1745 as follows: Argent, a saltire gules between four crosses formee sable, with crest: A cross formee sable between a pair of wings elevated argent. One of his parliamentary colleagues wrote of him:

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