Winscott, Peters Marland

Winscott was an historic manor in the parish of Peters Marland, north Devon, England.

Winscott House was built or re-built in 1865 and was demolished after 1931. It should not be confused with Winscott in the nearby parish of St Giles in the Wood, the historic residence of the Devon historian Tristram Risdon (d.1640). Winscott was a seat of the Stevens family also of Velstone, in the parish of Buckland Brewer and Cross, in the parish of Little Torrington, the latter existing today as a large Georgian mansion about 2 miles south of Great Torrington. Richard Stevens (d.1776) of Winscott was MP for Callington in Cornwall between 1761 and 1768, a pocket borough controlled by the Rolle family of Heanton Satchville in the parish of Petrockstowe (adjoining Peters Marland on the south-east). He was the chief agent in charge of the extensive Devon and Cornwall estates of Lady Orford, née Margaret Rolle (1708/9-1781), suo jure Baroness Clinton, daughter and sole heiress of Samuel Rolle (1646–1719) of Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe. Her family was descended from the youngest son of George Rolle (d.1552), of Stevenstone, the founder of that family in Devon, but was not far behind the senior line seated at Stevenstone in terms of wealth and influence. She was married aged fifteen to Robert Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford (d.1751), son of Robert Walpole (d.1745) the first prime minister. The marriage was not a happy one and Margaret left England to live in Florence, Italy, where she died. Thus she required the services of Richard Stevens as her agent in England. His daughter Elizabeth Stevens (d.1792) married firstly Robert Awse of Horwood House, Frithelstock, and secondly in 1782, John Clevland of Tapely, MP for Barnstaple 1766-1802.

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