ASHBURTON, (Devon) 153 cm. and 191 mm. from London, is an ancient bor. by prescription, governed by a portreeve, chose
yearly at the court-leet and baron of Richard Duke, and Roger Tuckfield, Esq; Lds. of the manor, and he is the returning
officer of the members to Pt. The election having been for many years discontinued, vas restored, by the interest of Sir
John Northcote, of this Co. Bart, soon after the restoration of Charles II. This is one of the four stannary Ts. of
Devonshire, and is remarkable for its mines of tin and copper, and a mf. of forge. The Mt. on Tu. which was obtained by
Mr. Ford, in 1672, is only for wood and yarn; and that on S. is for provisions. Its Fairs are the first Th. in March, the
second Th. in June, Aug. 10. and Nov. 11. The two former were obtained by Stapleton, bp. of Exeter, An. 1273, and the two
last by Andrew Quick, Esq; 60 years ago. This T. stands on the r. Dart, and is a great thoroughfare in the road from the
Land's End to London, being about half way bet. Exeter and Plymouth. Though the manor bel. anciently to the see of Exeter,
'tis supposed to have bel. to the crown, ever since the 3d of Hen. IV. and it appears, that when K. Jam. I. created his
son Chares, Prince of Wales, he gave him, with other lands, this manor: but K. Ch. II. gave it to Sir Robert Parkhurst,
and the Ld. Sonds, E. of Feversham, who afterwards alienated it; the one having sold his part to Sir John Stawel, whose
son's executors again sold it to the trustees of Roger Tuckfield, Esq; the other being purchased by Richard Duke, of
Otterton, Esq; It has a handsome Ch. more like a collegiate, than a parochial one, and a chapel, which was anciently a
chantry. The latter is used for a school, as well as the parish meeting and for the election of its members of Pt.