Evercreech Park was purchased from Messrs Tretheroy and Caryll by a Richard Newman in 1657 according to a purchase contract given to me by the current owners of Evercreech Park Farm. Thie purchaser must have been Richard Newman (d.1695) who would have been 37 at the time, since he is described as resident in the City of Westminster.
Three of Richard Newman's children appear to have been born at Evercreech Park so presumably he took up residence there after his marriage, when Fifehead was still occupied by his father.
By 1675 Richard seems to have entered into a lease agreement with his brother-in-law the Hon. William Harbord of Perry Park, Northampton; Sir Francis Hollis of Winterborne St Martin, Dorset; Sir William Pargiler of Greedworth, Northampton; and William Tate of De La Pre also of Northampton, whereby "in consideration of the sum of five shillings of lawful English money to him in hand" Col Richard handed over possession for a period of 12 months of Evercreech Park ("two hundred and twenty acres more or less") and several other nearby estates. A copy of the lease (itself a copy made in 1779) was given to me by the current owners of Evercreech Park Farm. It is interesting to list the other lands and rights therein said to be owned by Richard Newman. These include -
Evercreech Park passed through four generations of Newmans, starting with Richard Newman (d.1695) [see note below], his eldest son, Richard Newman of Evercreech, thence Sir Richard Newman of Fifehead, Preston Hall and Evercreech, and finally to Sir Samwell Newman. On Sir Samwell's death, the estate came into the administration of his sister Frances Newman on whose death its fate remains uncertain. On the one hand, Frances's almost incomprehensible will (dated the year of her death in 1775) includes two referneces to Evercreech - in the first instance, she left £10 to the poor of the village and in the second instance she left "all my Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments called Evercreech Park in the said County of Somerset .... unto the said Sir James Langham his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns ... ". On the other hand, 'The History and Antiquities of Somerset' by John Collinson 1791 (see extract below) reported that Evercreech Park remained in the Newman family "till the year 1773, when it was purchased by Thomas Sampson, esq; the present possessor." Either way, it appears that the estate remained under Newman ownership for around 150 years.
Note: in the 1693 codicil to his Will, Richard (d.1695) made no mention of Evercreech Park. However his son (Richard d.1682), who predceased him, left a Will dated 1691 in which he left Evercreech Park to his son (Sir Richard Newman). Presumably Richard (d.1695) gifted Evercreech Park to his son before 1681.
Ian Caldwell tells me (June 2003) that the original house was demolished around 1840 when it was replaced with the present building. Evercreech Park Farm as it is now called is a couple of miles out on the southwest side of the village. It retains two features from the old house - the main fireplace which is now located in the kitchen, and the garden gate (seen in the illustration above) which, together with a section of stone wall, is still extant at the bottom of the garden (as illustrated in the photos below)
1: The following is taken from D/P/eve 23/1 History of Evercreech by the Rev. Prebendary Jenkins Vicar. He notes that Raffe so Robert Hopton Esq was bapt. 1596 and three years later Jane da Worshipful Mr Robert Hopton. He writes of the incumbents, one James Dugdale "In the beginning of the Wars [Civil War], attending on Lady Hopton w.o. my Lord Hopton,..... as spiritual assistant on her Death Bed, he was taken prisoner and carried to London and kept close two weeks." and of the church he says that in its original state it "had but one aisle until the Possessor of an Estate called Evercreech Park made an additional building of no great beauty on the South aisle which is called Park aisle"
The Park: In or near Southwood is a large stone edifice in which was born Robert Hopton. Whether he built it is uncertain it is probable however only half was erected by him. The initials RH are on the portico which is constructed in three orders of Grecian architecture ascending from the ? . this portico seems not to have been part of the original plan of the House being in all probability added to render the House warmer by breaking the force of the wind. The Date 1617 thereon is a clear proof of its being posterior to the inner rooms which bear the date 1609 and 1613 whence we may conclude the Hall was finished 1609 the Drawing room 1613 and the Portico 1617.
You enter the House by an ascent of 8 steps, on the right hand was the Buttery separated from a large spacious Hall of 38 by 20 [ft?] by a wooden skreen of oak whereon are carved Escutchions of Arms, the device of the Hop Bind growing out of a tun. It is paved with Freestone till within a few Feet of the upper End where it is floored with oak. The Wainscot which is also of oak reaches to 7½ ft the remainder is finished with Stag's Heads and Trees in Plaister work and the Hop growing out of the Tun; at the upper end is a spacious stair case leading to a roomof the same dimension as the Hall and passage below.This is also wainscotted in small panels with Oak with the conceit of the hop intermixed with escutcheon in the Plaister work by way of Corniche. The Ceiling is ornamented with Figures of various animals in Compartments. Over the two doors are the Arms of Hopton impaled with those of Hall and Capel.
Over the fireplace are collected and emblazoned in one Escutcheon the Arms of Hopton and most of the others which are carved on the wooden skreen below with the Crest of Hopton, a Griffin holding in his dexter claw a stone sa. on the dexter side and a Unicorn armed and crined on the sinister sejant gulle de sang.
The Park was sold to R Newman of Fifehead Magdelane 1653 Resident 1657. Married first Elizabeth do Giles Simmons second Elizabeth do Christopher Penny /Perry of Ken, Somerset by whom came Richd N who m. Ann do Sir C Harboard Kt.[?] Created Sir Richard Dec.1699 m Frances do Sir T Samwell, Upton of Northants from whom descended Sir Samwell N who died unmarried 174- Two sisters - Elizabeth m Kitchener of Westminster an Apothecary who died 1765. In 1764 an Act passed to empower a Committee of the estate of Elizabeth K wid lunatic, one of the heirs of Sir Samwell N to make leases during her lunacy."
[History of Evercreech compiled by the vicar, Rev. Preb. Jenkyns c.1810. From Somerset Records Office D/P/eve.23/
Some of the above information is incorrect. For instance, it appears the Richard Newman purchased Evercreech Park in 1657 and not 1653. Also it was Frances, and not Sir Samwell who was empowered to administer Elizabeth's estate. Elizabeth's husband died in 1753 and the Act was passed in 1754 - see notes on Frances Newman's page. Quite possibly therefore, Jenkins may also be mistaken as to which Richard Newman purchased Evercreech Park)
Note 2: Again from Di Clements:
"The old park of the Bishops called Evercreech-Park, is situated at the south-west extremity of the parish, bordering on the parishes of Ditchet and East-Pennard. It was formerly empaled but is now divided. In the centre of the estate, and nearly on the site of an old court-house erected by Ralph de Salopia, and ruinated in the time of Henry VII. is a very strong mansion, built in 1613 by Sir Ralph Hopton, afterwards created Lord Hopton, baron of Stratton in Cornwall. The house has undergone little or no alteration, but appears as originally fitted up. There is a large hall divided from the entrance by a handsome screen, which is ornamented with the device of Hopton, viz. hops issuing from a tun, and the arms of Hopton, Wyndham, Maltravers, Mompesson, Throgmorton and other families. The dining-room over it is decorated in the same manner. At the top of the house there is a gallery running the whole length of the building, apparently intended as for a banqueting room. During the usurpation this estate was confiscated for Sir Ralph Hopton's supposed treasons (as described in a separate page dedicated to Sir Ralph Hopton), and was sold in 1653, by the commissioners appointed by parliament to sell forrfeited estates, to John Caryll and John Trethery, who sold it four years after to Richard Newman, esq, (Richard Newman of Fifehead) whose family remained till the year 1773, when it was purchased by Thomas Sampson, esq; the present possessor." [Extracted from 'The History and Antiquities of Somerset' by John Collinson 1791].
Note 3: Di Clements sent me the following in Aug 2002:
"A/AQP 34 Rack's notes. He was helping Collinson with his history, the notes are fuller but repetitive. On the south side of the parish a large stone mansion built 1614 by Lord Hopton as appears by the initials RH and the Hopton Arms on the Portico. It was formerly enclosed with a Park, as were many - see in Cambdon's map of this County, but is now converted into a Farm though it still retains the name of Evercreech Park. It is the property of Mr Sampson of Bruton by purchase. Against the walls are deer formed in plaster with real horns on their heads. Over the Hall -a large dining room with Portales, Chimney and ceilings ornamented with the same device. There is a gallery on the top of the house, the whole length of it, which from the ornaments and manner of its fitting up, seems to have been the Ball or Banqueting room. During the Usurpation this estate was confiscated for Robert Hopton's supposed treason and sold in 1653 by Parliament and was sold 4 years after to Richard Newman Esq. in whose family it remained to 1778 when purchased by Thomas Sampson." This extract can be viewed on-line on pages 414 - 415 of the above source.
The map of Evercreech Park Farm (below) was also found by Di Clements. The
map is dated 1831 and shows it owned by Mesdames Ward and White. It is described
as as 225 acres in the south of the parish. Below it are a close-up detail of
the map and the legend. Below that is a parish map showing the location of the
farm relative to the Shepton Mallet - Castle Cary road and a road map showing
its approximate location.
By coincidence, my step-mother Patricia was brought up in Evercreech, as described briefly on her page of this tree.
Note: Di Clements told me in Oct 2003 that she had discovered in the church at Evercreech on a plain blue stone let into the west wall of the Park aisle:
I have discussed this finding at greater length in Note 5 under Richard Newman of Evercreech.