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In July 1326 England declared war on France. French vessels were to be attacked and Frenchmen to be arrested.  On 10th August beacons were erected along the south coast, which probably included near Ottermouth eg. High Peak.  An Act of 1244/5 stated “All lands of Abbots etc, beyond the seas to be seized by County Sheriffs”. Then in 1294/5 “Alien Religious Houses to be removed 20 miles from the Coasts and Rivers and put in charge of custodes”. These Acts and further similar Acts during King Edward I, II, and III’s reigns would have applied to Otterton Priory.  To comply with these and many Acts passed during the continuing wars with France, the various Priors and monks at Otterton were continually being expelled or restored until 1413/1414 when under the Act of 1.2 Henry V “the possession of alien Priors were reverted to the Crown for ever”. The King then annexed Otterton Priory to Syon Abbey.

1338 saw the commencement of the “Hundred Years War” with Edward III making his claim for the throne of France.  Although the published records of the Customs Duties for Exeter ends in 1321, the Government needed finance to pay for the War and duties were increased on imports and exports.  Devon vessels were not called upon to transport the army until after 1340 and the sea battle of Sluys. Piracy by French vessels was stepped up affecting trade. They also raided South Coast Ports, which may have included Sidmouth and Ottermouth.  Vessels from English ports were taken temporarily into Royal Service, the crown paying for the upkeep of all ships while in its service.  Between 1324 and 1402, five ships from Ottermouth and twelve from Sidmouth were requisitioned. Barges are mentioned from Ottermouth.  One was supplied to the King’s Fleet in 1342. 

This may have been for the fleet carrying 5,000 troops in October under King Edward to Brest to recapture Brittany.  Calais was besieged after the battle of Crecy (26th August 1346) and fell a year later on 4th August 1347. It was the best port in northern France and the stronghold of the French ships harassing English trade in the Channel.  

Earlier in 1347 the French marauders had captured three ships and twelve boats out of Ottermouth, taking 141 men “of the riches merchants and mariners of the said town (East Budleigh) since Easter last past”.  Of those captured some were killed, others imprisoned and ransomed.  As a result Budleigh people were unable to pay the ransoms. It is not surprising that as a result of a petition an inquisition was held on 28th November 1347. The petition pleaded that Budleigh have “nothing wherewith to pay their ransom............ as their goods were so taken from them” so  they would not be able to “pay the greater part of  the tenths (Subsidy Tax) to the said town, wools and other collections”.  The answer to the petition states “It seems to the Council, if it please the king, that it would be a great mercy to diminish the tax, by reason of such great and horrible destruction made of the people and ships of the same town”. 

It is interesting that fifteen vessels are quoted in the Petition. Only three vessels are named in the Customs figures for Ottermouth.  This implies that either more vessels sailed out of Ottermouth who were not eligible for customs on imports, or vessels from other adjacent ports eg. Sidmouth, Exmouth, were captured.  Members of Budleigh families who were masters or crews of the fifteen vessels may be those quoted in the Customs figures. Scote, Dollyng, Holt/Hok, Bowey, Crabbe.  Families from Sidmouth affected might have been Le Sangere, Blone, Rede/Read, Irysh, Spede, Bodde.  Richard Dollyng is listed on the Subsidy Roll for 1332 as paying 4s.  His family still live locally today. Importers family names in the Customs accounts may also have been among the captured.  Pottere, Hok and Clist are also on the Subsidy Roll.  John Clist is assessed at 4/- a considerable sum. It is evident from the petition that wool was the leading export from Ottermouth and cargos had been captured by the French. 

On the heels of this disaster, a year later, the scourge known as the Black Death hit England.  War with France was still in progress and vessels were still shipping troops and supplies across the Channel.  At the same time trading with France continued.  By December 1348 the pestilence had reached England probably at Melcombe Regis (Weymouth) and must have quickly spread along the coast to Sidmouth and Ottermouth.  Little is known about the loss of life in the Parishes bordering the Otter Estuary. Both the Vicars of Otterton - Thomas de Gatewick, and East Budleigh – Robert de Hydeswelle were victims.  Using the Subsidy Rolls of 1332, the population of Budleigh and Otterton with Sidmouth was probably well over 1,000 (the Subsidy quotes 110 of the most prosperous). The plague has been estimated as decimating a third to half of the population of England. Probably only 500 survived. Some family names quoted in the 1332 lists, survive to the next Subsidy Roll of 1524. 

To compare the Subsidy Rolls of 1332 and 1524 (200 years) for clues is a “long shot”, but a few names are repeated on the latter. For East Budleigh, Dollying and Scote are the only maritime connected names. Others are Mylward (who in 1524 lost goods at sea) and Bagwyll (another local family name today). The Otterton Roll of 1332 names Sidmouth maritime connected names – Brown and Bayoun (Baydon), surely an indication that some family members survived. With the 141 men lost in 1347, East Budleigh must have suffered a major disaster, the aftermath of which must have lasted for decades. 

The Black Death generally caused a “fall in demand for ships and increased the deficiencies of the smaller ports”, coupled with this ships increased in size and there was “less capital available to finance ventures”.  It is evident that trade did pick up eventually after these events.  In 1367/8 John Helyer is importing roofing slates into Ottermouth (probably from South Wales).  His family are named on the East Budleigh Subsidy Roll for 1524.  The later 14th century is recorded as being a prosperous period for the Port Towns of Devon.  Between 1340 and 1408 there are records of a fleet of eleven wine boats working out of Ottermouth and between 1372 and 1386 there is a wine boat trading with Bordeaux.  Customs were being paid during this period on salt, fish, and wine at “Bankley” and “Saltern Haven”.  Taxes were being made on ships using Ottermouth 1410/1420.

In researching the Customs Accounts (1266/1321) Kowaleski states that Ottermouth “suffered from the lack of a deep-water port” and vessels of no more than 50 tons were using it.  By 1402 the wine boat “La Mary” of Otterton  of 84 tons is discharging her cargo in either Saltern Haven or at Bankley.  Had these berths been dredged and deepened?  Where were they?  By this time both Otterton and East Budleigh Havens must have been unusable for sea-going trade.  East Budleigh was already “clean barred” as stated by Leland (1535) in the 1430’s and Bankley Wharf had been developed below Pulhayes.  Saltern Haven is mentioned for the first time in the late 13th century, but Kersbrook Haven must also have had docking facilities at this time.  

In 1402 a Royal Commission was granted to John Le Drax, the King’s Sergeant at Arms to take the “Le Mary of Otterton” into Royal Service, for use in the French Wars.  One of the owners was William Spere of Budleigh.  Both Robert and William Sparre are named in the 1332 Subsidy Roll for East Budleigh, the latter assessed at 3/- indicating a wealthy merchant.  The registration of the “Le Mary” is interesting. Could an 84 ton vessel get into Otterton Haven at that time?  Doubtful, but merchants may have been of Otterton. 

In August 1415 Henry V was collecting an army of 15,000 men and hiring ships for transporting them.  Ships from East Devon do not appear to have been used.  Before embarking “the King was determined to clamp down on piracy.“….“The rich pickings to be had from the commercial shipping ploughing regularly up and down the Channel were a great temptation to Breton and Devon pirates alike”.  In Devon some 150 indictments for piracy were brought against English ship-owners, some of whom from Devon were very influential people.  Later in the 1450’s and 60’s a syndicate involving Richard Duke “Yeoman of Exeter” who was already living at Hayes (Barton) and the Courtenay family “were regularly at sea on voyages of plunder”.  In 1417 (after the Battle of Agincourt) another fleet left England to invade Normandy again and five Ottermouth vessels were commissioned to join it. 

The National Archives hold details of taxable shipments into Ottermouth from 1408 to 1514.  These are Ministers Accounts of the Bailiffs of Otterton Priory. They quote the tallage or tax called “Custom of the Bushel” made on imports of grain, seacoal and salt. They were “Shore Dues” which was a duty payable to the “Owner of the Soil” i.e. the Lord of the Manor as distinct from Port Dues payable to Exeter Customs. Unfortunately there are no names given of vessels, shipmasters or merchant owners, except for an entry of 1509/10 quoting the “Katherine of Ottermouth”.  

The first entry for 1408 was during Prior Monk’s tenure, although he was absent due to Henry IV’s seizure of the Priory.  His bailiff Robert Snellyng was collecting £17 14s 3d from various vessels.  The second quote is for 1420, after Henry V had annexed the Priory to Syon Abbey.  From this time until the Dissolution, the Priory buildings at Otterton were allowed to fall into ruin.  The Bailiffs/Stewards were now in complete control of the Priory Lands on behalf of the Abbess of Syon.  In 1420 John Ryxer collected 17d. on one bushel each of barley malt, coals and salt. The quote for 1449 is interesting “Sale of Customs 5/4d – 6 bushels corn sold from abroad; 8d - 1 bushel for measuring corn or coal for Port of Ottermouth; 18d for binding another worn bushel with iron; 6d repair and mending of one” (A bushel is for measuring a bushel!) 

In 1474 the “James of Ottermouth” is involved in a court case brought by Matthew Andrew suing Harry Denys for failure to load a cargo at London. In the same year the Ministers Accounts are quoting 8d for two bushels of salt from two ships of Bicton, at that time owned by John Sackville.  He was probably a merchant as there are further entries for 1476 and 1480. In that year two vessels were in port, the one from Bicton carrying “seacoles”. There were obviously several vessels berthed in Ottermouth between 1482 and 1486 although not carrying taxable “shore dues” cargos. There is then a gap of 20 years until 1507 when 12d was paid on two bushels of salt “of a certain ship within the port of the Lady of Ottermouth” (Abbess of Syon). 

There is one final quote in 1514 when no customs were taken, but implies that ships still called at Ottermouth. 

This is the last in a series of related articles. Click back to jump to the previous one.     

Compiled and researched © Gerald Millington, 2009

References:

The New Maritime History of Devon, Vols. 1 and 2   (Conway Maritime 1992)

The Book of Budleigh Salterton by D. Richard Cann (Halsgrove 2005)

All About Otterton by Gerald Millington & Robert Jones   (Keverel  Books )2000 

Devon by Prof. W.G.Hoskins    (David & Charles 1954) 

Domesday Book Devon ed.  John Morris for Phillimore & Co. Ltd 1985  2 Vols.

Domesday Book -a Guide    R.Weldon-Finn    Phillimore  1973

Evolution of a Fishing Village 1086/1550   Harold Fox    2001

Shell Country Alphabet    Geoffrey Grigson    1965

Local Customs Accounts of the Port of Exeter    M\Maryanne Kowaleski 

East Devon (The Travellers Tales Ed.Todd Gray)    2000

Notes on History of Otterton    Revd.Grimaldi        1928

The Black Death        Phillip Ziegler    Pelican    1969

Medieval Warfare 1314/1485    Peter Reid        2007

Agincourt        Juliet Barker        Abacus            2005

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