Kelly's Directory of Devonshire 1926

COWLEY, an outlying hamlet, 2 miles north from Exeter, on the road from Exeter to Crediton, was formerly part of the parish of Brampford Speke, but is now, except for ecclesiastical purposes, amalgamated with the parish of Upton Pyne. The chapel of ease, erected by William Gibbs esq. on a site given by the daughters of Joseph Sheppard esq. of Cowley, and consecrated 4th May, 1868, is a building of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, south vestry, north porch and a central turret containing one bell: the carved oak reredos, a memorial to the members of the Merivale family, is by Harry Hems: the stained east window is a memorial to Andrew Leslie esq. surgeon R.N. d. Oct. 31st, 1866: in the chancel is a stained window erected by the congregation to the Rev. Richard Cockburn Kindersley, a former vicar of Brampford Speke, during whose incumbency this chapel was built and endowed; he died July I6th 1871: there are other windows to the Wyatt-Edgell family : the chapel will seat 200 persons. Cowley Place is the residence of Mrs. Wyatt-Edgell. The trustees of the late Edward Herbert Bayldon esq. are the chief landowners.

Sexton, Samuel Trigger.
Post Office.—Charles Kenyon, sub-postmaster. Letters through Exeter. Exwick, 2 miles distant, is the nearest money order & telegraph office
Conveyance.—Devon General Omnibus Co run motor omnibuses to & from Tiverton daily

Kelly's Directory of Devonshire 1897

COWLEY is an outlying hamlet, 2 miles north from Exeter, on the road from Exeter to Crediton, formerly part of the parish of Brampford Speke, but now, except for ecclesiastical purposes, amalgamated with the parish of Upton Pyne. The chapel of ease, erected by William Gibbs esq. on a site given by the daughters of the late Joseph Sheppard esq. of Cowley, and consecrated 4th May, 1868, is a building of stone in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, south vestry, north porch and a central turret containing one bell: the carved oak reredos, a memorial to the members of the Merivale family, is by Harry Hems: the stained east window is a memorial to Andrew Leslie esq. surgeon R.N. d. Oct. 31st, 1866: in the chancel is a stained window erected by the congregation to the Rev. Richard Cockburn Kindersley, late vicar of Brampford Speke, during whose incumbency this chapel was built and endowed; he died July 16th, 1871: there are other windows to the Wyatt-Edgell family : it will seat 200 persons. The Rev. Albert Bonus M.A. of Pembroke College, Oxford, has been curate in charge since 1892, and resides at Alphington. Cowley Place is the residence of Lieut.-Col. Arthur Wyatt-Edge D.L., J.P., F.G.S. General the Right Hon. Sir Redvers Henry Buller P.C., V.C. Thomas Blackall esq. of Exeter, and Edmunds C. Roberts esq. of London, are the chief landowners. The population in 1891 was 93.

Sexton, Henry White.

Post Office.—Joseph Ford, sub-postmaster. Letters received from Exeter at 6.45 a.m. & 4.50 p.m. & are dispatched at 3.30 & 6.20 p.m. The nearest money order office is at Exeter & telegraph office is at Exwick

COWLEY.

Harris John
Radcliffe Miss, Cowley villa
Wyatt-Edgell Arthur D.L., J.P (Lt.-Col. 1st Devon Artillery), Cowley pl
Bowden William, farmer,Stars Barton
Cockram William, market gardener
Ford Joseph, blacksmith, Post office
Harris John, farmer, Cowley Barton
Hawkins Wm. frmr. Duryard Wood frm
Hill & Son, farmers & dairymen, Cowley Barton; & St. Ann's dairy, Old Tiverton road, Exeter

White's Gazeteer & Directory of Devonshire 1850

BRAMPFORD-SPEKE is a pleasant scattered village, in the vale of the river Exe, near the Bristol and Exeter Railway. Its parish contains 1150A. 2R. 30p., and 393 inhabitants, including the hamlet of Cowley, which is separated from the rest of the parish by Upton-Pyne, and comprises about 500 acres, near Cowley Bridge and the confluence of the Creedy and Exe, two miles N. of Exeter. Near this bridge, are houses in the parishes of St. Thomas the Apostle and Upton Pyne. Sir S. H. Northcote, Bart., is lord of the manor of Brampford Speke; but a great part of the soil belongs to the Roberts, Blackall, and other families. It was anciently held by the family of Espek, or Speke, who appropriated the church in the reign of Stephen, to St. Nicholas's Priory, Exeter. It was purchased by its present lord in 1815, and had previously been held by the Pierce, Taylor, and Palk families. Cowley belongs chiefly to the Rev. W. H. Arundell, Dr. Blackall, and E. G. Roberts, Esq. It is supposed to have had a chapel, though there are no traces of such a building. The parish Church (St. Peter,) is an ancient structure, to which a north aisle was added in 1840. It has a substantial tower, containing five bells; and on its south side is an ancient chapel or chantry, in which was formerly a monumental effigy of one of the Spekes. The vicaragc, valued in K.B. at £10, and now worth £200 a year, was endowed in 1209 with the rectorial tithes of Cowley, now-commuted for £63. 17s. 3d. per annum. In 1842, the rectorial tithes of Brampford Speke, which belong to the Bishop of Exeter, were commuted for £115. 13s., and the vicarial tithes for £132. 10s. per ann. The vicarage has 39A. of glebe, and is in the patronage of the Lord Chancellor, who in 1847 appointed the Rev. Geo. Cornelius Gorham, B.D., to the benefice; but the Bishop of Exeter has refused to institute him to the living, in consequence of his not holding the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. The Rev. B. Houchen is now the curate and sequestrator. The church and poor have long held five tenements in St. Thomas's parish, which were let in 1800 for three lives, at the nominal rent of 10s., in consideration of a fine of £125, now invested in £136. 10s. four per cent, stock. Mrs. Mary Tucker, who died here in 1849, bequeathed no less than £12,200 stock to various charitable and public uses; among which are, £1000 for repairing and altering Brampford Speke church; £500 for the poor of this parish; £1100 for the poor and Infirmary of Barnstaple; £1000 to the Devon and Exeter Hospital; £300 to the Exeter Refuge for Destitute Women; £500 to the Blind Institution in Exeter; £200 to the Exeter Dispensary; and £300 to the Deaf and Dumb Asylum in Exeter. Among her other legacies are large sums to various religious societies, &c.

Marked * are at Cowley, and the others in Brampford-Speke.

Clement Miss
Fry Wm. sexton
Fursdon Geo., Esq.
Norburn Mrs
Greenaway George, blacksmith
Haffner John Frederick, gent
Humphrey John, carpenter & par. clk
*Mercer Col. Alex., Cowley Cottage
Mudge John, gentleman
*Sheppard Jph., Esq. Cowley Place
Staddon Henry, shoemaker
Veysey Robert, shoolmaster
Veysey Thos. vict. Agricultural Arms

FARMERS.
Carpenter John
Carter Joseph
*Challice John
*Cornish John
Elliott James
*Helmore Wm.(& surveyor)
Salter C .Woodrw
Sharland Robt.
Veysey Thos.
Wippell Richd.