Ashton

Ashton, a parish, on an acclivity, rising from a small rivulet, 4 miles N. by W. of Chudleigh, includes two villages called Higher and Lower Ashton, and has a station on the Teign Valley Railway. It is in St. Thomas's union, Exeter county court district and archdeaconry, Wonford petty sessional division, Exeter polling district of East Devon, Kenn rural deanery, and Exminster hundred. Its parish had 255 inhabitants (127 males, 128 females) in 1871, living in 48 houses on 1709 acres of land. John Treeby, Esq., is the lord of the manor and principal owner of the soil. The Chudleighs were lords of the manor, and were seated here from 1320 till about 1750, and the remains of their mansion may be seen in a farm house. Sir George Chudleigh was created a baronet in 1620, but the title became extinct on the death of Sir James, who was killed at Ostend, in 1745. Their house, which had been garrisoned for the King, was taken by the Parliamentarians, December 29, 1645.