page_title: Manor of Copleston
section_title: Descent in Coplestone family
hierarchical_section_title: Manor of Copleston / Descent in Coplestone family
caption_attribution_description: English: Arms of Coplestone of Coplestone, Devon: Argent, a chevron engrailed gules between three lion's faces azure (Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitation of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 &amp; 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.224)
context_page_description: The Manor of Copleston was a manor in the parish of the parish of Colebrooke in Mid Devon, England, now centred on the village of Copplestone.
  The Copleston Cross or Stone gave its name to the historic estate or manor of Copleston which was the earliest known home of the prominent historic Copleston family, one of the most ancient in Devon according to "that old saw often used among us in discourse", the traditional rhyme related by John Prince:
  "Crocker, Cruwys, and Coplestone,
  When the Conqueror came were at home"
  The Cruwys family in 2014 still resides in its ancient manor house at Cruwys Morchard where, despite the traditional rhyme, it is first recorded in the reign of King John, or possibly a little earlier. The last male of the Crocker family of Lyneham in the parish of Yealmpton in Devon was Courtenay Crocker, several times MP for Plympton.
context_section_description: The Devon historian Tristram Risdon (d.1640) wrote concerning the parish of Colebrooke:
  "In this tything is Coplestone, which hath given name to a numerous family who for their fair possessions, their port (sic) (report?) and the respect they lived in, were intitled 'the Great Coplestones' besides dignified with the name of 'Whit Spurrs', some time a title of great note and in these western parts of much esteem. Of this name are many branches sprung who flourished in this county"
  The Devon historian Sir William Pole (d.1635) stated the honour accorded to this family as "Silver Spurr", similar to Risdon's appellation, and added that it was connected to the fact that although they were a great county family which had married well, unusually no member of the family had ever been knighted, adding that the family was known as "the great Copleston" on account of their great revenue.
  The principal junior branches of the Copleston family were seated at the Devon manors or estates of: Bowden in the parish of Yealmpton, Instow, Upton Pyne, Kingdon in the parish of Alverdiscott, Woodland in the parish of Little Torrington, Weare Giffard, Eggesford and Bicton. Copleston House was stated by John Prince to be "all in ruines". The present Copplestone House, situated about 1/2-mile south-east of Copplestone Cross, was rebuilt after 1787 in the Georgian style by Robert Madge, who had purchased the estate at that date. It is thought to be on a different site to the old mansion of the Copleston family, but does incorporate some of the older fabric.
  The descent of the senior family seated at Copleston was as follows:
caption: Arms of Copleston: Argent, a chevron engrailed gules between three lions' faces azure
exif: {}