Benjamin Incledon
Benjamin Incledon (1730–1796) (pronounced "Ingledon") of Pilton House, Pilton, near Barnstaple in North Devon, was an English antiquarian and genealogist. He served as Recorder of Barnstaple (1758–1796). Origins. Incledon was baptised at Pilton, near Barnstaple, Devonshire, on 6 June 1730. He was the second son and heir of Robert Incledon (1676–1758), builder of Pilton House, Deputy Recorder of Barnstaple and twice Mayor of Barnstaple, in 1712 and 1721, by his second wife, Penelope Sandford, daughter of John Sandford of Ninehead, Somerset. His father was buried at Pilton on 9 December 1758, aged 83, and his mother likewise on  30 April 1738. His family originated in the 12th century at the estate of Incledon in the parish of Braunton, near Barnstaple, in North Devon, and in 1319 purchased the adjoining estate of Buckland, which they later made their principal seat. Career. Benjamin Incledon was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon, and in 1765 was elected as a feoffee of that foundation. He was also a trustee of Comyn or Chilcott's free English school at Tiverton. With an ample patrimony, he interested himself all his life in the ancient families of Devonshire. The Devon historian Richard Polwhele  referred to his skill in compiling pedigrees, and the "Stemmata Fortescuana", which he drew up in 1795, form the basis of the genealogies in Lord Clermont's "History of the Family of Fortescue". For some unknown reason he refused to submit his pedigrees to the inspection of Polwhele, who thereupon addressed to him an angry letter, which is printed in the 'Gentleman's Magazine' for April 1791, p. 308, and in his 'Traditions,' i. 258–9. Incledon printed at Exeter, in 1792, at his own expense, for the use of the governing body, a volume entitled "Donations of Peter Blundell and  other Benefactors to the Free Grammar School at Tiverton", which was reprinted by the trustees, with notes and additions, in 1804 and 1826. He was thus the first historian of Blundell's School. The "Register of Blundell's School" (1904) states: "At Blundell's he is remembered by many gifts and institutions, such as the picture of Samuel Wesley in the Library, the Register, the manuscript volume he compiled on the donations of Peter Blundell given by him to the Feoffees and now in the possession of the Governors; by the same book published at his own expense in 1792 , the frontispiece therein now used on all the School Prizes and Books; the pictures of Blundell and Popham in the Big School. Although these pictures were received after his death, their receipt was doubtless due to his exertions". His account of St. Margaret's Hospital at Pilton appeared in the "Archæologia", xii. pp. 211–14. His manuscript collections on the Fortescues are deposited with Lord Fortescue at Castle Hill. The rest of his papers seem to have been dispersed. From 1758 until his death he was Recorder of Barnstaple, and took great delight in its municipal records. In Gribble's "Memorials  of Barnstaple" (1830) are copies of his lists of its mayors and members. Marriage and children. In 1757 at Tiverton he married Margaret Newton (died 1803), second daughter and co-heiress of John Newton of Tiverton. She died at the Castle, Barnstaple, on 8 September 1803. He left children including: Death. Incledon died at Barnstaple, after a long illness, on 7 Aug. 1796.