Genealogy

This is only a brief section on family history, for more information you will need to join the society.

Research into Lidstone family groups is ongoing, these family groups eventually become trees linking back to a common ancestor.

Presently there are 26 trees with 6 common ancestors and much work still to be done.

All ancestors appear to have their origin in South Hams villages not far from each other, namely, Thurlestone, South Milton, Chivelstone, Dartmouth, Marldon and Staverton. These ancestors have been traced back for between 4 and 5 hundred years.

The earliest reference to a Lidstone is however in none of the villages above but in the Parish of Charleton where in 1332 - William de Lyudestone was listed on the Lay subsidy roll as paying 40d. The hamlet of Ledstone was situated in the Parish of Charleton before parish boundary changes. Also in 1363 - John de Lyuedistone was appointed vicar of St Clements, Townstall, Dartmouth.

The Card Index

When Hugh started his research he began a card index. Each card identifies an individual, and it contains the name of the person, date of birth, parents (where known), marriage, children, death, profession and any other information known.

There is a card for every Lidstone Hugh knew about since 1332, that is 4000+.

To illustrate the usefulness of the card index, an email request for more details of a 1610 marriage could be confirmed in minutes.

Ledstone Farmhouse

The Village of Ledstone (Lidstone) and Ledstone Farm, Kingsbridge, Devon, UK

There have been frequent alterations to the name of the village of Ledstone. Some early maps show it spelt with an i i.e. Lidstone and followed by an e returning to an i and since about 1960 it has been spelt with an e.

The village of Lidstone in Oxfordshire has been researched and proved to have no connection.

The fact that Peter and Ann Lidstone moved to Ledstone Farm in 1968, is purely coincidental.

However, a William Lidstone was liable for 40d on the Charleton Lay Subsidy Roll for 1332 (Ledstone was at that time and up to 1850 part of Charleton Parish). There are many references such as this giving credence to the theory that the hamlet of Ledstone has taken or was bequeathed William Lidstone's name.

Ledstone is 2 miles north of Kingsbridge, 40 miles south west of Exeter and 25 miles south east of Plymouth.

Ledstone 1920

South Hams

Few people are aware of the expression South Hams when referring to this area of South Devon. Strictly speaking it should not be The South Hams but just South Hams of Devon, generally described as the area south of a line that would join Plymstock (south east of Plymouth), Totnes and Dartmouth.

As to the term Hams or Hamm we can do no better than quote from Judy Chard's Book The South Hams, published 1980, now sadly out of print.

'The term Hams means a settlement or clearing, usually royally owned, and Hamm is the old English word for low lying meadow or enclosed pasture.'