Hartland in 1836
Hartland is an extensive parish in Hartland hundred : it contains several villages. The church is in the village of Stoke, and the market. was held in that of Harton. The market-house is standing, but no weekly market has been held for half a century. There is a great market or fair for cattle on the second Saturday in March, and two cattle fairs in the year.
At Hartland Pier, near Hartland Point, corn is exported, and coal and limestone imported. The living of Hartland is a perpetual curacy in the gift of the governors of the Charter-house in London ; it is worth £97 a year.
It is said there were formerly eleven chapels in the parish. The Independents have a meeting-house. Hartland Abbey was founded by the wife of earl Goodwin for secular priests ; but in the time of Henry II these seculars were changed into an abbot and convent of Black or Augustinian canons. The revenues of this house at the dissolution were £306, 13 shillings and 2 pence according to Speed, and £306, 3 shillings and 2 pence according to Dugdale. Some portion of the cloisters of the abbey remain ; they are in the early English style.
The population of the parish in 1831 was 2,143. There were in 1833 seven day-schools, with 179 children.
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