Charles Harward ( 1 August 1723 - 15 July 1802) was an Anglican priest, born in Hayne House Plymtree, Devon.
Charles Harward married Ann Ball (1738–1785) on 24 March 1763 at Saint Martins in the Fields, Westminster, London.
Ann was the daughter of Thomas Ball (1698–1770) Dean of Chichester Cathedral and his wife Margaret (maiden name Mill (1712–1783).
[3] He recorded some pretty uncomplimentary details about Harward in his diary suggesting that 'Dean Howard was as little of a gentleman as he was a divine'.
He was also a very litigious man, and was remarkably irreverent in his behaviour in church, frequently talking during the lesson ...[5] During Harward's time at Chichester one of the chapter, a Dr. Hurdis, died in early 1784.
[10] His appointment as Dean of Exeter allowed him to return to Hayne House, the family seat, in Plymtree, Devon.
[10][11] In Plymtree while living at Hayne House he added the family coat of arms with the motto "Crux Vincit Mundum" (the cross wins the world), above the front door.
It was said that the Dean exercised discipline in the Cathedral with a beady eye - 'and by judicious spitting at any choirboy who fell asleep during his services'.
He left some of his property to his daughter Elizabeth's son Rev Charles Blake, who had to change his surname to Harward in 1816 in order to inherit.