Halsbury

Halsbury Barton, now a farmhouse, retains 16th- and 17th-century elements of the former manor house of the Giffard family.

[4][5] His descendants, via a female branch which adopted the surname Guffard, held lands in Devon including the manors of Whitchurch, Wear Giffard, Clovelly Lamerton and Awlescombe.

[4] The descent of Halsbury in the Giffard family as given by Pole (died 1635) and expanded by Vivian is as follows:[6][7] Thomas Benson (1708–1772), of Knapp House, (alias Nap) Appledore,[17] Devon, MP for Barnstaple between 1747 and 1754,[18] a ship-owner, merchant and maritime insurance fraudster, purchased Halsbury from Roger Giffard (died 1763).

[19] His silver punch bowl, inscribed with his armorials (On a chevron between three goat's heads erased each charged on the neck with an escallop three escallops) and presented by him to Barnstaple mayor and corporation, is displayed in the Dodderidge Room of Barnstaple Guildhall.

Major Edward Lee (died 1819) purchased the estates of Halsbury and Orleigh from Joseph Davie Basset (1764–1846) who went on to build Watermouth Castle as his residence.