Manor of Broad Hempston

The manor is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Hamistone (later called Hempston Cantilupe, later Broad Hempston),[4] the 43rd of the 79 Devonshire holdings of Robert, Count of Mortain, 2nd Earl of Cornwall (c. 1031–1090) uterine half-brother and a major Devon Domesday Book tenants-in-chief of King William the Conqueror.

[6] In the Book of Fees (pre-1302) it was held by William III de Cantilupe (d.1254), feudal baron of Totnes in Devon[8] seated at Totnes Castle about 4 miles south of Broadhempston, and feudal baron of Eaton Bray in Bedfordshire,[9] either in-chief from the honour of Mortain or from the Earldom of Cornwall.

The family is today represented by the Sackville family (until 1871 "Sackville-West") of Buckhurst Park, Sussex, Baron De la Warr, Viscount Cantelupe, Baron Buckhurst and Earl De La Warr, which quarters the arms of Cantilupe in the second quarter.

Giles Hussey (1710–1788), the artist who adopted the theory of drawing his portraits according to musical or harmonic proportion, resided some years at Bearton with his nephew Mr. Rowe (d. pre-1822) and died there in 1788 and was buried at Broad Hempston Church.

[25] As recorded in the Heraldic Visitation of Devon in 1620,[27] the occupant in 1620 was William II Martin "of Hempston Cauntelow" son and heir of William I Martin (d.1610) of Totnes (son and heir of Thomas Martin (d.1588) of Salisbury, Wiltshire, Mayor of Totnes by his wife Christiana Savery, a daughter of Richard Savery of Totnes) by his wife Joane Rashleigh, a daughter of John Rashleigh of Foye in Cornwall.

A deed dated 1779 survives recording the sale by his four children of lands in Broadhempston to Sir John Duntze, 1st Baronet, catalogued as follows:[31] Broadhempston was purchased from the Champion family by Sir John Duntze, 1st Baronet[32] (c. 1735 – 1795) of Rockbeare, near Exeter, a Member of Parliament for Tiverton from 1768 until his death in 1795.