Nicholas Hooper (1654–1731)

Sir Nicholas II Hooper (1654-1731) of Fullabrook,[3] Braunton[4] and Raleigh, Pilton in Devon, was a lawyer who served as Tory Member of Parliament for Barnstaple 1695-1715.

[7] He was educated at Barnstaple Grammar School and in 1671 entered Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

In 1686 he married Elizabeth Stokes (d. 1731), daughter of Thomas Stokes of Otterton, Devon, by whom he had 2 sons, who both died childless, and 1 daughter: On the tower of the parish church of St. Calixtus, West Down, (near Fullabrook), is a tablet which records its demolition in 1711 and its rebuilding in 1712, toward the cost of which "Sir Nicholas Hooper knt.

[19] He died on 13 May 1731, a few months after his wife, and was buried at Barnstaple, with "his magnificent funeral attracting some caustic comment".

[20] His arms Gyronny of eight or and ermine, over all a castle triple-towered sable are one of about 12 sculpted in stone on the parapet of Queen Anne's Walk in Barnstaple, which building(formerly known as the Mercantile exchange) was completed in 1713, representing several of the principal local dignitaries.