Soldon, Holsworthy

Soldon in the parish of Holsworthy Hamlets, Devon, England, is a historic estate, a seat of the Prideaux family.

[citation needed] It abandoned that seat and moved to Devon, where it spread out in various branches, most notably at Orcharton, Modbury; Adeston, Holbeton; Thuborough, Sutcombe; Solden, Holsworthy; Netherton, Farway; Ashburton; Nutwell, Woodbury and Ford Abbey, Thorncombe.

It was one of the most widespread and successful of all the gentry families of Devon, and as remarked upon by Swete (d.1821), exceptionally most of the expansion was performed by younger sons, who by the custom of primogeniture were expected to make their own fortunes.

In 1553 in partnership with Richard Chamond, MP, he purchased for £1,406 the manor of Launcells in Cornwall, and other properties in Essex, Devon and Somerset.

[14] In 1592 he built the present mansion house at Prideaux Place, Padstow, Cornwall, and moved his residence there after 1600 when he granted Soldon to his eldest son Humphrey on the latter's marriage to Honor Fortescue.

[13] She survived him and in 1618 remarried to Sir Shilston Calmady (1585-1645) of Langdon, in the parish of Wembury, Devon,[17] who was killed during the Civil War at the siege of Ford Abbey and whose monument survives in nearby Membury Church,[18] by whom she had issue including Josias II Calmady (1619-1683) a Member of Parliament for Okehampton in the Convention Parliament of 1660.

[16] The ledger stone of Humphrey Prideaux of Soldon survives in the south aisle chapel of Sutcombe Church, badly worn.

[citation needed] In the parish of Sutcombe is situated the Prideaux manor of Thuborough, from which branch the Soldon family was descended.

Soldon manor house
Arms of Prideaux: Argent, a chevron sable in chief a label of three points gules [ 5 ]
Four ledger stones (17/18th c.) of members of the Prideaux family of Soldon, east end of south aisle chapel of St Andrew's Church, Sutcombe. The former presence of an altar against the end wall resulted in the stones suffering heavy wear. [ citation needed ]
1649 datestone with initials "NP" for Nicholas Prideaux, above entrance porch of Soldon manor house. The shield shows ten quarters. The crest is An old man's head in profile couped at the shoulders proper hair and beard or on the head a chapeau gules [ 16 ]
Ledger stone of John Prideaux of Soldon in Sutcombe Church