- How it all began

It is most probable that the ancestors of the Loosemore family were part of the Jutes, Saxons and Angles’ invasion of Britain in the 6th Century. From their base at Dorchester they drove the indiginous Celts westward to Devon and then northward to the coast of the Atlantic. During the next 200 years several families occupied the Oakford tithing and a family lived on a small holding known at Hlose-mor (Pigsty Moor): in modern form - Loosemoor. This family eventually took the name of the place as their own with various spellings, Losemore, Lesmere, Losemor, Loysemore etc. Most Loosemore’s can add a few more misspellings to this list.

THE FIRST NAME ON RECORD

The family name was mentioned first in 1232/3 and again in 1249. Walter Losmer amongst others were claiming possession of land which Robert de Sicca Villa, an established land owner claimed as his own. Walter took part in the kidnap of Robert, and imprisoned him in Oakford. For this offence Walter with four others each paid a fine of 1 mark (6s8d)...By 1249, however Walter stood surety for one Roger de Horton, indicating that he had become a ‘prosperous freeholder of some local status’. From that first mention until 1333 the names of the following are mentioned:

DAWN OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

From then the record is silent until the 15th century during which period the country was plagued by virulent diseases - the Black Death - which decimated the population. Squabbles betwen powerful Lords meant that ownership of the Loosemore homeland changed hands and not until 1508 and again in 1512, do we find mention of an holding listed by name as being in ‘Losmore’

At some time during this period the estate was divided into East and West Losemore, the former being part of the Oakford Manor while West Losemore became part of the Courtenay estates... A record made by William Fortescue, a local receiver to the estates of Edward Courtenay, 8th Earl of Devon states:-

Losemore, and of 3s 4d received of William Losemore, tenant there for the year, of the issue of the same tenancy, as above in previous accounts

In another place the holding is listed as one messuage and 13 acres in ‘Losemore’ worth 3s 4d. This modest holding must have made existence precarious and no wonder during that period branches of the family left to establish themselves elsewhere but still within a few miles of the family home; in Tiverton to the South, in Creacombe, Bishopsnympton and Crwys Morchard to the South West and one family moved to Langport (Somerset) to the East.

Until the Oakford Parish Registers were started in 1568, we can trace the family remaining only by their tenancy of the holding.

William Losemore in 1512; Richard Losemore in 1523 and then William (possibly son), in 1526 and annually until 1553

However, the Lay Subsidy Returns for 1542/3 and 1545/6 include a John Losmore and John Losmore Jnr. both assessed for tax on goods but owning no land. John Lowsemore, senior, is mention as appointed by William Southcombe, gentlemen, to act for him in the lease of property. He must have been a man of some integrity and status.

The churchwardens’ accounts for Morebath Church, just 4 miles from Oakford, mention John Lowsemore, father and son.

1552 12d for mending the pulpit

The Oakford Parish records started in 1568 record only the following burials:

We have found records of the Tiverton and Halberton Family from 1470. They became wealthy entrepeneurs in the woollen trade, owners of two Manors and much property and members of the Court of Justice for Tiverton. By the mid 17^th Century they had lost their fortune and the Loosemore name ceased to be found in the records.

The surviving branches of the family, Creacombe, Bishops Nympton and Langport, continued and flourished. The first established in the village of Rose Ash and the last in Churchstanton. The Bishop Nympton branch continued there for a further 150 years. These three branches of the family have now spread to all parts of England and overseas to Australia, Canada and the U.S.A.