74 Devon Notes and Queries. Pleas to Queen Elizabeth, a descendant of Symon Whyddon of Chagford by his wife Margaret, a daughter of Richard Wyke of Cockatree and North Wyke (living 1434-62 ob. ante 1476) by his wife Elizabeth, daughter & co-heiress of John Avenell of Blackpool in North Molton. Charles Worthy, in his Devonshire Wills, says "this Richard Wykes seems to have alienated much of the family possessions. It was at about his time that the Battishills settled at West Wyke, and by deed dated 4th Ed. IV, a.d. 1464, he sold a considerable portion of East Ayshe to his neighbour Richard Northmore of Welle. It was also about this period that the Milfords became settled at W^igginton, alias Wyke Town, the first of them described as of Wiccanton, in the Herald's Visitation of 1620." Fifth in descent from this Richard Northmore, was William Northmore (born 1639, Mayor of Okehampton) whose first wife was Mary, daughter and heiress of William Knapman of Wonson, by marriage with whom he acquired that property. Wm. Knapman's brother John had two daughters, married to Battishill and Weekes. A descendant of Richard Wykes above-mentioned is the Rev. William Wykes-Finch of the Monks, Chaddesley Corbett, Kidderminster, M.A. of S*- John's College, Cambridge, the present possessor of North Wyke. Richard's brother John Wykes, head of the Honeychurch branch, was the ancestor of Sir Roper Lethbridge, M.A., K.B., K.C.I. E., and of the Rev. Robert Hole, B.A., present Rector of North Tawton. The brother of Richard and John — Roger Wykes, armiger, M.P. for Plympton, and "launce" at Agincourt, was ancestor of the Duke of Grafton, the Earl of Tankerville. The present Lord High Chancellor, and his nephew, Hardinge F. GifFord, F.S.A., the Erle-Drax-Grosvenors, and the daughters, with their children, of the late J. S. Wanley- Stawbridge, M.P., who assumed the name of Drax by Royal license, and to whom the Charborough Park estate descended, inherited from Wykes through Camill. And of those who claim descent from Roger through emigrants to New England early in the seventeenth century, are Rufus Wells Weekes of new '* Byndon,"* Pocantico Hills, on
- New Byndon was purchased last summer by Mr. Rockfeller, the
millionaire.
