We have been researching Charlotte Larpent’s life before she came to Leusdon. We were always intrigued as to how she got to know Leusdon and dedicate so much of her time and money to what must have been a peaceful, rather remote, moorland community in the 1850s and 1860s.
The result of this research is a new book which has been published under the title ‘Charlotte Larpent’s Enduring Legacy’, reflecting her contributions to both Leusdon on Dartmoor and Holmwood, near Dorking, in Surrey. It traces her journey from Holmwood to Watcombe in the parish of St. Marychurch (now part of Torbay), thence to Spitchwick Manor, and finally to Leusdon.
We have managed to find a number of illustrations to enliven the story even more and have produced the book with a hardcover, as this seemed more fitting to the subject matter.
You can buy a copy of this book by visiting www.widecombe-in-the-moor.com/charlotte.
All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to Leusdon and Holmwood Churches.
Supplementary Material
Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Holmwood
We visited this lovely church recently and enjoyed some delightful local hospitality.
Our primary purpose was to hand over some of the books for local distribution, but it also gave us an opportunity to explore the church and the gravestones outside as well as speak to the vicar and churchwarden about the church. We were also extremely grateful to be able to take a look at Holmwood House (now Park), where Charlotte lived during the period of her marriage.
Many thanks to everyone for their kindness to us.
We managed to take some pictures, some of which are shown below:
This is the section of the Church of St Mary Magdalene Holmwood as originally constructed in 1838. As can be seen it has been significantly extended to the west (right). More on that at another time.
Interior of the Church of St Mary Magdalene Holmwood showing the original section of the church built in 1838.
Gravestone of Francis Seymour Larpent and Charlotte Larpent in Holmwood Churchyard. It is hoped to clean up this gravestone at some point so that the inscriptions are clearly visible. At one time this grave had railings around it. Perhaps they were removed in the 1940s as part of the war effort and the perceived shortage of metal for munitions etc.
Detail of window in memory of Mary Ann Arnold
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF MARY ANN
ARNOLD WIDOW OF G A ARNOLD ESQ” OF
HALSTEAD SHE ENDOWED THIS CHURCH
IN 1838 AND DIED AD (?) 1853 AGED 97 (?) YEARS
This window was at the east end but was removed to the west end when the church was extended. it does suggest that Mary Ann was instrumental in founding the church and calls into question the wording on the plaque to Charlotte (see below), although it is likely that both were involved to a greater or lesser extent.
Memorial plaque to Charlotte Larpent on the north wall of the original section of Holmwood Church.
This plaque reads as follows:
To the Glory of God
And in affectionate
remembrance of
Charlotte
Rosamond Larpent.
Who, with her friends,
in the year 1833,
founded and endowed
this Church,
and built the Parsonage
and Schools.
Her body rests
in this Churchyard
“The memory of the just
is blessed”.
Memorial plaque to Francis Seymour Larpent on the north wall of the original section of Holmwood Church.
This plaque reads as follows:
In this Churchyard lie the remains
of Seymour Larpent Esquire of
Holmwood House late Barrister
at Law Judge Advocate of the forces under
the Duke of Wellington during the Peninsu-
car War and afterwards Chairman of the
Audit Office: He departed this life on the
III of May Mdccc ??
Aged ??? years
*(45 in Roman Numerals??? – he died in 1845)
Memorial to Lt. Colonel Robert Arnold, Charlotte’s brother who died in Kabul.
The memorial reads:
To the Memory
of
Lt Coll Robert Arnold,
16th (Queen’s) Lancers,
who, after having served
with distinction,
in Spain, Portugal, France,
and at Waterloo,
Died at Caubul,
when Brigadier commanding
the Bengal Cavalry
of the Army of the Indus,
on the 20th of August, A.D.1839.
“My flesh also shall rest in Hope”
PsaMS 16th 9 VE
This monument is erected
by the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates
of the 16th (Queen’s) Lancers,
as a testimony of their regard for a gallant soldier
and a lamented comrade.
Grave of John James Baron de Hochepied-Larpent and his wife Georgiana in Holmwood Churchyard. the inscriptions read as follows:
John James Baron de Hochepied-Larpent
of Holmwood House
Born May 13th 1783
Died June 8th 1860
Other side
Georgiana Frances, his widow
Born Decr 13th 1801
Died Decr 30th 1886.
Watcombe
In the book we talk about the high-quality terracotta that was discovered in the Watcombe area. If you stray a little way from the coastal path today you may spot what appears to be the remains of a circular summer-house, look-out or folly at the end of one of the gardens. This seems to be utilising some of that same terracotta formed into a high-quality tile. It is possible that this is at the end of what was Charlotte’s garden, although it may have been built after she left.
Early Victorian Schools in Widecombe-in-the-Moor
Ann Claxton’s paper on Early Victorian Schools in Widecombe-in-the-Moor between 1833-1870 is provided below. This paper contains quite a bit of information about Leusdon School,
Francis Seymour Larpent
Francis Seymour Larpent was married to Charlotte from 1829 until his death in 1845. Earlier in his life, in September 1812, at thirty-six, he was appointed to the exacting position of Judge-Advocate-General with the responsibility of reforming and simplifying the disciplinary machinery of courts-martial throughout Wellington’s army in the (Iberian) Peninsular.
Francis wrote a regular series of letters to his step-mother during this period and these were published to some acclaim in 1854 after Wellington’s death as ‘The Private Journal of Judge-Advocate Larpent (attached to the Headquarters of Lord Wellington During the Peninsular War, from 1812 to its Close).’ The letters were turned into journals by the editing of his half-brother Sir George Larpent, primarily by the removal of items of a personal, family nature. The journals provide a glimpse into the everyday lives of soldiers and officers at war, something that is relatively rare.
There is a 2000 edition of this work published by the Spellmount Library of Military History with an introduction by Ian C. Robertson (which replaces Sir George Larpent’s original introduction). This introduction notes that the Duke referred to Larpent as ‘a most valuable addition to the staff of the army’, even if at times he regarded the decisions of Larpent’s courts-martial as being too lenient (page vi). Francis was, at another point, captured by the French who, it seems, mistakenly thought that the ‘general’ in Francis’s job title meant that they had captured someone of considerable value that they could use as a bargaining chip (page ix).
It was after his return from this role that he married his first wife, Catherine, This was in 1815. Catherine died in 1822. There were no children.
Much more could be said, of course, as Francis had a number of interesting appointments after his return from the war. However, the reader is left to explore these appointments for themselves.
Featured Image
The featured image shows the south elevation of Leusdon Church on a glorious winter morning in 2024.
