Spencer Combe
Spencer Combe in the parish of Crediton, Devon, is an historic estate. The grade II listed farmhouse known today as "Spence Combe", the remnant of a former mansion house, is situated 3 miles north-west of the town of Crediton. The arms given by Pole for Spencer of Spencer Combe, are: Argent, on a bend sable two pairs of keys or, and are shown quartered by Prideaux on the monument in Farway Church, Devon, to Sir Edmund Prideaux, 1st Baronet (died 1628) of Netherton Hall, and are shown in stained glass impaled by de Esse of Thuborough in the Thuborough Chapel of Sutcombe Church. Spencer Combe is given erroneously in several traditional historical sources as the seat of Sir Robert Spencer (d.pre-1510) who married Eleanor Beaufort (1431–1501), the daughter and eventual heiress of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset (1406–1455). Descent Lancells The earliest holder of the estate as recorded by the Devon historian Tristram Risdon (died 1640) was the Lancells family. However the Devon historian Sir William Pole (died 1635) stated Comb Lancelles to be a separate estate to Cumbe, held by the Hody then Spencer families. Indeed, the grade II listed farmhouse known today as "Combe Lancey" survives, situated