East Hagginton was a historic estate within the manor and parish of Berrynarbor near to the coast of North Devon. It is near to, if not actually encompassing, the site of Watermouth Castle.
History
Descent of the estate
Variants of estates relating to the modern "Hagginton" are listed three times in the Domesday Book of 1086, referring to three almost or actually contiguous estates, all within Braunton hundred, two within the manor and parish of Berrynarbor, the third within the manor of Ilfracombe, immediately to the west of Berrynarbor. The Saxon name means "Haecga's farm". "Hagginton Hill" has survived today as the name of a hill immediately to the west of Berrynarbor village, and West Haggington Farm survives also.
The three Domesday Book entries are as follows: Hagintone (East Hagginton, in Berrynarbor parish, Braunton Hundred) was listed in the Domesday Book as the 27th of the 90 Devon holdings of Drogo which he held as mesne tenant from Geoffrey de Montbray, Bishop of Coutances. It paid tax for 1 virgate and had land for 2 ploughs. There were resident 2 villagers and 1 smallholder. Hagetone (East Hagginton, in Berrynarbor parish, Braunton Hundred) was listed in the Domesday Book as one of the 27 Devon holdings of Walter of Douai, alias "Walscin". His tenant was Wulfric. It paid tax for 3 virgates and had land for 5 ploughs. There were resident 10 villagers and 2 smallholders. This estate was held in the late 12/13th century by the Nerbert family, lords of the manor of Berry Nerbert (modern: Berrynarbor). At that time William Nerbert exchanged it, and it was subsequently held by the feudal barony of Dartington. Haintone (West Hagginton in Ilfracombe parish, Braunton hundred) was listed in the Domesday Book as held by Robert de Pont de Chardon from amongst the 176 Devon holdings of Baldwin de Moels, Sheriff of Devon. It paid tax for 1 hide and had land for 10 ploughs. There were 12 villagers, 4 smallholders, with 2 cattle, 4 pigs and 100 sheep. He also held Heanton Punchardon (later named after the family), Charles and Mockham from Baldwin. West Hagginton survives today as a farmhouse with much of its historic estate. This estate passed by inheritance from the family of Pont de Chardon to the family of Beaumont of Shirwell, also Domesday Book tenants, who at some time before 1504 leased the estate of East Hagginton (together with Heanton Punchardon) to Richard Coffin (1456–1523) of Alwington in North Devon, Sheriff of Devon in 1511. East Hagginton became the home of Richard Coffin's younger son Sir William Coffin (c. 1492 – 1538), a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King Henry VIII and Master of the Horse to Queen Jane Seymour and MP for Derbyshire in 1529. He died without progeny, having conveyed East Hagginton to his nephew Richard Coffin (died 1555), his eldest brother's son and heir.