Reynell :
Argent, masonry sable a chief indented of the second a mullet or for difference (Reynell)
impaling sinister:
Argent two bars gules overall a lion rampant or pellety (Brandon). These arms represent the marriage between Sir Richard Reynell (d.1633), builder of Forde House, and
Lucy Brandon The present house was built around 1550. It was substantially enlarged and remodelled around 1610 for Sir
Richard Reynell (d.1633),
Member of Parliament for
Mitchell in Cornwall (1593) and his wife
Lucy Brandon. The house was built with an E-shaped floor plan, which may have been in honour of
Queen Elizabeth I, who had recently died. to inspect the fleet. He returned a few days later and stayed for a further two nights. During the
Civil War, Forde House gave shelter to
Oliver Cromwell and
Colonel Fairfax on 24 January 1646 before the second
Siege of Exeter.
Courtenay (1709–1762), (
Courtenay quartering Redvers, Earl of Devon),
impaling Finch:
Argent, a chevron between three griffins passant sable (his wife was Lady Frances Finch (d.1761), daughter of
Heneage Finch, 2nd Earl of Aylesford). Below is the Latin motto of Courtenay
Ubi Lapsus quid feci ("Where have I slipped, what have I done") In 1648 the estate passed to the Courtenay family via the marriage of Margaret Waller (d.1694), only daughter and heiress of Sir William Waller by his wife Jane Reynell, the heiress of Forde, to
Sir William Courtenay, 1st Baronet (1628–1702), of
Powderham Castle. Powderham Castle had been badly damaged during the
Civil War and Forde became the Courtenay's principal residence. Both the 1st baronet and his wife Margaret Waller were buried at Wolborough. effected a major remodelling. Forde House however remained a possession of the Courtenays until 1762 when the house was let to a succession of occupiers.
Tenants post 1762 Wise In 1820 Forde House was let to
Ayshford Wise (1786–1847), JP, DL and MP for
Totnes 1812–1818, descended from the ancient Devon family of Wise of
Sydenham House. His co-member for Totnes was
Thomas Courtenay (d.1841), younger brother of
William Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon (1777–1859), of Powderham. The Wise family were
lord of the manor of
Little Totnes, and his father John Wise (1751–1807) of Wonwell was Recorder of Totnes from 1779 until his death and a partner in the "Totnes Bank", founded in about 1800 as Wise, Baker & Co. In 1817 the bank opened a new branch in Newton Abbot and in 1820 Ayshford Wise sold Wonwell and rented Forde House to be near his new premises. Later in the 1820s he sold his ancestral lands in Totnes to
Edward Adolphus St Maur, 11th Duke of Somerset (1775–1855), of
Stover House, who owned a great estate in and around Totnes the
caput of which was
Berry Pomeroy Castle. The bank failed in 1841.
Teignbridge District Council Teignbridge District Council bought the house from the Sellick family in 1978 and remain the current owners. It has been refurbished by the council and is now used as office and conference space as well as being used for weddings and other events. A modern office building was built in the grounds to serve as the council's headquarters, being formally opened on 27 April 1987. The modern office now takes the name Forde House, with the old mansion renamed Old Forde House to distinguish it. ==Description==