Buck arms of Buck of Daddon (Moreton), Bideford: ''Per fess embattled argent and sable, three buck's attires each fixed to the scalp counterchanged'' The family of Buck were Bideford ship owners and merchants who from the 17th century traded with the American Colonies and owned tobacco plantations in Virginia and a saw-mill in Bideford, Maine. Bideford was the leading tobacco trading port in England. From their profits they acquired much land near Bideford and eventually by the end of the 18th century their estates almost surrounded the north side of the town from Westleigh to Northam. Their arms are: ''Per fess embattled argent and sable three buck's attires each fixed to the scalp counterchanged''. These arms are
quartered with the ancient arms of Stucley by the present
Stucley Baronets, with the Stucley arms in the 1st and 4th quarters of greatest honour. The descent of the Buck family is as follows: George Buck rebuilt Daddon House in about 1760, which he made his residence. He acquired the
advowson of Bideford from the heirs of
William Henry Granville, 3rd Earl of Bath (1692–1711), the last Grenville lord of the
Manor of Bideford. , Devon, dressed in military uniform. Portrait by a follower of
George Romney (1734–1802), collection of Bideford Town Council, displayed at
Bideford Town Hall • George Stucley Buck (1755–1791), only son and heir. In 1780 he married Martha Keats (1753–1833), eldest daughter of Richard Keats, Master of Tiverton school, rector of Bideford and
King's Nympton. He died aged 36, thus having predeceased both his parents. His portrait painted by a follower of
George Romney (1734–1802) hangs in Bideford Town Hall. • George Pawley Buck (1782–1805), second son and heir, died aged 23 without children. As
patron he made a presentation to the rectory of Bideford in 1804. •
Lewis William Buck (1784–1858), younger brother. MP for
Exeter 1826-32 and for
North Devon 1839-57. He was educated at
Blundells School in
Tiverton and at
Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He inherited Hartland Abbey under the will of his great-aunt Charlotte Hooper Morrison. As
patron he made two presentations to the rectory of Bideford, in 1844 and 1853.Motto:
Bellement et Hardiment ("beautifully and bravely") •
Sir George Stucley Buck Stucley, 1st Baronet (1812–1900), son and heir, who in 1858 assumed by royal licence the name and arms of Stucley and was created a baronet in 1859. He served as MP for Barnstaple twice, but retired from politics in 1868 and later served as
Sheriff of Devon. He married firstly Lady Elizabeth O'Bryan, 4th daughter and co-heiress of
William O'Brien, 2nd Marquess of Thomond (1765–1846), by whom he had children. He had a keen interest in family history, heraldry and his ancestors. He redecorated Hartland Abbey and in 1868-9 reconstructed the ruinous Gatehouse at Affeton, the only part of the fortified manor house of the Stucleys which had been left standing since the destruction of the house during the Civil War, which he renamed "Affeton Castle" and used as a shooting lodge for the grouse shooting season • Lt.-Col. Sir William Lewis Stucley, 2nd Baronet (1836–1911), eldest son by his father's first wife, died without children. He was survived by his 2nd wife Marion, who lived on at Hartland Abbey until 1932. Sir Hugh served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy. He was elected to the Bideford Town Council and served as Mayor of the Borough. It was the thirty-seventh time that a member of his family had served the Borough as Mayor. He was also elected to
Devon County Council in 1906 and was a county alderman in 1908. His main interests were County Finance and Education. His personal interests were fishing, shooting and landscape gardening. It was he who designed the beautiful gardens which Moreton House was formerly well known for. From 1939 to 1945 during
World War II Moreton House became the temporary home of King's Mead Preparatory School, which moved from its premises in
Seaford in Sussex. Sir Hugh moved to the lodge house and looked after those boys who were too young to be boarders at the school. • Sir Dennis Frederic Bankes Stucley, 5th Baronet (1907–1983). He spent his early childhood at Pillhead, East-the-Water, Bideford, and his adolescence at Moreton House. •
Sir Hugh George Copplestone Bampfylde Stucley, 6th Baronet (born 1945). In 1976 he was resident with his wife and young family in the ancient gatehouse of Affeton, which he had extended to form a nursery wing and additional bedrooms, and personally managed the farm enterprise there of 1,000 acres. He regards Affeton as the family's main seat, which unlike Hartland Abbey is a private house, not open to the paying public. == Grenville College ==