Thomas Westcote (c. 1567 – c. 1637) (''alias'' Westcott) of Raddon in the parish of

Shobrooke Shobrooke is a village, parish and former Manorialism, manor in Devon, England. The village is situated about 1 1/2 miles north-east of Crediton. It is located close to Shobrooke park. The river Shobrooke Lake flows through the village. It had ...

in Devon, was an English historian and topographer of

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

Biography

He was descended from the

Lyttelton family The Lyttelton family (sometimes spelled Littleton) is a British nobility, British aristocratic family. Over time, several members of the Lyttelton family were made knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the Lyttelton family inclu ...

. He was baptised at

in Devon on 17 June 1567. He was the third son of Philip Westcote (died 1601) of West Raddon in the parish of Shobrooke, by his wife Katharine Waltham, a daughter of George Waltham of Brenton in the parish of

Exminster Exminster is a village west of the Exeter Canal, Exeter ship canal and River Exe in Devon, England, south of Exeter, with a population of 4,379 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census. Exminster is an ancient village associated with a A ...

, Devon. In his youth he was a soldier, traveller, and courtier, but in middle age he retired to a country life, probably living at West Raddon with his eldest brother, Robert. In 1624 he held a lease of Thorn Park in the parish of Holcombe Burnell. Westcote interested himself in local antiquities, encouraged by his friendships with fellow Devonshire historians Sir William Pole (1561–1635) and Tristram Risdon (1580–1640). He aimed at a description of Devon, following the model of the ''Survey of Cornwall'' by Richard Carew (1555–1620) published in 1602. He was encouraged in his project by

Edward Bourchier, 4th Earl of Bath Edward Bourchier, 4th Earl of Bath (baptised 1 March 1590Cokayne, ''The Complete Peerage'', new edition, Vol II, p. 18 – died 31 March 1636). Origins He was born in Somerset, the eldest son and heir of William Bourchier, 3rd Earl of Ba ...

, of Tawstock Court, and compiled two collections: ''A View of Devonshire'', in which, after a general discussion on the history of the county, he gave a topographical account of its condition in about 1630; and the ''Pedigrees of most of our Devonshire Families'', a compilation of genealogical information, deemed by later commentators as inaccurate and unreliable. The two works were published in Exeter in 1845, under the editorship of George Oliver and Pitman Jones. He married Mary Roberts (died 1666), eldest daughter and coheiress of Richard Roberts of

Combe Martin Combe Martin () is a village, Civil parishes in England, civil parish and former Manorialism, manor on the North Devon coast about east of Ilfracombe. It is a small seaside resort with a sheltered cove on the northwest edge of the Exmoor Nati ...

, Devon. By her he had one son and heir, Philip Westcott (1614-1647/8),Vivian, p.779 and five daughters. Westcote was buried at Shobrooke, the date of his death being uncertain, as the register of burials between May 1639 and July 1644 is missing.

References

;Sources * Dictionary of National Biography, London, 1885–1900, biography of "Westcote, Thomas" {{DEFAULTSORT:Westcote, Thomas 1560s births 1637 deaths English antiquarians Topographers of Devon Historians of Devon