The original Half Moon is in the foreground, assuming that at this time it was a private house, currently XL Planning
The original Half Moon Hotel was a coaching inn located in Fore Street/High Street in the region of the Town Hall/Clarks Court immediately opposite the Tiverton Road junction and included land bordering Middle Mill Lane. The cottages at 1-5 Middle Mill Lane were originally the quarters for the ostlers and other servants working at the inn. They were located on land known as Half Moon Orchard.
Part of the Half Moon premises were sold to the town and the current Town Hall was built on the site. I am assuming that the remaining section of the property that the Hodges family held on to, that is now, 1 Fore Street, became their family home and was later sold to the Labdon family.
Timeline
| Date | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| 1751 | Mary Mullins apprenticed to Peter Kemp for the Half Moon | Devon Records Office 2404A/PO/100/8 |
| 1767 | Hannah Perram apprenticed to Elizabeth Mundy for the Half Moon Tenement by consent | 2404A/PO/114/16 |
| 1786 | John Born, otherwise Page (born 1 March 1779) apprenticed to James Monkton for the Half Moon Inn | Devon Records Office 2404A/PO/132/27 |
| 1789 | Sarah Evans apprenticed to Grace Monkton for the Half Moon by consent in the room of Mary Mitchel | 2404A/PO/135/19 |
| The 1790 Universal British Directory | “Two stage coaches, one for Bath and the other for Bristol go through every morning, except Sunday, at seven o’clock, return every evening about five, and stop at the Half Moon Inn. …. The Principal inns are the White Hart, kept by Joseph Nosworthy, the Half Moon by Lucas Pulsford and the Red Lion by Robert Frost. The latter inn is the excise office, and that at which the wagons put up” | |
| 1 October 1792 | Meeting held at the Half Moon to consider the construction of a navigable canal from Taunton to Topsham | 2nd Book of Cullompton (Page 38) |
| 15th October 1799 | Richard Taylor, of Cullompton, in the county of Devon, carrier and chapman; to appear Oct 19, Nov 2 and 16 at the Half Moon Inn, Cullompton. Attorney, Mr Hurley, at Gaddon near Cullompton | Manchester Mercury |
| 1800 | Joseph Martin apprenticed to Grace Pulsford, widow, for the Half Moon Inn | 2404A/PO/146/18 |
| 1802 | Simon Facey (born 3 May 1793) apprenticed to Thomas Blampin for the Half Moon | Devon Records Office 2404A/PO/148/7 |
| 8th Dec 1806 | MILITARY BALL AND SUPPER, at Half Moon, Cullompton on Thursday the first of January next. Admission Ladies, ………four shillings Gentlemen, six shillings STEWARDS Colonel the right hon. Sir George Yonge, bart. K.B. Lieut. Colonel Robert Pell | Exeter Flying Post |
| 9th June 1814 | Meeting of Trustees desirous of completing the new Turnpike Road from Cullompton to Hazel Stone … at Half Moon Inn. | Exeter Flying Post |
| 29th June 1815 | Hembury Fort House nr Hontion to be sold by auction (paintings, marble buts, musical instruments, animals…) Catalogue from places incl Half Moon Cullompton | Exeter Flying Post |
| 1816 | William Rutley 10, apprenticed to Thomas Blampin, innholder, for the Half Moon | 2404A/PO/163/16 |
| 30th May 1818 | Hay Harvest commenced – Mr Blampin, landlord of the Half Moon Inn, at Cullompton, cut, on Thursday a meadow of six acres, the crop in which is estimated to be from one and a half to two ton per acre; and should the weather hold fine in a few days, he will have stacked a rick of hay of extraordinary quality and quantity at this early period. | Royal Cornwall Gazette |
| 1822 | Half Moon Tavern/Inn – Landlord Grace Blampin | Pigots |
| 24th December 1823 | “bounded on the North and East by the Half Moon Inn on the South by the other part of the said premises called the Green Dragon Inn” | Mr Roger Morle to Trustees for Mrs Sarah Monkton – Assignment of premises in Cullompton part of tenement called The Green Dragon Inn (held in the Town Council archive) |
| 1830 | Grace Blampin | Pigots |
| 1831 | Elizabeth Stone, apprenticed to William Hodges, innkeeper for the Half Moon and other lands | 2404/A/PO/180/6 |
| 1838 28 June Queen Victoria crowned | … The gentlemen and tradesmen dined at Hodge’s Half Moon , J Leigh Esq, most ably presiding…. | Exeter & Plymouth Gazette 1838 |
| 1839 | …. At 7 o’clock in the morning the stagecoach for Bath and Bristol delayed for half an hour at the Half Moon Inn in the main street while its passengers partook of breakfast in the coffee room | Rev Gubb 2nd Book of Cullompton (page 46) |
| 1839 Tithe Map | Half Moon Plots 2512 & 2513 plus Plot 991 (Half Moon Orchard) Plot 2512: owner Elizabeth Monkton, occupier Wm Hodges) Plot 2513: Owner William Hodges, occupier William Hodges and others Plot 991 Half Moon Orchard: Owner Elizabeth Monkton, occupier William Hodges | William Hodges also owned Plot 2514, occupier J Westcott and others – Plot 2514 was between the Half Moon (2513) and the Red Lion (2515) |
| 1841 Census | William Hodge 50: Publican Thomasina Hodge 40 Mayer Balmbernser? 33: Commercial Traveller John Summers 35: Commercial Traveller Elizabeth Stone 15 (Female Servant) Mary Fouracre 25 (Female Servant) Elizabeth Brice 20 (Female Servant) Mary Skinner 25 (Female Servant) | Last premises in Fore Street I have assumed F.S. to mean Female Servant |
| 1842 | The building of the Bristol-Exeter Railway in 1842 saw an end to the mail coaches and the town became the new centre of a postal district. | Rev Gubb 2nd Book of Cullompton (page 46) |
11 March 1843 | On Monday morning last a fire broke out at the Red Lion, Cullompton, which burned with great fury for some time, consuming the premises and those adjoining. There are eleven dwelling-houses and cottages destroyed; the whole property is insured in the Yorkshire and Farmers offices. Owing to the great exertions of the West of England Company’s brigade of fireman the Half Moon Inn was preserved. | Woolmer’s Gazette |
| 1844 | Williams Hodges | Pigots |
| 1 Jan 1845 | To be SOLD by Auction at the Half Moon Hotel, Cullompton on MONDAY the 26th January next at five o’clock in the afternoon, the following premises MEADOW, ORCHARD, INN AND PREMISES Lot 1: All that excellent watered Meadow called Great Mill Meadow, situate in Cullompton aforesaid, containing by estimation, Six acres. Lot 2: All this Orchard called FRY’S ORCHARD containing by estimation an acre and three quarters situate in Mill Lane in Cullompton aforesaid, with the Curtilage and Buildings at the upper end thereof. Lot 3: The HALF MOON HOTEL aforesaid with the Yard, Stables and Two Gardens Lot 1 is held for the remainder of a Term of One Thousand years under the yearly rent of Fifteen Shillings and Two pence. Lots 2 and 3 are held in Fee Simple. The premises are now in the occupation of MR WILLIAM HODGES who Term expires ay Lady-Day next, when possession will be given. The Premises and a Map thereof can be seen on application to MR HODGES, the tenant, or to MR ELIAS JARMAN of Cullompton, and further particulars may be obtained of Mr JOHN H TERRELL, solicitor, St Martins Lane, Exeter | Did Elizabeth Monkton sell her land and William Hodges then hold onto his land and building (2513) which I think is the land that the Town Hall now sits on. |
| 1851 Census | William Hodge 63 Retired Innkeeper Thomasina Hodge 58 Wife | |
| 1852-3 | Hodges William (listed under clergy and gentry) | Slaters Trade Directory |
| 3 December 1859 | Wm Hodges and Rev.P. Sydenham and others as Trustees of the Cullompton Sessions purchased part of the tenement or the Dwelling house formerly called the Half Moon Hotel “The purchasers will with all convenient speed after the completion of the purchase at their own expense erection a substantial wall where the dotted line appear on the said plan in height seven foot 6 inches for the purpose of enclosing the premises hereby agreed to be sold from the adjoining premises of the Vendor, without any doorway or drainage towards the Court of the vendor and shall not erect any privy or water closet near the said wall which shall or may in any way become a nuisance or offensive to the Vendors, his heirs or Assignees.” | I am assuming that Wm Hodges sold part of the Half Moon to the town for the purpose of building a new Town Hall and held onto what is now 1 Fore Street as his family home. |
| 1861 Census | William Hodge: Retired Innkeeper 73 Thomasina Hodge: Wife 68 Charles Hodge: Son 46 Railway Fund Holder Eliza Hodge: 44 Daughter Railway Fund Holder Mary Hawkins 22 Domestic Servant | |
| 1871 Census | Charles Hodges 56 Retired Publican Eliza Hodges 54 Sister Annuitant Mary Hodges 45 Sister Retired Annuitant Mary Hawkins 32 Domestic Servant | |
| 1881 Census | Charles Hodges 64 Head Retired Publican Mary Hodges 55 Sister Hannah ? 24 Servant | |
| 1911 Census | Builders Shop (Labdons) |