On This Day in Wembury
29 October 1887 — Horses from South Wembury House at Auction
On this day the Western Morning News reported that auctioneers Skardon & Sons were instructed by E. Hewlett Esq., of South Wembury House, to sell two valuable horses at the Royal Hotel Stables, Plymouth. One was a grey, 16.2 hands high, aged 7, known for galloping, jumping, and hunting with the Dartmoor hounds and South Devon harriers. The other was a brown horse, 16 hands, also 7 years old, praised for its fine action. Both were described as quiet in harness and offered for sale without reserve, open to full veterinary inspection in the days before the auction.
Reflection: The notice shows the role of South Wembury House, later renamed Thorn House, as an important local estate whose owners engaged in hunting and equestrian pursuits typical of Devon’s landed gentry. Sales like this give a glimpse of rural life, where horses were both status symbols and working companions, and the Royal Hotel in Plymouth acted as the commercial hub for such transactions.
Source: Western Morning News, 29 October 1887.