In addition to the Parish Registers that I’ve been going through these last 3.5 months there are a small number of early Court Records from early Devon. I’ve spent the last few days perusing them and have found them to be quite revelatory. Many of these records have yet to be scanned but extracts of the records are available and they have started showing a light on the path forward.

Drawing: Exeter Cathedral in 1830, which was completed about 1440

I’m using them in conjunction with everything that has been collected thus far and a picture is starting to emerge.

Here is a short list of the earliest Babb locations in Devon:

Colebrook 1456
Exeter 1475
Doddiscombsleigh 1481
Plymouth 1488
Ashprington 1495
Woodleigh 1495
Kinkskerswell 1495
Highweek 1495

The map is hard to read in its current form, but I intentionally made it very large so as to accommodate the large number of locations that will be coming. Click on it to see a full-sized image.

As of 1500 most of these locations are what I’ll deem one-and-done towns. Meaning that there is either only a single record or single-family unit and there is no ability to trace the line forward or backward given the available data.

The notable exception being the Highweek and Plymouth connection which is noted by the blue line. Highweek will figure prominently as we move forward in time, so remember its name.

We also see the apparent inception of the Lords of the Manor in Doddiscombsleigh, though it doesn’t connect anywhere at the moment.

There isn’t much to tell at this early stage but note that all of the locations are connected to navigable waterways, save for Doddiscombsleigh.