Investigations into the Ridgeway family of Bishopsteignton have continued to uncover many new branches, connections and stories that extend far beyond the village in which the family was rooted. What began as an exploration of the Ridgeway name and its place within the history of Bishopsteignton has now developed into a much wider search, tracing descendants and family connections across generations and, ultimately, across the world.

Now that I have some spare time on my hands, I thought it apt to extend from my previous articles ‘Rooted in the Land: The Cornish Family of Wolfsgrove and Beyond’ and ‘The Cornish Family Name’ by telling what I know of my Grandmother and the Ridgeway family’s presence in the village, who appeared rooted for generations in our lovely Devon village.

A history of the Cornish family heritage in Bishopsteignton by tracing a continuous lineage from the mid-17th century through to late 19th century in the county of Devonshire.

Family and life in the community David married Elizabeth Ann Smith, a schoolmistress, who taught the infant class at Bishopsteignton School on 20th October 1906.  They first lived in a house called Belle Vue, then at 3, River View Terrace with their three children,...