Thomas de Courtenay, 5th/13th Earl of Devon
Thomas de Courtenay, 5th/13th Earl of Devon was a nobleman from South West England. His seat was at Colcombe Castle near Colyton, and later at the principal historic family seat of Tiverton Castle, after his mother's death. The Courtenay family had historically been an important one in the region, and the dominant force in the counties of Devon and Cornwall. However, the rise in power and influence of several gentry families and other political players, in the years leading up to Thomas' accession to the earldom, threatened the traditional dominance of the earls of Devon in the area. Much of his life was spent in armed territorial struggle against his near-neighbour, Sir William Bonville of Shute, at a time when central control over the provinces was weak. This feud forms part of the breakdown in law and order in England that led to the Wars of the Roses.
Ruins of Tiverton Castle, seat of the Earls of Devon
Effigy of an unknown female, possibly Margaret Beaufort, Church of St Andrew, Colyton, Devon
Image: Courtenay Arms Colyton Church Devon
Image: Courtenay Impaling Royal Arms Colyton Devon
Colcombe Castle was a castle or fortified house situated about a 0.5 mi (0.80 km) north of the town of Colyton in East Devon.
"Colecombe Castle", watercolour by Rev. John Swete dated 27 January 1795. Swete wrote: "Standing by the door of (the farmhouse) I took the...sketch which will give some notion of the front and which seems to have been the principal one with an aspect to the west...(with) Colyton to the left". Devon Record Office 564M/F7/77
"Inside of Colecombe Castle", watercolour by Rev. John Swete dated 26 January 1795. Devon Record Office 564M/F7/73
Drawing of remains of Colcombe Castle, by James Ward (1769-1859), apparently from the same viewpoint as the Swete watercolour of 26/1/1795
Surviving ancient building formerly part of Colcombe Castle, situated today in the yard of Colcombe Abbey Farm, facing main farmhouse