Penfound Manor is the oldest inhabited house in England, dating to the Saxon period. William Penfound was murdered in the church at Poundstock and is now said to haunt his old house.
The manor was originally a Saxon dwelling given by William the Conqueror to his half-brother, Robert, Count of Mortain. The Penfound family, who took their name from the manor, moved in during the 12th century.The Penfounds, having lived in Penfound Manor so long, had lived a fairly quiet part of history. However, the Civil War ruined everything.
It turned neighbours, friends and family against each other. The Penfounds were Royalists and hated Parliamentarians.
A nearby manor was owned by the Trebarfoot’s – staunch Parliamentarians. Like a 17th Century Romeo and Juliet – a young couple were deeply in love with each other – Kate Penfound and John Trebarfoot and both their fathers would never agree to their courtship and the marriage they desired
. Only fifty years before another female member of this family married a Trebarfoot and there was no problem. But as mentioned – the Civil War ruined everything. The only solution was to elope.
One night, Kate climbed down a ladder to the courtyard were John was waiting – but their elopement was disturbed by Kates father and an argument – quickly turning into a fight with swords ensued. John was killed during this fight and Kate received wounds from her own father when she stepped in to stop the two men fighting and which would shortly bring about her death. Arthur, her father also eventually succumbed to his own wounds and all three were dead