Richard Duke (1652–1733)

Origins

Marriages and progeny

• Firstly to Isabella Yonge, daughter of Sir Walter Yonge, 2nd Baronet, of Colyton, MP, by whom he had an only daughter and heir presumptive Elizabeth Duke, whose marriage was arranged in 1705 to Robert Rolle, MP for Callington and for Devon, heir apparent to his grandfather Sir John Rolle, KB, of Stevenstone and Bicton, Devon. This was destined to be a great dynastic marriage which would have combined two of the largest estates in Devon, yet the marriage was without progeny and thus the plan failed. The Rolle estate of Bicton was adjacent to Otterton, and thus the combination of the two would be advantageous from the administrative viewpoint. The Rolles did not however give up their desire to obtain Otterton, and further dynastic alliances were arranged between the two families. The Rolle desire was fulfilled in 1786 when Denys Rolle purchased for the huge sum of £72,000 the manor of Otterton, with several other manors, from the heirs of his brother-in-law the last Robert Duke of Otterton, who had married his sister Isabella Charlotte Rolle, which marriage was without issue.
• Secondly he married Elizabeth Cholwich, daughter of John Cholwich of Farringdon, by whom he had two children who died as infants:
• *Frances Duke
• *Robert Duke

  Death and succession