© Copyright by the author Ian APLIN (USA), 1987

By the end of the middle ages, the early form of the family name ABELYN was giving way to APPELYN, which in the County of Dorset continued throughout the 16th Century.

Meanwhile in the Counties of Devon and Somerset, the forms APLIN and APPLIN were appearing for the first time. The exact origins of the family name remain unclear, although traditions within the family suggest a strong Celtic influence, but whether this accurred in Wales, Cornwall or Brittany is not known.

In Bannister's "Glossary of Cornish names", it suggest that the family name could have developed from Celtic "ab or ap belin" meaning "son of king".

Earlier research in Wales indicated that the family name may have been derived from the Celtic "ab or ap Llewelyn", later reduced to "abor ap L'lyn", meaning Son of Llewelyn".

However, as more attention is being given to the fact that the early forms of the family in the middle ages, it was possible to see closer ties with Cornwall, then known as West Wales.

The earliest reference to a member of the family, Sir Nicholas de Abelin, Knight at the seige and capture of Acre in 1191 during the third crusade, suggests that he may well have been descended from a family that came to England with William, Duke of Normandy in the 11th Century. The possessive "de" was one of the principle ways of identifying such families. Recent research has raised the interesting possibility of the family being originally descended from the Dumnoni, a Celtic tribe, who inhabited the south west of England before the Saxton invasions. Sometime after the 6th Century, these people migrated across the Channel to Armorica, that later became known as Brittany. They retained their Celtic tongue, and may well have joined their neighbours in Normandy, when they invaded England many years later

It has been very helpful to find that the principle family Coat of Arms "or on a cross sable five eagles displayed argent", granted to Sir Nicholas de Abelin, Knt. In the 12th Century, and has continued to appear in the family wills, documents and monuments to the present day. These references, and others, have made it possible to identify members of the family in the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset in the middle ages, and in the years immediately following the introduction of Parish Registers in 1538.

By the beginning of the 16th Century the family settlements in the South West of England, including Barnstaple, and Exeter in Devon, the Vale of Taunton Dean, and the Polden Hills in Somerset, and the Blackmoor Vale in Dorset. It was these early settlements that branches of the family later settled in other parts of this beautiful corner of England. Until the late 18th Century few members left the South West of England, although in the 17th Century one branch had settled in Banbury, Oxfordshire, and others in the Ulster Plantation in Northern Ireland, in Barbados in the West Indies, and in New Zealand.

For the past 800 years, members of the Family have lived in the South West of England. The family name is not only unique to this corner of England, but is also one of the rarest names in the kingdom. Variations in the spelling of the family name have been many, including the form Appling, which was adopted by some members of the Virginia branch of the family in the early 18th Century, although similar examples can be found in English Parish records. Few of the family remained in Cornwall in the Middle Ages, despite the rugged beauty of it's rugged coastline, and moors. Most of the family had long since settled in the fertile valleys, and green hills of Devon, Somerset and Dorset.

The population of England and Wales at the end of the middle ages was approximately three million, a figure that had little more than doubled by the beginning of the 19th Century. It is unlikely that the family numbered more than a few hundred at the time of the reformation in 1536. The lovely old towns and villages where they lived, all lay within a day's ride of each other.

Little has changed, even today. Some of the tracks, and bridle paths have become country roads, but each village still has it's ancient Church next to the Manor House, with a cluster of thatched cottages around a well kept green.

The South West of England is proud of it's history and military traditions. In our own family, many have served with great distinction, including Admiral of the White, Peter Aplin R.N. (1752-1817), Vice Admiral John George Aplin, R.N. (1789-1860), Brigadier General Andrew Snape Hamond Aplin, R.N. (1796-1855), Lieutenant General John Guise Rogers Aplin, (1819-1883 ), and Vice Admiral Elphinstone D'Oyly D'Auvergne Aplin, (1821- 1822). In 1646, General Owen O'Neill, and his "Catholic Army" defeated the English and Scott's, at the Battle of Benburb in County Tyrone, Ireland. Captain Robert Aplyn was killed in that battle. Throughout Britain's long history, members of the family have fought, and died in nearly every campaign undertaken by their government, from North America to China.

On three occasions the South West of England has been the scene of a violent struggle for power within the Kingdom. In 1497, some twelve years after the end of the wars of the roses (1455-1485), Perkin Warbeck, the Yorkist pretender to Henry V111's throne marched from Cornwall to London, where he and his followers surrended at Blackheath.

For aiding the rebellion, when they passed Somerset, Robert Applyn, a Burgess of Tauton, was fined "Twenty Shillings", with Fifty other members of the community.

During the Civil War (1642-1646 ), Cornwall was loyal to Charles 1, whilst most of the South West of England supported Parliament. Several of the family took part in the heroic defence of Taunton, under the famous Colonel Robert Blake, against a very determined royalist army. The third occasion was in1685, when the Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch led a tragic rebellion against James 11, that ended with his defeat at the battle of Sedgmoor in Somerset. William Aplyn of North Petherton, was later convicted of being a rebel, and was sentenced "to be transported to the colonies in America".

As with most families, some of the Appelyns enjoyed wealth and honours, whilst the majority kept faith with the lovely countryside in which they lived. Two of the family became Members of Parliament, Robert Aplyn ( - 1596 ), represented Barnsatable in Mary 1's Parliament summoned in 1554, and four Parliaments during thr reign of Elizabeth !, including that of 1571, when the "39 Articles of the Church of England" were ratified and Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Vincent Kempenfeldt Applin, D.S.O.,(1869-1957), who sat twice as a Member of Parliament, after World War 1, for Enfield in Middlesex. His family had originally lived in East Somerset.

Other members of the family became influential landowners, wealthy clothiers in the 18th.Century, lawyers, and churchmen, including the Reverend Henry Albyn of West Camel, a famous Puritan Minister in Somersetduring the Commonwealth.

The Albin Family of Bruton changed their spelling of the family name during the late middle ages, but not of course their use of the Family Coat of Arms. Many of the family served in the administration of the empire, some becoming Governers, and Deputy Governers of Provinces in India and Africa. Captain Richard Aplin (1760- 1864 ), made eleven voyages to India and China for the Hon. East India Company, before retiring to Melton Lodge, his lovely house in Suffolk, in 1838, with it's beautiful park of forty eight acres.

The story of William Aplyn of Offwell in East Devon, represents many aspects of life in the countryside in the 17th. Century. Born in about 1640, at the start of the Civil War, his family had most likely settled in Honiton from the Vale of Taunton Dean in Somerset during the Reign of Elizabeth 1. After they were married, William and Ann Aplyn lived at Branscombe on the coast, a few miles south of Honiton. Later they built a farm at Offwell, an old Saxon village on one of the hills above Honiton, and the river Otter. The ruins of Aplin Farm, and quarry from which William Aplyn obtained the stone to build his farm, can still be found on Forestry Commission Land, that is still called Aplin Common.

It is a "romantic" sight with the small farmhouse, outbuildings, adjoining orchards, fieldplans and trackways still identifiable. A spring of crystal-clear water still bubbles forth above the farm, which is no doubt why William Aplyn chose this particular piece of land.This family of Yeoman farmers, are also remember by another Aplin Farm, at nearby Monkton. Unfortunately this lovely Tudor farm was destroyed by fire before World war 1, although the ground-plans can still be traced in the farmyard.

Other members of the family at various times farmed Cottarson Farm at Awliscombe in the 17th. Century, Ridgeway Farm near Wilmington in the 19th.Century, and today, Clive Alfred Aplin (1935-) farms Widworthy House Farm, near Offwell, with a fine dairy herd.

Honiton has always been an important small market town, on the coach road from London to Exeter, and then on to the mail-packet at Falmouth in Cornwall. An annual midsummer fair has been held continuously since 1257. Many of the family attended the old grammar school built in the 16th. Century, but now Allhallows is a private school at Rousden, near Lyme Regis, and the old school buildings have been turned into a fine museum.

The old Parish Church of St Michael stands above the town. Honiton is famous for it's lace. The Aplyns of Honiton were an influential family in the 17th.and 18th. Centuries, and their descendants still live today in many of the surrounding villages.

In this short outline of the history of the family I have intentionally concentrated on the period from the end of the middle ages up to the 19th. Century. This has been done to try and identify the starting point of so many branches of the family. But this is only part of the story. Individual members of the family, from as early as the 17th.Century, courageously sought a new life for themselves in the colonies. Their story is as fascinating as that of their cousins in the Counties of Devon, Somerset and Dorset

Written by Ian Aplin; October 1987; U.S.A.

© Copyright by the author Ian APLIN (USA), 1987

This page prepared by Paddy Apling 21st April, 2001.

The Apling family
Harry Apling (1904-1989) Obituary
Stanley Apling (1899-1997) Obituary
Vera Apling (1908-1999) Obituary
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