John Bampfylde (1691–1750)

John Bampfylde (8 April 1691 – 17 September 1750) of Hestercombe in Somerset, was an English politician from Devon, who served as Member of Parliament for Exeter, Devon (1715–1722) and for the County of Devon (1736–1741).

He was the second son of Col. Hugh Bampfield (d.1690), (eldest son and heir apparent of Sir Coplestone Bampfylde, 2nd Baronet (c. 1633–1692) of Poltimore and North Molton, Devon, whom he predeceased) by his wife Mary Clifford, daughter of James Clifford of Ware. His elder brother was Sir Coplestone Bampfylde, 3rd Baronet (c. 1689–1727) of Poltimore. The Bampfield family had been seated at Poltimore since about 1300.

He married twice:

• Firstly to Elizabeth Basset, daughter of John Basset (1653–1686) of Heanton Punchardon and Umberleigh in Devon, five times MP for Barnstaple, Devon. Without progeny.
• Secondly to Margaret Warre (d. 1758), daughter and heiress of Sir Francis Warre, 1st Baronet of Hestercombe, Somerset, by whom he had a son and two daughters:
  • Col. Coplestone Warre Bampfylde (d. 29 August 1791), Colonel of the Somerset Militia, who married Mary Knight, 2nd daughter of Edward Knight of Wolverley, Worcestershire, and died without issue. In 1818 John Knight II (d. 1850) of Lea Castle, Wolverley, (father of Colonel Sir Frederick Winn Knight (1812-1897) KCB, MP) purchased the former Royal Forest of Exmoor, which adjoined the Manor of North Molton, Devon, a seat of the senior line of the Bampfylde family.
  • Elizabeth Bampfylde (d. 1802), who died unmarried.
  • Margaretta Bampfylde (d. December 1792), who on 31 December 1753 married George Tyndale (1704–1771).

• Vivian, p.40; pp.47-8, not mentioned in pedigree of Basset
• "Bampfylde genealogy". Retrieved 2006-10-11. 
• Vivian, p.40

He inherited Hestercombe House from his father-in-law in 1718 and began to lay out gardens there. The present gardens are largely the work of his son.