Hon. Mark George Kerr Rolle (1835–1907; Mark George Kerr Trefusis), of Stevenstone, St Giles in the Wood, Devon, was High Sheriff of Devon in 1864, a DL of Devon and High Steward of Barnstaple.
Due to an inheritance from his uncle by marriage, John Rolle, 1st Baron Rolle (1750–1842), he became the largest private landowner in Devon, and according to the Return of Owners of Land, 1873 his landholdings, of which he was life-tenant under his uncle's will, extended to 55,000 acres. He was a prolific philanthropist and builder and restorer of churches, farmhouses and cottages, the latter for his estate workers.
Origins
The Honorable Mark George Kerr Trefusis was born on 13 November 1835 at Heanton Satchville in the parish of Huish, Devon, the 2nd son of Charles Rodolph Trefusis, 19th Baron Clinton (1791–1866) by his wife Lady Elizabeth Georgiana Kerr (died 1871), a daughter of William Kerr, 6th Marquess of Lothian. His eldest brother, Charles Henry Rolle Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis later the 20th Baron Clinton, received a large paternal inheritance in land of his own (albeit impoverished by mortgages and annuities to dependent relatives).
Inheritance
At the age of 6 (in 1842), Mark Trefusis inherited the vast estates of his 92-year-old uncle by marriage, John Rolle, 1st Baron Rolle (1756–1842) of Stevenstone and Bicton. Rolle had married as his 2nd wife Louisa Trefusis (1794–1885), Mark Trefusis's aunt. Rolle died childless and by his will made his wife's nephew, Mark Trefusis, his heir, as a life tenant in tail-male. Rolle's estates amounted to about . As required by Lord Rolle's will on 30 January 1852 Mark Trefusis assumed the arms and name of Rolle by royal licence. He had attended Eton College two years earlier.
Career
He was made Captain of the North Devon Yeomanry. In 1861, he was Barnstaple's High Steward. In 1864, he was made Sheriff of Devon.
Marriage and issue
On 6 October 1860 in St Johns, Edinburgh, Rolle married Lady Gertrude Jane Douglas (1838–1924) a daughter of George Sholto Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton (died 1858). Rolle produced no sons, thus the entail male under Lord Rolle's will precluded his daughters from the Rolle inheritance. His two daughters were: Gertrude Emily Rolle, who married Brig.-Gen. Sir Hugh Henry John Drummond, 1st Baronet (1859–1924) of Lasswade, a younger son of Sir James Williams-Drummond, 3rd Baronet, of Hawthornden. She had one daughter. Mary Frances Rolle (died 1945), who married on 7 June 1894 Major Arthur Scott Brown (born 1866) of Buckland Filleigh, North Devon. She had 2 daughters.
Succession
His heir under the tail-male of Lord Rolle's will was his nephew Charles John Robert Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis, 21st Baron Clinton (1863–1957), who sold many of the estates to meet inheritance taxes.
Manors held
Mark Rolle inherited the following manors and properties, amongst many others: East Budleigh, near Bicton, inherited by Denys Rolle (1614–1638) from his mother Anne Denys, it having been granted by King Henry VIII to her great-grandfather Sir Thomas Denys (c. 1477 – 1561), of Holcombe Burnell Exmouth, near Bicton, where Mark Rolle was the principal landowner. Inherited by Denys Rolle (1614–1638) from his mother Anne Denys, it having been granted by King Henry VIII to her great-grandfather Sir Thomas Denys (c. 1477 – 1561), of Holcombe Burnell Otterton purchased in 1786 by Denys Rolle (1725–1797) from the heirs of the Duke family. Buckland Brewer purchased in 1544 by the patriarch George Rolle (c. 1486 – 1552) following the dissolution of Dunkeswell Abbey. Great Torrington (lordship of manor of) purchased by Denys Rolle (1614–1638) from Sir William Fortescue. Woodbury, former estate of the Prideaux family, acquired in 1650 by Sir John Rolle (died 1706) from Sir Thomas Clifford. Colaton Raleigh acquired in 1650 by Sir John Rolle (died 1706) from Sir Thomas Clifford.