BEATON FAMILY HISTORY

This page is dedicated to the history of the branch of the Beaton family from Tintinhull in Somerset.

Although the Beaton name occurs primarily in Scotland, by 1881 there were also noticeable concentrations in north Cambridgeshire, West Sussex, and the area of south Somerset and north Dorset to the east of Yeovil. It would appear that one or more Beaton families were settled in the area north of Yeovil from at least the 1590's, with a John Beaton, farmer of Mudford parish, appearing in the records of Bishop Still's 1594 visitation.

Edward Beaton married Ann Priddle in Tintinhull on 6th April 1738 and initiated a line of Beatons there. Edward was described as being 'of Merston parish' (probably Marston Magna, about 5 miles away), and his first two children baptised at Tintinhull were described as being born there. His origins are a matter for further research, but there appear to have been Beatons in the Marston Magna area throughout the 17th century. A William Beaton married Mary Priddle on 21st May 1770 at Tintinhull, and initiated another set of Beaton descendants. This William may have been the son of Edward and Ann, although there is no clear baptism entry in the Tintinhull registers (he could, perhaps, have been baptised at 'Merston'). However, he could equally be the son of Edward and Joan Beaton who were also having children in Tintinhull around the right period. Only on the basis of first name patterns does the former connection look more likely. Edward and Joan's Beaton line appears to continue backover in Tintinhull.

An outline of the top of the tree and the connections of the various researchers is attached, although clearly this remains subject to the caveats outlined above. The clarification of the various Beaton lines in the area remains an area for further research, and this tree is merely presented as a starting point. It is worth noting here that is is this Beaton family which is ancestral to Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton (1904 - 1980), the famous photographer, stage and costume designer.

Anyone interested in further details of this branch of the Beaton family, or who is able to provide additional details relevant to this branch, is invited to contact the coordinator for this page Ian Hall.

This page was last updated 16 May 2007