Minehead, Lynton, Lynmouth

This first cover appears to be from Lynmouth in 1853 (as evidencd by a blue Lynmouth UDC), going via Minehead and Taunton to South Molton.  It is cancelled by a blue Minehead "779" horizontal oval cancel, with yellow backstamps from Minehead, Taunton and South Molton.

This is a little puzzling as other documentation indicates that Lynton (and Lynmouth as a TSO) were under Barnstaple at that time.

This second cover is from Lynton to Portsmouth in 1907 and has a "LYNTON SO / DEVON" skeleton.  Lynton became a sub-office in 1905.

Lynton in the Minehead Penny Post

The cover below is one of the "missing links", with a "LYNTON" undated circular handstamp on a cover in the Minehead Penny Post going to London in 1837.  It has been known that Lynton was in the Minehead Penny Post and covers from Lynton (or Lynmouth) in the Minehead Penny Post have been found, but this is the first cover recorded that has an identifiable Lynton handstamp on it.

I'm looking for covers from the 1832-1835 period when the "LYNTON" udc is known in use, to see if these are also in the Minehead Penny Post.  Unfortunately the only one I have found so far, from June 1835, does not have a recognisable UDC, but does have a circular "smudge of approximately the right size. 

If you have an example of the Lynton udc on cover, then please do send me a scan.

Lynton manuscript "No 1" in Minehead Penny Post

According to Oxley "The English Provincial Local Posts 1765-1840", Minehead's Penny Post was established in 1832 with three Receiving Houses at Holnicote, Porlock and Lynton (Minehead was a sub-office of Taunton).  Unboxed Receiving House cancels for No.2 (Porlock) and No.3 (Holnicote ?) are known, but a "No.1" cancel is not known to have been issued for Lynton.

The wrapper below, from Wellington to Lynton, has a rare manuscript "No 1" on the front apparently for the Lynton Receiving House.

It also has a partial blurred small straight-line cancel on the reverse.  Any ideas ?  From a distance it might just be "MINEHEAD" ??

The wrapper has been sent "Free", endorsed on 4th August 1837.  It is signed by "E Ayshford Sanford".  Edward Ayshford Sanford was the MP for Somerset from 1830-1841 and lived in Nynehead Court.  Despite the "Free" endorsement it should still have been charged 1d for the Penny Post as the "Free" endorsement was only for the General Post.