according to pole, william "wray" held the estate of "northwike" (in the parish of south tawton, called "north week" by risdon) during the reign of king henry iii (1217–1272) which was retained by his male descendants who changed their surname to "wike" during the reign of king richard ii (1377–1399) risdon however stated the estate of north week to have been held during the reign of king henry iii by william de wigorin "alias" chamberlain, "whose posterity assumed the name of week from their dwelling". in 1661 john wykes (d.1661) of northwyke settled the estate of northwyke onto richard weekes (1656–1696), son and heir of richard weekes (d.1670) of hatherleigh, descended from the family of weekes of honichurch. the arms of de wray/wykes were: "ermine, three battleaxes sable", not dissimilar to the arms of the wrey baronets. the mediaeval mansion of north wyke survives in the parish of south tawton, and in st andrew's church, south tawton, survives the effigy of the armed warrior john wykes (c.1520–1591)