Thomas Taylor, gentleman, 1729

Thomas Taylor (abt 1675 – abt 1729)

Introduction

1. The extremely long and complicated Last Will and Testament (LW&T) of Thomas Taylor, Gentleman of Draycot Cerne, is dated 18 December 1727. The Inventory is dated 1 February 1727/28, although Probate was not completed until 23 July 1729; also, there is a burial record in the Parish Registers for a Thomas Taylor on 29 February 1727/28. It is therefore assumed that he died on about 25 February 1727/28, and that the Inventory date is incorrect. The LW&T and Inventory are filed in the Archives and on Ancestry under the Probate year, 1729.

2. This is probably the ‘Thomas, son of Thomas Taylor’ who was baptised in Draycot Cerne on 30 August 1675.

3. The script is fairly easy to read, especially when compared to earlier (eg 17th century) Wills; however, spelling is quite idiosyncratic; see, for example ‘ginue’ for ‘guinea’ and ‘two bye’ for ‘to buy’. Even the spelling of Draycott Cerne / Cern varies, as does the spelling of Hewett / Hewet.

4. The transcription has not been cross-checked or reviewed.

a. Square brackets – eg [ ? possible text ] – are used where a word is too difficult to decipher or where there is some doubt.
b. Italic square brackets – eg [ = meaning ] – are used to provide simple explanations of text.
c. Ordinary brackets – eg ( that is to say ) – are used where they are used in the original.
d. Some spelling has been updated to modern usage where appropriate; similarly, punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added for ease of understanding.
e. Footnotes have been added to provide context or emphasis. There are none in the original.

LW&T of Thomas Taylor, Gentleman; 18 December 1727

In the Name of God Amen.

I, Thomas Taylor of Draycot Cerne in the County of Wiltshire, gentleman, being of sound & perfect mind and memory (thanks be to God for the same), do make & appoint this to be my last will & testament in manner following, that is to say:

I bequeath my soul into the hands of Almighty God, hoping through the merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ, to have pardon of my sins. And my body I commit to the earth to be decently buryed.

And as to my worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me ^ with ^ I dispose thereof as followeth.

Imprimis. I give and bequeath to my cousens Judith Taylor of Broomham & Judith Taylor of Yatton five shillings a peece.

Item. I give and bequeath unto Mary Bendry daughter of Mr John Bendry of Christianmalford in the said County of Wiltshire, the sum of ten pounds, to bye her mourning, and one Ginue for a mourning ring.

Item. I give and bequeath to my Aunt Sarah Hewett of Draycott the sum of ten pounds two buye her mourning.

Item. I give and bequeath to Robert Hewett, son of Gabriell Hewett of Hawksburys Upton in the County of Gloucester, the sum of twenty pounds of lawfull mony of Great Brittain.

Item. I give and bequeath to Gabriell Hewett, brother of the aforesaid, the sum of ten pounds of like money.

Item. I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth, the daughter of William Jefferys of Box in the said County of Wilts the sum of ten pounds when she shall attain the age of eighteen.

Item. I give and bequeath unto Sarah Selby of Draycott aforesaid, spinster, the sum of ten pounds of like money.

Item. I give and bequeath unto John Curtois the Bond of twenty pounds that is dew unto me, and the Intrest thereof, and five pounds in money

Item. I give and bequeath unto Mary Crum the sum of five pounds of like money.

Item. I give and bequeath unto Richard Hutchings junior the sum of five pounds of like money.

Item. I give and bequeath unto:
my cozens William Jordan and his two sisters;
Edmund Lyne and his brothers and sisters;
and cozen Robins’es wife;
and unto my cozen Betty Edwards,
and my kinswoman Susanna, being their sister’s daughter;

all of them, mourning rings

Item. I give and bequeath unto my man and to my maid which shall live ^ with me ^ at my decease the sum of four pounds each two buye them mourning,

And my desire is that the money that is given for mourning shall be paid two buye the mourning present after my decease as alsoe for the mourning rings.

Item. I give unto Walter Longden junior, John Pulling and Abemelock Harford one ginnue each.

Item. I give unto Jonathan Winkworth one ginnue and one suite of cloathes of all sorts, both lining and wolling, [ = both linen and woollen] and that which my Executor shall think fit.

Item. I give and bequeath unto the Poore of the Parish of Draycott Cerne in the County aforesaid the sum of two pounds per annum, for ever;

and two be disposed of by my Executor and the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Parish aforesaid

and two be paid out of my freehold estate lying in the parish of Kington St Michaell in the County aforesaid, known by the name of Glanvill and Hulls Down

and furthermore my Will is that it shall be given away on St Thomas Day, and equally given to them that receive Releif as well as others.

Item. I give and bequeath unto the Poore of Langly in the Parish of Kington St Michaell in the County aforesaid the sum of one pounds per annum, for ever, to be paid as aforesaid, and out of the same freehold estate, and to be disposed of by my Executor and the Churchwardens & Overseers of the poore of the Parish of Langly aforesaid, and to be given in St Thomas Daye, and unto them that receive Releif as well as others.

Item. I do hereby order and appoint my Executor herein after named to lay out the sum of eighty pounds, and no more, in and about my funeral expenses.

I give and devise unto my Aunt Sarah Hewett of Draycott Cern aforesaid, her Executors, Administrators or Assigns, the yearly rent charge of thirty pounds of lawfull money of Great Britain, to be issuing and going out of all my messuages, lands, tenements, rents, reversions, hereditaments

situate, lying and being in New Sarum in the said County of Wilts;
and Bramshaw, also known as Bramble Shaw, in the said County of Wilts;
and Bramshaw, also known as Bramble Shaw, in the County of Southampton;
or elsewhere in the said County’s of Wilts and Southampton;
or either of them

for and during the term of twenty years next after my death, and to be payable and paid at the two most usuall feasts or days of payment in the yeare (that is to say) the Feasts of the Anuntiation of Blessed Virgin Mary and St Michael the Archangle

by even and equal portions, the first payment thereof toe begin and be made on such of the said feasts as shall happen next after my decease.

And if it should happen that the said Yearly Rent Charge or any part thereof shall be behind or unpaid by the space of twenty one days next after either of the said feast days of payment at or on which the same ought to be paid as aforesaid (being lawfully demanded)

that then and so often and at time from henceforth it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Sarah Hewet of Draycott aforesaid and her assigns into the premises hereby charged with the said rent charge and into every or any part of parcel thereof

to enter, and for the said rents charge so behind and unpaid to distrain, and the distress or distresses so there from time to time to be had and taken,

to lead, drive, take and carry away, and impound, and inpound, to detain and keep, until the said rents charge so behind and unpaid as aforesaid, and all the arrears thereof, and the reasonable charges of taking such distress and distresses, free of all taxes and payments as aforesaid

shall be fully paid and satisfied unto the said Sarah Hewett of Draycott or her Assigns, according to the true intent and meaning hereof.

And all soe [= also] my Will is that my Aunt Sarah Hewett of Draycott aforesaid shall have that Beed [= bed] in the Parler Chamber and the biggest of the three small Looking Glasses and my Silver Cup and that Silver Spoone that is marked with a single T.

Item. I give, devise and bequeath unto my Unkle Robert Hewet of Kington Langly in the said County of Wilts, maltster, and to his heires and assignes for ever,

all and singular my messuages, houses, lands, tenements, rents, revertions and hereditaments in the said County of Wilts and Southampton or either of them, except what is before given and bequeathed

and allsoe the Overplush or remainder of my freehold lying in the Parish of Kington St Michaell in the said County of Wilts known by the name of Glanville and Hulls Down, part whereof I have settled for the payment of two pounds per annum for ever unto the poore of the Parish of Draycott Cern in the County aforesaid and likewise one pound per annum to the poore of Langly in the Parish of Kington St Michael in the County aforesaid for ever.

Nevertheless, I do hereby charge my Reale Estate as well as my personal Estate with the payment of my debts, funerall expences and the aforesaid legacies, and likewise my Will is that my Legacys shall be paid in [ ? ] month after my decease.

Lastly, all the rest, residue and remainder of my Goods, Chattles and personal Estate not before hereby given and bequeathed, after my debts and funeral expences shall be paid and discarged, I give and bequeath to my said Unkle Robert Hewett, whom I do hereby ^ make ^ the sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament, revoking all former and other Wills by me made.

In witness whereof I, the said Thomas Taylor, have hereunto set my hand and seale the eighteenth daye of December in the yeare of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and twenty seven.

[ signed ] Thomas Taylor

[ on the reverse of the parchment ]

Signed, sealed, delivered, published and declared by the within named Thomas Taylor the Testator in our presence presence [sic] and in his presence subscribed and attested by us

[ signed ] Isaac Taner [sic]
[ signed ] Ann Longden
[ signed ] Edward Wassill

Probate; 23 July 1729

[Fifteen short lines of Latin]

… Draycott Cerne … Thomas Taylor … 23 July 1729 … Robert Hewett …

Inventory of Thomas Taylor; 1 February 1727/28

February the 1st 1727. An Inventory then taken of all the goods and chattles of Mr Thomas Taylor, late deceased, of Draycot Cern in the County of Wilts.

[The Inventory is on two pages]
[Page One] £ s d
Imp. His wearing apparel valued an appraised at
20 00 0
Item. In the Chamber over the Hale [= hall]. One bed and bedsted and all other things belonging. With a chest of [ prares ?] and sum other utences [= some other utensils] in the same chamber valued at
15 00 0
Item. In the Passage Chamber. One bed and bedsted and all belonging, and a writeing desk valued at
3 00 0
Item. In the Chamber over the Whitehouse. One bed and bedsted and all belonging, with a press to hang close [ = clothes] in and sum other utences there, valued at
5 00 0
Item. In the Chamber over the Brewhouse. One bed and bedsted and all belonging, two ould coffers & sum other utences valued at
1 10 0
Item. In the Chamber over the Parler. One bed and bedsted and all belonging, with some other utences valued at
3 10 0
Item. In the Chamber over the Kitching [ = kitchen]. One bed and bedsted and all belonging, with some other lumber there valued at
3 10 0
Item. In the Chees Loft. 8 of cheese and sum other lumber there valued at
8 00 0

Item. In the Parler. One table board and seven chaires, vallued with sum other utences at
2 00 0
Item. In the Hale. One fire greate [= fire grate], one table board, halfe a dozen of chaires and sum other utences
2 10 0
Item. In the Kitching. Twenty large dishes of pewter & 3 dozen and ½ of plates and sum other utences, vallued at
4 00 0
Item. In the Smoking Roome. Two table boords and halfe a dozen of chaires, vallued at
0 12 0
Item. In the Small beare buttery. Two table boords and halfe a dozen of chaires, vallued at
1 05 0
Item. In the Seller [ = cellar] Foure large barrells and a stand, vallued at
1 05 0
Item. In the brewhouse. One copper, one boyler, one maishing tub, and sum other brewing vessels valued at
4 00 0
Item. In the White House. Two cheespresses, one silting trowe, three brass pots, two brass pans and sum other utenses valued at
3 00 0
Item. In the Staire Cace. One clock and case valued at
4 00 0
[End of Page One; total carried forward] 82 02 0

[Page Two] £ s d
Item. In the back side. One score of yews and two [ hodgs ? ] valued at
10 00 0
Item. Foure plow horses and harness valued at
16 00 0
Item. Two saddle horses valued at
7 00 0
Item. Two waggons, one dung pott and sum other plow harness valued at
1 00 0
Item. In the barne. Sum barly and oates in the straw valued at
4 00 0
Item. Eleven cows, two two-year old heifers, and three yearlings valued at
45 10 0
Item. Sum wheate on the ground valued at
4 10 0
Item. In ready money and sum small debts
30 00 0
Item. A leasehould estate valued at
60 00 0
[Total of page two] 188 00 0
[Total page one brought forward] 82 02 0
Tottall 270 02 0

[ signed ] Walter Longden )
[ signed ] Richard Hutchins ) appraisors
[ signed ] Richard Angell )

Endnotes

Until 1752 the English calendar used the 'Julian' system of dating, in which the calendar year started at 25th March. England changed to the modern 'Gregorian' system in that year, with the year starting on 1st January. Before 1752, a date in February 1727 - as in Thomas Taylor's Inventory - would be towards the end of 1727, although in modern terms it would 'really' be at the beginning of 1728. To avoid confusion when transcribing or quoting old documents, dates up to 24 March 1752 are transcribed using the 'double date' system; the date of 1 February 1727 is therefore written as 1 February 1727/28.
‘Imprimis’ is Latin for ‘First’ – used frequently at the beginning of lists in wills, inventories, etc; usually followed by repetitions of ‘Item’, as here.
Mary Bendry, daughter of John and Jane, baptised 28 September 1702.
‘Christian Malford’ was often written as one word, and also often abbreviated to ‘Xian Malford’. The word ‘mourning’ is used here to refer to ‘mourning clothes’. A guinea was originally a gold coin worth 20 shillings, or one pound, but its value had varied depending on the prices of gold and silver. From 1717 it was fixed at 21 shillings. The spelling of ‘ginue’ is unusual.
The field known as ‘Hulls Down’ is shown in the 1840 Tithe map, just west of Draycot Cerne on the footpath to Kington Langley (where there is a horse paddock today). The field known as Clanville (Glanvill here) was to the north of Draycot Cerne, roughly where the new distribution centre is today, by Junction 17.
Meaning, not just those who have already been awarded Poor Relief payments by the parish. The Feast of St Thomas the Apostle was celebrated on 21st December as a day that saw the poor go round asking for money and food, including going door-to-door round the more well-off in the parish. This was known as going 'a Thomassing' or going 'a gooding'.
Kington Langley was part of the parish of Kington St Michael until 1865; the reference to the ‘poore of the parish of Langly’ here is an error. The Victoria County History (VCH) notes that: ‘In 1901 charities founded by William Woodrooff, Isaac Lyte, Margaret Sadler, Thomas Taylor and Thomas White, that served the entire ancient parish of Kington St Michael (including Kington Langley) were combined and placed under the administration of six trustees, including the vicar of Kington Langley and one member of the parish council.’ (VCH; Kington Langley. Complete draft 29082023, by Mark Forrest and Louise Ryland-Epton, with some editing by John Chandler. p. 21, n. 287.)
This is a surprisingly large amount of money for funeral expenses in the early 1700s for anywhere, never mind for a commoner in the small parish of Draycot Cerne.
'The ‘messuage’ was originally a piece of land occupied, or intended to be occupied, as a site for a dwelling-house. Over time it came to mean the building itself, but legal documents still referred to the 'tenement' or dwelling house' in addition to the messuage. The ‘tenement’ has had a range of meanings over the years, but essentially means land or real property which is held of another by any tenure; a holding. A hereditament is any item of property, either land, a building, or a rent, that can be inherited.
New Sarum is Salisbury. Bramshaw is today a small village just inside the New Forest in Hampshire; until 1895, it was divided into two parts, one half in Wiltshire and one half in Hampshire. The name Bramshaw means Bramble Wood. The apostrophe in ‘County’s of Wilts …’ appears in the original.
The Feast of the Annunciation, also known as Lady Day, is 25 March. The Feast of St Michael the Archangel, also known as Michaelmas, is 25 September. They are two of the Quarter Days on which rents were traditionally paid.
The OED has the word ‘overplus’ as ‘that which is over in addition to the main amount, or to what is allotted or needed; an additional or extra quantity; and amount left over, a surplus.’ The spelling here is definitely ‘overplush’, which does not appear in the OED.
Goods and chattels are personal possessions. Items of property other than freehold land, including tangible goods (chattels personal) and leasehold interests (chattels real). Any personal goods other than 'money, securities for money or property used solely or mainly for business purposes' fall into the definition of chattels.
‘Imp.’ Is short for ‘Imprimis’ – the Latin for ‘First’. This is used frequently at the beginning of lists in wills, inventories, etc; usually followed by repetitions of ‘Item’, as here.
A bedstead was a frame with slats, wooden boards or rope laid across, on which to put a mattress (the bed). Separate parts of the bed were itemised individually in Inventories. The hall was generally the main living room / living area. The hall and the kitchen often contained the more valuable items, as well as the table / table boards and chairs for dining. The ‘chest of prares’ is not understood – possibly a mis-spelling for ‘chest of drawers’. A utensil was an item or article 'useful or necessary in a household; a domestic implement, vessel or article of furniture' (OED). While it is used today more commonly to refer to the kitchen, it was previously used about any household items. See also 'lumber', eg in the chamber over the kitchen.
This is the first known reference in Sutton Benger and Draycot Cerne to an ‘up-market’ item such as a writing desk.
The 'white house' was the dairy. A press was normally an enclosed storage space, such as a closet or cupboard; or possibly a chest.
The table board would be used on trestles for a table, which would be folded away after use to make more room in the house.
A dozen was 12; three and a half dozen equals 42. A large number of plates for a house in Sutton Benger and Draycot Cerne, as was twenty dishes.
This was almost certainly not a room for the men to go to in order to smoke tobacco; it was most likely a room for smoking meat, fish, etc in order to preserve it. Smoking rooms in private British houses did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century. The fashion for smoking was boosted by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert adding a smoking room to their seaside retreat on the Isle of Wight in 1866.
Small beer was a type of weak beer that from medieval times until the 19th century was often brewed in the home and was the staple drink of most of the population of England in preference to water. The buttery was a storeroom for liquor and food and also for relevant equipment; usually adjacent to the kitchen. It is not clear if this was a buttery specifically for small beer; or a small buttery for beer: the brewhouse.
The reference to a 'clock and case' on the staircase is the first / earliest reference to a clock found so far (Oct 2024) in the Sutton Benger & Draycot Cerne wills.