customheader

Hexhamshire Wills – Transcripts

This page links to the transcriptions of Hexhamshire wills from the early eighteenth century.  These comprise over 120 pages of transcripts. Some of the final few pages of the volume have been used for copies of miscellaneous documents relating to the Church, in a later hand.

Wills and Inventories included

Note; in the 17th and 18th centuries the spelling of surnames could be very variable, sometimes even in the same document. In this list, we have used the spelling at the beginning of each document, with variants noted. See the Introduction for more information about these documents, and the Glossary of Terms for help with obscure words.

  • Page 1, Will, Mathew Fairlamb, 26 January 1694/5*, p 1
  • Page 2, Will, Mathew Fairlamb, 26 January 1694/5*, p 2; Will, John Charleton, 28 January 1694/5*
  • Page 3, Will, John Nevin, 20 October 1694; Will, William Johnson, 25 September 1694
  • Page 4, Will, George Dawson, 23 November 1685; Will, Thomas Robinson, 2 January 1694/5
  • Page 5, Will, John Dawson, 6 January 1694/95*; Will, John Bell (of Hexham), undated; Inventory, John Dawson, 22 August 1695
  • Page 6, Will, John Bell (of Wester Fynney), 9 March 1694
  • Page 7, Will, William Errington, 21 January 1695
  • Page 8, Will, William Teasdale, 24 November 1695; Will, Jane Bell, 4 June 1696 (Probably the widow of John Bell of Wester Fynney)
  • Page 9, Will, Robert Pearson, 15 August 1695
  • Page 10, Will, John Johnson, 11 September 1696; Will, Thomas Jackson, 15 January 1695, p 1
  • Page 11, Will, Thomas Jackson, 15 January 1695, p 2; Will, Francis Little, 13 April 1696
  • Page 12, Will, Robert Peirson (also spelt Pearson), 16 February 1695; Will, Richard Walton, 18 April 1695
  • Page 13, Will, John Robson, 19 January 1694
  • Page 14, Will, Richard Ord (also spelt Orde), 24 August 1676 (This is the oldest will in the volume, and the related memorandum declares that it was shown to Mr Orde when on his deathbed and that he validated it.)
  • Page 15, Memorandum, Richard Orde, 19 January 1696; Will, George Armstrong, 21 November 1696
  • Page 16, Will, William Lee, 23 November 1697
  • Page 17, Will, John Charleton, 11 August 1697; Will, John Cragg, 20 March 1695
  • Page 18, Will, John Taite, 23 February 1697, p 1
  • Page 19, Will, John Taite, 23 February 1697, p 2; Will, Christopher Simpson, 10 March 1696
  • Page 20, Will, John Leadbitter, 30 March 1696
  • Page 21, Will, Joseph Oxley, May 26 1698; Will, Robert Baxter, March 22 1697/8*
  • Page 22, Will, John Batteson (also spelt Bateson), 8 December 1694; Inventory, John Batteson, 9 June 1698
  • Page 23, Will, George Carr, 18 April 1698; Will, John Rickardson (also spelt Richardson), 14 April 1699, p 1
  • Page 24, Will, John Rickardson, 14 April 1699, p 2
  • Page 25, Will, John Rickardson, 14 April 1699, p 3; Inventory, John Rickardson, 20 May 1699, p 1
  • Page 26, Inventory, John Rickardson, 20 May 1699, p 2; Will, Robert Swinburne, 27 April 1699, p 1
  • Page 27, Will, Robert Swinburne, 27 April 1699, p 2; Inventory, Robert Swinburne, 16 August 1699
  • Page 28, Will, Christopher Ord, 20 August 1699; Will, Catherine Leadbitter, 9 April 1698, p 1
  • Page 29, Will, Catherine Leadbitter, 9 April 1698, p 2; Inventory, Catherine Leadbitter, 30 January 1698, p 1
  • Page 30, Inventory, Catherine Leadbitter, 30 January 1698, p 2; Will, John Heron, 14 June 1699, p 1
  • Page 31, Will, John Heron, 14 June 1699, p 2
  • Page 32, Inventory, John Heron, 19 July 1699
  • Page 33, Inventory, Frances Shield, 8 May 1697; Inventory, Thomas Williamson, Undated
  • Page 34, Will, Leonard Sheild, 1698; Inventory, Leonard Sheild, 16 December 1699
  • Page 35, Will, Alexander Williamston, 31 May 1699; Inventory, 5 June 1699, p 1
  • Page 36, Inventory Alexander Williamston, 5 June 1699, p 2; Inventory, Mathew Mitcheson, 30 March 1699
  • Page 37, Will, Leonard Wilson, 17 October 1699, p 1
  • Page 38, Will, Leonard Wilson, 17 October 1699, p 2; Inventory, Leonard Wilson, 28 February 1699/1700*
  • Page 39, Inventory, John Corry, 18 December 1699
  • Page 40, Inventory, Jerrard Vicars, 18 December 1699; Will, Richard Gibson, 8 January 1697, p 1
  • Page 41, Will, Richard Gibson, 8 January 1697, p 2
  • Page 42, Will, Richard Gibson, 8 January 1607, p 3; Inventory, Richard Gibson, 15 May 1700, p 1
  • Page 43, Inventory, Richard Gibson, 15 May 1700, p 2; Will, Robert Booteland, 17 March 1697, p 1
  • Page 44, Will, Robert Booteland, 17 March 1699, p 2; Inventory, Robert Booteland, 12 March 1699
  • Page 45, Will, Phillip Jefferson, 22 December 1699, p 1
  • Page 46, Will, Phillip Jefferson, 22 December 1699, p 2; Inventory, Phillip Jefferson, 12 February 1699/1700*
  • Page 47, Will, Edward Robson, 28 February 1698/9*
  • Page 48, Will, Edward Robson, 28 February 1698/9*, p 2, Inventory, 4 May 1700
  • Page 49, Inventory, William Parker, 14 May 1700; Inventory, Issabell Cuthbert, Undated
  • Page 50, Will, Issabell Cuthbert, 5 March 1699; Inventory, Francis Errington, 30 March 1699
  • Page 51, Will, Gerrard Keenliside, 19 January 1699/1700; Inventory, 15 February 1699/1700*
  • Page 52, Inventory, William Leadbitter, 17 January 1700/1, p.1 (see Glossary of Terms for the many textile terms in this inventory)
  • Page 53, Inventories: William Leadbitter, 17 January 1700, p 2; John Bell, 9 November 1700
  • Page 54, Inventory, William Teasdaile (no date, but see page 55)
  • Page 55, Will, William Teasdaile, 18 May 1699
  • Page 56, Inventories: John Richardson, no date; Robert Bell the elder, 4 November 1700
  • Page 57, Inventory, John Aynsley, 5 August 1699; Inventory, Thomas Dawson, 25 October 1700
  • Page 58, Inventories, John Walton, 15 August 1701; Thomas Wilson, 17 April 1701. The holding  of Farnshields (Farney Shields) and a number of others in the next group of wills appear in their modern spelling in Hodgson’s History of Northumberland as part of the Ninebanks estate. The details seem to have been copied by Canon Raine, one of Hodgson’s collaborators, from the archdiocese records in York.
  • Page 59, Inventories; John Stoute, 26 April 1701; Edward Shaftoe, 23 September 1700
  • Page 60, Inventories, William Pattison, 6 Sep 1701; John Johnsons, 10 Oct 1701; Isabell Peirson alias Maugham, 4 Nov 1701 (Maugham is presumably her maiden name)
  • Page 61, Will, Christopher Wilkinson, 27 February 1700/01, p 1.  Wilkinson left money in this will for the setting up of a Free School in Allendale. This was done in 1704, with the help of various other legacies detailed by Hodgson in his History of Northumberland. He also left money for a bridge at Oakpool. The school was at Brides Hill, Thornleygate, and the building still exists. Follow this link for a picture of the school on the Allen Valleys Local History Group website. The bridge is also still standing; follow this link for an article and a picture.
  • Page 62, Will, Christopher Wilkinson,  p 2
  • Page 63, Will, Christopher Wilkinson, p 3; Inventory, Elizabeth Heron, 11 June, 1702, p 1
  • Page 64, Inventory, Elizabeth Heron, p 2; Will, John Richardson, 25 February 1700/1701
  • Page 65, Inventory, John Richardson,11 Jan 1702/3; Will, Joseph Wallton,16 Jan 1701/2*; his name is spelt Wallton in the will, Walton in the Inventory on the next page
  • Page 66, Inventory, Joseph Walton, 7 April 1702; Will, Samuel Kell, 10 June 1701, p 1
  • Page 67, Will, Samuel Kell, 10 June 1701, p2; Will, Christopher Stevenson, 1 January 1703. Stevenson’s residence appears to be Acton on this page, but Aiton in the inventory on p 68. Hodgson, in his History of Northumberland, does not mention an Aiton or Ayton, but does have a Stephenson of Acton in Allendale.
  • Page 68, Inventory, Christopher Stevenson, undated but presumably later than his will on page 67; Will, Robert Nicholson, p 1, Unusually, this will has no date, but must be earlier than the date of the inventory on page 70
  • Page 69, Will, Robert Nicholson, p 2.
  • Page 70, Inventory, Robert Nicholson, 9 April 1701; Will, William Correy (also spelt Corey) 15 October 1701,p 1
  • Page 71, Will, William Correy, 15 October 1701, p 2; Inventory, William Correy, 3 November 1701
  • Page 72, Will, Roger Barron, 9 May 1702
  • Page 73, Will, Fenwick Downes, 25 February 1702, p 1
  • Page 74, Will, Fenwick Downes, 25 February 1702, p 2; Will, Joseph Bell, 8 November 1700, p 1
  • Page 75, Will, Joseph Bell, 8 November 1700, p 2
  • Page 76, Will, Joseph Bell, 8 November 1700, p 3
  • Page 77, Inventory, Joseph Bell, 27 November 1700; Will, Henry Fenwick, 2 December 1703, p 1
  • Page 78, Will, Henry Fenwick, 2 December 1703, p 2
  • Page 79, Inventory, Henry Fenwick, 10 (or 12) January 1703/04*
  • Page 80, Will, James Oliver the Younger, 19 August 1703, p 1
  • Page 81, Will, James Oliver the Younger, 19 August 1703, p 2; and Inventory, 11 October 1703
  • Page 82, Will, William Bowman, 25 September 1700, p 1. His holding is called the Pow in the Will, the Bow in the inventory on page 83
  • Page 83, Will, William Bowman, 25 September 1700, p 2; Inventory, 12 June 1704
  • Page 84, Will, James Hind (also spelt Hinde), 29 January 1703
  • Page 85, Inventory, James Hind(e), 19 May 1704; Will, James Charleton, 24 January 1701, p 1
  • Page 86, Will, James Charleton, 14 January 1701, p 2; Memorandum 24 January 1701
  • Page 87, Inventory, James Charleton, 26 August 1702; Will, John Archbald, 10 February 1703
  • Page 88, Will, John Archbald p 2; Will, Robert Stokoe, 25 September 1702
  • Page 89, Inventory, John Errington, 7 February 1703/4*
  • Page 90, Will, Barbara Sparke, 22 July 1704. Her first name is spelt variously Barbara, Barbary, or Barbery, and her surname and that of her relatives Spark or Sparke. Leaving only a shilling to someone (as she is doing to her brothers) was a way of snubbing them, without giving them the chance to say they had been ignored and so the will should be overturned.
  • Page 91, Inventory, Barbara Spark, 17 August 1704; Will, Thomas Lee, 11 August 1704, p 1
  • Page 92, Will, Thomas Lee, 11 August 1704, p 2
  • Page 93, Will, Thomas Lee, 11 August 1704, p 3
  • Page 94, Will, Elizabeth Teasdale, 26 February 1699
  • Page 95, Inventory, E Teasdale, 1 Jan 1704/5*; Will, John Thirlwall, p 1, 27 Jan 1703, p 1. This will is transcribed by Hodgson in his History of Northumberland (page 24), but with some variant spellings. In particular, he gives Thirlwall’s place of residence as Easter Greenridge.
  • Page 96, Will, John Thirlwall, p 2; Inventory, John Thirlwall, 1 March 1703/4*
  • Page 97, Inventory, Anthony Watson, 8 February 1704/5*
  • Page 98, Inventory, William Dawson, 10 October 1705
  • Page 99, Inventory, Cuthbert Bell, 27 September 1704
  • Page 100, Inventory, James Watson, 31 July 1705, P 1
  • Page 101, Inventories, James Watson, 31 July 1705, p 2, and Timothy Johnson, 3 May 1705
  • Page 102, Inventory,Timothy Johnston, p 2, Will,  Cuthbert Bell, 8 September 1704, p 1
  • Page 103, Will,  Cuthbert Bell, 8 September 1704, p 2
  • Page 104, Will, James Watson, 20 June 1705, page 1 (this relates to the Inventory at pages 100 and 102)
  • Page 105, Will, James Watson, 20 June 1705, p 2; Will, Timothy Johnson, 6 April 1705, p 1
  • Page 106, Will, Timothy Johnson, 6 April 1705, p 2. According to  Hodgson‘s History of Northumberland (p.8), ‘Newlands and Rowley-Ward’ mentioned here, are archaic names for the district of Hexhamshire.
  • Page 107, Will, Timothy Johnson, 6 April 1705, p 2
  • Page 108, Will, T Johnson, 6 April 1705, p 4; Will, Nicholas Walker, 19 March 1700, p 1
  • Page 109, Will, Nicholas Walker, 19 March 1700, p 2; Will, Mathew Lee of Middlehope, 5 Dec 1705, p 1
  • Page 110, Will, Mathew Lee, p 2; Will, Thomas Wise, 2 December 1700, p 1
  • Page 111, Will, Thomas Wise, 2 December 1700, p 2
  • Page 112, Will, Thomas Wise 2 December 1700, p 3 + Memorandum 7 February 1700/01*; Will, Barbary Bell, 28 December 1706, p 1. The Memorandum relates to the endowment for a free school bequeathed by Christopher Wilkinson at page 61
  • Page 113, Will, Barbary Bell, 28 December 1706, p 2; Will, Margaret Walton, 16 September 1706, p 1. Her dwelling place, Nether Moop, was known as Nether Mope in the eighteenth century (Hodgson‘s History of Northumberland, page 121)
  • Page 114, Will, Margaret Walton, 16 September 1706, p 2; Will, Matthew Lee, 8 October 1706, p 1
  • Page 115, Will, Matthew Lee of Whitely Sheele, 8 October 1706, p 2; Will, Edward Stokoe, 9 January 1705, p 1
  • Page 116, Will, Edward Stokoe, 9 January 1705, p 2; Will, John Whitton, 18 March 1706/7*, p 1
  • Page 117, Wills, John Whitton 18 March 1706/7, p2; Titus Angus 30 Jan 1706, p 1
  • Page 118, Will, Titus Angus, 30 January 1706, p 2
  • Page 119, Will, Titus Angus, 30 January 1706, p 3
  • Page 120, Will, Peter Thirlewall, 7 December 1700, p 1. According to Hodgson‘s History of Northumberland, page 51, Thirlewall was 94 when he died. Hodgson provides a family tree for his eighteenth-century descendants.
  • page 121, Will, Peter Thirlewall, 7 December 1700, p 2. This is the last will in the volume

Some of the final few pages of the volume have been used for copies of miscellaneous documents relating to the Church, in a later hand. Where the text is in Latin, the translation is given further down on the page.

  • Page 122, Certificate of a Doctorate awarded in 1630 by Cambridge University to John Cosin. Cosin was a supporter of the High Church policy of Archbishop Laud at the time, and after the Restoration became Bishop of Durham. See Wikipedia for more details of his career
  • Pages 123 and 124, blanks
  • Page 125, Form of words for the ordination of a deacon
  • Page 126, Three articles of religious conformity
  • Page 129, Oath of Canonical Obedience
  • Page 130, blank
  • Page 131, Oath of Allegiance

*See the Introduction for an explanation of why some of the dates are recorded in this way.

Below are the links to each separate page

These are all the transcriptions that have been uploaded from the WILLS volume. Read down then across: