Scope and Content
(I) Will of 25 Jun 1727 of Richard Willis of Great Barford, yeoman containing a devise to his wife Frances Willis of all his real estate in Great Barford, the house being in occupation of John Ravens and lands in testator's own possession, for her life and, after her death, to his brother John Willis in trust for sale for the equal benefit of the testator's children
(II) Lease and release of 2 & 3 Nov 1764
Parties:
(i) Richard Willis of Elstow, gentleman (administrator of goods and chattels of John Willis, late of Sandy, yeoman, deceased);
(ii) Henry Hurst of Bedford, yeoman and Ann Frances his wife; Mary Wootten of Harrold, widow;
(iii) John Wootten of Great Barford, victualler
Reciting:
- Frances, wife of Richard Willis, was dead and Anna Frances Hurst, Mary Wootten and Sarah, wife of John Wootten were the three surviving children of Richard Willis the testator
Operative Part:
- (i), at request of (ii) conveyed (a)-(e) to (iii) for 164
Property:
(a) 28a 1r 20p of arable land, leys and meadow, dispersed in common fields of Great Barford in occupation of William Baker;
(b) 5 gores and 3 lands containing 2 acres abutting: W on Green Ditch Baulk; E on land land of Mr.Delame; N on Boats Close; S on Lower Clays; one pightle called Upper Dothan abutting: E on Green Ditch Baulk; W on land formerly of Lady Franklin; S on land formerly of John Harrard; a pightle called Lower Dothan abutting: E on Green Bitch Baulk; W on land formerly of John Boston; N on Rickyard Lane;
(c) 2 closes containing 5 acres and half an acre of meadow ground in great Mead abutting: N on land formerly of Lady Franklin; S land formerly of Mr.Symonds; W on Great Mead Heydons; E on land formerly of Mr.Huxley;
(d) inclosed ground of half a rood in formerly arable land in Little Field abutting: N on Parsonage Close; S on Barford Church; W a way to Parsonage Close; E land formerly of Leonard Field;
(e) a cottage
(III) Will of 19 Feb 1766 of John Wootton [sic] devising to his wife Sarah Wootton for her life 28 acres of ploughed land and meadow in common fields of Great Barford, with house in occupation of Matthew Field and house in testator's own occupation; after her death to his son Richard Wootton who, from the land, was to pay a legacy of 60 to testator's other son William when he attained 21 years; the will was proved in Archdeaconry Court of Bedford on 29 Nov 1766
(IV) Release of 18 Apr 1781 from William Wootton on receipt of the legacy of 60 bequeathed to him
(V) Demise for 1,000 years by way of Mortgage of 23 May 1778
Parties:
(i) Richard Wootton of Great Barford, tailor;
(ii) Edward Emery of Great Barford, gentleman
Operative Part:
- (ii) lent 150 at 4.75% interest to (i) on security of (a)
Property:
(a) 28a 1r 20p of arable, leys and meadow in common fields of Great Barford late in occupation of William Baker, then of Richard Wootton
(VI) Assignment of Mortgage of 28 Apr 1781
Parties:
(i) Edward Emery of Blunham, gentleman;
(ii) Richard Wootton;
(iii) Francis Bushby of Ampthill, tailor
Reciting:
- part repayment of the mortgage of 80, leaving 70 outstanding, all interest having been paid
Operative Part:
- (iii) paid 70 to (ii) and 30 to (i) and (ii) assigned the mortgage and (a) in (V) to (iii)
(VII) Lease and release of 6 & 7 Dec 1784
Parties:
(i) Richard Wootton of Great Barford, tailor (eldest son and devisee of John Wootton, late of great Barford, victualler by Sarah his wife, both deceased) and Alice his wife;
(ii) Anna Frances Hurst of Bedford, widow; William Wootton of Harrold, gentleman (eldest son and heir of mary Wootton, late of Harrold, widow, deceased);
(iii) Benjamin Jefferies of Great Barford, yeoman
Operative Part:
- (iii) paid 140 to (i) and 10/- to each of (ii);
- (i) and (ii) conveyed (a)-(c) to (iii)
Property: 27 acres of arable, ley and sweard ground in common fields of Great Barford in occupation of (iii) being:
(a) 10 acres in Further North Field;
(b) 10 acres in Hither North Field;
(b) 7 acres in Mill Field
Covenant:
- to levy a fine sur conizance de droit come ceo
(VIII) Fine of Michaelmas Term 25 Geo.III between Benjamin Jefferies, plaintiff and Richard Wootton and Alice his wife, deforciants, of 27 acres of land, 3 acres of pasture and common of pasture for all manner of cattle in Great Barford
(IX) Assignment of Mortgage of 17 Oct 1785
Parties:
(i) Thomas Bushby of Flitton, gentleman, (father and administrator of goods of Francis Bushby, late of Ampthill, tailor, deceased);
(ii) Benjamin Jefferies of Great Barford, yeoman;
(iii) William Watkins of Bedford, brandy merchant
Operative Part:
- (ii) paid 107/7/- to (i);
- (iii) paid 5/- to (i);
- (i), with consent of (ii) transferred to (iii) unused term of 1,000 years as catalogued in (V)
(X) Contract of 15 Mar 1799, registered on 1 May, following no.3285 redeeming all Land Tax on (a)-(b) in (VII)
(XI) Death, intestate, of Benjamin Jefferies on 5 Oct 1795 leaving his only son Benjamin Jefferies as his heir at law, who died at Great Barford on 16 Aug 1820 having made a will abstracted as (XIII) below
(XII) Will of 15 Aug 1801 of William Watkins, coal merchant of Bedford appointing his friends William Long of Bedford, brewer (now Sir William Long, knight, of Kempston House) and Theed Pearse of Bedford, gentleman, as his executors who proved his will in PCC on 25 Feb 1803
(XIII) Will of 14 Aug 1820 of Benjamin Jefferies in which:
- he devised to his son Benjamin Jefferies one 7th part of his lands in Great Barford charged with 7th part of the total incumbrances and with payment of 700 owing by Benjamin Jefferies junior to be paid by him and distributed as part of the testator's personal estate;
- he devised to his son William Robert Jefferies another 7th part of the Great Barford lands;
- he devised the other five 7ths to his son Benjamin Jefferies and his friends Thomas Street of Renhold, yeoman and Robert Jefferies, living with Earl Ludlow of Cople in trust for the testator's five younger children, with powers of sale;
(XIV) Death of Benjamin Jefferies senior on 16 Aug 1820, his will being proved in PCC on 6 Apr 1821
(XV) Inclosure Act of Great Barford of 1 Geo.IV (1820)
(XVI) Office extract of Great Barford Inclosure Award of 24 Oct 1824 alloting to devisees of Benjamin Jefferies deceased, amongst other allotments, 1a 1r 19p in Town's End Leys, Great Barford bounded: SW by Wilden Road; NW by third public drain; part NE by first public drain; part NE and part SE by ancient inclosure of Overseers of Poor of Great Barford; part SE by turnpike road; boundary fences to NW and next to roads to be erected and maintained by devisees.