X440/242

Abstract of Title of William Dawson esquire to freehold & copyhold land in Biggleswade

1804

From: 1687 To: 1804

1-2 August 1687 Lease & Release i) Robert Constable of Biggleswade, gentleman, son & heir of Ralph Constable of Biggleswade, aforesaid gentleman deceased & wife Ann Alicia Constable of Bourne, Cambridgeshire, spinster, daughter of said Ralph & Ann ii) Jane Whiteinge of Biggleswade, widow consideration: £260.5.0 - 3/4 of close called the Spectacles containing 8 acres or so much as is freehold in Biggleswade at the Towns End leading to Langford then occupied by William Leighton whereon ancient messuage stood - 5 acre piece containing 5 acres in Biggleswade in occupation of William Leighton 8 August 1687 Indenture i) George Draper of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, gentleman, one of the creditors & administrators of goods of Ralph Constable late of Biggleswade, gentleman, deceased ii) Jane Whiteinge, widow iii) Robert Constable (as above) Philip Constable of Aldermanbury, London, cabinet-maker, youngest son of said Ralph Constable Alicia Constable (as above) consideration: £40 i) at direction of ii) quitclaimed to iii) - all right in 5 acre piece & the Spectacles 22 November 1687 Release i) Philip Constable (as above) ii) Jane Whiteing consideration: £76.15.0 - 1/4 of the Spectacles - 5 acre piece 14 August 1689 Will of Jane Whiteinge - lands & tenements at Biggleswade to Mary Easton, daughter of John Easton of London, junior - void if she die before 21 without issue in which case premises to go to her sister Ann Greenwood, widow, for term of life & then to John Easton & his heirs 4 December 1751 Will of Mary Reynolds of Biggleswade (marginal note that she was daughter of John Easton) - to daughter Mary Heywood of Biggleswade, widow, for life messuage in Biggleswade where testatrix now lives subject to payment of £4 per annum to poor of Biggleswade given by testatrix’s late uncle John Wright - residue of real estate in Biggleswade also to Mary Heywood - after death of said daughter, said messuage where testatrix lives, also 3 meadows in Biggleswade in occupation of said Mary Heywood & Peter Drury, shoemaker, to grandson Peter Heywood; after death of said Mary Heywood, residue of real estate to grandson James Heywood & granddaughter Beatrice Heywood, children of said Mary, in such proportions as Mary shall appoint, (for want of such appointment, devises it to them as tenants in common) 29 December 1758 Will of Mary Heywood late of Biggleswade but then of Highgate Middlesex - recites above will, ratifies devise to Beatrice & James as tenants in common Abstracts X440/235-7 14 April 1778 Will of John Taylor - to nephew Thomas Green of Ampthill Grange, farmer, copyhold cottage in Biggleswade late in occupation of John Taylor now --- Weston grocer, which testator's father purchased of Richard Hide, barber, deceased - also slipe of garden ground & part of barn which belonged to Chequer Inn which father purchased of Charles Fletcher now occupied --- Weston - also pasture or arable called the Spectacles, part freehold, part copyhold - also piece of pasture or arable called the 5 acres which testator purchased of Beatrice & James Heywood now occupied by William Wheeler - all aforesaid estates to be sold for payment of following legacies: to niece Mary Williams £200 to niece Mary Bussard interest on £200 for life then to be divided between her children to niece Elizabeth Theed Taylor £200 to executor £80 to place on security to pay produce to dissenting minister of Maulden - nephew Thomas Green residuary legatee & sole executor abstracts X440/238-40 Copyhold of Manor of Biggleswade: 2 August 3 James III [sic, recte II = 1687] Admission Robert Audley surrenders part of close called Spectacles in occupation of William Laiton to uses as in will of Ann Constable, deceased viz: 1/2 to Robert Contable eldest son 1/4 to son Philip Constable 1/4 to daughter Alicia Constable fine: 1s 8d each then: said Robert & Alicia surrender their 3/4 share to use of Jane Whiteing, widow, who is admitted fine: 1s 4d 12 & 13 May 1701 Admission present that at court 1-3 October 1 William & Mary [1689] it was presented that Jane Whiteing of Biggleswade, widow, surrendered 3 May 1689 - part of close called Spectacles at Towns End leading to Langford to use of will; her will dated 14 August 1689, bequeathed to Mary then wife of Anthony Reynolds, gentleman (formerly Easton, daughter of Joseph [sic] Easton of London junior [etc as above] Jane Whiteing since died; said Mary admitted; fines: 3s, 9d, 1s 3d 26 October 1757 Admission recites above, land being held at rent of 4s 9d per annum recites will of Mary Reynolds 1751 (see above ) Mary Heywood now admitted under said will; fine: 1s 7d & 1d 1759 recitals as in above James Heywood (by Beatrice Heywood his attorney) now admitted under said will rent by apportionment: 2s & 4½d fine: 9½d 23 & 24 October, 7 November 1759 & 2 January 1760 recitals as above & recites admission of Mary Heywood 1757 who has since died without making limitation of said premises; now Beatrice Heywood admitted to moiety of said premises rent by apportionment : 2s 4½d fine: 9½d 14 & 15 April 1761 Admission on 25 March 1761 James Heywood of Watling Street, City of London, druggist & Beatrice Heywood of the same, spinster surrendered out of court: - close called Spectacles - enclosed parcel arable in common field called Holme Side 5 acres : South Thomas Marshall : North Edward Rudd : West road from Biggleswade to Langford : East land said Thomas Marshall all which premises in occupation of John Brown to use of John Taylor who is admitted rent: 4s 9d fine: 1s 7d 17 & 18 April 1781 Admission John Taylor died seised of - close called the Spectacles - land called the Holme occupied by William Wheeler having surrendered same to use of will 14 & 15 April 1761 will dated 14 April 1778 devised to nephew Thomas Green - piece of pasture or arable called the Spectacles being part freehold & part copyhold - piece pasture or arable called the Five Acres purchased of James & Beatrice Heywood, now in occupation William Wheeler on trust to sell, proceeds to discharge legacies residue real & personal estate to said Thomas Green sole executor who is admitted rent & fine as above 24, 25, 29 April 1789 Admission 22 September 1787 Thomas Green of Ampthill Grange, yeoman, surrendered out of court - said close called the Spectacles to use of William Dawson of Ampthill who is admitted by Samuel Davis junior his attorney rent & fine as above endorsed: Davis, junior, Ampthill

item

Dawson, William,
Constable, Robert,
Constable, Ralph,
Constable, Ann,
Constable, Alicia,
Whiteing, Jane,
Leighton, William,
Draper, George,
Constable, Philip,
Easton, Mary,
Easton, John,
Greenwood, Ann,
Reynolds, Mary,
Heywood, Mary,
Wright, John,
Drury, Peter,
Heywood, Peter,
Heywood, James,
Heywood, Beatrice,
Taylor, John,
Green, Thomas,
Weston,
Hide, Richard,
Fletcher, Charles,
Wheeler, William,
Williams, Mary,
Bussard, Mary,
Taylor, Elizabeth Theed,
Audley, Robert,
Reynolds, Anthony,
Easton, Joseph,
Marshall, Thomas,
Rudd, Edward,
Brown, John,
Davis, Samuel

BUILDINGS & LAND USE, freehold land, copyhold, Biggleswade fields, BIGGLESWADE, Bourne [Cambridgeshire], Biggleswade Langford Road, Hitchin, creditors, City of London Aldermanbury, cabinet maker, wills, HOUSING, London, charity, shoemaker, Highgate, Ampthill Grange, farmer, cottages, grocer, barber, agricultural buildings, Biggleswade Chequers, High Street, money, dissenting minister, MAULDEN, surrenders, fines, rentals, Watling Street, druggist, arable, trusts, AMPTHILL, attorney