Reference
R6/15/1/17
Title
Copy will of George Baker
Date free text
15 February 1666 [1667]
Production date
From: 1667 To: 1667
Scope and Content
Copy will of George Baker of Cranfield, gentleman:
- “being weak and infirm in body”;
- bequeathing to his wife Elizabeth until his son George was 21 all issues and profits from the west part of his dwelling in Cranfield, hall, buttery and parlour with chambers over, the new milkhouse, stable and woodhouse adjoining and garden before the parlour door, bee garden, new orchard and yard before the hall door with free passage to the adjoining Inhome Close, together with rents and profits of that close as well as Mauds Pightle, Plowed Close and Backhouse Pightle, Elizabeth suffering no waste nor lopping any tree and allowing the owner and tenant of the eastern part of the house passage across the yard in front of the hall door to the Green;
- Elizabeth to deliver to the testator’s brother William for the use of the testator’s children a release of her right of dower in all his lands;
- if his wife remarried she was to lose the benefit of the house and closes and receive £10 per annum from his land “wherewith shee sayth shee is well pleased and contented”;
- if his son George died before he was 21 and without issue the testator devised his dwelling house and closes mentioned above together with Longe Close (divided into three containing 16 acres) to his wife remainder to male children of theirs, in default to his heirs for ever;
- devising to his wife Baudins or Baudwins Close in Astwood [Buckinghamshire] in his own occupation;
- John Pitkin, Thomas Money, Richard Kilpin and Thomas Gregory were in possession of the Manor of Cranfield in trust for 500 years (after the determination of which trustees were Gilbert Stoughton, deceased, Nicholas Price, William Bedcott and Henry Odell) for William Baker, Thomas Odell, William Field, John Girton, Peter Edwards, Joell Baker, Alice Wheeler and himself and testator devised his share to his brother William;
- bequeathing to his son George his sliver tankard, silver cup, a dozen silver spoons and a piece of gold worth about £4 and all his gold rings “which were his mother’s”, a joined bedstead in the chamber over the parlour, four feather beds, half the bedcloth and half the brass and pewter and household goods “which were his mother’s”;
-bequeathing to his son George his “Quarner and Mault mill”;
- willing that his brother William educate the testator’s son George during his minority and be his guardian until he he was eighteen;
- bequeathing a feather bed and two silver spoons each to his children Thomas and Elizabeth;
- making his wife sole executrix
- witnesses: Charles Dymoke and Henry Wheeler
Level of description
item