Scope and Content
i) John Miller, Bedford, esquire, Receiver General for Bedfordshire
ii) Hannah Finch Miller, Bedford, spinster (sister of i))
iii) Thomas Pratt, Totternhoe, yeoman
reciting will of John Miller, Dunstable, father of i), 22 November 1784. All real estates in occupation of iii) to go to i) in trust for ii) during her life. After her decease, property to go to i)
Will proved (Bedford) 25 May 1793
now in consideration of £2,255 paid to credit of i) as Receiver General
i) with consent of ii) releases to iii)
… Chief Mansion House in Totternhoe, in occupation of iii), formerly William Herbert
… 100 acres in parish and fields of Totternhoe and Eaton Bray
… 2 cottages in Totternhoe, in occupation of Thomas Turnham and Thomas Pratt, labourer
all once estate of Richard Smyth and conveyed to John Miller (X472/4)
… 12 acres 1 rood in common fields of Totternhoe and Eaton Bray once in occupation of Thomas Martin
… in Quarry Field on Langrave furlong
… 1 piece arable (3 roods)
West: once Captain Watts, now Mrs Shipman
East: once Mr Barker, now ---
North: Cow Common
South: once William Jarman, gentleman, now Richard Gutteridge
… on Sherall furlong
… 1 piece arable (½ acre)
North: once Hillersden Franks, esquire, now Mrs Shipman
South: once Thomas Vise and now of i)
West: once Blandina Marsh and now Charity land
East: Thomas Pratt
… 1 piece of arable more on said furlong (1 acre)
North: once Thomas Vise, now of i)
South: John Mouse, now Mrs Shipman
West: once Mars[h]e Dickinson, gentleman and now ---
East: Thomas Pratt
… 1 rood more in same furlong
North: i)
South: once Robert Cooke and now Thomas Cooke
West: Cow common
East: once John Mouse, now John Pinniger
… 1 rood on same furlong
North: once Hillersden Frank[s], now Mrs Shipman
South: i)
West: Cow common
East: once John Mouse now John Pinniger
… in Litney field
… 1 piece arable (1½ acres)
North and South: formerly James Ashwell, gentleman, now William Beckford, esquire
East: Cow common
West: Lanbrook
… 1 piece meadow or pasture (½ acre)
West: formerly Thomas Fenn now of John Stonnell
East: formerly Hillersden Franks, now Mrs Shipman
North: Mrs Shipman
South: Miss Wilke
… in Ditchlong field
… 1 piece arable in Hale furlong (1 rood)
East: formerly Mrs Barker and now ---
West: i)
North: brook
South: headland once of Henry Brandreth and now of ---
… 1 piece arable (1 acre)
East: formerly James Ashwell and now of William Beckford
West: late Marshe Dickinson and now of John Miller
North: brook
South: headrood late Henry Brandreth now of Thomas Baskerville
… 1 piece arable on same furlong (2 acres 1 rood)
East: late Marshe Dickinson and now of John Munn
West: Hale Lane
North: brook
South: said headrood
… 1 piece arable on Long furlong (½ acre)
North: formerly William Jarman now Richard Gutteridge
South: late Marshe Dickinson now said John Munn
West: Sebrook
East: Weeper Stow
… 1 piece arable in same furlong (½ acre)
North and South: said Hillersden Frank, now Mrs Shipman
West: headland formerly of Mrs Mead now of Miss Wilks
East: More Lane
… 1 piece arable in same furlong (1 acre)
North: formerly Mrs Mead now Miss Wilks
South: formerly Mrs Barker now Thomas Baskerville
West: headland formerly of Mrs Mead now of Miss Wilks
East: More Lane
… in Fenn Mead
… 1 piece meadow or pasture (1 rood)
West: formerly Robert Cook, deceased, now William Groom
East: formerly Thomas Huxley, esquire now William Beckford
North: Fenn Mead brook
South: Fenn Mead furlong
… 1 piece meadow or pasture in same field (1 rood)
West: formerly Hillersden Frank, now Mrs Shipman
East: formerly Thomas Huxley now William Beckford
North: Fenn Mead brook
South: Fenn Mead furlong
… 1 piece meadow or pasture (½ acre)
West: Vicaridge land
East: formerly James Ashwell now William Beckford
North: Fenn Mead brook
South: Fenn Mead furlong
… in North Field
… 1 piece arable residue (1 acre)
East and West: formerly John Stanbridge now Timothy Smith
North: the Fanes
also abutting on My Piece
once the estate of Thomas Martin and then conveyed to John Miller, father of i) by lease and release of 9 and 10 April 1740
… 3 closes arable and pasture (3 acres) called Cobbs Pightles in Totternhoe
North East: once Mr Mead and James Ashwell, gentleman, now of Miss Wilks
South East: once Mrs Ashwell, now i)
one end abutting into Totternhoe Street
other end into West Field
all now in occupation of iii) and were conveyed to John Miller senior by Robert and Jone Eames and Thomas and Jane Vise by lease and release of 23 and 24 May 1749
… messuage or cottage in Totternhoe formerly in occupation of Barnard Home senior, then of John Home and now of widow Field
… orchard or backside adjoining (½ acre)
all lying and being between lands formerly of Mrs Ashwell and now of i) and conveyed to his father by feoffment of 22 February 1758
… 3 roods arable in Castle Yard in Castle Field in Totternhoe
both sides i)
West: Castle Hill
now in occupation of John Snoxall and once the estate of Thomas Collins of Tebworth in Chalgrave and John Collins, his son, and were conveyed by them to Gabriel Snoxall who conveyed them to John Miller senior, by feoffment of 16 December 1758
… messuage wherein Thomas Hensman dwelt and now in occupation of William Mead junior, in Totternhoe or Eaton Bray
… 45 acres arable in the common fields of Totternhoe and Eaton Bray, now in occupation of iii) and were conveyed to father of i) by John Gladman by lease and release of 22 and 23 January 1765
… site of a messuage in Totternhoe formerly in occupation of Edward Field
… pieces of arable and meadow in the common fields of Totternhoe and Eaton Bray
… 2½ acres in Knotts Piece
South: i)
… 1 acre 1 rood sward lying in Church Mead
South: i)
… ½ acre in West field
South: Thomas Baskerville
North: Mrs Shipman
… ½ acre more in same West Field
North: Thomas Baskerville
South East: Mrs Shipman
… 1acre more in Quarry Field and abutting between Quarry Hills
… 1 rood in Langrave
East: late John Balls and now of Thomas Baskerville and abutting upon the Cow common
… 3 roods upon Gold Hill above Icknall Way
North: once John Mouse and now John Pinnegar
… ½ acre in Middle Field
both sides once James Ashwell now William Beckford
… ½ acre in Chalkdell in Pinfold Field abutting on a headrood once of Mr Jarman and now Richard Gutteridge
… 1 rood more on Chalkwell next land of said Richard Gutteridge
said pieces land and site of messuage were once the estate of John Mouse, deceased, who devised it to his daughter Lucy Home, afterwards Lucy Bonnick, and conveyed by her and her husband William to John Miller, father of i), by lease and release of
24 and 25 March 1767 and a recovery of the same year
… several pieces of common land in Totternhoe and Eaton Bray in a field called West Field (6 acres)
… ½ acre
North West: once John Carter now i)
East: formerly John Herbert now William Beckford
… ½ acre
East: once Mr Nicholls now Mrs Shipman
North: formerly John Mouse now John Pinniger
abutting at one end on a brook
… 1 acre lying between land of Richard Ashwell and Thomas Baskerville abutting one end on Pinks Brook
… 1 acre more in Crab tree furlong
South: formerly Edwin Buckmaster now William Beckford
North: formerly Joseph Read now William Beckford
abutting at one end on the brook
… 3 x ½ acres more being together
West: formerly Michael Mouse now Thomas Baskerville
East: late Mrs Ashwell, now i)
… ½ acre more
East: formerly James Ashwell, gentleman, now William Beckford
West: formerly Mrs Ashwell, now i)
North: Pinks brook
… ½ acre more
North: once Gabriel Snoxall now ---
South: formerly John Robins junior, now of iii)
East: formerly John Mouse now John Pininger
… ½ acre residue in Ditchlong
North: once Daniel Hobbs now Mrs Shipman
South: i)
abutting on headland, once Mrs Mead now Miss Wilks
said pieces land were formerly the estate of Gabriel Snoxall and conveyed by him to father of i) by lease and release of 24 and 25 March 1766
… piece meadow in Totternhoe in between brooks called Picked Corner (½ acre) now in occupation of iii)
West: West Field
North: i)
South: once Mr Shipman or Shipton, now Mrs Shipman
West: brook
formerly the estate of Henry Turpin of Edlesborough and then of his daughter Mary Tompkins, widow, who conveyed it to John Miller, father of i) by feoffment of 14 April 1774
total - 175 acres 2 roods (estimated)
- 154 acres (measured)
covenant to levy fine of the property
reciting also deed of 27 April 1741
a) John Dodd, Totternhoe, tailor
Henry Sibley, Bidwell, Houghton Regis, yeoman
b) Henry Dodd, Eastham, Essex, yeoman
consideration: £130
a) demised to b)
… messuage in Totternhoe where Henry Whitehead formerly dwelt, now in occupation of said John Dodd
South East: John Dodd
North: street
… piece arable or pasture called Inlands or Englands (4 acres) in Totternhoe next Everitts Lane
East: common highway
… 1½ acres arable in Quarry Field in Totternhoe
term: 1,000 years
repayment: £130 plus interest
reciting deed of assignment of 21 June 1762
1) Joseph Marks, Eastham, Essex, yeoman
George Herbert, Waltham Holy Cross, Essex, yeoman and wife Ann (who with Lucy, late wife of said Joseph Marks, deceased, was heir of Henry Dodd, deceased)
2) John Miller, father of i)
buildings mortgaged - as above - were consumed by fire a few years later, which reduced the value of the estate. On 28 April 1746 Henry Sibley conveyed said property to Henry Dodd
now in consideration of £110
1) sold to 2)
… premises as above, for remainder of said term of years
now in consideration of said sum of £2,255 paid by iii)
i) and ii) assign to iii)
… said piece of ground where messuage formerly stood
… ground etc.
for remainder of said term of 1,000 years
i) covenants tp produce his marriage settlement, if necessary
copy signatures of i) and ii)
receipt for £2,255
witnesses: (copy signatures) John Hooper, William Kingston, William Chambers