Scope and Content
burial in the vault near 2 late wives in Ashburnham parish church.
reciting: Release. 5 Jun 1650
(i) John Ashburnham
(ii) Anthony Stapeley
Herbert Morley
Sir Denny Ashburnham
Peter Farnden
Sir Edmund Turner
William Dutton
-- Manor of Ashburnham, Sussex, and other property in trust to pay rent charge of £500 to Elizabeth
Ashburnham, widow of William Ashburnham, Esquire, deceased, late son & heir apparent of (i), for life.
Term of 99 years.
reciting: Grant. £3000 24 Aug 1664
(i) Elizabeth Ashburnham, widow
(ii) John Ashburnham.
-- rent charge of £500
reciting: Lease & Release 18, 19 Mar 1669/70
(i) John Ashburnham
(ii) Sir Orlando Bridgeman, Baronet, Chief Justice of Common Pleas
Sir Hugh Smith, Baronet, Knight of the Bath
John Lawrence, Clifford's Inn
-- rent charge for life of Elizabeth Ashburnham in trust for (i)
-- The trustees to stand possessed of the rent charge for John Ashburnham, son of William Ashburnham
and the testator's grandson.
[reciting: 5 June 1650.
-- trustees to pay rent charge of £300 per annum to son William for life
-- to raise the following portions:
- £500 to Fra[ncis] Turville on marriage, with interest in meantime at 8%
- £500 to Frederick Turville on coming of age @ same interest.
- £1000 to daughter Anne, now wife of Sir Hugh Smith, at marriage or coming of age.
- £500 to daughter Elizabeth at same
- £500 each to John, Bertram and Charles Ashburnham
reciting: William & John are since deceased and Sir Denny Ashburnham is now sole trustee and assigned the property
to (i) for remainder of term on condition of performance of trusts]
-- Manor of Ashburnham and other premises and remainder of term 99 years to grandson John Ashburnham when he is
24 years old, subject to the executors employing rents and profits to following uses:
-- all lands and tenements late purchased from cousin John Ashburnham, deceased, and from Alexander Wildish,
Mr. John Brookes, William & James Wimble, Thomas Weight alias Vigor, Henry Critenden, Thomas Ladd,
John Hay & wife Elizabeth, and Sir John Fagg, Baronet, in parishes of Ashburnham, Dallington, Catsfield,
Penhurst & Wartling, to grandson John for life, then in tail male, remainders to Bertram in tail male,
Charles in tail male and brother William in tail male, son-in-law Sir Denny Ashburnham in tail male,
son-in-law Sir Hugh Smith, Long Ashton, Somerset in tail male, daughter Frances & heirs male, daughter Anne Smith
& heirs male, daughter Elizabeth & heirs male and right heirs of testator in fee.
-- South Leas (marsh) purchased from Dr. Aymhurst, to grandson John for life, subject to rent charges of £160 per annum
for life to Bertram (£100) and Charles (£60). Rents and profits to executors - schedule of debts - of these purchased
properties until grandson is 24, in trust to pay debts and legacies.
-- to brother William, Molten alias Moulton Park, Northamptonshire, in lieu of £5000 owed him, or if the Park does not
fetch this amount, interest in Brogborough and Beckerings Parks, leased from the King, with power of sale.
Surplus monies from sale of these estates to executors in trust for grandson John after payment of debts to Mr.
Henry Coventry, the executors of Lady Newport, Alderman Blackwell & Mr. Chiffinch, and £200 per annum to grandson
John for maintenance.
-- the executors to purchase with remaining monies from sale of real estate appointed, and from sale of personal estate,
lands in Sussex near the testator's house and lands at Ashburnham 'taking particular care that they have not been the
inheritance of the Church and charging my heirs and posterity that they never bring a curse upon the rest of the estate
by having the inheritance of the Church which is absolute sacrilege'.
These lands to be entailed upon the grandson with the remainder as with the property comprised in the release of 5 Jun 1650.
-- to grandson 'my clock watch which was my mother's, and also my watch with an inamled case of imagery which was given me
by my late dear master King Charles I of ever blessed memory, and a case of gold which I made to preserve the same,
and my desire is that after his death the watch may descend unto and be perpetually enjoyed and possessed by those
persons whom the Manor of Ashburnham shall descend or come to as an heirloome'.
-- to daughter the Lady Frances, now wife of Sir Denny Ashburnham, £20 to buy a piece of plate
-- to daughter the Lady Anne, wife of Sir Hugh Smith, the same
-- to daughter Elizabeth, £1000 marriage portion, & £1000 per annum for maintenance.
-- £100 to Sir Hugh Smith, £100 to Sir Denny Ashburnham, to sons Bertram and Charles £20 each above annuity.
£10 apiece to grandchildren, £100 to brother William, to Right Honorable the Countess of Marlborough, wife of
brother William, £20 to buy piece of plate, and the turquoise ring and carnelian 'which I usually wore upon my finger',
to Mrs. Middleton, Hangleton, Sussex, widow of John Middleton, deceased, £100, to old and faithful servant John
Lawrence £50, to trusty servant John Plumer all wearing apparel, to other servants one years wages.
Executors: brother William, Sir Denny Ashburnham and John Lawrence.
witnesses. John Plumer, John Wyled.
Memo: 13 Feb 1670/1. John Ashburnham published the will.
witnesses. L Hyde, Thomas Chicheley, B. Ashburnham, John Lawrence, John Plumer.
Memo: that about 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the 13th, John Ashburnham declared this to be his last will &
testament with codicil annexed:-
- if grandson marries before aged 24, with consent of executors, or if they see fit, executors have discretion to
allow him possession or greater allowance.
- to old and faithful servant Thomas Plumer £100
- when executors pay Bertram £1000 and Charles £700 from personal estate, then the annuities to cease.
- executors to finish the house at Ashburnham, with outbuildings and courtyards, and bring water to the same.
witnesses. J. Wyle, Katherine Plumer
will. 7 Feb 1670/1
Proved Prerogative Court of Canterbury 23 Apr 1672