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The Tudor Inventories from Appleby, 1530-1601


transcribed by Alan Roberts

Tudor Inventories from Appleby, 1530-1601

 

Thomas Heyre, 1530 PR I/7/43

William Walkere, 1548

Robert Wylson, 1548

Roger Waren, 1553

Thomas Holden, 1556 husbandman

William Molde, 1558

William Wright, 1558

Harry Mold, 1561

John Erpe [Hyrpe], 1564 PR I/7/124

Elizabeth Molde, 1564 widow PR I/ /50

John Walker, 1572

John Mould 1572 PR I/73/131

John Cotterell, 1572 servant Wills 1576

Edward More, 1576

Edward Bilson, 1576 W&I 1576/43

Alice Bates, 1579

John Mould 1579 PR I/5A/49

Richard Mold, 1581

Humphrye Gent, 1586 PR I/8/45

Elizabeth Walker, 1588 PR I/9/65

Joyce Choyce, 1588 PR I/9/71

Robert Gilbart, 1588 PR I/9/72

Richard Wright, 1588 PR I/9/81

Thomas Butler, 1588 PR I/9/117

John Heiffield, 1588 PR I/9/118

John Pratt, 1591 PR I/12/142

Richard Taylor, 1592 PR I/12/91

William Robinson, 1594 PR I/13/79

William Pecher, 1597 PR I/16/115

Hacket, 1598 PR I/14/104 (A108)

Isabell Robinson, 1598/9 PR I/14/76

Thomas Swayne, 1599 PR I/17/44

Charles Walker, 1600 PR I/18/33

 

 

 

 

34 Inventories: 29 from Eliz. I.

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPLEBY PROBATE INVENTORIES: THE TUDOR VILLAGERS AT HOME

 

Probate inventories provide a particularly intimate and personal view of villager's household goods and chattels, made even more immediate when the inventories are linked to individual inhabitants and events within the parish. Twenty nine of the 34 Tudor inventories from Appleby in the Leicestershire Record Office are from the reign of Elizabeth I. The remainder are from the reigns of Edward VI and "Bloody Mary". Most of these belong to husbandmen or yeomen, but there are some drawn up for widows and spinsters. The earliest inventory belongs to Robert Wilson, who was probably a yeoman or husbandmen - one of the established farmers in the parish who grew crops and kept livestock in the time of Edward VI. His contemporaries, William Walker and Roger Waren, had a similar range of household goods and farming implements and shared the same appraisers. These include men like John Petcher, William Wright, Robert Wilson and Oliver Shilton - surnames which crop up frequently in the probate records as appraisers or witnesses. John and Thomas Petcher who appear among the appraisers were undoubtedly connected to the plaintiff John Petcher cited in the archdeaconry court case relating to events which happened at the Atherstone fair in 1597. William Walker came from one of the prominent families in Appleby, as did Edward More who was almost certainly connected to the lords who purchased the manor of Little Appleby around 1600. The Walkers later appear as yeomen farmers occupying Walkers Hall, and indeed one of William's descendants was hauled before the archdeaconry court in a scandalous alehouse case from 1640. The inventory belonging to Roger Waren is of particular interest because there is a record of a certain Richard Warehorne being granted a licence to keep an alehouse in Appleby in 1579. Roger may well have been his father or kinsman and it is curious to see that he has what appear to be brewing equipment - a "great brass pot" and "mashing pot" - listed among his household goods.

Of the Elizabethan inventories that of John Cotterell of 1572 is a rare example of a servant's inventory - of particular interest because John had lands in the common fields and the lease of a house. The women's inventories include that of Elizabeth Mould, a yeoman's widow who died in 1564 leaving a great stock of farming equipment. Of particular interest however is the inventory of Alice Bates who died in the Winter of 1579 leaving a considerable stock of clothing including three red petticoats, medle gowns and a flaxen smock, handkerchiefs and a russett apron. The size of her wardrobe and the fine materials may indicate that Alice had an interest in fashionable clothes. The three yards of red cloth listed among her possessions suggest that she might have been a "spinster" who made her own clothes, or a milliner - though it is equally possible that she was a widow. The fact that her death is not recorded in the Appleby parish register and there are no further records of this surname in Appleby prior to the 1750s may indicate that she came from a neighbouring parish or that she was an itinerant.

The nine Tudor inventories which have been transcribed below can be said to represent a cross-section of the 'typical' Tudor villagers in Appleby. Their contents provide eloquent testimony to everyday domestic and farming life in the village in Tudor times.

 

1. Robert Wylson, 1548

The inventory of the gods of Robert Wylson deceased in the parish of Appulbie in the countie of Leicestershire praised the vìi day of June, second yere of the rene of King Edward the vi By the Grace of God of England, France & Irland Kinge & also of the church of England & Also of Irland supreme hed under God/ By Thomas French [?], Jhon Pechere, Henry Prout, Oliver Shylton

Imprimis vi kyne, towe boloks ìììi

Item iii calves of a yere old xs

Item ii, ìi mareys,ii felyes [fillies] xls

Item xx shepe xls

Item halfe a dozen swyne, iiii geysse vis vììì d

Item a cartt, a plowe, ii harows & geyrys there to longynge xxs

Item ii pannys, iii small potts & skyllett vi pewter dyshes xìis

Item beddyng reinment & all in the chabere xixs

Item a pere of tongs, a pere of gobberts & a pere of pott

hokes & a spytt xiid

Item a ……. a boord & a form iis

Suma totalis xi xs. viiid

2. William Walker, 1548

The Inventory of the goods of Wylliam Walkere of Lattly dessessyd mad the iii day of January in the fyrst yere of the renye of Kynge Edward the vi By the grace of Gode of England, France & Yrland Kynge & of the Church of England & of Yrland supreme hede, presyd by Jhon Petchere, Wylliam Wryght, Robert Wysson, Olyver Shylton

Imprimis thre kye & thre heffers iii£

Item iiii horses xls

Item & olde mare & a colt iiiis

Item v quarters of barle xxvs

Item thre quarter of peys xiis

Item ii cartes xiiis iiiid

Item vii showlls viis

Item a ploo & ii harows iiis ivd

Item iii heines & a coke vid

Item ii geys & a gonder ixd

Item hows hold stuff in bras pewtere, bords &

formys, beddynge & other stouffs xls

Summa total x£ vs xd

3. Roger Waren, 1553 [gentleman - alehouse keeper?]

The Inventorie of all the goods belonging to Roger Waren of Appulbie

At the tyme of hys death a gent as appraised

Item purse and apparel -xxiiiid

Item ii great harowes

Item iiii small harrowes

Item a culter

Item a great brass pott

Item a massy pott [mashing pot?]

Item ambrye [?]

Item a whain lode of boordes, trestyls, lomes & fatts

Item iiii pays of shetes

Item ii pelowe bolsters[?]

Item ii towels

Item table cloth of ……

Item a coffer a bedspread

Item a bolster, ii pylowes

Item a meteborde, ii ….. forkes

Item ii pykeforkes, a spade, a fire pocker

Item ii bagges, an Iron brooche

Item a payre of tonges & ii [?]dooris

Detts owinge upon Roger Waryn Laste of Appulbie

……xxs.

 

 

4. Thomas Holden, 1556

The Inventory of all such goods & cattells as Thomas Holden was appraised of at the tyme of his deth

Bedding

Imprimis vii payre of shetes xxiiiis

Item one fether bedde vs

Item iii mattressse xs

Item iiii blanketts viiis

Item iii coverlettes xiis

Item ii bed tyllangs xs

Item v abynneys shets viis

Item ii bolsters & ii pelwes xiiis

The other howsehold stuffe

Item iii pannys & ii potts xls

Item viii peuter dyshes & one mashing basyn viis

Item one chaffyng dyshe xvid

Item ii sosers viiid

Item a payer of cob Irons & a spytt iis

Item one cubbord iiis

Item ii coffers & one table with other such

implementes belongyng to howshold } xiiiis

Item one plowe with plowe gere viiis

Item ii syed carts with other gere xls

Item vii horsys & mares vL

Item v kyne with iiii young beasts [?] viiL viiis

Item l [fifty] shepe viiL

Item iii horrses & sowe xxs

Item the hole crope of corne & hay xxL

Sum totalis L [fifty] pounds

Prased by Richard Mold, John Proudman, Wylliam Wryght & Richard Dasyn anno domini cciii lvi

5. John Walker, 1572

The Inventorye of all the goods of John Walker lately deceased, moveable & unmoveable, taken & apprysed by Richard Baker, Richard Sharpe, John Wylson & Thomas Ryght, the vi day of February in the xiiii yeare of the raygne of our soveraygne ladye Quene Elizabethe by the grace of God Quene of England, France, Ireland, defender of the fayth..

Imprimis in the hall a table a forme & a cheare iiis vid

Item iiii puter dyshes iiis

Item a candlesticke iiiid

Item a brase pot vs

Item a basen & a caldryn iis

Item a Landiron, a pair of pothokes & a pare of tongges xviiid

Item a broche & a pare of cobbards iis vid

In the Paler [Parlor]

Item ii beddes with clothes & hangynges and a cofer xxxs

Item a hand mylne & a whycche xiis

Item a trough, a old whycche, a lome & a peale vis

Item v herses or mares & ii coltes vii£

Item v kyne & iiii calves vii£

Item xxx shepe iiii£

Item vi shottes xs

Item a Iron bond carte, a pare of spare wheles and the geares xls

Item a o... harrowe & ii small harrowes vis viiid

Item x quarter of barley v£

Item halfe a quarter of Wheate & ii stryke of blendcorne xxvis viiid

Item vi quarter of pease xls

Item for tymber xxs

Item iiii hyves vs viiid

Item for hey xiiis iiiid

Item for corne in the fyeld xls

Item ii ploughes & theIrons vs

Item iii pykeforkes, iiii shafhookes, a byll, a axe

& a Iron Wegge } iiis viiid

Item ii geese & a gander xviiid

Item v hennes, a capen & iiii duckes iis vid

Item ii sywer spores [?] iiiis

Item dyshes, spones & other implementes iiiid

Item money ?

Summa totalis xxxvi£ xvs iid

6. John Cotterell, 1572 [servant]

The trewe Inventorye of all the goodes and chattells latelye John Cotterell of Appleby deceased given & presed the nynth day of Januarye Anno domini 1572 by Richard Walker, Rychard Baker, Rychard Wryght and Rycharde Watthew inhabitants for that purpose as hereafter followeth

Imprimis Barlye and wheate prysed iii£

Item pease & hey with some otes in ye barne xls

Imprimis Barlye and wheate prysed £iii

Item pease & hay with some otes in ye barne xls

Item seven bordes and two bedsydes xxd

Item certayne tymber xiis

Item syxe shepe xviis

Item in redye monye xxd

item one cheste xxd

Item one roobe & a peare of hose iiiid

Item fower landes in the feld sowen with wynter corne xvis

Item the lease of the house iiii£

Summa totalis xi£ xxd

 

Modern Spelling

barley and wheat £3 0 0

pease and hay with some oats in the barn £2 0 0

seven boards and two bedsides 1 8

certain timber 12 0

six sheep 17 0

in ready money 1 8

one chest 1 8

0ne robe and a pair of hose 4

four lands in the field sown with Winter corn 16 0

the lease of the house £4 0 0

____________

Total £11 1 8

 

 

7. Edward More, 1576

The Inventorye of Edward More of Applebye made the xiii of June in the Yeare of Our Lord, 1576.

Imprimis his purse & his apparell xxs

Item a borde & a forme & littel borde, tow charres,

two amberyches, a soer with certaine panterd shelves } xxs

Item vi brase pottes, vii paines iii£

Item .... peces of puter, vi porringers, iii candelstickes,

iii sawecers } xxs

Item iii matteresses, iiii boulsters, iii coverlets, iiii paire

of flaxen shetes & six paire of carden shetes iiii£

Item iii bedstedes, iiii cofers with other certaine wodden

warre } xxs

Item a lede, iii lodes of colles with other yron stuffe

in kitchin } xxxs

Item tow horses vi£

Item horses vi£ vis viiid

Item a horse, a mare & a yearrelinge viii£

Item a charbill & Chare garres xls

Item a charte ploughe, timber & iiii harrowes, two charres

tow coulters howeth & pailles with all the woodde in the

yarde } lv£

Item ix ..... & a heffer xiii£ vis viiid

Item ix swynes pikes iii£

Item all the pease in the yarde iiis

Item a bacon flicke iiis iiiid

Item lvi sheppe xv£

Item a quarter of otes, a quarter of pees, tow quarter

of malte, a quarter of barley ls

Item all the corne & grasse in the feilde xvi£

Praised by these men: Robert More Robert Simsonne

Some total £92 - 19s - 8d John a Parres Wylliam More

Peter Lockes John Morris

William Sheekes

 

8. Alice Bates, 1579

A true Inventory of all ye apparrell and goodes of Alice Bates diceased in ye towne of Applebie made the ix daye of January 1578 in the presence of William Robinson and Jhon Petcher who weare praisers of her goodes.

Imprimis 7 sheetes ixs

Item a bord stott xiid

Item a sawser iiiid

Item a kercheefe viiid

Item ii cofers iis iiiid

Item a brass pot iis vid

Item a brasse pan iis vid

Item ii pewter platters iis

Item a medle gown vis viiid

Item an old pinke gown 3s iiiid

Item an old medle gowne iis vid

Item an old medle frock iis

Item a red peticote iiiis vid

a nother iis vid

a nother iis vid

Item an old flaxen smocke vid

a nother xiid

a nother viiid

Item ii handkercheefes xd

Item a flaxen kercheefe xiid

Item a paire of stenes viiid

Item ii russett aporns xd

Item ii linnen apornes vid

Item a hat xvid

Item a kercheefe viiid

Item a corse iiiid

Item ii neckercheefes xiid

Item iii yardes of red cloth vis

Item in her pursse xs

Summa totalis iii viis viiid

By us Richard Mold

William Stanton

Jhon Spensar ý Exequitors

 

9. Richarde Moulde, 1581

A trew Inventory of all the goods and Chattelles which were Richard Mouldes of Appleby deceased taken the xxiiiith of July, Anno Domini 1581 by Richard Baker, Thomas Petcher, Charles Walker, George Choyse & William Houlden

Item one pane, towe pottes, one kettell, on [frying?] dish,

Tow candelstikes with other implemens 'praised } liiis iiiid

Item iiii putter dishes, ii salte psed iiis

Item one hundeate [?], i ax, one little oxen yoke with the

Irne & with other oulde Irne } xs

Item ii oulde tubbs & certen other oulde wooden ware iiis iiiid

Item borde harrow tymber & carte tymber xs vid

Item one fatt, one oulde tubb, one weltroughe vs

Item ........... viiis

Item ii lommes, 1 peale, i cheare, i cheste iiiis viiid

Item ii Irene flakes iis iiiid

Item all the tymber & other woode xxvis

Item Carte & Carte whilles & plowes with the harrowes psd iiii£ vis

Item all the corne & heay in the feilde xxii£

Item Item corne in the barn e & in the Chamber vi£

Item all kynde of naperie v£

Item iiii chestes xiis

Item all household [provisions?] as bacon, butter & cheese xxs

Item iiii fether beads, iiii matreses, ii coverletts, iiii blanketts,

ii boulsters, ii pilowes & wyndeclothes 'praised } vi£ xviis viiid

Item iiii bedsteads with the hangings xvis

Item ii shelves, iii formes, ii stoules, i chear, yarne,

hempe & flaxe & one Spinning Wheel, iiii Irne wedges } xvs viiid

Item pease & oats, iiii pichforkes iis vid

Item one soldiers bill psd. xiid

Item one draye of Irne & a harrow & one bottell xiid

Item v swyne xxs

Item vi horses & mares vii£

Item v kne & iii yonge bease x£

Item xii oulder shepp & vi lambes xls

Item one stone & a half of woole xvis

Item v payer of Carte geeyers xs

Item his apparell xs

Item in his purse xxs

Total for nynetenne pounds, three shillings & eighte pence.

___________________________________________________________


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