SHELDON

(aka - )

Arthur Sheldon, yeoman of Ashford, 1651/53

In the name of God Amen I Arthur Sheldon of Ashford
in the county of Derby yeoman being weake in body but in perfect minde and memorye pray
sed bee Almighty God for itt do heeere amke and ordayne this my last will and Testament
in manner and forme followinge First I Committ Comend and bequeath my soul into
the hands of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by whose Death and passion I truly hope to
enjoye pte of the blessed Resurrection And to bee made an Inheritor of the everlasting joyes
of Heaven Item I bequeath my body to the earth whereof itt was made to bee
Buryed in the chappell of Ashford neere William Lowe his seate there And for all my
worldly Goods to disposed of as Followeth Imprimis I give and bequeath unto Ralph
Sheldon my sonne the some of Two Shillings and sixpence Item I give and bequeath unto Isaac
Sheldon my Grandchilde the some of eight poundes Item I give unto Samuell Sheldon
the sume of Fouer pounds Item my will is that Solomon Sheldon my Grandchilde bee
kept one yeare and halfe with meate and drinke after my decease att the Cost of my of my Exe
cutors Item I give and bequeath unto William Wright and Thomas Wright my granchidren
the some of Tenne shillings betwixt them Item I give unto my Grandchilde John Wright
Tenne Shillings Item I give unto Anne White the wife of Raph White of Sheldon
the some of Twenty pounds And for all the rest of my Worldly Goods I give and
bequeath unto Elizabeth lowe the wife of William Lowe of Ashford whom I make
the sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And Ralph White of Sheldon
Supervisor And I utterly revoke all former Wills Gifts Legacys and promises what
soever heertofore made In witness hereof I the said Arthur Sheldon have heerunto
sett my hand and seale the Tenth day of June in the yeare of our lord God 1651 The
Marke of Arthur Sheldon Sealed and delivered in the presence of John Wright
John Ragge
This will was proved at Westminster the Twentieth day of Maye In the yeare
1653 Before the Judges for Probate for Wills and grantinge Administracons accordinge
to an Act of Parliament Entitled an Act for Probate of Wills and grantinge
Administrations & By the Oath of Elizabeth the wife of William Lowe sole Executrix To
Whom was Comitted Administracon & Shee beinge by [.oucession] first swore truly to
administer etc

• Will dated 16/2/1671[/2] mentions:
• To be buried in the chapel at Monyash "in the ancient burial place of my ancestours"
• Wife Rebecca Sheldon
• George Needham, a tennant
• "two closes of land called by the names of the Milne closes and one other close called goose-lands and a close of land called dowslow slacke: One close called moniashdale Another close called the barne crofte One close called the bake crofts The faire dale closes; the Crofte heads; The Prest buttes The burrow stones pingle the wood landes; The three highlow furlong closes; The three Brockwall dale closes; the new stanstid close; with a peece of land in the meane stanstid"
• Son Hugh Sheldon
• Benedict Ridyard, a tennant
• John Beresford, a tennant
• Robert Woodward, a tennant
• William Hawley, a tennant
• Thomas Goodwin, a tennant
• "One close called the ball Crofte; Another close called the Crofte heades; & the Crofte head pingle; thereunto adioyeninge the [upp] and nether burrow stonds closes; The white feildes; The towne end close; The musdale close; The [rehalgh] close; The two knowlow closes; The two Flagg Fallowes; & all my land in the Nythinges"
• Son Richard Sheldon
• Stepmother Dorothy Sheldon
• "two closes called the Browne moore closes which my father purchased of Francis bullyvante"
• "one close called Browne moore close which my said Father purchased of William Boham"
• "One close called the Flatt; the Flatt pingle; the happinges The Bothoms pingle The Bothoms close & the middle hills; parte of which said closes weare bought of Francis Bulivant & parte of William Boham by my said late Father "
• "after the death ... of William Goodwin I give ... to my said son Richard Sheldon ... One messuage wherin George Bagshaw now dwelleth ... and close called the Wholsons Crofte"
• "One Messuage house wherein Thomas Boham now dwelleth ... and also One messuage house wherein Margaret Boham now dwelleth"
• "two crofts caled by the name of the Church end Croftes"
• "One other Cottage house wherein Ales Wheildon now dwelleth"
• "One of the closes of land called the hyngninge Flatt in the tenure of Richard Boham"
• "One close of landlying within the feilde and liberties of Flagg called by the name of the Short Flatt in the tenure of William Heathcott"
• Son Gilbert Sheldon
• "One messuage house in Moniash aforesaid wherein Francis bulivant did formerly dwell"
• "One coale one close called Bulivant barne-Croftes ... with a peece of land called the croftes heads"
• "One peece of land lying Between the wayes leading upp & downe to cheeslow ... two roods of land lying in the nether Cheeeslow furlong Two closes of land caled the slack closes in the tenure of Hugh Ball; and all my lands lying in Cheeslow Slacke which John Johnsone & William Johnsone of [Sudburrie] doe hold by lease with one close called the Cheese low slacke acre which was taken in by my grandfather or by my father; All which said land was formerly the Inheritence of Francis Bullivant (except the said Cheese low acre close)"
• "two closes of land called by the name of long acres now in the tenure of Phillip bateman"
• "to William Buxton my uncle" rent from about 10 rood of land "lying in Flagg fields on a place called [....] Crow shaw now in the tenure of Thomas Newton of taddington"
• "whereas there was a guifte to Charitable uses given and granted by Mistress Dorothy the widdow to and for the use of the poore people of Worksworth & Middleton by Worksworth by the said Dorothy to bee disposed of by Hugh Sheldon my late father and his heires That it bee soe contynued" *
• Sister in law Dorothy Sheard
• Kinswoman Fortune Sheldon
• Servants Sarah White & Ales Hibbert
• "if anie controversies differences or disagreement shall happen to arise betwyxt the said Hugh Sheldon my eldest son & Rebecca my said wife or betwixt my said wife and the other two of my younger unmarried sones that Richard Shalcrosse Esq, Mr William Savils gentt Jonathan Stamford gentt Francis Burditt of wooley gentt & Mr Richard Carlton gente ... to have the hearinge thereof"
• Wife Rebecca executrix
• Witnesses: [Geo] Dale, John [Eary], [Benedict] Ridyard & Nicholas Heathcott

Will dated 1/11/1777 mentions:

• Son in law James Knowles
• Daughter Sarah Ellis
• Witnesses: Joseph Sellers, Mary Wragg & Samuel [....ng]

Will dated 15/4/1803 mentions:

• "my nephew Jacob Sheldon son of my brother Benjamin Sheldon"
• "Ann Spencer, the wife of James Spencer of Middleton in the Parish of Wirksworth"
• "my Nephew William Tunnicliffe"
• "my Niece Elizabeth Etches"
• "James Brace, son of my nephew, Thomas Brace of Wirksworth Doctor"
• "my Nephew Benjamin Sheldon son of my brother Benjamin Sheldon"
• "land called by the names of Butler Close, Slack Close, Bramlow Close, Byway Pingle, one piece of land adjoining to Winster Glebe land and one other piece of land adjoining to Byway Pingle called Bramlow ... all being in near or contiguous to Slayley in the parish of Bonsall"
• "land lying and being in a close called Long Close ... situate in Bonsall"
• "James Brace son of my nephew George Brace deceased" (under 21)
• "his two sisters Hannah Brace and Mary Brace"
• Witnesses: Robt Hobson, Joseph Smedley & Peter Smedley

Will dated 3/2/1817 mentions:

• Son in law Joseph Moore
• Grandson Joseph Sheldon
• Wife Millicent Sheldon
• Wife's late husband Anthony Moore
• Wife's son Joseph Moore
• Son John Sheldon
• Robert Spencer
• Witnesses: Isaac Spencer junior, George Clayton & Ann Spencer

Will dated 31/12/1836 mentions:

• Daughter Elizabeth Sheldon
• Son Joseph Sheldon
• Garden held by David Doxey
• Son John Sheldon
• Land "from the East edge of Thomsons croft to the West fence of John Spencers simpingle"
• Daughter Ann Sheldon Worthington
• Daughter Edith Sheldon
• Land occupied by Philip Walker
• Witnesses: Adam [..]illes, John Knowles & Thomas Ingleby