THE MUDDLE FAMILIES

John and Alice’s eldest child was John Muddle who was probably born at Mayfield in Sussex in about 1568, this being two years before the start of surviving parish registers for Mayfield. When Henry Nevill esq. Lord of Mayfield Manor, granted manorial land to Thomas Aynscombe of Buxted on 28 March 1590, William Fowle of Wadhurst on 17 April 1590, Thomas Saunder of Wadhurst on 29 August 1592 and John Saunder of Wadhurst on 1 September 1592, John Muddle/Mudell the younger and his father, John Muddle/Modell the elder, were two of the witnesses to the documents. Also when Henry Nevill esq. Lord of Mayfield Manor, granted manorial land to Thomas Maynard of Mayfield on 26 September 1590 and John James of Mayfield on 28 September 1590, and Stephen Pankherst sold Trans Garden in Mayfield to his brother John on 23 August 1594 one of the witnesses to all three documents was John Mudell/Moddle the younger.[5]

Later documents relating to his grandson Abraham show that in an agreement between the Lord of the Manor and the tenants for the enclosing of the commons in Mayfield, John had been assigned 20 acres of wood called Sandiden or Sandideans Wood that were part of the commons.

In about 1593 John married Margaret Wickham, who was the eldest daughter of John and Mary Wickham; she had been born at Horsmonden in Kent in about 1875 and was the sister of the Alice Wickham who later married John’s brother William Muddle. Margaret’s father John Wickham was the Rector of Horsmonden in Kent from 1571 and then also became the non-resident Rector of Rotherfield in Sussex in 1580. He married Mary Hovenden of Canterbury and they had six children, Margaret, Richard, William, Margery, Alice and Elizabeth, at Horsmonden before Mary died on 6 June 1587, the same year that John was replaced by Edward Alchin as Rector of Horsmonden. John then married Martha Cornwall at Canterbury on 8 November 1587 and they had daughter Sarah at Horsmonden in 1588 before moving to Rotherfield where they had daughter Mary in 1591 and John became resident Rector until his death on 25 February 1592.[6]

John and Margaret had four children born at Mayfield between 1594 and 1599; the first three of whom died in infancy. Five years after the birth of his last child John died when he was about 36 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 10 February 1604. His widow Margaret then married Abraham Edwards of Portslade and they had three children, Abraham, John and Martha Edwards, who are only known from the will of their half-brother, John Muddle, who died in 1630 leaving them 20 shillings each as well as another 20 shillings to his stepfather Abraham Edwards.

When her spinster sister Elizabeth Wickham died in 1610 Margaret inherited £20 and a warming pan. It seems that Elizabeth Wickham had probably loaned her brother-in-law Abraham Edwards £6 because her will states that the £6 due to her from Abraham in April was to go to her brother-in-law William Reader so that he could use it give £2 to the poor or Brightling, £2 to the poor of Penhurst and £2 to the poor of Boughton Monchelsea.[7]

John’s eldest child was Henry Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 17 March 1594. Henry died when he was only 2 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 11 March 1596.

John’s second child was Mary Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 29 August 1596. Mary died when she was only about 6 months old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 16 February 1597.

John’s third child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 21 November 1597. Thomas died when he was only about 2 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 4 February 1598.

John’s fourth child was John Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 11 March 1599. When his mother’s sister Elizabeth Wickham died in 1610 John inherited £20 that was to be paid to him at the age of 21. In about 1620, when he was about 21 years old, John married Sarah Edwards, who was probably a relative of his stepfather. They lived at Mayfield where they had five children born between about 1621 and 1629, two of whom died in infancy.

It was at the very start of 1630 that a disaster, which was probably some infectious disease, struck the household, because on the 2 January 1630 Alice Pocock, a servant of John Muddle, was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield, then two days later their son John, who was just under 5 years old, was buried, followed after another two days by their youngest child, son Thomas, who was only 9 months old. Then about 5 weeks later it seems that John must have become ill because he made his will on 15 February 1630 and died about a week later when he was just under 31 years old; he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 24 February 1630.

John’s will, in which he described himself as a yeoman of Mayfield, was proved at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 5 May 1630. In this will John left 30s to the poor of Mayfield and to his father-in-law Abraham Edwards, his brothers-in-law Abraham and John Edwards and his sister-in-law Martha Edwards he left 20s each. To his two daughters Elizabeth and Margaret he left £150 each that they were to receive when they attained the age of 21 or when they married if earlier. To his son Abraham he left all his land and properties in Mayfield that he was to inherit when he attained the age of 21 and in the meantime the overseers of the will, who were his father-in-law Abraham Edwards and his uncle Edward Muddle rector of Ewhurst, where to receive the income from these properties and use them for the maintenance of his three children and the payment of the legacies to his daughters. John made his wife Sarah his sole executrix and left her all the residue of his personal estate after the payment of expenses. To his two overseers he left 10s each.[8]

Sarah lived on for 37 years after her husband’s death; dying at Mayfield and being buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 26 February 1667. Sarah died intestate and administration of her estate was granted to her son Abraham by the Deanery of South Malling on 6 November 1678, when an inventory valued her personal estate at £68 12s 4d.[9]

John and Sarah’s eldest child was Elizabeth Muddle who was probably born at Mayfield in Sussex in about 1621. Elizabeth’s father died in 1630 and he left Elizabeth £150 that she was to receive when she attained the age of 21 or when she married if earlier. When she was about 30 years old Elizabeth married William Geere at the Parish Church of All Saints in Heathfield, Sussex on 17 June 1651.

John and Sarah’s second child was Margaret Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and. baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 6 January 1623. Margaret’s father died in 1630 and he left Margaret £150 that she was to receive when she attained the age of 21 or when she married if earlier. Margaret was living at Mayfield when, at the age of 47, she married 44-year-old widower Thomas Goldham at the Parish Church of All Saints in Heathfield, Sussex on 4 January 1670.

Thomas Goldham was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Goldham, he had been born at Wartling in Sussex and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene on 19 April 1625. He entered Emmanuel College at Cambridge University in 1640 where he gained his BA in 1643/4 and his MA in 1647. He was admitted as vicar of Burwash on 18 August 1658 where the patron was Sir John Pelham, baronet, but as a nonconformist he was ejected from the living in 1662. He remained living in Burwash where he setup a nonconformist school. He had a daughter, Mary Goldham, from his first marriage, who married Samuel Mills of Wartling at Burwash on 15 November 1677. He also had a son, Thomas Goldham, who married Lucy Gottman at Dallington on 4 October 1677 and died just over a year later, being buried at Burwash on 27 January 1679. His widow Lucy Goldham then married William Linfield at Wadhurst on 5 July 1687.

Thomas died at the age of 66 and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Bartholomew at Burwash on 31 December 1691. He had made his will on 2 February 1691 and probate was granted to his son-in-law Samuel Mills, the sole executor, by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 21 January 1692. In this will he left his wife Margaret an annuity of 20 shillings together with a sum of £50, all the household goods that had been hers before their marriage, six of his silver spoons, a silver cup, a pair of flaxen sheets that she had spun herself, and a selection of other household stuff up to the value of £8. All the rest of his personal estate and all his real estate, which consisted of his house and farm at Burwash, a farm at Hellingly and houses at Cliffe near Lewes, he left to his daughter Mary Mills and her family, and his brothers George and Edmund Goldham and their families.[10]

John and Sarah’s third child was John Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and. baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 26 February 1625. John died when he was just under 5 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 4 January 1630.

John and Sarah’s fourth child was Abraham Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and. baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 27 May 1627. Abraham’s father died in 1630 and he left Abraham all his properties in Mayfield that he was to inherit when he attained the age of 21. Notes on deeds from 1652 and a letter dated 7 August 1658 show that Abraham had inherited 20 acres of land called Sandiden or Sandideane Wood in Mayfield that had been granted to his grandfather as part of the enclosure of the commons, and that Abraham had now sold this land to Mr Penkherst for £40.[11]

When he was 47 years old Abraham married Ann Godman at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Wadhurst, Sussex on 26 May 1674 by licence. Ann was the daughter of Edward and Ann Godman of Ote Hall in Wivelsfield, Sussex, she had been born at Wivelsfield and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter & St John the Baptist in Wivelsfield on 12 November 1637. Abraham and Ann lived at Mayfield where they had two children, daughters born in 1676 and 1678. Abraham was granted administration of his mother's estate by the Deanery of South Malling on 6 November 1678.

A deed, dated 1 February 1692, for the partition and settlement between his heirs of the properties owned by the late Stephen Parker of Mayfield, listed one of the properties as; a messuage, stable, garden, orchard and close at the west end of the town of Mayfield, occupied by Abraham Muddle, gentleman.[12]

On the 4 January 1695 Abraham made a loan of £750 to the Treasury of King William III as part of a total loan of £622,096 that had been made to the Treasury to pay for his Majesty’s war against France. These loans were to be repaid with 6% interest by a tax of 4s in the £ on land and other things.[13]

After 23 years of marriage Ann died at the age of 60 and was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 3 December 1697. On the 17 August 1698, eight months after his wife’s death, Abraham made his will, in which he described himself as a gentleman of Mayfield. Then five years after his wife’s death Abraham died at the age of 75 and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 9 December 1702.

Abraham's will was proved by the Deanery of South Malling on 22 April 1703. In this will Abraham gave his daughter Lucy £600 to balance that given to his daughter Sarah when she married. This money was to come from the sale of his house and land in Mayfield called Cransden with any remainder to be divided equally between his two daughters. The remainder of his property, consisting of a messuage at Ringmer, a messuage called Ayres (probably Cryers) in Mayfield and a messuage in Mayfield Town, where to be divided equally between his two daughters, with the provision that if his daughter Lucy should refuse to divide his copyhold properties; she being the younger sister who would normally inherit under manorial custom, then the value of Sarah's half was to be deducted from the £600 bequeathed to Lucy and given to Sarah. All Abraham's personal estate, valued at probate as £206 12s 2d, after payment of debts and expenses was to be equally divided between his two daughters. Abraham appointed William Lindfield, a clothier of Staplehurst, as sole executor, whom he described as his brother but who was actually the son-in-law of his sister Margaret. William Linfield had married Lucy Goldham the widow of Thomas Goldham, who was the son of the Thomas Goldham who had married Abraham's sister Margaret Muddle, at Wadhurst on 5 July 1687, his first wife Mary having been buried at Staplehurst on 1 July 1686.[14]

Abraham and Ann’s eldest child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and. baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 12 May 1676. When she was 19 years old Sarah married John Durrant at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 3 December 1695. The will of Sarah’s father records that he gave her £600 when she married. Then when her father died in 1702 Sarah inherited half of all his properties and personal estate after £600 had been deducted from the sale of his property of Cransdens in Mayfield to pay her sister Lucy the equivalent inheritance that Sarah had received upon marrying. When Thomas Godman, the brother of Sarah's mother, died in late 1704 both Sarah and her husband inherited £10.[15]

John and Sarah had at least six children that were listed in a property deed of 1722; they were daughters, Lucy and Sarah, and sons, John, Joseph, Edward and William.[16] The only one for which a baptism has been found is Edward, who was baptised at Brighton Union Street Independent Chapel on 13 August 1707 as the son of John Durrant of Maidstone.[17]

John attended Pembroke College, Oxford University, where he attained his Master of Arts degree and was then ordained a deacon at Oxford Cathedral on 4 March 1705 by William Talbot the Bishop of Oxford. John and Sarah lived at Maidstone in Kent where John was a minister of the Presbyterian Church. A request dated 13 July 1706 was sent to the Archbishop/Archdeacon of Canterbury that the house of Edward Dear at Maidstone be licensed as a meeting place for worship by Presbyterians, as directed by an Act of Parliament, and John Durrant signed it as their minister.[18] Then on 21 July 1722 the Archbishop of Canterbury licensed the house of John Durrant, clerk, at Maidstone to be Place of Religious Worship for Protestant Dissenters from the Church of England calling themselves Presbyterians.[19]

It seems that although the will of Sarah’s father gave instructions for his property called Cransdens to be sold to pay the £600 inheritance of his other daughter Lucy and the remainder divided equally between the two sisters, that instead Sarah’s husband, John Durrant, purchased on 29 September 1705, Lucy’s half of the property for £700, which gave Lucy her £600 inheritance with the other £100 being half the remaining value of the property. Cransdens was described as a messuage or tenement or dwelling house with malthouse, barns, stables, buildings, gardens, orchards and closes belonging, and several pieces of land, meadow, pasture and woodland containing by estimation 120 acres. The modern spelling is Cranesden and it lies on the southern outskirts of Mayfield village. Lucy had placed her half of Cransdens in trust with Daniel Groombridge of Tonbridge and it was only on 24 June 1710 that Daniel Groombridge finally released ownership of the property to John Durrant.[20]

The will of Sarah’s father stated that all his other properties were to be divided equally between his two daughters, but if Lucy as the youngest daughter wished to retain ownership of his copyhold properties as per manorial custom she had to pay her sister half the value of the property, as determined by two honest men, out of her £600 inheritance. An indenture of 28 September 1705 records that John Durrant purchased Lucy’s half of her father’s messuage in Mayfield Town.[21] But Lucy took full ownership of her father’s farm and premises called Cryers, which was in the Five Ashes area of Mayfield Parish, and that it was valued at £50 by Abraham Edwards of Mayfield and Richard Barnard of Lewes. Because a release and quitclaim dated 21 August 1710 records that that John Durrant and his wife Sarah (née Muddle) received £25 on the direction of Lucy Igglesden (Lucy Muddle’s married name) so that this property could be transferred to Daniel Groombridge of Tonbridge in trust for Lucy Igglesden.[22]

John and Sarah Durrant were still living at Maidstone when in an indenture dated 15 July 1730 they lease Cransdens to William Polhill. Then in another indenture dated 9 February 1743 the Rev John Durrant was described as late of Maidstone and deceased, so John and Sarah presumably continued to live at Maidstone until John’s death sometime between 1730 and 1743.[23] It’s thought that after John’s death Sarah moved to Mayfield and that in an indenture dated 3 August 1749 she was the Sarah Durrant, widow, occupying part of a property in Mayfield that was on the north side of Mayfield High Street next to the churchyard and bounded on the west by the Royal Oak and on the east by a yard that had been owned by Sarah’s father, Abraham Muddle.[24]

Abraham and Ann’s second child was Lucy Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and. baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 10 April 1678. When her father died in 1702 Lucy was to inherited £600 of the proceeds from the sale of her father’s property called Cransdens to balance the £600 her sister had received when she had married, and then the remainder of her father’s properties and personal estate were to be divided equally between Lucy and her sister.

When she was 26 years old Lucy married Stephen Igglesden at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Speldhurst, Kent on 11 September 1704 by licence. Stephen was then a physician (also referred to as a surgeon and apothecary) living at Mayfield and Lucy was living at Maidstone in Kent, probably with her married sister Sarah Durrant. The Vicar-General marriage licence issued by the Archbishop on 10 August 1704 described Stephen as a bachelor and gentleman of Mayfield, aged about 26, and Lucy as a spinster of Maidstone, aged about 25, with both her parents dead. The licence stated that the marriage was to take place at the Parish Church of Maidstone but for some reason it took place at far away Speldhurst. When Thomas Godman, the brother of Lucy's mother, died in late 1704 Lucy inherited £10.

Before Stephen and Lucy's marriage a marriage settlement was agreed in which Stephen covenanted the use of his messuage or tenement called Brownings, with its barns, stables, stalls and several pieces of land there unto belonging of 80 acres in Wartling and Ashburnham, the lands being called Brownings, Marshments and Princle, to his intended wife Lucy Muddle. This gave Lucy the legal right to the income from this property but Stephen retained the ownership.[25] Stephen and Lucy had one child, a son, born at Mayfield in 1705.

It seems that on 23 July 1704, before her marriage, Lucy had placed the half part of the property called Cransdens that she had inherited from her father in trust with Daniel Groombridge of Tonbridge. Then after her marriage Lucy and her husband sell to her brother-in-law John Durrant on 29 September 1705 the half of Cransdens that was Lucy’s inheritance for £700, so presumably Cransdens had been valued at £800 and the £700 consisted of £600 to give Lucy the same payment that her sister had on marrying and £100 was Lucy’s half of the balance of Cransdens value.

The will of Lucy’s father stated that all his other properties were to be divided equally between his two daughters, but if Lucy as the youngest daughter wished to retain ownership of his copyhold properties as per manorial custom she had to pay her sister half the value of the property, as determined by two honest men, out of her £600 inheritance. An indenture of 28 September 1705 records that Lucy’s brother-in-law John Durrant purchased Lucy’s half of her father’s messuage in Mayfield Town. But Lucy took full ownership of her father’s farm and premises called Cryers, which was in the Five Ashes area of Mayfield Parish, and that it was valued at £50 by Abraham Edwards of Mayfield and Richard Barnard of Lewes. Because a release and quitclaim dated 21 August 1710 records that that John Durrant and his wife Sarah (née Muddle) received £25 on the direction of Lucy Igglesden so that this property could be transferred to Daniel Groombridge of Tonbridge in trust for Lucy Igglesden.

A conveyance dated 29 March 1720 of properties owned by the Martin family records that one of their properties in Mayfield call Pound House with its barns, oasthouse, outhouses, buildings and land of 2½ acres was then occupied by Stephen Igglesden, gentleman, and he also occupied another of their properties in Mayfield consisting of 3 acres of land that had been a hop garden.[26]

When his son died in 1744 Stephen was sole executor of his will and inherited all his son’s property. Seven years later Stephen died when he was about 73 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 7 September 1751. Stephen had made his will on 19 August 1751, when he described himself as a surgeon of Mayfield, and this will was proved by the Deanery of South Malling on 28 September 1752. In this will Stephen left £5 for the poor of Mayfield and three guineas to his servant Elizabeth Tester. All his property Stephen left to his cousin John Ward of Sandhurst in Kent, who was also sole executor of the will. Stephen also made bequests of clothes and small amounts of money to other cousins, friends and neighbours. He stated that he had left directions for his burial with Richard Dungate and requested that his executor have a tombstone erected within two years over him and his son.[27]

Stephen and Lucy’s only child was Stephen Igglesden who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and. baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 22 September 1705. On 29 May 1724 Stephen, at the age of 18, entered (matriculated) Jesus College, Cambridge University, though there is no record of him having gained a degree he probably did because in his will he describes himself as a Doctor of Physic. Stephen never married; he died when he was 38 years old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 31 March 1744. Stephen had made his will on 8 February 1743 and is thought to have then been living with his father in Mayfield. This will was proved by the Deanery of South Malling on 19 August 1746. In this will Stephen left his picture and coat of arms that were in his father’s house to his friend Michael Baker of Mayfield. His copyhold farm called Cryers in Five Ashes that he had inherited from his mother and his moiety (half part) of a tenement in Mayfield Town and the residue of his estate he left to his father whom he made sole executor of his will.[28]

John and Sarah’s fifth child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and. baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 29 March 1629. Thomas died when he was only 9 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 6 January 1630.

John and Alice’s second child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 16 November 1571.

Thomas became a Liberty Bailiff in 1591, at the age of 19. Liberties were places where the County Sheriff had no jurisdiction, his responsibilities being taken by the Liberty Bailiff of that particular liberty, and as such Liberty Bailiffs had to attend the sessions of the assize court for the county in which their liberty was situated, and from 1559 to 1625 their presence was recorded in the assize records. Thomas was a Liberty Bailiff of a liberty in East Sussex so he had to attend the Assize Sessions held twice yearly in February/March and June/July at East Grinstead and the session at which Thomas was first recorded as a Liberty Bailiff was the session held on 5 July 1591. The liberty that Thomas was bailiff of was called Loxfield-queen, which is thought to have been situated at Mayfield within the Hundred of Loxfield and to have then been held by Queen Elizabeth I. Thomas was then recorded as the Liberty Bailiff of Loxfield-queen every year until the session held on 25 February 1603, a month before the death of the Queen on 24 March 1603. It seems that Thomas hadn’t attended the session held on 26 February 1593 as he was fined 40s for being absent. Then in 1604 Thomas was recorded as bailiff of a liberty called just Loxfield, presumably meaning that no one was then holding that liberty after the Queen’s death. The following year at the session held on 8 July 1605 Thomas was recorded as attending as the Liberty Bailiff of Loxfield-Rivers, so presumably the liberty was now held by somebody called Rivers. Thomas attended three more sessions as Liberty Bailiff of Loxfield-Rivers, the last being on 17 July 1609, when he was 37 years old. At the next assize session held on 23 March 1610 the liberty had changed hands and was called Loxfield-Sackville and its Liberty Bailiff was Richard Payne. So Thomas had served as Liberty Bailiff for 18 years.[29]

When he was 32 years old Thomas married widow Mary Delve, whose maiden name was Whychede, at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 30 October 1604. Mary had married John Delve at the Parish Church of St Margaret the Queen in Buxted on 8 October 1593 and they had at least one child, son John baptised at Warbleton on 10 October 1596, before John’s death. Thomas and Mary lived at Mayfield where they had four children born between 1608 and about 1620, one of whom died in 1617 when just under 3 years old.

When John Haywarde, a gentleman of Hartfield, made his will on 10 January 1620 he made his friend Thomas Muddell, a yeoman of Mayfield, one of the overseers of his will. This will was proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 8 March 1620.[30]

Thomas died at Mayfield at the age of 53, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan at Mayfield on 4 August 1625. Thomas had made his will, in which he describes himself as a yeoman of Mayfield, on 16 July 1625 and it was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 28 January 1626. In this will Thomas left 50 shillings for the poor of Mayfield. To his daughter Agnes he left £100 to be paid to her on attaining 21 years of age or at marriage if earlier. Until then Agnes was to receive £4 13s 4d per year from the income on the £100 with any residue of this income going to her mother Mary. After Agnes received the £100 she was to pay her mother £3 6s 8d per year while she lived. To his wife Mary he left all his household goods. To his son John he left the unexpired term of his lease from James Brown of 37 acres of marsh land at Herstmonceux that John was to receive on attaining the age of 21 years. In the meantime his wife Mary was to have the use of the lands and the rents and profits used for the bringing up of son John and placing him as an apprentice, with any residue of these profits paid to John on attaining 21 years of age. Though the marsh land may be sold by the executrix and overseers of the will if they think that best and the money received used for and inherited by son John as already detailed. Thomas gave instructions in his will that the executrix and overseers were to sell his corn on the ground, stock, goods and chattels, and also the leases on the properties in Mayfield and Waldron that he had been occupying and had inherited from Abraham Edwards. The money received was to be used to pay debts, expenses and legacies to his wife Mary, who was to receive £6 13s 4d so long as she released to son Edward her right of dower in the properties at Mayfield, and daughter Agnes, with any residue used for the good and benefit of his two sons. Thomas made his wife Mary executrix and his brother Edward, clerk of Ewhurst, and son-in-law (actually stepson) John Delve overseers.

Thomas and Mary’s eldest child was Edward Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 12 April 1608. When his father died in 1625 it seems that Edward inherited his father’s copyhold land in Mayfield.

When he was 25 years old Edward married Jane Hacks at the Parish Church of All Saints in Waldron on 31 October 1633. Edward was then from Mayfield and Jane from Waldron. They lived at Mayfield where they had nine children born between 1635 and 1652, one of whom died in infancy and another two as children.

In 1636 Edward Muddle, yeoman of Mayfield sold a freehold messuage, garden and 15 acres of land at Hellingly called Mouseland to John Coppard.[31]

Edward’s brother John died on 10 June 1647 after a fall from his mare as he was riding her from Mayfield to Heathfield, and afterwards Edward took charge of the mare. The inquest into John’s death found that the mare was worth 100s and as it had been the cause of his death it was now the property of the Crown. This resulted in Edward being summoned to the Court of the King’s Bench to answer for the mare, and at Michaelmas 1648 he was granted a licence to imparl, meaning he was allowed to negotiate a deal, probably resulting in him keeping the mare after paying a percentage of her value.[32]

A Parliamentary survey from the period 1649-53 recorded that Edward Muddle was a freeholder of the Manor of Sharenden, which was in the parishes of Mayfield, Rotherfield and Wadhurst, and that he freely held 60 acres of land on which he paid a yearly quit rent of 4s 9d that was payable at Michaelmas.[33]

Edward died in late 1657 or early 1658 when he was 49 years old. He had made his will, in which he described himself as a yeoman of Mayfield, on 30 July 1657 and it was proved at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 23 February 1658. In this will he left £30 to each of his daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and Jane, that they were to receive when they attained the age of 21 years or when they married if earlier. He made his wife Jane executrix of his will and left her all his goods, chattels and personal estate after payment of debts and expenses, so long as she remained a widow. He also left her the use of all his freehold properties and the income from them for the maintenance of their children so long as she remained a widow, and until their son Thomas attained the age of 25 years and inherited this property. He made his good friends Samuel James and Clement Read, and his cousin Isaack White the overseers of his will and left them 10s each. Edward directed that a yearly rent charge of £5 for each of his sons John and William after they attained their respective ages of 21 years was to be taken from his property in Mayfield called Martyn of Parkes and all his other freehold properties in Mayfield. His son Thomas was to inherit the property called Martyn of Parkes when he attained the age of 25 years with it being liable to the dower for his wife and the two rent charges for his sons John and William. Edward also directed that the income from his copyhold properties that will be inherited by his son William as the youngest son should, during his minority, be used for his maintenance and bringing up.[34]

Edward and Jane’s eldest child was Mary Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 15 November 1635. When her father died in 1657 Mary was to inherit £30 when she attained the age of 21, which she already had.

Edward and Jane’s second child was Katherine Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 19 November 1637. When her father made his will in 1657 he didn’t mention Katherine so it’s assumed that had already died.

Edward and Jane’s third child was Elizabeth Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 5 April 1640. When her father died in 1657 Elizabeth was to inherit £30 when she attained the age of 21 or when she married if earlier. Then when she was 23 years old Elizabeth married Thomas Weller at the Parish Church of All Saints in Heathfield, Sussex on 18 February 1664. They were both then living at Mayfield.

Edward and Jane’s fourth child was Edward Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 20 March 1642. When his father made his will in 1657 he named his son Thomas as his then eldest son, so Edward must have died before the making of the will

Edward and Jane’s fifth child was Joane Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex in 1643. Joane died, probably unbaptised and was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 17 November 1643.

Edward and Jane’s sixth child was Jane Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 28 July 1644. When her father died in 1657 Jane was to inherit £30 when she attained the age of 21 or when she married if earlier. Then when she was 23 years old Jane married William Basset at the Parish Church of All Saints in Heathfield, Sussex on 28 January 1668.

Edward and Jane’s seventh child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 21 October 1645. After his father died in 1657 Thomas inherited, when he attained the age of 25 years, his father’s property in Mayfield called Martyn of Parkes and all his father’s other freehold properties in Mayfield.

Thomas never married, he died at the age of 27 and was buried in the Churchyard of St Giles, Cripplegate, London in late June 1673. His burial record describes him as a tobacconist and stated that his death was from a surfeit. Thomas died intestate and administration of his estate was granted to his brother John Muddle by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 4 August 1673 as his estate was in several dioceses or jurisdictions.[35] Presumably he had his inheritance from his father in Mayfield as well as property in London.

Edward and Jane’s eighth child was John Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 20 July 1649. John’s only inheritance when his father died in 1657 was that some of the income from his father’s freehold properties was to be used for his upbringing and placing out as an apprentice. When his brother Thomas died intestate in 1673 John was granted administration of his estate as the eldest living brother.

Edward and Jane’s ninth child was William Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 31 January 1652. After his father died in 1657 William as the youngest son inherited all his father’s copyhold properties, and the income from them was to be used for his upbringing while he was a minor.

Thomas and Mary’s second child was Thomas Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 15 May 1614. Thomas died when only about 2 years and 10 months old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 29 March 1617.

Thomas and Mary’s third child was John Muddle who was probably born at Mayfield in Sussex in about 1617. When his father died in 1625 John was left the unexpired term of his father’s lease from James Brown of 37 acres of marsh land at Herstmonceux that John was to receive on attaining the age of 21 years. In the meantime, his mother Mary was to have the use of the lands and the rents and profits used for the bringing up of John and placing him as an apprentice, with any residue of these profits paid to John on attaining 21 years of age.

An inquest held at Heathfield on 11 June 1647 by George Courthope, the coroner for Hastings rape, found that: Between 7 and 8 a.m. on 8 June, when John Mudle was riding from Mayfield to Heathfield by the road between those two places, near Scotfordbridge Bridge in Heathfield by misadventure he fell from the mare and thereby broke his ankle and other bones of his neck of which he languished until between 9 and 10 a.m. on 10 June and then died. The mare that had caused his death was worth 100s and was with Edward Mudle of Mayfield.[36] John would have been about 30 years old when he died, and the bridge near where he falls from his horse was presumably where the Scotsford Road crosses the River Rother.

Thomas and Mary’s fourth child was Agnes Muddle who was probably born at Mayfield in Sussex in about 1621. When her father died in 1625 Agnes was left £100 to be paid to her on attaining 21 years of age or when she married if earlier. Until then Agnes was to receive £4 13s 4d per year from the income on the £100 with any residue of this income going to her mother Mary. After Agnes received the £100 she was to pay her mother £3 6s 8d per year while she lived.

John and Alice’s third child was Anne Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 20 March 1575.

John and Alice’s fourth child was Edward Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 29 March 1578. On 28 June 1594 Edward, at the age of 16, was admitted (matriculated) to Merton College, Oxford University as the son of a plebeian (ordinary citizen), where he gained his Bachelor of Arts degree on 11 February 1598. He was ordained a Deacon by the Reverend John, Bishop of Rochester, on 11 September 1602 and then ordained a Priest by the Reverend John, Bishop of Rochester, on 26 December 1602. He gained his Master of Arts degree from Merton College on 22 February 1603. Edward was presented to be the Rector of Ewhurst, Sussex by George Browne, knight, the patron of the rectory by an advowson granted from Elizabeth, Viscountess Mountague and Anthony, Viscount Mountague. Resulting in Edward being admitted and instituted by the Reverend Anthony, Bishop of Chichester, on 3 March 1605; followed by Letters of Induction being produced by the worshipful John Mattock, Bachelor of Sacred Theology, Archdeacon of Lewes, on 5 March 1605 and Edward’s induction into the physical possession of Ewhurst rectory by Thomas Lord, clerk, in the presence of John Frewen, John Hatley, and other witnesses.[37]

Ewhurst is the name of the parish, the main settlement in the parish is the village of Ewhurst Green where the Parish Church of St James the Great and other buildings, such as Court Lodge, relating to the Muddle family are situated. In this history the name Ewhurst can be taken to normally refer to both the parish of Ewhurst and the village of Ewhurst Green.

When he was 28 years old Edward married widow Rachel Py at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 28 May 1606. They had two children born in 1607 and 1609, probably at Ewhurst but baptised at Mayfield.

Before the introduction of a standing army of the crown in England there was a requirement for men of substance and standing to hold men and weapons that could be called upon when needed in the defence of the country, and to this end lists were compiled with a surviving list being the weapons held by the Clergy of East Sussex on 11 March 1613. On this list Edward Muddell, parson of Ewhurst, was listed as having a calliver furnished, this being a matchlock gun with its ancillary equipment.[38]

On the 1 January 1616 Edward wrote a terrier (list of property) of all the houses, buildings, orchards and glebe lands belonging to the parsonage of Ewhurst that he had the use of and income from. A transcription with modern spelling except for names is as follows:

Imprimis one dwelling house, one barn, one garden and five small pieces or parcels of land containing by estimation sixteen acres and bounded as followeth, to the high street there towards the east and north and north west, to the lands of Edmund Borner called Smydes towards the west, to one other field called the fower acres belonging to the said parsonage towards the south and to the lands of Edward Muddle clerk called the Langelands towards the south and south east.

Item two more pieces of land the one called the fower acres the other the brick ostefield containing by estimation nine acres of land and boundeth to the lands of the foresaid Edward Muddle called wreene croft towards the east, to other lands of the said Edward called Sogges towards the south east and south, to the lands of Sir John Custon Baronet towards the south, and to the lands of the heirs of Richard Poynett and the foresaid lands called the smyds towards the west and to the foresaid lands called the Langelands towards the north and north east.

Item one other piece of land called the Ragelingham containing by estimation two acres and lieth to the lands of John Bromefield esq. towards the east and north, to the lands of Edmund Borner west and to the high street there towards the south.

Item one brook containing by estimation two acres and lieth to the lands of the foresaid John Bromefield towards the east and north, and to the lands of Laurence Pearce gent west and south.

Item one wet brook containing by estimation two acres which hath long time been surrounded with water and lieth within certain lands of the foresaid Sir John Custon called the eachynges for which said brook the said Sir John heretofore hath and now doth pay to the parson of Ewhurst yearly the sum of sixteen pence and one load of wood to be delivered at the parsonage house aforesaid.

This was signed by Edward Muddle as rector, Richard Freeman & John Snowe as churchwardens, and William Muddle (Edward’s brother), Thomas Jenner & Edmund Bourner as parishioners.[39]

At the Session of the Sussex Assizes held at East Grinstead on 22 July 1622 Edward, at the age of 44, served as a member of the Trial Jury, his brother William was serving on the Grand Jury.[40]

When John Bromefeilde of Ewhurst esq. placed the Manor of Ewhurst with land in Ewhurst, Northiam, Beckley, Peasmarsh, Iden and Playden in trust on 20 November 1623 Edward and his brother William were two of the five trustees. Then on 28 May 1636, after John Bromefeilde’s death, Edward and the other three surviving trustees, Edward’s brother William having died in 1630, reconveyed part of the trust consisting of two pieces of Marshland of 62 acres occupied by Thomas Manton, to Thomas Bromefeilde of Staple in Kent esq. son and heir of John Bromefeilde, after a hearing and order in Chancery.[41]

After 24 years of marriage Rachel died and was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 25 June 1630. When his brother William died in early November 1630 Edward was one of the three overseers of his brother’s will, and he would have officiated at his brother’s funeral at Ewhurst on 9 November 1630. Six months after his first wife’s death Edward, at the age of 52, married Priscilla Lord, who must have been much younger, at the Parish Church of St Margaret in East Barming, Kent on 25 November 1630. They had six children born at Ewhurst between 1631 and 1640, the middle four of whom all died in infancy.

On 1 May 1632 Edward wrote a letter to Thomas Haughton requesting him to try and get the Lord of Leicester to bestow some wood on him as his predecessors had done on previous ministers, there being 500 acres of wood in the parish of Ewhurst and he had been minister there for over 20 years. It seems that Edward was not successful in his request as the letter was endorsed by the Lord of Leicester acknowledging that his ancestors had bestowed wood out of Rotherfield woods on his predecessors, but this was not any right of the vicars.[42]

On the 8 May 1640 Edward inducted John Lord as Vicar of the Parish Church of Salehurst, Sussex. Then two days later, on 10 May 1640, Edward was one of those present when John Lord read the Articles of Religion.[43]

Much of the information in Edward's 1637 to 1647 tithe-books was copied in 1741 by a later Rector of Ewhurst, Richard Nairn, into his own tithe account book. This shows that Edward was receiving tithes from about 35 parishioners totalling about £50 per year. This included about 40 shillings per year from his nephew John Muddle for his farm and highland, together with about 25 shillings from Robert Goulding, who was a tenant of another of John Muddle's farms. From 1644 Edward's nephew William Muddle paid 28 shillings per year for a farm he used, and Thomas Muddle, who was possibly Edward cousin who lived at Battle, paid 20 shillings per year for his land called Yeilding Farm.[44]

Edward was still rector of Ewhurst when died at the age of 69, and was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St James the Great at Ewhurst on 4 September 1647. Edward had made his will on 27 June 1645, two years before his death, and it was proved at London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 23 December 1647. In this will Edward requested that he be buried in the chancel of Ewhurst Church and he left 40s for the poor of Ewhurst. He made his wife Priscilla his sole executrix and left her the use during her lifetime of the house in Ewhurst in which they then dwelt with of all his household goods, except those left to his son Edward, and on her death these were to also go to son Edward. To his son Edward he left two chests and his best trunk from the parlour chamber and 18 silver spoons that were to include the spoons given to his son by his Godparents; together with his house and lands of 8 acres in Ewhurst near Staple Cross that he had purchased from Henry Sheather; his house and lands in Sandhurst, Kent; and after his wife Priscilla’s death his house in Ewhurst in which he then dwelt with its 60 acres of land. To his daughter Persis he left his house and lands in Ewhurst that he had purchased from Nehemiah Panton and also £100 to be paid to her at age 18 with the income from it until then to be used for her education and up bringing. Edward made his brother-in-law William English and his son William English the overseers of his will; these were relatives of his wife Priscilla.[45]

Four month’s after Edward’s death Priscilla made her will on 1 January 1648 when she stated that she was living at her house in Ewhurst called Soggs. Then fourteen years after her husband’s death Priscilla died and was buried in the Churchyard of St James the Great at Ewhurst on 10 September 1661. (The 10th may be wrong as the second digit of the day is very faint in the register.) Priscilla’s will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 19 November 1663. In this will Priscilla left ten shillings to the poor of Ewhurst. All her household goods including her plate, rings and jewels, but excepting her linen, she left to be equally divided between her son Edward and daughter Persis. Her linen was to be divided into three equally parts with her son Edward to have his pick of one part and her daughter Persis the other two parts. Any residue of her personal estate including utensils of husbandry Priscilla left to her nephew Thomas English whom she made her sole executor. The overseers of the will were William English of Wigsell in Salehurst and Henry English of Brightling to whom Priscilla gave forty shillings to buy each of them a ring.[46]

Edward and Rachel’s eldest child was Mary Muddle who was probably born at Ewhurst in Sussex but baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 18 January 1607. When she was 25 years old Mary married Isaack White at the Parish Church of All Saints in Heathfield, Sussex on 5 January 1633. In his will of 1657 Mary’s cousin Edward Muddle of Mayfield made his cousin Isaack White one of the overseers of his will and left him 10s for his care and pains.

Edward and Rachel’s second child was Henry Muddle who was probably born at Ewhurst in Sussex but baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 7 May 1609.

Edward and Priscilla’s eldest child (Edward third) was Edward Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 25 September 1631.

When his father died in 1647 Edward, then aged 16, inherited at age 18 his father’s two chests and his best trunk from the parlour chamber and 18 silver spoons that were to include the spoons given to Edward by his Godparents; together with his father’s house and lands of 8 acres in Ewhurst near Staple Cross that he had purchased from Henry Sheather; his father’s house and lands in Sandhurst, Kent; and after his mother’s death (which was in 1661) the house in Ewhurst (called Soggs in his mother’s will) in which his parents then dwelt with its 60 acres of land. After his mother’s will was proved in 1663 Edward inherited a half share of her household goods including her plate, rings and jewels, but excluding her linen of which he received one third.

Edward served as churchwarden at Ewhurst for at least one year as he signed the Bishop’s Transcripts for the year 1664/5 as one of the churchwardens. On four legal documents concerning property transactions, dated 20 October 1656, 10 August 1657, 26 November 1664 and 13 August 1674, Edward Muddle signed as one of the witnesses.[47]

When he was 39 years old Edward married Mary Tayler at the Parish Church of St Peter & St Paul in Wadhurst, Sussex on 13 January 1671. They had one child, a daughter, born at Ewhurst in late 1671.

On three apprenticeship indentures dated 8 August 1671 for Robert Baker, Thomas Gaskinge and John Wood, and another apprenticeship indenture dated 11 April 1676 for John Lockerson, Edward Muddle signed as one of the witnesses.[48] On 30 May 1675 he gave a mortgage of £100 to Thomas Foster of Burwash for a messuage, barn, garden and orchard in Newenden occupied by John Pellet, and 1½ acres of land called Kings Croft in Newenden occupied by Roger Nash.[49] On a bond relating to the sale of some land in Ewhurst dated 14 February 1684 Edward was one of the witnesses.[50]

Edward was described as a gentleman when he died on 15 April 1693, at the age of 61, and was buried in woollen in the chancel of the Parish Church of St James the Great at Ewhurst on 18 April 1693. Edward died intestate and administration of his estate was granted to his wife Mary by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 10 August 1693.[51] An inventory taken on 3 August 1693 and exhibited on 10 August 1693 valued Edward’s personal estate at £174 14s 11d, and showed that his home consisted of a kitchen, parlour, parlour closet, entry, hall, buttery, wash house, milk house, bake house, brew house, oasthouse, parlour chamber, hall chamber, canopy chamber, kitchen chamber, milk house chamber, study, parlour garret and wash house chamber. All the chambers except the last had beds in them. Outside there were horses, cattle, sheep, chicken, geese and growing wheat. He was owed rent of £36 from his properties at Sandhurst and had nearly £11 of money in the house. He was also owed money by several people for quantities of peas, which he had presumably grown.[52]

An indenture dated 21 August 1693 shows that when Edward died he still owned the property called Soggs in Ewhurst where his parents had lived and this may well be the property described as his home in the above inventory. Soggs and other properties that Edward owned all passed to his daughter Anne on his death and were described in this indenture as:[53]

All that Messuage or Tenement, Barn, Kitchen, Garden & Orchards and all those several parcels of Land, Meadow, Pasture and Wood called Soggs containing 18 acres in Ewhurst aforesaid. And all those several parcels of Land, Meadow, Pasture and Wood called Smydes in Ewhurst aforesaid containing 14 acres. And all those two pieces or parcels of Land formerly lying in one piece called Longlands containing 10 acres in Ewhurst aforesaid. And all that piece or parcel of Land with the appurtenances called Weane Croft. Also Wrens Croft in Ewhurst aforesaid containing 3 acres. And all those Several pieces or parcels of land, meadow, pasture and wood called Skewers Towne lying in Ewhurst aforesaid containing in the whole 14 acres with their Appurtenances. And also all every other the Lands Tenements and Hereditaments late of said Edward Muddle with their appurtenances.

Five years later Mary married widower Samuel Petter at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 3 February 1698. Samuel was from Northiam in Sussex, he was Mr Samuel Petter senior who lived at Dixter in Northiam with the family of his son Samuel Petter junior. Four years after their marriage Samuel died and was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Northiam on 19 March 1702. Then two years later Mary married William Easton at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 6 August 1704; they were both then resident in Rye.

Edward and Mary’s only child was Anne Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 26 December 1671. When she was 17 years old Anne married 28-year-old Thomas Weekes at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 27 June 1689. Thomas was the eldest surviving son of William and Elizabeth Weekes, who lived at Birchington in Bexhill, and he had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Bexhill on 15 January 1661. Thomas and Anne had six children born at Ewhurst between 1691 and 1705, two of whom were twins. Thomas was described as a gentleman at the baptism of his second child in 1693 and then as a yeoman at the baptism of his fifth child in 1700.

On the death of her father on 15 April 1693 Anne inherited all his property, and then in an indenture dated 21 August 1693 Thomas and Anne mortgaged to Mary Lacy of Eastbourne for £100 at 5% interest this property, as described above under Anne’s parents, together with the property Thomas had inherited from his father, which was described as follows:

All that one Messuage or Tenement called Byrchington alias Burchington consisting of one Messuage, one Barn, one Stable, one Garden, one Orchard & divers parcels of Land containing in the whole 40 acres with the Appurtenances thereunto belonging. And also all that one other Messuage or Tenement called Burchington House with the Close, Barn & Lands thereunto adjoining containing 2 acres one Orchard containing one Rood. And all those 4 pieces or parcells of Land called Burchington Meadows containing 6 acres. And one piece of land called the Croft at Cowdinggate containing one acre with their appurtenances in Bexhill aforesaid.

Then in indentures of Lease and Release of 26 & 27 March 1702 Thomas sold to Thomas Snepp the elder, yeoman of Battle, the above properties at Bexhill that he had inherited from his father.[54]

It’s thought that Thomas and his family lived at Court Lodge, the old manor house near Ewhurst Church, as tenants of the Powell family. Thomas died on 28 December 1717, when just on 57 years old, and he was buried in woollen in the chancel of the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 9 January 1718. On his burial record he was described as Thomas Weekes senior of Ewhurst, gentleman. The death of Thomas was probably unexpected and sudden as he died intestate and administration of his estate was granted to his widow Anne by the Archdeaconry of Lewes on 12 May 1718 when an inventory was exhibited that valued his personal estate at £399 19s 2d.[55]

Anne was only 46 years old when Thomas died and she remained a widow living at Ewhurst for the next thirty years, until her death at the age of 76 and burial in the Churchyard of St James the Great at Ewhurst on 8 February 1748.

Thomas and Anne’s eldest child was Thomas Weekes who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex on 24 February 1691, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 11 March 1691. Thomas, at the age of 27, was a farmer at Ewhurst when he was one of those that stood as a guarantee bound in the sum of £800 when his mother was granted administration of his late father’s estate on 12 May 1718.

Thomas and Anne’s second child was William Weekes who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex on 25 April 1693, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 29 April 1693.

Thomas and Anne’s third child, one of twins, was Mary Weekes who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex on 28 January 1697, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on the same day.

Thomas and Anne’s fourth child, one of twins, was Elizabeth Weekes who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex on 28 January 1697, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on the same day.

Thomas and Anne’s fifth child was Anne Weekes who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex on 20 July 1700, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 21 July 1700.

Thomas and Anne’s sixth child was Sarah Weekes who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex on 26 February 1705, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on the same day.

Edward and Priscilla’s second child (Edward fourth) was Persis Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 5 May 1633. Persis died when she was only few weeks old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 30 May 1633.

Edward and Priscilla’s third child (Edward fifth) was Thomas Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 13 September 1635. Thomas died when he was only 18 months old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 6 March 1637.

Edward and Priscilla’s fourth child (Edward sixth) was Thomas Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 1 October 1637. Thomas died when he was only 4 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 7 March 1642. Thomas was mentioned in his father’s will because the house and land in Ewhurst that his father left to his daughter Persis had original been purchased for Thomas and his heirs.

Edward and Priscilla’s fifth child (Edward seventh) was John Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 17 March 1639. John died when he was only 3 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 23 March 1642.

Edward and Priscilla’s sixth child (Edward eighth) was Persis Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 20 December 1640. When her father died in 1647 Persis, then aged 6, inherited, at age 18, her father’s house and lands in Ewhurst that he had purchased from Nehemiah Panton, and also £100 in money, the income from which, until she was 18, was to be used for her education and up bringing. Her mother died in 1661 and after his mother’s will was proved in 1663 Persis inherited a half share of her household goods including her plate, rings and jewels, but excluding her linen of which she received two thirds. Persis never married and she was described as a gentlewoman when she died at the age of 77 and was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 17 February 1718.

John and Alice’s fifth child was William Muddle who was born at Mayfield in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Dunstan in Mayfield on 24 September 1581. When his father died in 1606 William was executor of his will and inherited the property his father had purchased at Wokingham in Willshire (presumable an error and should be Berkshire) together with all his father’s other real estate and the residue of his personal estate.

In about 1607 William married Alice Wickham, who was the third daughter of John and Mary Wickham; she had been born at Horsmonden in Kent in about 1583 and was the sister of the Margaret Wickham who had earlier married William’s brother John Muddle. Alice’s father John Wickham was the Rector of Horsmonden in Kent from 1571 and then also became the non-resident Rector of Rotherfield in Sussex in 1580. He married Mary Hovenden of Canterbury and they had six children, Margaret, Richard, William, Margery, Alice and Elizabeth, at Horsmonden before Mary died on 6 June 1587, the same year that John was replaced by Edward Alchin as Rector of Horsmonden. John then married Martha Cornwall at Canterbury on 8 November 1587 and they had daughter Sarah at Horsmonden in 1588 before moving to Rotherfield where they had daughter Mary in 1591 and John became resident Rector until his death on 25 February 1592.[56]

William and Alice lived at Ewhurst in Sussex, where William's brother Edward had become rector in 1605, and there they had seven children born between 1608 and 1624. When her spinster sister Elizabeth Wickham died in 1610 Alice inherited £40 together with a little brass pot, half her sister's linen that had been their father's, and all her sister's wearing apparel that was already with Alice.[57]

When Sir Henry Baker of Sissinghurst in Kent sold property at Dallington, Ashburnham, Udimore and Ewhurst in Sussex to Thomas Marshall of Udimore in June 1611 he gave Edward Muddle, gent, power of attorney to deliver seisin, that is deliver title of the properties to Thomas Marshall. Then when Thomas Marshall sold some of these properties to Grace and Mary Bromfield in October 1612 he gave Anthony Carleton and William Muddle, gents, power of attorney to deliver seisin.[58] On 1 January 1616 William signed, as a parishioner of Ewhurst, the Ewhurst Terrier written by his brother Edward.

On four occasions William served on the Grand Jury of the Sussex Assizes held at East Grinstead; on 5 July 1613, 3 March 1617, 21 July 1617 and 22 July 1622. At the last session his brother Edward was serving on the Trial Jury.[59]

Part of the land William had inherited from his father was the 28 acres of land in Broadreed Wood that his father, together with his brother Thomas and Thomas Relfe, had purchased from the Lord of Mayfield Manor in 1597. On the 29 October 1621 William sold 9 acres of this land to Thomas Ralfe, which was then sold by Henry Relfe to Stephen Penkherst on 12 April 1631, when it was bounded on the west and north by land owned by the heirs of William and on the east by land late owned by William.[60]

When John Bromefeilde of Ewhurst esq. placed the Manor of Ewhurst with land in Ewhurst, Northiam, Beckley, Peasmarsh, Iden and Playden in trust on 20 November 1623 William and his brother Edward were two of the six trustees, and William remained a trustee until his death seven years later.

William had the advowson (patronage) of the Church of Langley in Kent as a concession from William Buskyn, armiger, and in 1627 William had his son-in-law Freegift Tilden installed as rector of Langley.

When the Rev John Frewen the elder of Northiam died William Muddle was one of the three appraisers of his goods and their inventory dated 3 May 1628 valuing his estate at £357 5s 4d was exhibited by his son Thankful Frewen at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in London on 6 July 1628.[61]

Four years after the birth of their last child Alice died when she was about 45 years old and she was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 14 October 1628.

When Anthony Apsley of Ticehurst and his eldest son John Apsley placed properties in Surrey in trust on 28 August 1630, the trustees were Herbert Lunnford esq. of East Hoathly and William Muddle esq. of Ewhurst, who were to sell the properties at an appropriate time to provide ‘competent portions’ for the younger children of Anthony Apsley.[62]

Two years after the death of his wife, William died at the age of 49, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 9 November 1630. William had made his will on 11 October 1630, just before his death, when he described himself as a gentleman of Ewhurst. This will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 9 February 1631. In this will William left twenty shillings to be distributed amongst the poor at his funeral. He made his son William his executor and left him the rents and profits from his properties in Ewhurst out of which William was to pay his sisters Barbara and Alice £12 per year each until they attained the age of 21, which could be increased by the overseers of the will, who were his brother Edward Muddle and his sons-in-law Freegift Tilden and Nathaniel Powell, if they thought fit. To his son William he also left all his household goods and the advowson for Langley Church.[63]

William had owned property at Peasmarsh in Sussex because the will of his son-in-law Freegift Tilden recorded that William had given £150 that had come out of his lands at Peasmarsh to his daughter Rachel, who had become Freegift’s wife, and her children. And William had also owned an 84 acre farm in Mayfield that had anciently been known as Freemans, Marchants and Curteys and was later known as Pipers Farm that passed to his son-in-law Nathaniel Powell.[64]

Their children were:

Rachel 1608-?  Sarah 1609-1653  William 1612-1656  John 1617-1694 

Barbara 1620-?  Edward 1622-1623  Alice 1624-?

William and Alice’s eldest child was Rachel Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 13 March 1608. When she was 16 years old Rachel married 20-year-old Freegift Tilden at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 25 November 1624. They were both then living at Ewhurst. Freegift was the son of Thomas Tilden, he had been born at Tenterden in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mildred in Tenterden on 29 May 1604. On 18 May 1618 Freegift, at the age of 14, was admitted (matriculated) to Emmanuel College, Cambridge University, where he gained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1621-2 and then his Master of Arts degree in 1625. Freegift and Rachel had three children; their first child was born at Ewhurst in late 1625.

On the 16 November 1625 Freegift appeared personally before Sir Richard Clerke, clerk, surrogate etc, in the presence of William Somner junior, Notary Public, and was granted a licence to assist in the care of souls of the parishioners of Langley, in Canterbury diocese, in all offices pertaining to a deacon.[65] Freegift was Curate and then Minister at the Parish Church of St Mary in Langley, Kent before being installed as Rector on 31 May 1627, his father-in-law, William Muddle having the patronage of Langley as a concession from William Buskyn, armiger. The previous Rector of Langley, Joseph Bennett, resigned on the day that Freegift was installed.

When his father-in-law, William Muddle, died in November 1630 Freegift was one of the three overseers of his will. Freegift and Rachel’s other two children were born at Langley in 1630 and about 1642. Rachel died sometime between the birth of their last child and Freegift making his will in 1659. Freegift was still rector of Langley when he died at the age of just on 58, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary at Langley on 5 May 1662.

Freegift had made his will on 30 November 1659 when he described himself as a Preacher of the word of God. This will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 10 June 1662. In this will Freegift left £3 for the poor of Langley. To his son Edward he left £20 of which £5 was to be in five gold £1 coins, and also all his properties in the parishes of Warehorne and Sandhurst in Kent, and the parishes of Northiam and Hailsham in Sussex with the provision that the executors were to hold the profits from these properties until instructed otherwise by his son Edward as he was then not in England. To his son Theophilus he left £20 of which £5 was to be in five gold £1 coins that was to be paid to him at his age of 21. To his son Theophilus he left £50 that was his portion of the £150 that his father-in-law, William Muddle, had left to Rachel and her children out of his lands at Peasmarsh in Sussex, to be paid to him at age 21 and until then invested by the executors to improve its value. He also left to his son  Theophilus all his books and his properties in the parishes of Chart next Sutton Valance, Cranbrook and Wittsham otherwise Wittersham on the Isle of Oxney, all in Kent, together with all the rents owing on these properties. The rents and profits from these properties to be used by the executors for Theophilus maintenance and education until he attained the age of 21. To his daughter Sarah the wife of Arthur Stone, citizen and salter of London, he left the unexpired term of his lease on properties called Stutfold and Milwood in Stalisfield, Kent. All the remainder of his personal estate he left to his daughter Sarah and her husband Arthur Stone and he made both of them the executors of his will.[66]

Freegift and Rachel’s eldest child was Edward Tilden who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 13 December 1625. When his father died in 1662 Edward inherited £20 of which £5 was to be in five gold £1 coins, and also all his father’s properties in the parishes of Warehorne and Sandhurst in Kent, and the parishes of Northiam and Hailsham in Sussex; and when his father made his will in late 1659 he stated that Edward was not then in England and instructed the executors to hold the profits from these properties until Edward instructed them otherwise. Edward had been living at Leeds in Kent when he died at the age of 44 and was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Langley, Kent on 26 August 1670.

Freegift and Rachel’s second child was Sarah Tilden who was born at Langley in Kent and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Langley on 19 September 1630. Sarah married Arthur Stone, probably at Langley during the 1650s, and they had three children born in London between 1660 and 1666. When her father died in 1662 Sarah inherited the unexpired term of her father’s lease on properties called Stutfold and Milwood in Stalisfield, Kent. All the residue of her father’s personal estate was left to Sarah and her husband Arthur Stone, who was described as a Citizen and Salter of London, and they were made the two executors of the will. When Sarah’s brother Theophilus died during August 1690 he made Arthur the sole executor of his will and left Arthur all his properties in Kent, Sussex and elsewhere in England.

Arthur died sometime between late May and early July 1701. He had made his will on 22 May 1701 and this will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 9 July 1701. Arthur made his wife Sarah the sole executrix of his will. His properties at Chart next Sutton Valance and at Cranbrook in Kent, and at Northiam in Sussex, that he had inherited from his brother-in-law Theophilus Tilden, he left for the benefit of his wife Sarah during her life, and after her death the properties at Chart next Sutton Valance and at Northiam were to go to his daughter Sarah for her benefit during her live and then after her death to her son Arthur Vanderest. After his wife’s death the properties at Chart next Sutton Valance were to go directly to his grandson Arthur Vanderest. His property at Budge Row in the City of London Arthur left in trust with his friends Edmund Clarke and Seth Ratcliffe for them to use the rents to pay an annuity of £20 to Eaton Broughton for life so that she could look after and educate Hierum Jaques, then an infant, until he was 21, after which the property was to pass to Hierum Jaques. Any surplus from the rents was to be paid to his wife Sarah. Arthur’s farm at Staplehurst in Kent that he had purchased from William Butcher and was occupied by Thomas Tindall he left for the benefit of his wife Sarah during her life and on her death it was to go to his grandson Arthur Vanderest, with the condition that this property was to pay an annuity of £16 to his nephew Thomas Stone during the term of his life. Two thirds of the residue of his personal estate Arthur left to his wife and the other third to his daughter Sarah.[67]

Arthur and Sarah’s eldest child was Freegift Stone who was born in the City of London on 14 July 1660 and baptised at the Church of All Hallows in Bread Street, City of London on 19 July 1660.

Arthur and Sarah’s second child was Arthur Stone who was born in the City of London and baptised at the Church of All Hallows in Bread Street, City of London on 5 January 1665.

Arthur and Sarah’s third child was Sarah Stone who was born in the City of London and baptised at the Church of All Hallows in Bread Street, City of London on 11 January 1666. Sarah married a Vanderest and they had at least one child, a son, before Sarah’s husband died. Sarah then married John Pullinge.

Sarah’s only known child was Arthur Vanderest. Arthur seems to have been the only heir of his grandfather Arthur Stone and ended up inheriting most of his property.

Freegift and Rachel’s third child was Theophilus Tilden who was born at Langley in Kent in about 1642. On 15 June 1657 Theophilus, when he was about 15, was admitted (matriculated) to Magdalen Hall, Oxford University as the son of a clergyman, where he gained his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1661 and his Master of Arts degree in 1664.[68]

When his father died in 1662 Theophilus was to inherited, at age 21, £20 of which £5 was to be in five gold £1 coins, and £50 that was his portion of the £150 that his mother’s father, William Muddle, had left to his mother and her children out of his lands at Peasmarsh in Sussex, which was to be invested by the executors to improve its value until he attained the age of 21. Theophilus also inherited all his father’s books and his properties in the parishes of Chart next Sutton Valance, Cranbrook and Wittsham otherwise Wittersham on the Isle of Oxney, all in Kent, together with all the rents owing on these properties. The rents and profits from these properties to be used by the executors for Theophilus maintenance and education until he attained the age of 21.

Theophilus was appointed Vicar at the Parish Church of St Olave in Fritwell, Oxfordshire, which is 15 miles north of Oxford, on 8 March 1669, and 21 years later he was still the Vicar at Fritwell when he died a bachelor at the age of about 48, and was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Langley, Kent on 27 August 1690. Theophilus had made his will on 22 August 1690 and it was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 30 August 1690. In this will Theophilus requested that he be buried in the Parish Church of Langley in Kent, and he left 20 shillings for the poor people of Fritwell. He left widow Mary Jackman his two gold rings and to her son Benjamin Jackman he left his library of books on the condition that Benjamin became a scholar at either the University of Oxford or Cambridge. To his man servant John Crooke he left £5 to be paid to him immediately, and then £10 per year for the next four years. He also gave to John Crooke his small horse with its bridle and saddle, also his bed and all the furniture in his chamber at Magdalen Hall in Oxford, and all his wearing apparel. To Samuel Robbins, his wife, and all his children, Theophilus left each ten shillings. All his properties in Kent and Sussex and elsewhere in England Theophilus left to his brother-in-law Arthur Stone whom he made the sole executor of his will.[69]

Arthur Stone in his own will mentions that he had inherited from Theophilus properties at Chart next Sutton Valance and at Cranbrook in Kent, and at Northiam in Sussex, so it seems likely that Theophilus had inherited from his brother Edward, when he died in 1670, the properties at Northiam that their father had bequeathed to Edward in 1662.

William and Alice’s second child was Sarah Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 19 November 1609. When she was 17 years old Rachel married Nathaniel Powell at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 8 August 1627. Nathaniel was the son of Meredith and Alice Powell of Brampton-Ralf in Somerset. Nathaniel and Sarah had ten children born at Ewhurst between 1628 and 1649.

When his father-in-law, William Muddle, died in November 1630 Nathaniel was one of the three overseers of his will. Then on 1 October 1635 Nathaniel leased for 21 years from Thomas Bromfield of Ewhurst the Manor House called Court Lodge in Ewhurst with all the gardens, orchards, etc. appertaining to it, together with the rights and profits of the Fair at Ewhurst, and the arable lands, meadows, pastures and hereditaments, late belonging to John Bromfield, deceased.[70] Nathaniel's father-in-law, William Muddle, had been one of the trustees of John Bromfield's properties until his death in 1730.

Nathaniel had purchased the manor of Kingsnorth in Kent from Sir John Baker during the reign of Charles I, and in Sussex Nathaniel purchased the manors of Ewhurst, Bodiam, Broomham and Mote in Iden and also other properties in Ewhurst and Bodiam including Bodiam Castle. Nathaniel had purchased the Mote in Iden manor in 1646 and by then also owned Bodiam manor, and during the 1640s Richard Kilburne of Fowlers in Hawkhurst was his steward.[71] As a result of the manors he owned Nathaniel also had the advowsons of the parish of Kingsnorth in Kent, and parishes of Ewhurst and Fairlight in Sussex.

In an indenture dated 21 February 1652 Nathaniel Powell, esquire of Ewhurst, took Nicholas Browne as an apprentice in husbandry. Nicholas Browne was a poor child of Ewhurst Parish being maintained by parish relief and was put out as an apprentice to Nathaniel Powell, until he attained the age of 24 years, by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Ewhurst. In return for the services of his apprentice Nicholas Powell undertook to provide him with lodging, food, drink, clothes and to instruct him in husbandry, and at the end of the apprenticeship he was to provide his apprentice with two sets of clothes, one for work days and one for holy days.[72]

It seems that during the English Civil War Nathaniel was a Justice of the Peace and a supplier of iron cannon to the state. Because in a 4 May 1674 chancery answer by Thomas Sackville to a bill exhibited by Sir Nathaniel Powell in which Nathaniel claimed that a quit rent of 2 shillings was payable to his manor of Bodiam for Thomas Sackville’s house, Brede High. Thomas admitted that the rent had been paid during the Civil War because he didn’t want to offend Nathaniel, who was then a Justice of the Peace and a gunfounder to the state, on account of negotiations concerning ironworks and stock leased by Nathaniel from Thomas, for which Nathaniel had refused to pay, pretending the stock was for the state.[73] Another document shows that Nathaniel had on 28 February 1652 leased from Thomas Sackville for 21 years; two ironworks called Brede Forge and Furnace in Brede, Sedlescombe and Udimore, and woods and underwoods in those parishes and in Ewhurst, and had then assigned this lease on 30 December 1659 to Samuel Gott of Battle and Peter Farnden of Sedlescombe, who in turn transferred the lease to Thomas Westerne and Charles Harvie of London on 9 May 1662.[74]

Sarah died at the age of 44 and was buried in the Powell family vault underneath the Court Lodge Aisle in the Church of St James at Ewhurst on 29 December 1653. On 29 November 1654 the Mayor and Jurats of Rye elected Nathaniel as a Baron for that port.[75] When Nathaniel married his daughters Mary & Catherine at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst in 1656 and 1657 he was described as being a Justice of the Peace. On the 2 June 1657 Nathaniel was appointed as one of the commissioners charged with looking into the administration of charities in Rye and to report to Chancery by 7 June 1658.[76]

On 10 August 1659 Nathaniel Powell, gentleman of Ewhurst, was granted by John Tufton, Earl of Thanet, and Nicholas, Lord Tufton, his son and heir apparent, the right to make a watercourse for the free passage of water from Knowle Well or Spring on the lands of Shorham Farm to his house, Court Lodge in Ewhurst.[77] So it seems that Nathaniel still owned Court Lodge, the manor house next to Ewhurst Church, after his 21 year lease of 1635 would have expired; it probably came as part of his purchase of the Manor of Ewhurst and was to remain in the Powell family until 1723

It was probably in the late 1650s that Nathaniel purchased Wierton Place in Boughton Monchelsea, Kent from the heirs of Sir Anthony St Ledger, as his eldest son and heir, Nathaniel, was married at Boughton Monchelsea in late 1659 and had his children baptised at Boughton Monchelsea from 1661. Nathaniel was made the first Baronet of Ewhurst by Charles II on 10 May 1661 as a result of his active interest in the cause of the Stuarts, and his son Nathaniel seems to have been made a knight at about the same time. Nathaniel was definitely living at Wierton Place from 25 March 1663 when the first surviving accounts for his estates in Sussex were submitted in two sections, one section to Nathaniel Powell baronet of Boughton Monchelsea and the other section to Nathaniel Powell knight of Boughton Monchelsea. Nathaniel was the baronet and his son Nathaniel was the knight. From the 25 March 1669 both sections were for Nathaniel Powell knight of Boughton Monchelsea, so it seems that Nathaniel had originally passed, from at least 1663, control and administration of part of his Sussex estates to his son, and then from 1669 had given his son full control and administration of them, and was living at Wierton Place with his son and his son’s family.[78]

In an indenture dated 12 September 1672 that was recited in the 20 May 1686 marriage settlement of his grandson Barnham Powell. Nathaniel placed the following of his Sussex properties in a 99 year trust, from the date of his death, for his son Nathaniel during his life and then to his grandson Barnham Powell and his heirs; reserving to himself the right to determine the disposal of the rents and profits from these properties. These properties were:[79]

The manor and advowson of Ewhurst; the manor house called Court Lodge with barns and buildings and the demesne land of 420 acres in Ewhurst; the house, barns and land of 150 acres called Praules in Ewhurst bought by Nathaniel from John Snepp; the house, barns and land of 40 acres called Holland in Ewhurst bought by Nathaniel from George Clarke; the house, barn and land in Ewhurst bought by Nathaniel from his brother-in-law John Muddle; the manors of Bodiam and Broomham and Bodiam Castle; Castle Land, Barnfield, Seven Acres, Castle Marshes and East Land Marshes of 180 acres in Bodiam; the manor of Mote, the manor house with barns and buildings, and houses and land of 840 acres in Iden, Peasmarsh and Flackley purchased by Nathaniel from William Scott and the appendant advowson of Fairlight.

Seventeen years after the death of his wife Nathaniel died and was buried in the Powell family vault underneath the Court Lodge Aisle in the Church of St James at Ewhurst on 23 March 1675. He had made his will on 7 October 1674 while living at Wierton Place in Boughton Monchelsea, and this will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 11 June 1675. In this will Nathaniel requested that he be privately buried without pomp and ostentation in his vault underneath the Court Lodge Aisle in Ewhurst Church next to his wife and children. He left £5 for the poor of Boughton Monchelsea and another £5 for the poor of Ewhurst. To the Countess Dowager if Thanet he left his gold watch as an acknowledgement of his gratitude for her ladyship’s manifold favours conferred on him. To his grandson Barnham Powell he left his heart cut diamond ring, his Dutch cabinet and its contents that stands in his chamber at Wierton Place, and all his plate, goods and chattels not otherwise bequeathed. To his grandson Nathaniel Powell he left his Oriental amethyst ring set with two diamond sparks and his Dutch cabinet laid with oil in colours in his lodging chamber at Thanet House. Regarding the rents and profits from the properties in the above indenture of 12 September 1672, these were to first go to his grandson Barnham Powell for his life and then to Barnham’s male heirs. There were detailed conditions if Barnham didn’t have male heirs, including the rebuilding of Wierton Place and the building and funding of a free school at Boughton Green in Boughton. Monchelsea, but as Barnham did have male heirs these conditions never came into effect and Boughton Monchelsea presumably never got its free school. Nathaniel appointed three executors of his will, his honourable friend Christopher Lord Hatton, his grandson Barnham Powell and Walter Philipps gent. servant to his honoured friend Thomas Fane esq. Nathaniel left Walter Philipps £10 for acting as an executor and also requested that the trustees of the will, Thomas Fane, Ralph Bufkin and John Wolfe, employ Walter Philipps to keep the accounts of the trusts, for which he was to receive £10 per annum, payable out of Nathaniel’s properties at Kingsnorth in Kent.[80]

Nathaniel and Sarah’s eldest child was Alice Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 21 September 1628. Alice died at the age of 20 and she was buried in the Powell family vault underneath the Court Lodge Aisle in the Church of St James at Ewhurst on 31 May 1649.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s second child was Sarah Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 2 February 1631.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s third child was Elizabeth Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 24 February 1633. Elizabeth died at the age of 16 and she was buried in the Powell family vault underneath the Court Lodge Aisle in the Church of St James at Ewhurst on 5 March 1649.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s fourth child was Mary Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 18 October 1635. When she was 21 years old Mary married John Bucke at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 23 September 1656. John was a clerk from Hastings and the marriage ceremony was conducted by Mary’s father, Nathaniel Powell JP.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s fifth child was Anne Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 14 May 1637. Anne married John Green.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s sixth child was Catherine Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 19 May 1639. When she was 18 years old Catherine married Thomas Gunstone at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 19 May 1657. Thomas was a merchant from London and the marriage ceremony was conducted by Catherine’s father, Nathaniel Powell JP.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s seventh child was Nathaniel Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex on 29 February 1641, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 1 March 1641. It was probably in the late 1650s that Nathaniel moved with his widowed father to Wierton Place in Boughton Monchelsea, Kent. On 14 March 1657 when he was 16 years old Nathaniel was admitted to Emmanuel College at Cambridge University.[81]

When he was 18 years old Nathaniel married 15-year-old Mary Barnham at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 8 December 1659. Mary was the daughter of Sir Robert Barnham, Bart. and his wife Elizabeth, and she had been baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 18 October 1644. Nathaniel was knighted on 30 July 1660 and then on 10 May 1661 Charles II made Nathaniel's father the first Baronet of Ewhurst because of his active interest in the cause of the Stuarts. Nathaniel and Mary had three children born at Boughton Monchelsea between 1661 and 1664, and Nathaniel was recorded as being a knight at the baptism of the second of these, his son Barnham, on 24 November 1662. Three years after the birth of their last child Mary died at the age of 22, and she was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 10 January 1667.

The accounts for the estates in Sussex of Nathaniel’s father survive from 25 March 1663 and were initially submitted in two sections, one section to Nathaniel Powell baronet of Boughton Monchelsea and the other section to Nathaniel Powell knight of Boughton Monchelsea. Nathaniel would have been the knight and his father the baronet. Then from the 25 March 1669 to 25 March 1673 both sections were for Nathaniel Powell knight of Boughton Monchelsea, so it seems that Nathaniel’s father had initially passed control and administration of part of his Sussex estates to Nathaniel, and then from 1669, when he was becoming an old man, had given Nathaniel full control and administration of them.

Just a year after the death of his first wife Nathaniel, at the age of 26, married Frances Stapleton at the Church of St Martin in the Fields, Westminster on 26 January 1668. Frances was the daughter of Sir Philip Stapleton, Knight of Wighill, Yorkshire. Nathaniel and Frances had four children born at Boughton Monchelsea between 1668 and 1676.

A copy of the court roll of Robersbridge Manor for 26 March 1668 records that Sir Nathaniel Powell the younger, knight, only brother and heir of John Powell, gent, deceased, and Nathaniel Powell the elder, baronet, sold to Stephen Frewen; one tenement called Fowkes in the borough of Purisfield, and another tenement there called Chapmans and Totlandes formerly in the occupation of John Powell, now deceased.[82] Later documents show these tenements were near Clench Green in Northiam, Sussex.

When his father died in March 1675 Nathaniel became the second Baronet of Ewhurst, so he was now a knight and baronet, and he continued to live at Wierton Place. The accounts for what were now his estates in Sussex, from 29 September 1675 to 3 March 1685, were now submitted in one section to Nathaniel Powell knight and baronet of Boughton Monchelsea.[83] Much of Nathaniel’s inheritance from his father was controlled by a 99 year trust that his father had set up in 1672, and as part of the 1686 marriage settlement of his son Barnham he confirmed that his son Barnham was to receive the income from the properties in this trust that his father had originally assigned to Barnham, but subject to the payment of an annuity of £120 to his wife Frances for her life, as per their marriage settlement of 22 January 1668.

The account of John Lake, Bishop of Chichester, submitted to the office of First Fruits and Tenths on 29 June 1686 records that for the year 1684-5 Nathaniel Powell gent was his sub-collector and deputy for the collection of the tithe of the clergy in the Diocese of Chichester due to the king.[84]

An act of parliament of 1690 authorised taxation to raise £1,651,702 18s for their Majesties William and Mary to complete the subjection of Ireland and vigorously carry on the war with France. To execute this act Commissioners were appointed in each county and Sir Nathaniel Powell and his son Barnham were two of the Commissioners for Kent.[85]

Nathaniel died on 28 January 1707, at the age of 65, and he was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 31 January 1707. Frances was living in Maidstone when she made her will on 20 August 1714, and she added a codicil to this will on 20 June 1718. Twelve years after her husband’s death Frances died and was buried with her husband in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 24 January 1719. Their grave is covered by an inscribed stone that was partly cut away when the church heating system was installed; the section for Nathaniel is still readable but the section for Frances is badly eroded and her date of death and age are no longer readable.

Frances’ will was proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 22 May 1719. In this will and codicil she requested that she be buried in the chancel of Boughton Monchelsea Church and she left 40 shillings for the poor of the parish in which she died and another 40 shillings for the poor of Boughton Monchelsea. She made her son Robert Powell the sole executor of the will and left him two thirds of the residue of her personal estate; the other third went to her grandson Leonard Powell. A number of items were also left to her daughter Mrs Ann Breton, her granddaughter Mrs Frances Newington and her grandson Leonard Powell.[86]

Nathaniel and Mary’s eldest child was Elizabeth Powell who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 2 April 1661. When her maternal grandfather Sir Robert Barnham died in 1685 Elizabeth inherited £500.[87] When she was 27 years old Elizabeth married Samuel Newington at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 10 May 1688. They had at one child, a daughter, born in mid-1690. Then just over a year later Elizabeth died at the age of 30, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 27 July 1691.

Samuel and Elizabeth’s only known child was Frances Newington who was born during August 1690. When Frances’ maternal grandmother, Frances Powell, died in 1719 she left Frances her Sable Tippet (shoulder cape), Indian Cabinet, the Stools she worked herself, the little pictures in her Chamber, and all her linen and woollen wearing apparel. Then when she was 37 years old Frances married her 1st cousin Christopher Powell at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 26 May 1728. See the section below on Christopher Powell for the rest of their lives.

Nathaniel and Mary’s second child was Barnham Powell who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent on 24 November 1662; his birth was recorded in the register of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea where he was presumably also baptised. When his grandfather Sir Nathaniel Powell died in 1675 Barnham inherited his heart cut diamond ring, his Dutch cabinet and its contents that stood in his chamber at Wierton Place, and all his plate, goods and chattels not otherwise bequeathed. Barnham was to also receive all the rent and profit from his grandfather’s properties in Sussex as defined in a 99 year trust set up in an indenture of 12 September 1672. Then when his maternal grandfather Sir Robert Barnham died in 1685 Barnham inherited £100.[88]

Nathaniel married Elizabeth Clitherow at the Church of St Margaret in Westminster on 22 May 1686. Elizabeth was the daughter of James Clitherow, esq. of Boston House, Middlesex and his wife Elizabeth, and she had been baptised at the Church of St Andrew Undershaft in the City of London on 18 October 1664.

In a marriage settlement of 20 May 1686 for £4,000 Barnham settles as a jointure on Elizabeth (sets aside income from property for the support of his wife during her widowhood, in lieu of a dower) the following:[89]

The manor of Mote, the manor house with barns and buildings, and houses and land of 840 acres in Iden, Peasmarsh and Flackley, occupied by Nathaniel Powell, John Beechen, Thomas Kadwell, Walter Carey, the commissioners of sewers, widow Payne and Richard Wood; the rents and services of the tenants of Ewhurst manor; the house, barns and land now of 170 acres called Praules in Ewhurst occupied by Thomas Holman; Bushy Marsh, Four Acres, Six Acres and Chittendens Marsh of 28 acres in Bodiam occupied by Chamberlaine; and marshland of 3 acres in Bodiam occupied by William Barnes of Bodiam.

Barnham and Elizabeth lived at Wierton Place in Boughton Monchelsea, Kent and had three children, all sons, born between 1687 and 1690.

An act of parliament of 1690 authorised taxation to raise £1,651,702 18s for their Majesties William and Mary to complete the subjection of Ireland and vigorously carry on the war with France. To execute this act Commissioners were appointed in each county; Barnham Powell and his father Nathaniel were two of the Commissioners for Kent, and Barnham was also a Commissioner for Sussex.[90]

Barnham died on 18 October 1695 when he was just on 33 years old, and he was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 24 October 1695. He had made his will on 30 July 1693 while living at Wierton Place and it was proved by in London the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 13 February 1696. Barnham made his wife Elizabeth the sole executrix of his will and instructed that if his personal estate was not sufficient to pay all his debts then his executrix was to raise additional money by selling or mortgaging properties called Cookes Place, Kemps, Snowringhill, Shornpookes and Brigledens of about 100 acres in the parish of Peasmarsh, Sussex, and a property called Kingcollis Brookes of about 20 acres in the parish of Wittersham, Kent that had recently been reclaimed from the sea. If his father apposed the sale or mortgage of these properties then his executrix was to demanded £1000 from him, which he had received that was for Barnham’s use, being part of his wife’s portion. This seems to be related to an Act of Parliament entitled ‘An act for the settling of the Manor of Kingsnorth in the County of Kent for the enabling Barnham Powell esq. to make provision for his younger children’, and an indenture in which Christopher Clitherow and John Loving shall levy and raise the sum of three thousand pounds out of the Manor of Kingsnorth and other lands, tenements and hereditaments lying in the parishes, towns and hamlets of East Kingsnorth and Kingsnorth in Kent, which sum of three thousand pounds was to be equally divided amongst Barnham’s younger children. Barnham also instructed that annuities of £30 to each to his sons James and Christopher, until their respective ages of 21, were to be raised out of his manors of Ewhurst, Bodiam and Mote, and his other lands in Ewhurst and Bodiam.[91]

Elizabeth’s second son, James, died in 1708 while fighting the French in Flanders, then five months later her eldest son Nathaniel, who was then the third Baronet of Ewhurst, died while living with her at Wierton Place. Nathaniel had made his mother the sole executrix of his will and left her all the residue of his real and personal estate, though most of his real estate would have passed to his younger brother Christopher as the next Baronet of Ewhurst.

There is a monument in the Parish Church of St Peter at Boughton Monchelsea that was described by Philip Parsons in his book The monuments and painted glass of upwards of one hundred churches, chiefly in the eastern part of Kent as:

In the chancel, on the south side of the eastern window, is a fine oval monument, a large urn at the top, and arms beneath it – arms also underneath the inscription, which is an oval form.

“In this Chancel lies the Body of

BARNHAM POWELL, Esq.

eldest Son of Sir NATHANIEL POWELL, of

this parish, Kt. & Bart. & MARY his Wife, Daughter of

Sir ROBERT BARNHAM, of this parish, Bart.

who married ELIZABETH, Daughter of JAMES

CLITHEROW, of Boston, in the County of Mid: L

by whom he had three Sons, NATHANIEL, JAMES

& CHRISTOPHER, he departed this Life ye 18th of Oc.

1695, in the 33rd Year of his Age.

Here also lies the Body of

Sir NATHANIEL POWELL, Bart.

eldest Son of the said Barnham Powell,

who died 24th of April, 1709,

in the 22nd Year of his Age.

JAMES the second Son of the

said Barnham Powell, died at

MENIN in Flanders in her Majesties

Service the 28th of November, 1708

in the 19th Year of his Age”

Elizabeth continued to lived at Wierton Place with her remaining son Christopher. On 1 October 1717 Elizabeth and her son Christopher leased for eleven years to William Pix of Ewhurst, gent. the capital messuage called Court Lodge Farm with all barns, buildings, lands etc. thereunto belonging, estimated at 172 acres; with 25 acres of marshland, the tenement and butcher’s shop on Ewhurst Green etc.[92]

On the 17 June 1720 Elizabeth and her son Christopher put the following properties in trust with Richard Turton of Cliffords Inn, gent, and Toby Chauncy of the Inner Temple, esq.[93]

For the use of Christopher was: the Manor of Ewhurst and Advowson of Ewhurst; a capital messuage, barns and buildings called the Court Lodge of Ewhurst; Court Lodge Farm of 420 acres in Ewhurst; a messuage, barn and 40 acres called Halland in Ewhurst purchased by Nathaniel Powell from George Clark; a messuage, barn and land in Ewhurst purchased by Nathaniel Powell from John Muddle, gent; the Manors of Bodiam and Broomham; Castle Land, Barn Field, Seven Acres, Castle Marshes and East Land Marshes of 180 acres in Bodiam; the Kent estate purchased by Nathaniel Powell from Anthony St Leger kt.

For the use of Elizabeth for life and then Christopher was: the manor of Mote with the manor house called The Mote with 840 acres in Iden, Peasmarsh and Flackley in Peasmarsh, purchased by Nathaniel Powell the elder from William Scott, esq; the Advowson of Fairlight belonging to Mote Manor; the messuage, barns, buildings and 170 acres called Praules in Ewhurst and Bodiam, occupied by Thomas Holman; Bushy Marsh, Four Acres, Six Acres and Chittendens Marsh of 28 acres in Bodiam, occupied by Chamberlayne; a piece of marsh of 3 acres in Bodiam occupied by William Barnes of Bodiam.

Most of these properties they then sold in 1723, see the section below on Elizabeth’s son Christopher. After 32 years as a widow Elizabeth died on 12 March 1728 at the age of 63, and she was buried with her husband in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 19 March 1728. Their grave is covered by an inscribed stone that is still in good condition and readable but more than half covered by a large cupboard.

Barnham and Elizabeth’s eldest child was Nathaniel Powell who was born in about 1687. When his grandfather, Nathaniel Powell, died in January 1707 Nathaniel became the third Baronet of Ewhurst, as his father was already dead, and he lived at Wierton Place in Boughton Monchelsea, Kent, with his widowed mother and younger brothers. Much of Nathaniel’s inheritance was controlled by a 99 year trust set up by his great-grandfather, Nathaniel Powell, in 1672. Nathaniel never married, he died on 24 April 1709, at the age of 22, and he was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 30 April 1709. His grave, which also contains his brother Christopher, is covered by an inscribed stone that is undamaged and clearly readable. Nathaniel had made his will on 20 April 1709 and this will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 21 July 1709. In this will Nathaniel left twenty guineas to his brother Christopher and all the rest of his real and personal estate to his mother, whom he made sole executrix of his will.[94]

Barnham and Elizabeth’s second child was James Powell who was born in about 1689. When his father died in 1695 James started to receive an annuity of £30. James never married, he died at Menin in Flanders in Her Majesty’s Service on 28 November 1708, at the age of 19. James was presumably part of the army under Marlborough fighting the French in Flanders during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Barnham and Elizabeth’s third child was Christopher Powell who was born in about 1690. When his father died in 1695 Christopher started to receive an annuity of £30 until he attained the age of 21. Then when his brother Nathaniel died in 1709 Christopher became the fourth Baronet of Ewhurst and continued living at Wierton Place in Boughton Monchelsea, Kent with his widowed mother. His brother also left him twenty guineas, but most of Christopher’s inheritance on his brother’s death was controlled by a 99 year trust set up by his great-grandfather, Nathaniel Powell, in 1672.

On the 17 June 1720 Christopher and his widowed mother put in trust the properties that had descended to Christopher by the 1672 indenture of Christopher’s great-grandfather, see section above on Christopher’s parents for details. Then on the 23 July 1723 Christopher and his widowed mother sold most of these properties, with the notable exception of Wierton Place where they were living, to Sir Thomas Webster, Bart. of Copthall in Essex; the properties they sold were:[95]

Manor of Ewhurst and advowson of the Church of Ewhurst; capital messuage or manor house called the Court Lodge in Ewhurst with all barns, gardens etc. demesne lands, farms and lands called Court Lodge Farm of 420 acres in Ewhurst; messuage, barn, buildings and pieces of land called Hall of 40 acres in Ewhurst; messuage, barn, buildings and pieces of land in Ewhurst purchased of John Muddle, gent.; castle and manor of Bodiam and pieces of land called Castle Land, the Barn Field, the seven Acres, the Castle Marshes and the East Land Marshes of 180 acres in Bodiam; messuage called Praules and land of 170 acres in Ewhurst and Bodiam; pieces of marsh land called the Bushy Marsh, the Four Acres, the Six Acres, and Chittenden Marsh of 28 acres in Bodiam, piece of marsh of 3 acres in Bodiam; and all other lands they owned in Ewhurst, Bodiam, Salehurst, Battle, Catsfield, Ashburnham, Northiam, Sedlescombe, Guestling, Pett, Whatlington, Brede, Playden, Beckley, Westfield, Penhurst, Mountfield, Etchingham, Ticehurst, Icklesham, Newenden and Hawkhurst.

Two months after his mother’s death Christopher married his 1st cousin Frances Newington at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 26 May 1728. There were no children from this marriage.

Christopher was elected a Member of Parliament for Kent in 1734. He died on 25 June 1742, at the age of 52, and he was buried with his brother Nathaniel in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 2 July 1742. As he died without issue the Baronetcy of Ewhurst expired with him. Christopher had made his will on 9 May 1741 while living at Wierton Place and this will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 28 July 1742. In this will Christopher made his wife Frances sole executrix and left her all his manors, messuages, lands, hereditaments, premises and personal estate.[96]

In her will made just days after her husband’s death Frances left detailed instructions for a monument to her husband to be erected in Boughton Monchelsea Church if she didn’t live long enough to have it erected herself, but as she lived for another 20 years it’s assumed she did have it erected herself, with the inscription on her statue added after her death. This monument was described by Philip Parsons in his book The monuments and painted glass of upwards of one hundred churches, chiefly in the eastern part of Kent as:

The next monument to be noted is Sir Christopher Powell’s; perhaps as fine and expensive a one as any which graces Westminster Abbey; the whole executed by the famous P. Scheemakers. The statues of his mother and wife are of the finest Parian marble on pedestals of Italian marble, one at each end in a weeping attitude, his wife leaning on her elbow on the black tomb from whence he seems arising and leaning on one side in a loose Roman attire, with sandals etc, - This tomb supersedes the tablet on which the inscription is, which consists of Portoro marble from Carrara, viz, black with yellow clouds and veins on fluted pedestals of the same. The back ground is pyramidal and reaches the ceiling. The figures are in my opinion larger than life, and by those who knew them living deemed great likenesses. His figure reclines on an alabaster slab upon the above named black tomb. On the pedestal of his wife’s statue, which stands on the east end to the right hand of the spectator, is this short inscription

“Dame Frances Powell died

Jan. 26, 1762, in the 72 year of her age”

At the west end, to the left hand of the spectator, in front, is the following

“Elizabeth Powell died March 12,

1727, in the 64th year of her age”

The arms are one piece of alabaster sculptured throughout, resting on the tablet and reaching to the foot of the portoro marble block. – Crest, “A lion holding a boar’s head in his paw, and looking over his shoulder, erect.”

The inscription is as follows:

“In this chancel are deposited the remains of Sir Christopher Powell baronet, who departed this life on the 25th day of June, 1742, in the 53rd year of his age, at his seat called Wiarton, in this parish; he was of three the youngest son of Barnham Powell, Esq. by Elizabeth his wife, who as well for her excellent qualities as for her prudent care in the educating this her son from his infant age, hath deserved a remembrance in this monument. This her pious solicitude for his welfare, he in his riper years fully answered by a conduct in life in all points befitting his station well becoming a gentleman. For as he was blessed in a kind parent who spared no cost nor study to render him accomplished, so was he likewise happy in the goodness of his own nature, which strongly incited him to the practise of those things for which his birth and fortune required he should be distinguished, whereby those amiable qualities, affability, humanity, generosity, being not less natural than habitual to his mind, were made to appear more lovely by that visible delight wherewith he exercised them. But that which above all other things gained him a general good opinion and report, was his strict observance of the rules of equity and honour in all his transactions and correspondences with men. In the year 1734 he was with an unanimity rare and uncommon, chosen representative for this county in parliament, in which important trust he honourably acquitted himself both by a constant attendance on that service, and a firmness of integrity not to be corrupted nor shaken. In memory of whose distinguished merit, and for a testimony of her grateful regard to the remembrance of so good and kind a husband this monument is erected by the care of his most faithful, most affectionate, and most happy consort, whilst it pleased God,

Frances Powell”

It seems that Frances had inherited the advowsons of both Kingsnorth in Kent and Fairlight in Sussex from her husband, and in her will made soon after his death, Frances laid down arrangements for Duncan Menzies, the then incumbent at Kingsnorth to move to Fairlight when the incumbent there, John Frewen, died or resigned, but only if Philip Hawkins the son of her cousin Martha Hawkins took up the living at Kingsnorth after taking Holy Orders. It seems this didn’t happen because when John Frewen died on 28 July 1743 the next vicar at Fairlight was Henry Woodward, who, after six years in the living, resigned on 9 August 1749, the same day that Philip Hawkins was installed as the vicar at Fairlight. The patroness when Philip was installed was Frances Powell, who was described as being a lunatic, and the patronage together with control of all the rest of Frances Powell’s estate had been transferred to the Right Honourable Robert Lord Romney and James Clitherow Esquire by the High Court of Chancery.[97]

Twenty years after her husband’s death Frances died on 26 January 1762, at the age of 72, and she was buried with her husband and brother-in-law Nathaniel Powell in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 3 February 1762. Their grave is covered by an inscribed stone that is undamaged and clearly readable. It’s assumed that Frances must have continued to live at Wierton Place as it was only sold by her executor after her death. She had made her will on 3 July 1742 and this will was proved in London by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 14 May 1762 after judgement had been passed on the validity of the original will, presumably because Frances had been a lunatic. In this will Frances requested that she be buried in the chancel of Boughton Monchelsea Church as close as possible to her late husband. She made the Right Honourable Robert Marsham Lord Romney of Mote, Kent and Sir Walter Roberts Bart. of Glassenbury, Kent joint executors and trustees of her will, but only Lord Romney was still alive when she died and he acted as sole executor and trustee. Frances instructed her executors and trustees to sell all the extensive real estate that she had inherited from her husband and together with her personal estate to pay some 22 legacies totalling about £19,000. The largest legacy was £5,000 to Lord Romney, then there were 13 legacies of £1,000 to various cousins, most were members of the Clitherow family with just one being a member of the Powell family, this was to Frances, the daughter of Leonard Powell, who had married Mr Goddard of London. There were several other smaller legacies, some of which were to her servants who each received at least £10, and twenty guineas for the poor of Boughton Monchelsea.[98]

It seems that Frances must have spent most of the 20 years after her husband’s death as a lonely lunatic at Wierton Place, a sad end to the 100 years of ownership and occupation of Wierton Place by the Powell family.

Nathaniel and Mary’s third child was Nathaniel Powell who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 18 January 1664. Nathaniel was still alive when his grandfather, Sir Nathaniel Powell, made his will on 7 October 1674, and when his grandfather died the following year Nathaniel inherited his Oriental amethyst ring set with two diamond sparks, and his Dutch cabinet laid with oil in colours in his lodging chamber at Thanet House. But Nathaniel had died by the time his other grandfather, Sir Robert Barnham, made his will in 1685.

Nathaniel and Frances’ eldest child (Nathaniel’s fourth) was Leonard Powell who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent on 30 November 1668, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 14 December 1668. When he was 26 years old Leonard married Margaret Lawley at the Parish Church of St Marylebone in Marylebone, London on 15 March 1695. Margaret was the daughter of Sir Francis Lawley, Bart. of Canall, Staffordshire. Leonard and Margaret had two sons and a daughter before Leonard died on 31 July 1701, at the age of 32 and was buried in the chancel of the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 3 August 1701. His grave is covered by an inscribed stone that was cut into when the church heating system was installed, but is still readable. In the 1742 will of his niece Frances Powell, Leonard was described as Captain Leonard Powell, deceased; it’s not known if this means he was a ship’s captain or a captain in the army. After Leonard’s death Margaret married Nathan Wright Bart. of Southall, Middlesex.

Leonard and Margaret’s daughter was Frances Powell, who married a Mr Goddard of London. Frances inherited £1,000 when Dame Frances Powell, widow of her cousin Christopher Powell, died in 1762.

Leonard and Margaret’s son was Leonard Powell. When his grandmother, Dame Frances Powell, died in 1719 she left Leonard her Ring of Sir Nathaniel Powell’s hair, and also one third of the residue of her personal estate that was to be used to put Leonard out to employment, with him to receive the remainder at the age of 21.

Leonard and Margaret had another son whose name is unknown.

Nathaniel and Frances’ second child (Nathaniel’s fifth) was Ann Powell who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea on 1 August 1671. Ann married Mr Breton, and when her mother died in 1719 she left Ann twenty shilling so that she could buy a ring.

Nathaniel and Frances’ third child (Nathaniel’s sixth) was Robert Powell who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea 14 November 1673. When his mother died in 1719 she made Robert sole executor of her will and left him two thirds of the residue of her personal estate. Robert was one of the witnesses who signed the indenture of 17 June 1720 when his sister-in-law Elizabeth Powell and her son Christopher placed in a trust the manors of Ewhurst, Mote, Bodiam and Broomham, and all their other properties.

Nathaniel and Frances’ fourth child (Nathaniel’s seventh) was Henry Powell who was born at Boughton Monchelsea in Kent, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Peter in Boughton Monchelsea 22 January 1676.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s eighth child was Damaris Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 28 May 1643. Damaris married Charles Fowkes.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s ninth child was Frances Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 7 March 1647.

Nathaniel and Sarah’s tenth child was John Powell who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 18 July 1649. John never married. He died at the age of 18 and he was buried in the Powell family vault underneath the Court Lodge Aisle in the Church of St James at Ewhurst on 13 October 1667. He may have been living at Northiam because on 26 March 1668 his brother Nathaniel, who was his heir, together with their father, sold John’s properties consisting of a tenement called Fowkes in the borough of Purisfield, and another tenement there called Chapmans and Totlandes, which were near Clench Green in Northiam.[99] John didn’t leave a will and presumably died intestate with his brother Nathaniel and his father presumably being granted administration of his estate.

William and Alice’s third child was William Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 16 February 1612. When his father died in November 1630 William was sole executor of his will. William inherited the rents and profits of his father’s properties in Ewhurst out of which he had to pay his sisters Barbara and Alice each £12 per year until they attained the age of 21. William also inherited all his father’s household goods and the advowson for Langley Church. At Easter 1631 William, at the age of 19, entered (matriculated) Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, though there is no record of him having gained a degree.[100]

When he was 23 years old William married Joan Bishop at the Parish Church of St Giles in Bodiam on 16 November 1635. There were no children from this marriage. William was one of the witnesses to a document of 29 December 1640 in which William Bishop of Sadlescombe granted Letters of Attorney to Thomas Peirson to enter the Manor of Broomham.[101] It seems likely that William Bishop was a relative of William’s wife, and the Manor of Broomham was later purchased by William’s brother-in-law Nathaniel Powell.

It seems that William also inherited his father’s copyhold lands in Mayfield because in a deed poll of release of 13 April 1642 Thomas Houghton released to William any interest he had 10 acres of land in Broadreed Wood near Five Ashes, which had been allocated to William's grandfather John Muddle in 1597, that was bounded on the south, east and north by other land owned by William.[102]

William's wife Joan must have died by 1644 as William, at the age of 32, married Ellen Medhurst, also known as Elinor, at the Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene in Whatlington, Sussex on 23 July 1644. There were also no children from this marriage.

From 1644 to 1647 William Muddle, gentleman, paid tithes of 28 shillings per year for a farm he used in Ewhurst, to his uncle Edward Muddle who was Rector of Ewhurst.[103]

In an indenture dated 2 April 1647 William Muddle, gentleman of Ewhurst, took Elizabeth Fuller, daughter of John Fuller of Ewhurst, as an apprentice. Elizabeth Fuller was put out as an apprentice to William Muddle, until she attained the age of 21 years, by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Ewhurst so she must have been a poor child of the parish being maintained by parish relief.[104] On another indenture of the same date when Elizabeth Fuller’s brother, John Fuller, son of John Fuller of Ewhurst, was apprenticed to George Morrell, collier of Ewhurst, William Muddle was one of the witnesses.[105]

7 February 1648 the Committee for Compounding sequestered the lands in Kent that William Muddle of Ewhurst had purchased from Benjamin Wiborne of Hawkswell, Kent because of William’s recusancy (refusal as a Roman Catholic to attend services of the Church of England). To retain his land William paid a fine of £312 3s 8d on 13 November.[106]

On 7 March 1655 William purchased a barn on 7 acres of land called Cade Reed, surrounded by roads near Skippers Hill in Mayfield, from yeoman Joseph Moon of Mayfield.[107]

William died at the age of 44 and was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 1 April 1656. Four months later Ellen, a gentlewoman of Ewhurst, married George Wenham, gentleman of Mountfield, at St Thomas à Becket Church in Brightling on 17 August 1656. This marriage was also recorded in Ewhurst register on 18 August 1656.

William and Alice’s fourth child was John Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 10 August 1617. When his father died in November 1630 John was not mentioned in his will. Then when he was 20 years old John married Elizabeth Freeman at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 21 December 1637.

In an indenture dated 6 June 1639 John Muddle, gentleman of Ewhurst, took John Everinden as an apprentice in husbandry. John Everinden was a poor child of Ewhurst Parish being maintained by parish relief and was put out as an apprentice to John Muddle, until he attained the age of 24 years, by the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor of Ewhurst. In return for the services of his apprentice John Muddle undertook to provide him with lodging, food, drink, clothes and to instruct him in husbandry, and at the end of the apprenticeship he was to provide his apprentice with two sets of clothes, one for work days and one for holy days.[108] In another indenture dated 20 June 1648 when Martha Renn was apprenticed in housewifery to Henry Picke, John Muddle was one of the witnesses.[109]

From at least 1641 John Muddle was paying tithes of about 40 shillings per year for his farm and highland in Ewhurst, to his uncle Edward Muddle who was Rector of Ewhurst. Also Robert Goulding was paying tithes of about 25 shillings per year as a tenant of another farm in Ewhurst owned by John Muddle.[110]

An indenture dated 12 September 1672 that was recited in the 20 May 1686 marriage settlement of John's great-nephew Barnham Powell records that sometime before the 1672 indenture John Muddle gent. had sold a house, barn and land in Ewhurst to his brother-in-law Nathaniel Powell, who was the grandfather of Barnham Powell.[111]

John and Elizabeth didn’t have any children, and after nearly 27 years of marriage Elizabeth died and was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 12 December 1664. Eighteen months later John, now aged 48, married Jane Hills, who must have been much younger, at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 15 May 1666. They were both then living at Ewhurst and they proceeded to have four children born at Ewhurst over a period of 20 years, between 1667 and 1687, the first two of whom died when only 4 years old.

John was nearly 70 when his last child was born, and 7 years later he died at the age of 77 and was buried in woollen the churchyard of the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 7 August 1694. In the burial register he was described as a gentleman. The following year widow Jane married bachelor Richard Howett at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 19 December 1695.

John and Jane’s eldest child was Edward Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 3 November 1667. Edward died when he was just on 4 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 26 October 1671.

John and Jane’s second child was William Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 5 February 1674. William died when he was 4 years old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 4 November 1678.

John and Jane’s third child was Jane Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 28 May 1681. When she was 24 years old Jane married Thomas Kelsie at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye, Sussex on 24 July 1705. They were both then living at Rye where they had twelve children born between 1706 and 1726, several of whom died young.

Thomas and Jane’s eldest child was John Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 1 May 1706.

Thomas and Jane’s second child was Mildred Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 2 August 1707. Mildred died when she was 4 years old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Rye on 2 September 1711.

Thomas and Jane’s third child was Thomas Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex in about 1709. Thomas died while still an infant, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Rye on 26 August 1711.

Thomas and Jane’s four child, one of twins, was Thomas Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 16 April 1712. Thomas must have died by mid-1713 when his parents name their next son Thomas.

Thomas and Jane’s fifth child, one of twins, was Jane Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 16 April 1712. Jane died when she was about a month old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Rye on 12 May 1712.

Thomas and Jane’s sixth child was Thomas Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 31 July 1713.

Thomas and Jane’s seventh child was James Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 28 October 1715.

Thomas and Jane’s eighth child was Joseph Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 27 August 1718. Joseph died when he was 19 months old, and he was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Rye on 8 April 1720.

Thomas and Jane’s ninth child was William Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 22 July 1720.

Thomas and Jane’s tenth child was Jerimiah Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 20 February 1722.

Thomas and Jane’s eleventh child was Jane Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 21 February 1724.

Thomas and Jane’s twelfth child was Mildred Kelsie who was born at Rye in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary in Rye on 25 November 1726. Mildred died when she was about 2 months old, and she was buried in the Churchyard of St Mary in Rye on 5 February 1727.

John and Jane’s fourth child was John Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 22 June 1687.

William and Alice’s fifth child was Barbara Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 20 February 1620. Barbara’s mother died in October 1628 and then her father died in November 1630 when she was 10 years old. In his will Barbara’s father left the rents and profits of his properties in Ewhurst to his son William with instructions that Barbara and her sister Alice were to each receive £12 per year from these rents and profits until they attained the age of 21. When she was 15 years old Barbara married Anthony Gibbon at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 1 September 1635. Anthony was from Hawkhurst in Kent.

William and Alice’s sixth child was Edward Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 30 May 1622. Edward died when he was only one year old and he was buried in the Churchyard of St James in Ewhurst on 12 April 1623.

William and Alice’s seventh child was Alice Muddle who was born at Ewhurst in Sussex, and baptised at the Parish Church of St James the Great in Ewhurst on 29 June 1624. Alice’s mother died in October 1628 and then her father died in November 1630 when she was 6 years old. In his will Alice’s father left the rents and profits of his properties in Ewhurst to his son William with instructions that Alice and her sister Barbara were to each receive £12 per year from these rents and profits until they attained the age of 21. When she was only just on 14 years old Alice married Francis Crumpe on 8 May 1638 at the Parish Church of St Mary in Langley, Kent, where her brother-in-law Freegift Tilden was rector.