Abbreviations which may be used on this page are:-

(Ad)	"Admon", or Letters of Administration.
(I)	Inventory (a list of the deceased's goods, and their value)
(N)	A Nuncupative Will is one declared by a legal representative, as being indicative of the deceased's wishes, and will often refer to the Testator in the third person.
(#)	Indicates the Will is a 'duplicate' - that is, more than one person has submitted an abstract from the same original Will.
*	An asterisk against a surname indicates the Executor(s) of the Will, or, in the case of Administration (Ad), the Administrator(s)
i/t/p	"in the parish (of)".
CELF	Chapel en le Frith (Derbyshire)
ECC	Episcopal Consistory Court (Lichfield)
HCC	Hereford Consistory Court
n.p.	Notary Public
R&R	Rest and Residue (a common expression in Wills)

The following may also be of use in the study of Wills generally:-

• A Latin Genealogical Word List for early Wills. (verified 2018-12-25)
• Information on England Occupations for old Occupations. (verified 2018-12-25)
• A Glossary of Household, Farming and Trade Terms from Probate Inventories.
  Compiled by Rosemary Milward. 3rd ed., 1986. ISBN 0-9505940-1-6

1565

AGARDE ALLEN ALYSTER BAKER BALLE BARLOWE BECKE BELLINGHAM BIGGINGE BILSTONE BOWRINGE BRADEBURIE BROWNE BULL COOKE CROSSE CUDWORTH DALTON DAWKYN FAYLES FORDE GRENESMITH HADFEELDE HALLEY HANSAKER HARDIE HARRISON HURTE JENKENS KENDALL KENDALLE LANGFORDE LEEKE LEVERITTE LORTE MADDER MANNERS NEWTON RAWSON ROLANDE RUDIERD RUDYARD SAVAGE SAYE STAFFORDE STANLEY STEPHENSON SUTTON TALBOTTE TAYLOR TURNOR TYDERTON VERNON WALKER WARRINGTON WENDESLIE WHELEWRIGHTE WHITHALL ZOTICHE

VERNON, George, of Netherhaddon, knight, 18 Aug 1565. Body to be buried in the parish church of Bakewell. wife Dame Maude VERNON*;   'my very good lord George Earl of Shrewsbery';   sons-in-law Sir Thomas STANLEY* knight and Dame Margarett his wife and John MANNERS* esquire and Dorothe his wife;   sister-in-law Elizabeth LANGFORDE, 100 marks for her marriage. Servants: William CUDWORTH,   Humfrey SUTTON,   Humfrey VERNON,   Charles AGARDE,   John TURNOR,   Edmund HURTE,   Thomas BILSTONE,   George BOWRINGE,   George LORTE,   Edward STEPHENSON and John HARRISON. Servants: Edward ALLEN,   Rauffe CROSSE,   Martyn FAYLES,   John RUDYARD and Henry TYDERTON,   Edward JENKENS,   John WHELEWRIGHTE,   Sir Richard RAWSON my chaplain 'a gown and 20s.',   Richard TAYLOR,   William SAYE,   John STEPHENSON,   Christopher HARDIE,   Gervis RUDIERD,   Humfrey DALTON,   Richard HALLEY,   William BROWNE,   Lawrence BARLOWE,   Richard DAWKYN,   Reynolde WARRINGTON,   William ROLANDE,   John BULL,   George BECKE,   Henry SAVAGE,   Thomas GRENESMITH,   Thomas BIGGINGE,   John WALKER,   John HANSAKER,   Anne BRADEBURIE,   Agnes HARRISON,   Dorothe NEWTON,   Margarett HADFEELDE and Emme BAKER. Other bequests: godson Mr Gilberte TALBOTTE esquire;   neighbours and servants William MADDER,   Richard STEPHENSON;   brother-in-law Nycolas LANGFORDE* esquire 'skewed gelding with white ear';   Ellen KENDALLE wife to Robert KENDALL;   my loving neighbours and faithful friends Thomas SUTTON* and Richard WENDESLIE* esquires. Supervisors: friends Sir John ZOTICHE and Sir Fraunces LEEKE knights. Witnesses: William LEVERITTE,   Richard COOKE,   John FORDE,   Robert KENDALL,   Lawrence STAFFORDE,   Robert WHITHALL,   William ALYSTER and Thomas BALLE. Proved at London 26 Oct 1565 by Thomas STANLEY knight in person and  John MANNERS gent.  in the person of Edward BELLINGHAM his proctor. [PROB 11/48 (Morrison), q. 28] [Contributed by pcc on 16 Oct 2003 et seq.]

1592

BRADSHAW LEHAM LIHAM LINDUPP SANDERSON VALANCE VALLANCE WIGLEY WYGLIE

VALLANCE, Thomas - of Alderwasley i/t/p Wirksworth, yeoman, 18 Nov 1592 [34 Eliz] to be buried in the parish church of Wirksworth near burial of my father. Bequests: son Anthonie VALLANCE, my greatest ark and my ?sideboard with a ?form and two ?tressles to the same;   son Thomas VALLANCE, 3s.4d.;   to my god-children ?Luce VALLANCE[1] and Marie WIGLEY [WYGLIE], either of them 12d.;   to my wife Agnes VALLANCE, and my sons Edward VALLANCE and Luke VALLANCE, the residue of my goods and chattels equally divided amongst them that be not bequeathed nor nominated;   my ?dishboard as [surely should be: and] brass and pewter shall not be divided but to remain for the use of Agnes for her natural life, except if my sons marry before that, they shall have their parts equally divided. Executors: my wife Agnes VALLANCE [and] my son Luke VALLANCE. Supervisors: my son Anthonie VALLANCE, and Richard BRADSHAW, and I bequeath to either of them 12d. Also, I give to Richard ?LEHAM [see Witness-list below], Thomas LINDUPP, and Thomas SANDERSON, to every one of them, 3d. apiece. Witnesses: Richard LIHAM, Thomas LINDUPP, and Thomas SANDERSON, with others. Inventory: taken 1 Apr (presumably 1693), the estate being valued at £10 19s. 11d. Note: [1] the submitter first read this name as 'Luke', but the 3rd letter in later instantiations of 'Luke' is clearly 'k', whilst in the godchild's name it resembles a modern 'c', and so the child could have been a Lucy. A Lucy VALANCE of Heage left a will in 1641. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1623

BARON BRADSHAW FLETCHER VALLANCE

VALLANCE, Raphe - of Alderwasley i/t/p Wirksworth co. Derby, husbandman, 15 Mar 1622/1623. [20 James I] to be buried in Wirksworth churchyard near my late deceased son Anthony[1]. I have lately surrendered my lands to my son William VALLANCE... he to pay - within a year of the decease of the longer liver of me and Elizabeth my now wife - to my son Edward VALLANCE £4, and to my daughter Alice FLETCHER 12d. (I have already given and paid her child's portion to her);   I have 2 closes called Little Wildfield and Great Wildfield;   to every one of the children of my daughter Alice FLETCHER, 5d. a year. Executor: my son Thomas VALLANCE - he to have rest and residue. Overseers: my loving neighbours Anthony BRADSHAW and Thomas VALLANCE the elder of Alderwasley. Witnesses: Edward BARON, Thomas VALLANCE Sen., Anthony BRADSHAW. Inventory: taken 25 Mar 1623 by Richard BRADSHAW, Thomas VALLANCE Sen., Edward BARON, and Anthony BRADSHAW. The total was £xxxii ixs viiid (£32 11s. 8d.). Debts were xls. (40s.) to Luke VALLANCE, xls. to Anthony BRADSHAW, xls. to Edward VALLANCE of Carsington, and xxxd. (30 pence) were set aside for the testator's burial. Note: [1] Anthony was buried 18 Dec 1622. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1631

ALLEN AMATT AMOTT BRADSHAWE GRIFFIN RYLIE SPENCER THACKERSON THARKER TOPHAM VALLANS VALLENCE

VALLENCE, Thomas - of Alderwasley, yeoman. Will carries the date 1631.[1] Beneficiaries: 2nd son Luke,   3rd son Edward,   daughter Anne,   and 1st son Anthony,   wife Mary (whose mother is stated to have been Margaret AMOT(T)),   sister Katherine RYLEY[2],   brother Luke VALLENCE of Quorne - if neither son Luke nor son Edward produced issue, then his merchants to benefit. Executors: brother Luke VALLENCE and Richard GRIFFIN of Crich Chase. Overseers: brother-in-law John AMATT and Anthony BRADSHAWE. Witnesses: Henry SPENCER,   William THACKERSON,   Richard THARKER. Inventory: taken by Edward ALLEN,   Thomas VALLANS,   and Thomas RYLIE (his mark), valuing the estate at £49 13s. 8d. Notes: [1] Around the time Thomas made surrender of his holdings to his under-aged son Luke (this document being referred to in the will), whereas the inventory is dated 1639. [2] A Katherine VALLENCE mar Thomas RYLEY in Wirksworth on 29 Jun 1613. [3] Attached documents carry fine signatures by Wirksworth vicar Robert TOPHAM (the submitter's presumed 9xg.grandfather) [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1631

AMATT BRADSHAW GRIFFIN RYLEY SPENCER THACKER THARKERSON VALLANCE

VALLANCE, Thomas - of Alderwasley i/t/p Wirksworth, co. Derby, yeoman, 14 Dec 1631 [7 Chas I] my body to be buried in the parish church of Wirksworth near to the place where my late father Anthony VALLANCE was buried. Will refers to surrender document of 5 Sep 1631[1] relating to his copyhold lands, tenements, houses, buldings, orchards, gardens, &c. to be bequeathed to 2nd son Luke VALLANCE and heirs, and for want of such to 3rd son Edward VALLANCE and heirs, and for want of such, to the ?merchants [looks like 'myrchins': could it be 'them urchins'?] of me, the said Thomas VALLANCE, with my wife to continue live off this my said living &c. until son Luke reaches 21 (also) to maintain my eldest son Anthony VALLANCE with meat, drink, apparel, houseroom, fire and lodging fit and convenient for him. Other Bequests: to my daughter Anne a bedstead in the upper chamber, a featherbed, 2 ?co(r)dletts, 2 blankets, 1 pair of flaxen sheets, a pair of midling sheets, a pair of canvas sheets, a boulster, 2 pillows, and 1 pillow ?beare, 6s.8d. in money, and one swarm of bees;   to my son Luke VALLANCE 1 cupboard, a table and ?frame, 2 ?buffett forms, 2 bedsteads in the parlour, one malt ?ark, the best chair in the house, one ?keemnell, my greater ?fron ?crow;   also to the poor of Alderwasley 7s. and to the poor of Wirksworth 25s.;   to my brother Luke VALLANCE my best suit of apparel;   to my god-children 6s.;   to my sister Katherine RYLEY[2] 5s. Executors: my brother Luke VALLANCE of Quorne, and Richard GRIFFIN of Crych Chase, and to either of them 2s. Supervisors: my brother-in-law John AMATT, and Anthony BRADSHAW of Belper, and to either of them 12d. Witnesses: Henry SPENCER,   William THARKERSON,   and Richard THACKER. Notes: [1] The submitter has copies of the surrender document of 1631, and Thomas's father Anthony's surrender to him in 1616, and Anthony's father Thomas's surrender to Anthony in 1592. [2] Katherine VALLANCE married Thomas RYLEY in 1613. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1632

BARNES LANGLEY OATES RADFORD VALLENCE WIKAKSON WILKESON

VALLENCE, Edward - of Crich, widower and shoemaker, 1631. Beneficiaries: son Thomas, daughter Amy BARNES, son William, son Edward, daughter Dorothy, son Richard. Executors: sons Edward and William. Overseers: Henry RADFORD of Fritchley. and Robert WILKESON.   Will signed Edward VALLENCE. Witnesses: Henry RADFORD (his mark) and R. WILKESON (though it looks like WIKAKSON) Inventory: taken 2 Jul 1632 by Thurston RADFORD, Henry RADFORD, Godfrey LANGLEY and Henry OATES. Estate valued at £30 9s. 4d. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1635

BATEMAN FOGG HEALD HILL HODGKINSON KIRKLAND PRIDEY SHACKLOCK SHEEPLEY SHIPLEY SPENCER TOPLEYS VALENCE

VALENCE, Raphe the elder - of Wirksworth, widowed taylor (though the inventory calls him a husbandman), 1635. Beneficiaries: son Richard (legacy to include a property occupied by a Raphe BATEMAN),   daughter Jane (legacy to include a property occupied by James HEALD alias HODGKINSON),   son Raphe (legacies to include properties held by butcher John TOPLEYS and the testator's brother Robert),   son Edward, and Edward PRIDEY,   Executors: William SHEEPLEY (spelled Gulielmus SHIPLEY in the grant of probate) and German SHACKLOCK. Witnesses: William HILL,   Edward PRIDEY (his mark),   and Edward VALENCE senior (his mark) Inventory: taken by Thomas FOGG,   William KIRKLAND,   and Anthony SPENCER.   Items valued at £21 15s. 6d., but, with debts owing of £13 14s. 10d., the total came to only £8 0s. 8d. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1649

BUXTON FLETCHER VALENCE

VALENCE, William - of Carsington, yeoman, 6 Sep 1649. Beneficiaries: wife Alice, eldest son Ralph, brother Thomas, youngest son John, eldest daughter Marie, second daughter Elizabeth, youngest daughter Margaret, god-son John FLETCHER. Executors: wife Alice and brother Thomas. Signed: mark of William VALENCE. Witnesses: Rich[ard] BUXTON, Ralph BUXTON. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1667

BATEMAN BUXTON CLARKE CORKERHAM HOLMES VALLENCE

VALLENCE, William - of Ashleyhay (parish of Wirksworth), yeoman, 23 Mar 1666/7. Beneficiaries: wife Jane, son Henry (under age), daughter Elizabeth (under age -- legacy to be given 'forth from my lands in Kirk Ireton'), daughter Mary (under age), daughter Katherine (under age), daughter Edith (under age), brother-in-law Thomas BATEMAN. Executors: wife Jane and brother-in-law Thomas. Overseers: 'Cozen' Luke VALLENCE and Tenant John BUXTON. Witness-signatures: Ger[man] BUXTON,   John BUXTON,   Thomas CLARKE. Signed by: William VALLENCE twice (the first possibly copied by the scribe from the draft signed by the testator, and the second that of the testator) Inventory: taken 18 Apr 1667, totalling £72 9s 0d,   by Thomas and John CORKERHAM,   John HOLMES,   John BUXTON. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1675

ALSEBRUCKE BANCROFT BARKE BOTHAM CHAMBERS CHATBURNE COATES CURTISE FFLETCHER FFOWKE HALES LOWE MACHAM MUNDAY VALANCE VALENCE VALLENCE

VAL(L)ENCE, Luke - of Quarne co. Derby, husbandman, 4 Sep 1672. to be decently buried in the church at Allestree. Bequests: to my sister Ales VALLENCE of Carson[1], 5£;   to my cousin Margaret VALLENCE, 5£;   to my cousins Ralph VALLENCE and John VALLENCE, 10s. apiece;   to Jane BARKE (the wife of Thomas BARKE), 20s.;   to Thomas CHAMBERS, 20s.;   to James CHATBURNE's two sons of Butterley, 12s.;   to Thomas CHAMBERS, 12s.;   to cousin An[n] LOW[E] of Derby after my decease, 20s. yearly paid by her brother Luke VALLENCE of Alderwasley, and for non-payment I give her the tithe of the exchange of land I give it unto her (also) the ?flock/stock bed she lay on and bedding, the 2nd kettle (and other household items);   to these four: Mary VALANCE (my housekeeper),   Margaret F(F)OWKE,   An[n] LOW[E],   and Margaret VALLENCE, the pewter and brass, ?a desk [dex], and linen(s) in the chest at bed-side equally divided;   to my cousin[2] Luke VALLENCE of Alderwasley the table in the house (and other household furniture);   to Margaret F[F]OWKE, widow, the chest bed in the chamber with all belonging unto it;   to my god-children, 12 pence a year;   to the poor of Quarne here expressed: Thomas BOTHAM,   Thomas ALSEBRUCKE,   John ?HALES,   Ann F[F]OWKE, widow,   Thomas F[F]OWKE,   John F[F]LETCHER,   and widow BANCROFT 12 pence apiece. Executrix: my cousin Mary VALLENCE (my housekeeper), and all my whole temporal estate, &c. she paying unto all what is above specified. Overseer: my honoured f[f]riend Mr. Adrian MUNDAY Esquire to assist her, giving him 10s. to buy a small ring to wear for a small token of my love for all his courtesies in my life and now at my death. Witnesses: the mark of Elizabeth CURTISE,   Mary CURTISE,   the mark of Nicholas COATES,   Robert CURTISE. Commission executed in Derby 11 Jun 1675, by Nathaniel MACHAM, MA,  Minister of St. Michael's in Derby. Notes: [1] could this be Carsington or does Carson exist? [2] Although the testator refers to Luke VALLENCE of Alderwasley and to his executrix as 'cousins', Luke's own will mentions lands in Quarne inherited from his 'uncle' Luke, and in the administration-order the testator is described as the executrix's 'uncle'. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1678

BUXTON DETHICK GELL RYLEY SANDERSON THACKER VALLENCE

VALLENCE, Henry - of Ashlehay (parish of Wirksworth), yeoman, 25 Sep 1678. Beneficiaries: son Luke (under 21) [NB baptised 9 Jun 1678];   wife Mary;   sisters Mary, Katherine and Edith [Eydeth];   servant John DETHICK. Executors: Sir John GELL (knight and baronet) and 'Cosen' Luke VALLENCE. Executrix: wife Mary.   Signed by the testator. Witnesses: mark of Thomas THACKER;   Thomas SANDERSON;   mark of John THACKER. Estate valued at £197 5s 8d   (signed by Rich[ard] BUXTON and Richard RYLEY) [NB Testator was buried on 30 Oct 1678] [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1696

BOMMER BOOMER LOWE SMITH TAYLOR VALLENCE

VALLENCE, Luke - of Alderwasley, gent. undated. Beneficiaries: son Ferdinando [born 21 Feb 1659, baptised Mar 1659, buried 12 Jun 1731];   son John;   Jacob BOMMER (later spellt as BOOMER);   Mirabelle TAYLOR. Executor: Jacob BOOMER.   Signed with the mark of Luke VALLENCE. Witnesses: ?Hen[ry] LOWE,   Anthony LOWE,   mark of Alice SMITH. Attached administration-order of 1 May 1697 carries the mark of John VALLENCE and the signature of Anthony LOWE. Proved on 16 Apr 1696; Luke was buried in Wirksworth on 23 Oct 1695. [Contributed by gh on 27 Dec 2008 et seq.]

1860

BENNETT GRESLEY HANKINSON PASS POTTS VERNON WAINWRIGHT WHITLOW

VERNON, John - of Haylee, Combs Edge, Chapel-en-le-Frith, yeoman, 18 Aug 1843. Mentions: wife Ellen;   his deceased sister Hannah (wife of the deceased yeoman John BENNETT late of Fernilee);   eldest son of John and Hannah, John BENNETT.   No offspring of testator mentioned. Trustees & Executors: friend Edward POTTS farmer of Upper End Wormhill;   friend Joseph WAINWRIGHT farmer of Tunstead Wormhill. Witnesses: Maria HANKINSON;   Willm PASS. Codicil: made 4 Dec 1847. Witnesses: Alfred WHITLOW;   Willm PASS. Proved 18 Jul 1860 (from his headstone he had died 6 Jan 1860) by the oaths of Edward POTTS; Joseph WAINWRIGHT, executors. Effects under £600. Probate extracted by Chas GRESLEY, solicitor, Lichfield. [Contributed by jp on 09 Nov 2006 et seq.]

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