Woodborough’s Heritage

Woodborough, a Sherwood Forest Village, recorded in Domesday



Woodborough Hall - Philip Lacock’s will dated 14th November 1710

Will of Philip Lacock who was born 1653 and died 1720


In the name of God, Amen. This two and twentieth day of March 1666/67, I Philip Lacock of Woodborrow in the County of Nottingham, Esq, being in perfect health of body and of a sound and disposing mind (praised be God for it) and considering with myself the uncertainty and instability of man’s life and not knowing how sudden and near the time and hour of my death may be, therefore, in the fear of God I do proceed to make this my last will and Testament in manner and form following (that is to say). First I give and bequeath my soul into the hands of my Redeemer, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, steadfastly believing that through a true faith in his death and merits to have free pardon and remission of all my sins and life eternal in his Kingdom.


Next I give and bequeath my body to the earth to be decently buried and as concerning that temporal estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me my will is to dispose thereof as followeth. First I desire that my just Debts maybe justly paid and discharged of which I remember none but fifty pounds which I received June 27th 1705 of my cousin Mrs Frances Fothergill of Nottingham, widow, for which sum upon her request myself and son Robert Lacock have given our bond to pay her. Six pounds a year for term of her natural life which is to be paid quarterly unto her viz; thirty shillings upon the twenty ninth of September and thirty shillings upon the twenty fifth of December and thirty shillings upon the twenty fifth day of March and thirty shillings upon the twenty fourth day of June and so successively which sum I desire may be justly paid to her upon the said days or before by my daughter Mary Lacock towards the payment of which I give and devise my said daughter Mary Lacock all that messuage or tenement with the appurtenances situate in Nottingham in a place there called Bridlesmith Gate which I purchased of Robert Harrison, deceased, to hold to her and her heirs for ever. And further I will that in default of payment of any of the said quarterly payments by the space of fifteen days after the same respectively became due as aforesaid. That then it shall become lawful for my said cousin Frances Fothergill to enter upon the said house and enjoy the rent thereof during her life in lieu of the said payments.


Item. Whereas Margaret Lacock my wife will be entitled after my decease to certain lands and hereditaments in Osmandthorpe, Halam and Edingley in the County of Nottingham for her life, now I do hereby ratify and confirm the same for the life of my said wife and I do hereby give and devise that my said wife all that Close called Keeping Close bought of Richard Smith and three Closes called the Farleys, Turkey Close and Keeping Close, which I bought of John Jamell. And all those arable grounds, meadows pasture and tethering grass belonging to my farm in East Stock in the County lf Nottingham in the occupation of Richard Peele, John Ingleby and John White. And all those five cottages with their appurtenances in the several tenures or occupations of William Gee snr, Peter Gee snr. and Peter Gee Junior, Bartholomew Allcock and widow Bestwick. And also those six Closes and Pingle called Mountrey Closes, Barwick and Pingle in the several tenures or occupations of Thomas Green, Simon Cont, Richard Harrison and John Fisher. And also all those two swarths in Farndon Feilds [fields]. To hold to my said wife and assigns during the term of her natural life as an Increase or Augmentation of Joynture and in lieu and satisfaction of all th** ds and Dower out of all or any of my real estate.


Item. I give and devise unto my Daughter Anne Story wife of Mr John Story Junior of Kneeton. All and singular my Messuages, Lands and tenements and hereditaments lying or being in Elston in the County of Nottingham to hold to her and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and for want of such issue. Then I give the same unto my Daughter Mary Lacock and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and as for all and singular my lands, tenements and hereditaments in the towns, feilds and liberties of Osmandthorpe, Halam, Edingley, Stoke and Farndon, before devised to my wife for life; after her decease I give and devise the same unto my Daughter Anne Story, to hold to her and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and in default thereof I give the same unto my Daughter Mary Lacock and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing.


Item. I also give and my will is that my said daughter Anne Story shall hold and enjoy all and singular my lands and tenements and Hereditaments in Claypole in the County of Lincoln and in Lambley in the County of Nottingham during the life of my said wife Margaret in case my said daughter Anne so long live. And also my will is that my said daughter Anne shall have and receive the sume [sum] of twenty pounds yearly and every year during the life of my said wife only out of the lands and hereditaments in Woodborrow in the County of Nottingham allowing proportionally for taxes. And I do hereby charge the said lands with the payment thereof to be paid at two half-yearly payments. Also my will is that my said daughter Anne shall during the life of my said wife receive and enjoy all that my rateable part and proportion of a legacy called My Robert Gales issuing and payable out of certain lands in Claypole aforesaid and in Brassington in the County of Derby.


Item. I give and devise unto my daughter Mary Lacock all that my manor of Woodborrow in the County of Nottingham commonly called Overhall Manor or Strelley’s Manor with the rights, messuages appurtenances to the same belonging. And all and singular my messuages, lands, tenements, woods, underwoods and hereditaments whatsoever in Woodborrow aforesaid. And all that my part of a farm lying and being in Lowdham in the said County of Nottingham commonly called Widdowson's Farm after the expiration of a lease for ninety-nine years almost expired. To hold to my said daughter Mary and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and for default of such issue. Then I give the same unto my said daughter Anne Story and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing.


Item. I give and devise unto my said daughter Mary after the decease of my said wife, all and singular my lands, tenements and hereditaments in Claypole and Lambley aforesaid and also the said rateable part or proportion of the legacy above said. To hold to my said daughter and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing and for default of said issue then I give and devise the same unto my said daughter Anne Storey and the heirs of her body lawfully issuing. Provided always and it is my will that my said daughter Mary (to whom the said four closes which I bought in Osmandthorpe being copyhold have descended according to the custom of the Manor) shall surrender the said four closes unto my said daughter Anne and her heirs within six months after request and capable of doing it for six months together be in the County and in health and in case of her refusal so to surrender then I give all that my close or parcel of ground inclosed called Park Close in Lambley before give to my said daughter Anne Storey in lieu of the said four closes which I intend she should have had. And it is my will that at my wife’s decease the said yearly payment of twenty pounds out of my lands in Woodborrow shall cease.


Item. I will that my said daughter Mary Lacock shall have and receive the sum of fifteen hundred pounds of lawful British money out of my mortgages, bonds, bills and personal estate for her portion besides the lands to her given to be paid with all convenient speed after my decease.


Item. I give and devise to my sister Anne Lascoe one twenty shilling piece of broad gold by former estimation.


Item. I give and devise one twenty shilling piece of broad gold to my sister Mary Aylett to buy them rings.


Item. I give and devise to my cousin George Cartwright of Ossington and to his lady each of them a guinea to buy them rings.


Item. I give to my nephew and niece Mottram of Newark and to my nephew Joseph Th**** and wife of Caunton and to my nephew Edward Hallam and wife of Sutton in the Dale in the County of Derby to each of them a guinea apiece.


Item. I give to my godson Robert Clark a guinea.


Item. I give to my god-daughter Katherine Mottram a guinea to be paid to them six months after my decease.


Item. I give to the poor of Woodborrow five pounds, to the poor of Stoke four pounds and the poor of Elston three pounds, to the poor of Claypole three pounds. To the poor of Edingley, Halam, Greaves Lane and Osmandthorpe three pounds. To the poor of Lambley thirty shillings, to the poor of Calverton thirty shillings to be distributed severally amongst them by the minister, church wardens and overseers of the poor within three months after my decease.


Item. I give and devise to my cousin Frances Fothergill, my cousin Catherine Unwin each of them a guinea to be paid to them within three months of my decease.


Item. I give to all my servants which live with me at the time of my decease five shillings a piece. And I do hereby constitute and appoint my said loving wife Margarett and my said daughters Anne Storey and Mary Lacock Joynt Executrixes of this my last Will and Testament and revoke all former wills, legacies and bequests whatsoever by me formally made and to this my last Will and Testament being four parts of it, two whereof being writt on parchment and each part consisting of one skin of parchment, two whereof being writt on paper each of which two parts in paper, consisting of three sheets of paper have to each skin of parchment and each sheet of paper putt my hand and seal this fifteenth day of November in the year of our Lord 1710 Philip Lacock.


Signed, sealed and published to be the Last Will and Testament of the said Philip Lacock, in the presence of us who subscribed our names in the presence of the Testator, Henry Clemson, John Alvey, John Lee.




A Codicil made and published by me Philip Lacock of Woodborrow in the County of Nottingham the eight and twentieth day of August in the sixth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George and in the year of our Lord God 1719 and by me annexed to and made part of my Last Will and Testament whereas either said Philip Lacock by my said Will have (amongst other things) given and devised several legacies, annuities and estates to my daughter Anne Storey, wife of Mr John Storey Junior of Kneeton and her heirs with devices remainders. And whereas my said daughter Anne Storey being since dead I do hereby revoke and dismantle all the said legacies, annuities and estates given to her by my said Will and her heirs with devices remainders over, and dispose thereof in manners following: Improviso. It is my will and I do hereby order, direct and appoint that the rents, issues and profits of all and singular messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments whatsoever lying and being in Elston in the said County if Nottingham hereinafter given and devised to my grandson John Storey, son of the said Mr John Storey the Younger shall from time to time after my decease and the rents, issues and profits of my lands, tenements and hereditaments within the town feilds and liberties of Osmandthorpe, Halam, Edingley, Stoke and Farndon after the decease of my wife to be had received and taken by my son-in-law William Bainbrigge Esq. And Mary his wife until such time as my said grandson John Storey shall attain the age of one and twenty years. In trust towards raising fortunes for my grandchildren Anne, Margarett, Elizabeth and Dorothy Storey, a moiety in half part of all my ready money, bonds, bills, mortgages and securities for money, the third part of all my cattle, plate, household goods and implements of husbandry. But if my loving wife shall happen to depart this life before me then I give and bequest to my said four grand-daughters a moiety in half of my cattle, plate, household goods and implements of husbandry and to appoint the said William Bainbrigge and Mary his wife to sell the same and putt forth the money arising thereby at interest in their names but for the use of my said four grand-daughters and pay the same equally amongst them until the interest or increase thereof at their respective ages of one and twenty years or days of marriage which shall first happen.


Item. And as far and concerning the moiety or other half part of all my ready money, bonds, bills, mortgages and securities for money I give and bequeath the same unto the younger children of my said daughter Mary Bainbrigge to be equally divided amongst them. Share and share alike the heir at law accepted.


Item. I give and devise to my said grandson John Storey all and singular my messuages, lands, tenements and hereditaments lying and being in Elston aforesaid. To have and to hold to him, the said John Storey at his age of one and twenty years and to his heirs forever.


Item. I give and devise to my said grandson John Storey all my lands, tenements and hereditaments the Town Fields and liberties of Osmandthorpe, Halam, Edingley, Stoke and Farndon aforesaid to have and to hold the said lands, tenements, hereditaments and premises aforesaid after the decease of my said wife unto my said grandson John Storey at his age of one and twenty years and his heirs for ever.


Item. I give and bequeath to my said grandson John Storey one moiety a half part of all my books.


In witness whereof I have herewith sett my hand and seal the day and year first above written.

Philip Lacock.



Signed, sealed and published in the presence of as who subscribed our names in the presence of the said Philip Lacock,

John Lee, Thomas Stanford,


I Odingsells Leeke.




Acknowledgement:


____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Back to top Next page