The marriage settlement of John, eldest son of Sir Edward Boys the Younger of Fredville, & Margaret, daughter of John Miller, 1626.
Boys Marriage settlement of 1626.
The following information is from a 1667 copy of a marriage settlement of 3rd day of April in the second year of Charles I. (1626) between:
Sir Edward Boys the Elder of ffredvile ( the first party).
Sir Edward Boys the Younger of ffredvile( the second party), son and heir apparent to the above.
Nicholas Miller of Wrotham (the third party).
John Boys, Esq., eldest son and heir of Sir Ed. Boys the Younger of ffredvile (the fourth party).
The marriage was between John Boys and Margaret, daughter of John Miller and the following is regarding the settlement of property on John Boys.
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All that farm or messuage called Kettington, also Kethampton, now or late in the occ. of Ralf Adams lying in Nonyngton also Nonington 360 acres approx.
All those peeces and parcells of lands arable and pasture called Longe Lane contayning by estimation three score acres more or less laying in Sibertswill also Shepherdswell occ. Wm. Moone.
Rowberries contayning by estimation sixteen acres more or less lying and being in Nonyngton occ. Sir Ed. Boys the Elder and one Henry Dixon and one house (and buildings ect.) and three acres of pasture more or less occ. by John Mundaie.
(Also mentioned here in the doc. are ‘ three score acres of marshe in Ashe bought from Asra Parthwithe’).
One peece of or parcell of pasture land parte of Henley Downe conteyning by estimation five acres more or less lying or beeing in Nonyngton and Womyngswould occ. Richard Epps and a parcell of pasture lands Henley Downes by est. Four acres occ, Joanne Perkden widow and add. Four acres occ. James Moyton on Henley Downs.
And one parte or parcell of pasture parte of Three Barrow Downe (Included the present Big & Little Ruberry’s Woods) contg by est. twentie acres more or less in Non. and Wym.
The manor of Elvinton with appurtenances five messuages five gardens five hundred and three score and tenne acres of land and a hundred and ffourscore and tenne acres of pasture and ffore score acres woods and of the moytie of three score acres of marshe with appurtinances in Nonyngton Siperdswill
Wymlingswold Eythorne and Ashe next Sandwich.
(Also mentioned is the manor of Elvington also Elinton bldgs. ect. three hundred and three score acres in Eythorne occ. John Gardner).
(Also mentioned twenty acres by Kittington occ. Thos. Harkett)
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The following is full description of the above lands ect.
The messuage or tenement called Kettington also Kethampton the fferme house barnes orchards gardens curtilages two acres and two roods occ. Ralphe Adams.
All that little close of pasture to the said mess. two acres two roods adjoyning to the east.
All that close of pasture adj. To the said close to the North and to the said mess. to the East and to other lands of the sd. Mess. to the South and west five acres two roods.
And those closes of land commonly called the Gate Close four acres abutting to the Kings Street to the West and Tye Bottom to the South.
All that close of pasture adj. Four and a half acres and one rood about the house to the North Gate Close to the West and Tye Bottom. To the South.
All that part and parcell commonly called Upper ffastall one acre one rood.
And all that close of pasture thereunto being or adj. the Upper ffastall towards the South and to other lands to the said mess. belonging to the East West and North contg. by est. two acres and thirteen perches.
All that pasture and close called the Great Close adj. to the last mentd. close and thereupon abutting towards the East to the mess. on the West and other mess. land to the North and South. Six acres two roods 20 perches.
All that close of arable land called Tye Bottom : forty five acres three roods twentie perches.
And one other peece or parcell of arable land called Downlands abutting upon the Kings Highway to the East Tye Bottom to the West other land belonging to the messuage to the North and South. Fifteen acres one rood.
All that pce. or parc. called DowneLand abuttg. On the said last mentd. parc. of arable land to the South and West and the Kings Streete to the East and land belong. to the heirs of Sir Samuel Peyton Kt. and Bt., (of Knowlton Court) called Knowlton Field to the North. Fifty six acres one rood.
All that pce and parc of arable lands abuttg upon the last mentd to the East the messuage to the West other lands to the North and South. Twentie one acres two roods called Pasture Close.
All that pce or parc of arable land abuttg on the last mentd pce to the South to a pce of land called Sheeps Close to the North other lands East and West. Nyne acres.
All that close of arable land called Sheeps Close abuttg on the last mentd to the South other messuage lands to the East West and North. Nyne acres one rood twentie perches.
All that little close abuttg on Sheeps Close to the East other lands to the South West and North. Three acres one rood.
All that pce and parc of arable land adj Sheeps Close the last mentd pce to the South Knowlton Fld to the North Kings Highway to the West and other messuage lands to the South. Twentie two acres two roods.
All that pce and parc of arable land abuttg the last mentd to the North and saide last mentd pce or parc of arable land here toward the East the Kings Highway to the West and other mess lands to the South . Twentie acres.
All that ect now being a sheep pasture and adj the said parc of land called Knowlton Fld to the North the Kings Highway to the West and to messuage lands to East and South. Fortie seven acres three roods twentie perches.
All of the arable land called Roodes Hill abuttg upon the lands of Ladie Hamond to the West and Knowlton Fld to the North. Twentie five acres.
All that little close of arable land called Creakes Close abuttg the Kings Highway to the East to the lands of Nicholas Creake to the West and other lands of Sir Ed. Boys the Elder to the North and South. Three and a half acres and one rood.
All that close of arable land abuttg upon the King hway to the East to a certain close of Sir Ed. Boys the Elder commonly called Thirtie Acres or Kettington Bushes occ John Jordan to the South lands of Nich Creake to the West and Creakes Close to the North. Six acres three roods.
All that close of arable land called the Thirtie Acres or Kettington Bushes occ. John Jordan abuttg the Kings hwy to the East to a certaine parc of land of the sd Sir Ed Boys the Eld called the Millner Downe towards the South to the lands of the sd Sir Ed Boys lieng or being in a certain fld called Yeresole fld towards the West and to the land in the tenure of Nich Creake and Ralph Adams towards the North. Thirtie acres.
All that pce of land there called the Millner Downe with a wind mill thereupon late in the tenure or occ of John Jordan and his assigns contg by est nyne and twentie acres and twoe roods more or less.
Al that arable land called Tye close occ by Jn Jordan. Twentie three acres.
All that pce ect of land or wood called Tye Wood occ by Sir Ed Boys the Eld thirtie Twoe acres twoe roods thirtie perches.
And all that close of land occ Thos Gaunt abuttg Tye Wood to the West the land of the heirs of Edward Merriwether to the South to the Kings hway and certain lands called Elvington lands towards the East and lands in the tenure of Ralphe Adams to the North.
And to the lands called Tyewood to the West contg thirtie six acres twoe roods.
All that pasture close occ Thos Gaunt abuttg upon Tyewood to the South and the Kings hway to the North. Three acres.
End of Kettington.
Four closes of pasture called Henley Downe contg thirtie three acres occ Thos Haywood Geo Sharpe Rich Epps and Jn Mundaie
And all that close of land called Three Barrows Downe (included part of the present Ruberry Downs and Big & Little Ruberry’s Woods) contg by est three score and eighteen acres twentie perches occ Thos Haywood and Elias Browninge.
And all that pce ect of arable land abuttg Three Barrows Downe to the South land of Wm Proude to the West and a parcell of land called Henley Downe to the East and a certaine parc of land called Rowbarrows to the North occ Thos Haywood. Twentie twoe acres ten roods ten perches.
All those closes of lands arable pasture and woods called Rowbarrows occ Henry Dixon and Sir Ed Boys. ffifteen acres.
The above all lie in Nonington and Womenswold (Wimlingswell, Wymlingswell, Wymygold, Wymlingswold).
Acholte Farm occ Edward Rigden Hundred of Wingham and parish of Non and Woms. House edifice bldgs orchards gdns and ground belonging to the messuage or tenement contg three acres
All that parc of pasture the fforstall to said messuage adj contg twoe acres.
One close of arable land abuttg upon the said parc of land called the fforstall to the East to the other lands belong to Sir Ed Boys to the West and South and the Kings hway to the North. One acre one rood.
All that close of arable land lands abuttg to a certain barne to the East lands of Sir Ed Boys South East and West. Thirtie twoe acres ten perches.
All that pce ect of wood and woodlands occ Sir Ed Boys abuttg North to the aforesaid (above) The Kings hway and the lands of Jeremie Gayes ( of Holt St Farm) gentleman to the South and lands of Sir Ed Boys to the East and West. Twentie acres twoe roods twentie perches.
All ect of land called Coldmorrows abuttg lands of Wm Nethersole to the South Jeremie Gayes to the East and North and Sir Ed Boys to the West. Twentie acres.
All ect of Acholte Downes abuttg towards Culsoe (Curlswood) Park to the West and aforesaide ffarme on the Sth Nth East. Three score and foureteene acres.
Lands woods and parcells of woodland occ Sir Ed Boys abuttg Acholte Downe to the North Kings hway to the West and lands of Sir Ed Boys to the East and Sth. Tenne acres.
All that pasture called Leighfeild abuttg on aforesaide woodland to the North and East the Kings Street to the West and lands of Sir Ed Boys to the East. Twentie sixe acres.
That parcell of arable land commonly called Woodroofe Hill ffifteen acres twoe roods.
One other parcell of arable land called Light Lands abuttg on saide Woodruffe Hill to the West. Seventeene acres.
Stone Reech Seavon acres twoe roods abuttg Jeremie Gayes to the North the fforstall South.
The end of Acholt Farm (then in both Nonington and Womenwold parishes. The inventory then moves from Stone Reach, which is partly just the Nonington side of the railway line by Acol bridge.
All that pasture close adj in Nonington the aforesaid abuttg the King hway to the South to land of Sir Ed Boys occ by Rich Baylie to the East and other pastures of Sir Ed Boys to the North. Foure acres twoe roods.
All that pasture close adj the said premises to the South The Kings hway to the West the lands of Thos Kirbie to the North. Three acres twoe roods.
All that pasture close abuttg to the lands of Rich Baylie to the East to Thos Kirbie to the North and Sir Ed Boys to the Sth and East. Twoe and one halfe acres.
The close of arable land adj aforesaid land to lands of Thos Kirbie to the West lands of Sir Ed Boys in the Hundred of Eastry occ Jn Jordan to the East and Sir Ed Boys land occ Rich Baylie to the Sth. Foure acres one rood.
To the arable land on a place called Nonington Hill abuttg Pinners Wood to the North and the lands of Jn White to the East and West and Thos Kirbie to the Sth. Twoe acres three roods.
To Anthonies ffields occ Anthonie ffields clerk (to the parish)
All that pasture close in Nonyngton aforesaide in the tenure of Rich Baylie now in the tenure of Anth ffields to the West and Nth and Sir Ed Boys land in the tenure of Jn Jordan to the East and the Kings hway to the South. Fyve acres.
The land was “bee holden of our saide Soveraigne Lord the Kings Majestie his heirs and successors of the Mannor of Wingham in the said counties of Kent by fealtie onlie in free and Common Socage and not in Capite nor by Kings Service rendering therefore yearlie to His Majestie ect £ 13 2s 2d of lawful monie ect more plainly may appeare”.
The Manor of Wingham been in the possession of the Archbishop of Canterbury until 1538 when he exchanged it for other property with King Henry VIII.
Socage:
A term of the feudal land ownership system which referred to the tenure which was exchanged for certain goods or services which were not military in nature.
Socage is often described as “free and common socage” although the “free and common” qualification is now of a purely historical significance.
The concept of socage has evolved considerably since the Norman Conquest. In essence, it was a land-use system where a socman, sokeman or socager held his land from the King subject to a periodic duty to the King, such as military service, payment of money or provision of some service or goods.
Blackstone described it as follows:
“Socage, in its most general and extensive signification, seems to denote a tenure by any certain or determinate service. And in this sense it is by our ancient writers constantly put in opposition to chivalry, or knight-service, where the render was precarious and uncertain.”