Some wills have been transcribed in full, whereas others are a paraphrased transcription. If they are paraphrased, they contain the names of all those mentioned in the will, with the gist of what they were (or were not!) bequeathed, but to find the full details, such as the names of property, requests as to how they were to be buried etc., please contact the relevant archive. The wills are either from the Suffolk Record Office (ERO), the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC), or the Norfolk Record Office (NRO).
- Walton, John, clothmaker of Hadleigh, 1539
- Walton, John, clothmaker of Hadleigh, 1551
- Wyarde, Francis, cooper of Earl Soham, 1664
- Wyard, John, of Brundish, 1670
- Wyard, Randoll, cooper of Earl Soham
Walton, John, clothmaker of Hadleigh, 1539
- The will mentions in detail the position of a great deal of land in Hadleigh
- Wife Rose
- John Walton the elder and John Walton the younger, both under 21. [No relationship stated to testator]
- Richard Walton and James Walton, sons of Henry Walton, both under 21
- Sons-in-law Richard Brummell and Robert Brummell
- Alice Walton, unmarried and under 18
- Brother James Walton
- Sisters Alice and Margaret [surnames not given]
- William A Lee
- Johane Walton, daugther of Henry Walton, unmarried, under 18
- Ursula Walton, unmarried, under 18
- Christopher Ormerode and his sisters [sisters unnamed]
- My brother Henry’s child “being in the North… whose name I know not” [therefpre are the other children of Henry Walton the testator’s nieces and nephews?]
- To John Walton the elder and James Walton, “all manner of my tools and instruments belonging and appertaining to my shop when 21.”
- Money to apprentices and the poor
Executors: Robert Vesey and William Tournor
Supvisor: Master Doyle
Witnesses: Robert Bromell, William A Loo, John Smyth, William Mannyng
Written 8 Dec 1538, probate 11 June 1539
PCC
Transcriber’s notes: John Walton the elder mentioned in the will may well be the John Walton of Hadleigh who died in 1551, and whose will is below. Bearing in mind he was left a half share of this testator’s clothmaking equipment, it seems he took up the trade. Note that pne of the testator’s executors was Robert Vesey, whose son William married Joane, the widow of the John Walton who died in 1551.
“Son-in-law” in this will may well mean stepson, and suggests that the testator had no children of his own. Therefore John Walton the elder and younger may have been his nephews, and perhaps his godsons too, given that they share the same forename.
Note that this will mentions Christopher Ormerode, and the will of John Walton who died in 1551 mentions Christopher Harmerod.
Walton, John, clothmaker of Hadleigh, 1551
- The poor of Hadleigh £70
- Son Thomas £100
- Daughter Anne £100
- Daughter Rose 100 marks
- Wife Johane’s unborn child £100 if a son, 100 marks if a daughter
- All houses and lands to wife, except a barn and garden to brother James Walton.
- Executrix: wife
- To Christopher Harmerod: a cote cloth
- Uncle George: a cote cloth
Witnesses: Laurence Veysy, George Estwood.
Written 19 July 1551, probate 6 Oct 1551
PCC
Transcriber’s notes: John’s widow Johane married William Vesey of Hintlesham (see their wills). Laurence Vesey was one of William’s brothers. John’s children Thomas and Anne are mentioned in Joan’s 1586 will, although Thomas was living, Anne had died before but had left several children by her husband Thomas Glede/Gleed.
Wyarde, Francis, cooper of Earl Soham, 1664
- son William: houses in Debenhanm
- son John: houses in Debenham
- son-in-law Stephen Aldous [Steaven Alldis]
- daughter Ursula Alldis: house in Earl Soham occupied by Symon Whayman
- movable goods to the three children William, John, Ursula
- brother Randolph Wyard
Executor: brother Randolph Wyard
Witnesses: Leonel Pepper, Oliver Piggot
Written 29 April 1664, probate 18 July 1664 by son John as Randolph refused.
SRO
Wyard, John esqr, of Brundish, 1670
- wife Susan
- father Randolph Wyard, deceased (inherited property in Brundish from him)
- son James
- son Philip: property in Tottington, Cheston, and Earl Soham
- owed money by John Jeffries, and John Thurston, gent.
- Randolfe Wyard occupies son Philip’s property in Earl Soham
- daughter Mary Wyard
- grandson Randolph Wyard
- son Randolph Wyard
- grandchildren: John Catchpole, Allen Catchpole, Elizabeth Catchpole, Susan Catchpole, Mary Catchpole
- grandchildren: John Mayhew, Susan Mayhew, Sarah Mayhew, James Mayhew, Christopher Mayhew, Elizabeth Mayhew
Executor: son Philip
Written 21 May 1669, probate 5 Feb 1669/70
PCC
Wyard, Randoll, cooper of Earl Soham, 1687
- wife Thamar: everything, and to be executor
Witnesses: Elizabeth Pigett x, Samuel Wightmans
Written 8 Feb 1674/5, probate 17 Feb 1686/7
SRO