In 1066, William of Normandy invaded Britain and promptly adopted the civil and geographical jurisdiction of England which the Anglo-Saxons and Norsemen had set up, composed of Manors and Hundreds (or Wapentakes)[1]. The Normans fused this with their own feudal system in which the monarch owned all land, kept a lot of it and granted the rest to their loyal nobles in return for military service, and also to the Church.
This manorial system remained in place for many centuries, evolving and gradually weakening over time, and only brought to a final end in the 1920s[2]. Because it lasted so long, its workings and records vary hugely, and to our modern senses are complicated and difficult. But the records the system produced can be vital to genealogical research in England, especially before parish registers began (1530s-50s) and for another couple of centuries after that as well.
At its simplest, the system divided up the whole of England into small chunks called ‘manors’, each held and ruled over by a ‘Lord of the manor’ and overseen collectively in groups called ‘Hundreds’ or ‘Wapentakes’.
Though manors varied in size, many consisted of a village with its surrounding land, waterways, woods and waste. There was usually a large house within the manor (a capital messuage) where the Lord would live or stay.
Every manor had a ‘manor court’ by which the Lord or their most senior servants (steward, deputy steward, bailiff) oversaw local affairs.
Each Hundred was composed of a number of local manors, ruled over collectively by a Hundred Court with responsibility for taxation, laws and keeping the peace. Local custom and practice determined how often these courts met: manor courts might be held every three weeks or only a couple of times a year, while Hundred courts traditionally met every month, reducing in importance as Sheriffs and their county-level administration took over these responsibilities.
For a quick recap, Ralph (also written Rafe and Raph) Kendall als. Mills of Sherington and Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England, was the father of Thomas and Francis Kendall who immigrated to Reading and Woburn, Massachusetts. Thomas was born to Ralph and an unknown mother in Sherrington in 1616. Francis was born in 1620. Ralph’s family structure composed from the parish records was covered in the post Finding Francis and Thomas. His 1657 will added two more children to the family. This post covers the years between Ralph’s 1629/30 purchase of land and his probate in 1661.
Over the course of approximately fifty years and three generations, the Ralph Kendall als. Mills family had a series of four property transfers for the same land.
Ralph Mills als Kendall (the alias surnames could be reversed), bought Newport Pagnell land in 1629/30 and build a house on it. (DB111/1)
Ralph sold the land to his son, John, in 1654. (DB111/2)
John deeded the land to his soon-to-be bride, the widow Martha Mitchell, in May 1666. The land was to provide for Martha should he pre-decease her, which he did in August 1666 during the Great Plague. (DB111/3)
Martha and her third husband, George Rawbone, plus John Kendall als Mills Jr. (son of John Kendall als Mills, the second husband of Martha) and John Jr’s wife, Martha (Rawlinson), jointly sold the land to Jeremiah Smalbridge in 1681, who turned the house into an Inn named the The Ship. (DB111/6-7)
Original purchase
Ralph purchased the land from blacksmith Robert Markes on 16 February 1629/30. It was specifically a feoffment of land that was on or near the old North Bridge in Newport Pagnell[1]
Map showing Newport Pagnell in 1886. Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland [2]https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
This is a magnified view of the North Bridge from the same map. Directly under the words “North Bridge” is “Neptune Inn,” which applies to the building directly across from those words on the north-south road. One More for the Road, a book by two Newport Pagnell historians, states the inn that occupied that plot was first called The Ship and later the Neptune, its label on this map.[3]
The book has this on the history of the property:
“This property was a private house erected between 1639 and 1654 which was sold in 1681 to Jeremiah Smallbridge, a maltster of NP [deed in hand]. The title deeds (D111) locate the property on the west side of the road going north from the town, close to the river and the North Bridge; in fact one of the deeds describes the house as ‘on the bridge’.”[4]
The private house was erected during the time Ralph Kendall als. Mills (a carpenter by trade) owned the property, so presumably he was the builder or the one who authorized the construction. When the deed between Richard Marks and Ralph was drawn up, the freehold land was still under manorial jurisdiction, as the wording in the deed ‘Chief Lord or Lords’ tells us. Throughout the half century the Mills alias Kendalls held this property, it and all other holdings in Newport Pagnell town were granted, either as freehold or leasehold, by the Lord of the Manor, to whom even freeholders like Ralph owed loyalty (fealty) and usually a small token rent.See the Manorial info post for more on this topic.
Rafe Kendall als. Mills bought the property 16 February 1629/30 and held it through 1654. There is no record of when he built the house that stood on it. He may have built it shortly after purchasing the land and lived in the house when his family was young, or he may have remained in Sherrington for several years after the purchase. With a mobile job like carpentry, Ralph could also have lived in Enfield, or elsewhere in Middlesex, where he was residing when his will was written in 1657, so he might not have built the house until close to 1654. The one thing we can say is that the house was built by 1654 when he sold the land and house to his son, John.[5]
Ralph’s son, John, takes over
As with most deeds, Ralph gave no reason for his sale. It’s possible to assume this was to start divesting himself of his property. If his daughters, Susan and Mary (named in his will), were born before Thomas, Ralph may have been close to 70 in 1654.[6] If they were born after Richard, he could have been under 60, but in either case, he was no longer a young man. John was the elder of his two sons still living in England, so it was logical for the premises to go to him, especially as the deed states that John is already living there. Ralph sold the premises to his son for “love and affection” plus “a competent somme of mony.” We don’t know what that “competent” amount of money was as it was not listed in the document, but it may have been a trifle. If we think legalese is a relatively modern invention, this excerpt from Ralph’s 1654 deed proves otherwise. Here is part of the land description:
“… and allso all houses edifices buildings barnes stables out houses yards gardens Orchards backsides Commons profitts and commodityes therunto belonging And the reversion and reversions therof and all the estate right titell interest use possession Claime and demand whatsoever of him the said Ralph Kendall of into and out of the same premises and every p[ar]t thereof and all deeds Evidences writinges scripts and minniments in his custody concerning the same and all rents and advantages of Covenants referred uppon anyewise heretofore made of the same premises…”[7]
The land wasn’t big enough to have multiple houses, edifices, buildings, barns, stables, outhouses (sheds and other small buildings), yards, gardens, and orchards, so we should not assume the wording indicates John received all of that. The deed is like today’s legal documents where everything that might be on the land gets mentioned to ensure full coverage. If the family was like most of that time, they may have had a couple of small outbuildings, a garden and perhaps some animals in addition to the house that was known to be on the property.
The original house may have been rebuilt or remodeled multiple times. The 1810 version of the building, The Neptune, can be seen in an image from a Newport Pagnell history.[8]
Additional analysis
More facts can be taken from Ralph’s 1654 deed.[9] In it, he mentioned his daughter, Mary Heatley by name. She received money from John after Ralph’s death as part of the deal for the land transfer. This is evidence that Mary, listed only by her first name in Ralph’s will, and “son” Thomas (W)Heatley, also named in Ralph’s will, were husband and wife.[10] The deed also stipulated that if Thomas Kendall and Francis Kendall demanded it they were to get twelve pence each. This wording was standard at the time when a named person was living a significant distance from the location of the benefactor/seller, making it less likely they could appear to collect their funds.
One other thing we know is that Ralph and John held this land through an exceedingly difficult time in English history (see Timeline) that had both national and local tensions. Though it did not happen everywhere, disputes between town burgesses and lords of the manor due to the religious, political, and economic upheaval were one aspect of the broader disputes which ultimately led to armed conflict between King Charles I and Parliament from 1642 to 1652.[11] That period was followed by the short-lived republican Commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell, which ended with the Restoration of the monarchy in May 1660.[12] Ralph did not live to see the Restoration. He was buried in Newport Pagnell on 3 March 1658/59, likely moving back there between late 1657 and early 1658 after having lived in Middlesex where his will was written in October 1657.[13]
Burial record of Ralph Mills in Newport Pagnell[14]
Nor did Ralph Kendall als Mills’ son, John, survive for very long after the Restoration.[15] The Great Plague of 1666 decimated London, then areas nearby, then spread out across the country.[16] London and Newport Pagnell are less than fifty miles apart and by the summer of 1666, the vicar of Newport Pagnell needed multiple pages of the parish register to cover the burials for just one month, unlike earlier in that decade when two or three years of burials fit within one page.[17]
Property passes to John Kendall als Mills Jr
John wanted his son, John Jr. (as we reference him), to have the North Bridge property he received from Ralph after Martha passed. He stipulated that in his 1666 will.[18] Martha was entitled to live there until her death, but instead she and her third husband, George Rawbone, and John Jr. and his wife, also named Martha (Rawlinson), sold the land to Jeremiah Smallbridge in 1681.[19]
Although there is no way to be certain of who lived in the North Bridge property or if there were periods it was leased to non-family members, that does not stop us from imagining the Mills als Kendall family living there, hopefully in peaceful domestic life, and enjoying the home build on or near the North Bridge in Newport Pagnell.
[1] Newport Pagnell deeds (Buckinghamshire, England), deed number DB111/1 (1629), Robert Markes to Ralph Kendall als. Mills, photographed and transcribed by Celia Renshaw July 2023; Buckinghamshire Record Office, Aylesbury.
[2]Buckinghamshire Sheet X (Southampton, UK: Ordinance Survey Office, 1886) cropped digital image, National Library of Scotland ( https://maps.nls.uk/view/102340100#zoom=5&lat=1224&lon=7924&layers=BT : accessed 16 August 2023).
[3] Dennis Maynard and Donald Hurst, One More for the Road (Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, England: Newport Pagnell Historical Society, 1999), 99.
[5] Newport Pagnell deeds (Buckinghamshire, England), deed number DB111/2 (1654), Ralph Kendall als. Mills to John Kendall als Mills, photographed and transcribed by Celia Renshaw July 2023; Buckinghamshire Record Office, Aylesbury.
[6] “Wills” database, Buckinghamshire Council Archives (https://shop.buckscc.gov.uk : accessed 25 April 2023), pdf of Rafe Kendall als. Miles, 1661.
[7] Newport Pagnell deeds (Buckinghamshire, England), deed number DB111/2 (1654), Ralph Kendall als. Mills to John Kendall als Mills.
[8] Dennis Maynard and Julian Hunt, Newport Pagnell, A Pictoral History (Gildford, Surrey, England: Phillimore & CCo, LTD, 1995), image 11.
[9] Newport Pagnell deeds (Buckinghamshire, England), deed number DB111/2 (1654), Ralph Kendall als. Mills to John Kendall als Mills.
[10] “Wills” database, Buckinghamshire Council Archives, pdf of Rafe Kendall als. Miles, 1661.
[11] Angela Smith & Neil Bertram, Tracing Your Ancestors Using the UK Historical Timeline (Padstow, Cornwall, UK: TJ Books, LTD (Pen & Sword Books, 2021), 39.
[15] England, Buckinghamshire, Newport Pagnell, Parish Register for Newport Pagnell, 1558-1718, bur. John Ken[dall] (lost to tight binding), burials 1666, FHL microfilm 1042392, items 14-16; digitized images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 13 April 2023).
[16] Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org), “Great Plague of London,” rev. 02:37, 16 Aug 2023.
[17] England, Buckinghamshire, Newport Pagnell, Parish Register for Newport Pagnell, 1666, FHL microfilm 1042392, items 14-16; digitized images, Family Search (www.familysearch.org : accessed 13 April 2023).
[18] “England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858,” database with images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: accessed 15 March 2023), John Kendall, 1666.
Also note: The suffix, Jr., does not appear in documents but has been added to distinguish the two generations of John Kendall als Mills.
[19] Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, original deed of lease & release DB 1111/6 & 7, George & Martha Rawbone plus John & Martha Kendall als. Mills to Jeremiah Smallridge (1681); Aylesbury Buckinghamshire Record Office.
This deed, technically a feoffment, was made between Robert Markes and Ralph Kendall als Mills on 16th of February 1629/30. It transfers ownership of property on or near the Newport Pagnell Old North Bridge for a sum of £5. See below for the transcription and analysis.
Title Deed
Transcription
DB111/1 (16 Feb 1629) Feoffment
Cover: Robt Markes to Ralph Kendall als Mills – Feoffm’t of a Piece of Ground adjoyning to North Bridge in Newport Pagnell. Date: 16th Feb’y 1629. Wits signatures: John Wareyn; Thome (his mark) ?Wryght; George (his mark) Rabone; George ?—- (?Hall?)
As explained in the post titled Ralph Kendall als. Mills 1629-1658/9, Ralph purchased property on the Old North Bridge in Newport Pagnell. Though the bridge and anything built near or on it are long gone, there is pictorial evidence of that area.[1]
1798 Engraving of Old North Bridge by J. Walker & T. Tagg.
This 1798 hand-colored engraving by J. Walker and T. Tagg shows the old North Bridge as seen from the north bank of the Ouse looking southwest. Its stone construction and arches are clearly present. What appears to be a two-story building in the center of the picture is approximately where the land held by the Kendall als Mills family was located. It’s highly doubtful the building in the engraving was constructed by the family as its architecture dates to a later period. As in many towns over the centuries, the buildings on this plot were built, demolished, and rebuilt multiple times.
DB111/28 Nov 1654 Deed of Gift. Ralph to John Kendall als Mills[1]
Transcription
Cover: 8th Nov’r 1654. Ralph Kendall als Mills to Jno Kendall als Mills – Deed of Gift of Messuage adjoyning to North Bridge in Newport Pagnell.
Witnesses’ signatures: Thomas (his mark) Williamson; Thomas Laughton; Godfrey Withers Sealed and delivered and quiet and peaceable possession and seisin of the Burges or Tenement and other the within granted premises was had taken and delivered by the within named Ralph Kendall otherwayes called Mills unto the (wi)thin named John Kendall otherwaies called Mills in … [end of line or endorsement not visible?]
This Indenture made the eight day of November in the yeare of Our Lord God one thousand six hundred fifty four 1654 Beetweene Ralph Kendall otherwise caled Mills of Newport Pagnell in the County of Bucks Carpenter as well for the naturall love and affection which hee beareth to John Kendall otherwayes call’d Mills his sonne As Allso for and in Consideration of a competent somme of mony to him in hand paid by the saide John Kendall the receipt whereof the saide Ralph Kendall doth acknowledge by these presents hath given granted
Cover: 18th May 18 Charles2 (1666): Jn Kendall to Robt Hooton in trust – Deed of Settlem’t of house adjoyn’g to North Bridge in Newport Pagnell.
This Indenture made the eighteenth daye of Maye in the eightteenth yeare of the raigne of our most gratious Sovereigne Lord Charles the second by the grace of God King of England &c Betweene John Milles alias Kendall of Newport Pagnell in the Countie of Bucks Carpenter of the one part and Robert Hootton of Newport Pagnell aforesaid mercer and Martha Michell of Newport Pagnell aforesaid widdow of the other part, Witnesseth that whereas there is a marriage intended shortly to be had and solemnised by and betwene the said John Milles alias Kendall and the said Martha Michell and allsoe For the better provideinge of a livelyhood for the Said Martha Michell in case she happen to survive the said John Milles alias Kendall her intended husband the Said John Milles otherwise Kendall hath demised given grannted bargained sold aliened released infeoffed and confirmed And by these presents doth devise give grante bargaine sell allien release infeoff and confirm unto the said Robert Hootton his heires and assignes All that Messuage or tenement with the appurtenances scituate and being in Newport Pagnell aforesaid and adioyninge to a bridge called north bridge and now in the tenure or occupation of Edward Sibley togither with all
Verbatim transcript by Celia Renshaw, 7 Aug 2023, from image online at Ancestry
Transcription
In the Name of God Amen The Twenty Seaventh day of August One Thousand Six hundred Sixty-Six in the Eighteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God King of England Scotland &c, I John Kendall of Newport Pagnell in the County of Bucks Carpenter being in perfect memory and remembrance praised bee God doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme following.
First I give and bequeath my Soule to Almighty God my maker hopeing in the merritts and pasion of our Savior Jesus Christ to deserve the pardon and forgivenese of all my Sins. As for my Body to bee disposed and buried at the discretion of my Executor hereafter nominated.
Item I give unto my wife Martha Kendall the house now in the tenancy or occupation of Edward Sibly for the terme of her life and after her decease to returne to my Sonne John Kendall and to his heires for ever.
Item I give unto my wife Martha Kendalle the summe of Thirty pounds of lawfull money of England to bee paid to her by my Sonn John Kendalle within two yeares next insuing the date hereof.
Item I give to my Sonne John Kendall One Featherbedd one Bedstead standing in the other house, two paire of Sheets, One great Flagon one litell Flagon one Winchester quarte One Coverlid & one Blanket one posnit? two porige potts One Bolster one pillow one Bason two kettles three platters one Candlesticke two Chests two tables two Cuberds with my wearing Aparell.
Abstract of Bill and Answer analyzed by Keri-Lynn & Celia Renshaw, 8 Aug 2023, from images supplied by TNA to Keri-Lynn[2]
The Charge
Primo day of Februarie 1670
To the right honourable Sr Orlando Bridgman Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England
First sheet: the submission of John Kendall alias Mills (referred to by us, for clarity, as John Jr. and later as Aberford John), the only child of John Kendall alias Mills Sr. and an unknown first wife. John Sr. died in the plague at Newport Pagnell in 1666, after marrying a second time, to widow Martha Mitchell. John Sr. was the son of Sherington Rafe, making him the brother of Thomas and Francis in New England and of Richard in Enfield.
John Jr., the complainant in this Chancery case, referred to himself throughout the charge as ‘Your Orator’ (standard form of address to the legal authority) – for simplicity ‘he’ or ‘John Jr.’ has been used instead.
DC13/3/1/1 (1669-1689) Property on North Bridge – the Ship & Cottages. In 1673, Kendall alias Mills to John Rawlins, messuage in occupation of George Rawbone. Other later deeds in the bundle concern Walter Beaty (Scotch chapman).
Transcription by Keri-Lynn
This Indenture made the one & thirtieth day of January in the Four and twentieth yeare of the Raigne of o[ur] Sovaigne (sovereign) Lord Charles the second by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King defender of the faith &c. Between John Kendall als Mills of Newport Pagnell in the County of Bucks Carpender of the one part And John Rawlins of Stokegoldington in the County aforesaid yeoman of the other part Witnesseth that the said John Kendall als Mills for the better secureinge of a Messuage or Tenement with the appurtences in Newport Pagnell aforesaid which the said John Kendall by Indenture bearinge even date with these presents hath Conveyed to the said John Rawlins and his heires and for divers other good causes and valuable Considerations him thereunto especially moveinge Hathe Devised granted bargained and Sold And by these presents doth devise grant Bargaine and sell unto the said John Rawlins and his assignes All That messuage or Tenement with the appurtences scituate neare the North Bridge in Newport Pagnell aforesaid now in the occupacon of George Rawbone Together with all houses edifices buildings barnes Stables yards orchards gardens backsides hedges ditches trees fences mounds wayes Easements Commons proffitts and Comodityes whatsoever unto the said Messuage or Tenement belonginge or in anywise appertaineinge And also the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders thereof And all the Estate right Title Interest Claime and demand whatsoever of him the said John Kendall als Mills of in and to the same premisses and evry part thereof and Coppyes of all deeds writeinges and Evidences concerning the same premisses To have and hold The said Messuage
DB111/6 Sale by lease & release, Lease 1 Sep 1681[1]
Transcription by Celia Renshaw
Cover: 1st Sep 1681. Geo: Rawbone & others to Jerem’h Smallridge – Lease for a year
Endorsed: Sealed and delivered by the within named George Rawbone and Martha his wife, in the p’sence of: Tho Chapman; Rich. Saunders.
Sealed and delivered by the within named John Kendall als Milles & Martha his wife in the p’sence of: Rich: Saunders; John Smalridge
Text: This Indenture made the first day of September in the three and thirtieth year of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the second by the grace of god of England &c Annoq Dmi 1681 Betweene George Rawbone of Newport Pagnell in the County of Buks Carpender and Martha his wife and John Kendall otherwise Milles of Abberforth (Aberford) in the County of yorke Carpender and Martha his wife of the one parte And Jeremiah Smalridge of Newport Pagnell in the county of Bucks Maltster of the other part Witnesseth that the said George Rawbone and Martha his wife John Kendall otherwise Milles and Martha his wife, for and in consideration of the summe of Six pence unto them or one of them in hand paid and for other divers good causes and valuable considerations them hereunto moveing hath granted bargained and sold and by these p’sents doe grant bargaine & sell unto the said Jeremiah Smalridge his Executors,
