In the name of our Lord God Amen the last day of the moneth of June ye yere of our Lord God ye vjvxxiiiijth I Hugh Berysford sumwhat secke in body but hole of mynde of gude memory orden this my last wyll beying judented in maner folowynge ffirst I beqweth my sowle unto allmyghty God to our lady saynt Mary and to all the holy company of hevyn my body to be buryed in the Channcell of Saynt Edmondes in the paryshe church of ffenybentley. Also I bequeth in the name of my mortuary my best veste. Item I wyll who be disposed for my sowle the day of my buryall in waes offering so other divine buyce to all minsteres that day yt beyinge as shalbe sufficient of eight. Item I bequeath unto the howses of Saynt Mary of Porson & Saynt Chadd of Hichefeld to eyther of them xijd. Item I wyll that my two daughtors eyther of them have to there maryags xlli if it may be performed, if nott xl markes. Item I beqwethe to my daughter Alis xs. Item to John & William her sonnys to eyther of them vjds viijd. Item I wyll that Robte and Laurence my sonnys have the ferme at Astonfeld and the said Robert to have x markes so that he chalence no more of my goodes and then I charge hym of my blessyn. And the said x markes to be paid to the said Robert of my goodes & ferme of Newton Grange. Item I beqweth to Lawrence my son xx markes to be paid in like maner with ther mother rewards. Item I beqweth to Edmunde my son xls by yere during his natural lyffe with his moder rewards. And the said Edmunde to be payd the said xls by yeare by the handes of Thomas my sone forthe of the parke or ferme of Newton Grange yre to say at the Nativitie of Saynt John Baptiste xxs. And at the fest of Saynt Martyn in Wynton xxs. And so forme feste unto feste during his natural lyffe. And for lakk of suche payment at any of the festes aforesaid or within xx dais next insuynge the said fest or festes that then it shalbe lawfull to the said Edmunde or his assignes to entre in to the gorste close and to stande in possession in the same unto suche tyme as he be content to paid the said rent or rentes of xls with average of the same. Item I wyll that my son John have fyve markes by yeare during his natural lyffe to be paid to hym or his assignes of the stocke & takke of Newton Grange aforesaid at the Nativitie of Saynt John Baptiste xxxiijs iiijd and at the feste of Saynt Martyn in wynter xxxiins iiijd & so from feste unto feste during hys natural lyffe. And for lak of such payment I wyll yt the said John or his assignes to entre and take possession in the long landes & the Anre flowte unto suche tyme as he be content and paid with his mother rewards. Item I wyll that if it fortune any of my sonnes to decease then I wyll that the last lyver to have the hole rent during his natural lyffe. Item I bequeth to John Ffyddolere Henry Bayshe Ric Rishton & Roger Fflecher to every of them xijd. Item I wyll that Agnes my wyff and Thomas my sone shall fynde William Beste bed and borde during his natural lyff and I bequeath hym xijd. Also I bequeth Margarett Longdon Johanne Fforste Kateryn Hall & Elizabeth Longdon every of them xijd. Item I wyll that Agnes my wyff shall have the one halfe of my takk durynge hur lyffe unto ye supportacon of any service of her selfe & her chyldern if she kepe her soole unmaried. And if not then she to have the thyrde parte of my goodes and the hole take to remayne to Thomas my son & to his heyres male. And for lak of such issue then I wyll the said take to remayne to the oldeste of my sonnes then lyffyng. Item I wyll that Thomas my sone shall have the other parte of my ferme. And also I wyll that one abutt preeste shall syng and pray for my sowle & all Christen sowles the space of one hole yere within ye parishe church of ffenybentley aforesaid and he to have for his salare iiijli vjs viijd. Item I beqweth to Warsloo Chapell to Ilkeston chapel to Oencote chapel & to Sternedale chappel to evry one of them xijd. Item I beqweth to Longnor chapel to the parishe churche of Tiddeswill and to the chapel of Saynt Margarett of Wormyll to evry one of them iijs iiijd. Item I beqweth all my goodes and catalles my wyll truly performed to Agnes my wyff and Thomas my son. And for the true performance of this my last wyll I constitute and orden Agnes my wyff and Laurence my son to be my true and faithfull executors of this my last wyll to be performed for the healthe of my sowle as they shall thynke most merytorius. And on Mathew Knyveton and Adam Berysford to be my supervisors mekely besechynge them to se yt this my last wyll to be performed . These witness John Berysford of Newton Grange John Berysford of Bradeley Ashe Homfrey Berysford Rich Berysford of Perwiche jentylmen William Fferne parson of ffenybentley aforesaid John Fferne of Perwich the elder yoman and John Fferne the yonger with others. Gyffyn the day and yere above wryttyn.



Hugh and Agnes had the following children:


1. Thomas, married Agnes Kniveton.

2. Edmund, married Isabel Stevenson; (mentioned in Agnes Ferne's will).

3. Robert

4. Laurence (mentioned in Ralph Gell's will).

5. John (mentioned in Ralph Gell's will and in Agnes Ferne's will).

6. Agnes, married John Ferne; left will in 1574.

*7. Emma, married Ralph Gell.

8. Elizabeth, married Thurstan Alleyne

9. Alice, married Mr. Wetton.



SOURCES: Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica; Beresford Pedigree, The History and Gazeteer of the County of Derby.

Thomas Beresford was born in about 1420 of Fenny Bentley, Derbyshire, the son of John de Beresfore and Elizabeth Bassett. He married Agnes Hassall, the daughter of Robert Hassall of Chester.


Agnes died in 1467. Thomas died 23 March 1473. Both are buried in St Edmunds Church  in Fenny Bentley.



"Thomas Beresford who lived at Bentley Hall in the reign of Henry VI raised a private army of troops and fought at Agincourt. He died in 1473 ten years after the death of his wife Agnes.
No doubt the best known feature of the church is The Beresford Tomb, in the Beresford chapel with its painted aluminum ceiling, with its shrouded figures of Thomas Beresford and his wife Agnes Hassall is one of the foremost features of St. Edmund church. On one side and one end of the tomb are incised figures, also in shrouds, of the sixteen sons and five daughters, and all round the cornice of the tomb top are incised military accoutrements, helmets, shields, gauntlets and halberds. Agnes died in 1467 and Thomas in 1473, but the various accoutrements all seem to be of a style dating from the following century, so it would appear that the tomb was not erected until a considerable time after their death, and indeed, as all 21 children are also shown in shrounds, probably after their deaths as well. Of the sixteen sons, only Hugh is mentioned. He lived at Newton Grange until his death in 1524, and had a son, Laurence, who died in 1577.


Fenny Bentley Hall has a squat, medieval half tower dating from the 15th century when the building was the seat of the Beresford family." (Fenny Bentley St Edmunds Church, www.derbyshireheritage.co.uk)


Thomas and Agnes had the following children:

1. Aden

2. Thomas

3. John

4. Anthony

*5. Hugh, married Agnes Longsdon.

6. Robert

7. Humphrey

8. Edward

9. Laurence

10. Godfrey

11. Dionysius

12. Ralph

13. Roger

14. Ralph

14. William

15. James

16. Alice

17. Joanna, married William Ferne.



SOURCES: Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica; Beresford Pedigree, The History and Gazeteer of the County of Derby.