THE COSTARD FAMILY OF
PYRTON

The Family of Amy Costard

Richard Woodhouse's father, Marke Woodhouse, also married a Costard girl, Amy Costard. From the Pyrton parish register, Marke and Amy were married 20 April 1608.


Marke Woodhouse marriage

Marriage record for Mark Woodhouse and Amy Costard in Pyrton:
"Mark Woodhouse and Amy Costard were maried the xxth day of Aprill in the sixt yeare of the reigne of King James"


Amy Costard was born in about 1580 of Pyrton, Oxfordshire. Pyrton is only about a mile from Watlington. The relationship between Amy and Richard's mother Elizabeth Costard (born about 1620) is not known. Amy was mentioned in the will of her father, Cuthbert Costard in 1587:
Cuthbert Costard will

Will of Cuthbert Costard 1587


In the name of God Amen, the xviiith day of December in the yere of the Lorde one thousand ffyve hundred eighty & seven in the therten yere in the rainge of our most gracious Queen Elizabeth, I Cuthbert Costard of the paryshe of Watlington in the Countey of Oxeford, beinge sicke in body but whole in mynde & of perfect memrey, thanks be unto God, do make my last will & testament in maner & forme ffolowing, first I comitt my soule unto Almyghtey God my maker and redeemer Jesus Christ on whose death & passion I trust & believe to be saved  my body to be buried in the churchyard of Watlington. Item, I geve & bequeath to Ales my daughter a quarter of wheat & 3 quarters of barly one browne heifer & 3 sheepe. And xxs in money to be paid to hir within this next yere & also I do geve to her a ffether bedde, a coverled, a boulster, halffe a quarter of wheat, & five bushel of maste to be paid to hir at the day of hir marage. Item, I geve & bequeath to Ffrances my sonne a quarter of wheat & 3 quarters barly on heifer, 4 sheepe & xxs in money to be paid unto him within this present yere. Item, I geve & bequeath Agnes my daughter a quarter of wheat & 3 quarter of barly to be paid unto hir within the yere of the Lorde which shall be one thousand ffyve hundred fflowrscore & neein. Item, I geve & bequeath unto Amie my daughter one quarter of wheat & 3 quarters of barly one kow boulok & xxs in money to be paid unto hir within the yere of the Lord which shalbe one thousand ffyve hundredth fflowrscore & tenne. I geve & bequeath unto William my sonne one quarter of wheat & 3 quarters of barly, one kow boulok, xxs in money to be paid unto him within the yere of the Lorde which shalbe one thousand ffyve hundredth fflowrscore & aleven. Item, I geve & bequeath to Margerett my daughter one quarter of wheat & 3 quarters of barly, one kow boulok & xxs in money to be paid unto hir within the yere on the Lorde which shalbe one thousand ffyve hundredth fflowrscore & twelffe. And yf yt happen to aney of my chyldrens to dey afore they come to xxi yeres of age his legacies or hir legacies to remayne to be parted equaly between all my children that then are livinge, also my will is that yf my wyffe do marrye that she shall deliver all my chyldrens legacies unpaid unto the hands of Thomas Ovey & Thomas Crook unto the use of my children. Item, I doe make Aleis my wyffe fful & sole executor of all my goods movable & unmovable unquothed in this my will. And to paie all legacies & dettes & to recevye all dettes due unto  me & to bringe up my children in the feare of God to kepe & maintain them with meate & drink & cloths untyll they be able to gett & serve for theyr living & so always to see them placed the overseers of this my will I do make Thomas Ovey & Thomas Crook & I do geve unto every one of them iiis iiid a peece. And this to be my last will & testament, all other wills or testament to be voyed and of no effect. Wittnes: Thomas Ovey, Thomas Crook, John Bremer
Cuthbert and Aleis had the following children:

1. Ales

2. Ffrances (male), married Mabell; buried 26 May 1654 in Watlington.

3. Agnes

4. Amy, born in about 1580 of Watlington; married Marke Woodhouse 20 April 1608 in Watlington.

5. William

6. Margerett


SOURCES: Will of Cuthbert Costarde of Watlington, 1587 on www.findmypast.co.uk; Pyrton parish register.


Costards in Pyrton

No Costards are found in the Pyrton parish register in the christenings or burials from the start of the parish register up to 1700, but two are found in marriages: Amy Costard married Richard Woodhouse in 1608, and Elizabeth Costard married Richard Landridge in 1698. No Costard wills are shown from Pyrton in the Oxford Archdeaconry records.


The name Costard is spelled Costard, Costerde, and Costar in the Watlington area. In other parts of England it may be Custard, Cestard, Castard and Custed. The name is "of medieval origin, and derives from the Middle English and Anglo-French "costard", a large apple. The ultimate origin of the word lies in the Old French "coste" (modern French "cote", rib), with the suffix "ard", indicating a person or thing characterized by a certain quality. The apple bearing the name was so called from being prominently ribbed, and the same word was later applied derisively to the head. The surname Custard was therefore originally given either as a metonymic occupational name to a grower of this popular apple variety, or as a nickname to someone who was "round-headed"." www.surnamedb.com


SOURCES: Watlington parish register; Pyrton parish register; will of Thomas Breemer, 1640 PCC; will of John Costard, 1603, will of Francis Costard, 1649, administration of John Costard, 1651; administration of Mabell Costard, 1666, on www.findmypast.co.uk; The People of Watlington, citing the Poor Rate 1667, Overseers of the Poor 1666-1706, and Overseers' Disbursements 1681.