Forest of Morfe
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
WILLIAM AND ALESE POTTER
William Potter was born in about 1540 of Claverley, Shropshire,
the son of Thomas and Annys Potter. William married Alese.
William and his neighbors in Claverley were listed in estate
records in 1583, when they took wood from Queen Elizabeth's Forest
of Morfe:
"A list of the Quenes tennants within the manor and the Forest
of Morfe. 21st January in the 15th year of the reign of Queen
Elizabeth 1583
Burcott: Harrey ? Harvey Marrall - 3s Richard Felton - 3s
William Felton - 3s John Walker - 3s
The names of all those who felled or cropped oaks within
the Forest of Morfe from the Feast of St Michael in the 8th year
of the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1565 to the Feast of Christ’s
Nativity in the 14th year of her reign 1571 Francis Gatacre gent
for falling of one timber tree within Mr Hadnolls office the
which he taketh as a fee tree for keeping the swalymente.
Present Hugh Grenowes underkeeper for delivering one load of
wood to Thomas Adams Present 2 hollow stube oaks sold to John
Haynes of Bridgnorth by William Brooke or Hugh Grenowes his
underkeeper. Present Hugh Grenowes for selling one green stub
oak to John Walton of Swancote. Present one hollow oak fallen
beside the Lodge and sold by William Broke or Hugh Grenowes.
Present William Gatacre his servant for cropping of custom wood
against the feast of the Nativity of our Lord. Present the
servant of Mistress Dorothy Barker widow for the like default.
Present that a number of the parishioners of Claverley to have
fallen and carried away wood against Christmas the which they
claim as custom wood, viz Francis Perrye, William Clyotts,
Francis Hawes, William Potter, Richard
Hatton, Thomas Garbett, Robert Gravenor, Henry Gravenor, John
Wyllote, Roger Hubbowld, Humphrey Pyke, Thomas Whitmore, William
Frekelton, John Rudge, Christopher Potter, John
Potter, William Pyke."
William died and was buried 19 January 1594 in Claverley.
Alese was buried 18 January 1609 in Claverley.
William and Alese had the following children:
1. William, born in
about 1565 of Claverley; married Margaret; buried 20 August 1612
in Claverley.
*2. Joan, born about 1569
in Claverley; married Thomas Hawes 6 May 1588 in Claverley; buried
2 April 1628 in Claverley.
3. Agnes, christened 6
December 1570 in Claverley; buried 2 May 1571 in Claverley.
4. John, christened 5
December 1574 in Claverley; married Margery.
5. Anne, christened 1
February 1576 in Claverley; buried 21 August 1645 in Claverley.
6. Margaret, christened
10 February 1578 in Claverley; married Richard Sylee 2 December
1600 in Claverley..
7. Elnor, christened 27
April 1581 in Claverley; married John Bower 31 August 1607 in
Claverley..
8. Richard; buried 13
January 1581 in Claverley.
9. Elizabeth, christened
1 September 1587 in Claverley.
Other Potters having children in Claverley at the same time were:
FAMILY GROUP RECORD OF
THOMAS AND ANNYS POTTER
Another earlier Potter is found in the Lichfield Will Index:
Thomas Potter of Claverley left a will probated 19 October 1558.
This entry in Latin mentions "William Potter filius" (son)
as the executor of the will.
Thomas was born about 1510 of Claverley. He married Annys in
about 1535.
The will of Thomas Potter of Claverley was written 22 August
1557.
In the name of God Amen in the yere of Lord God 1557 in the
xxii daye of August I Thomas Potter of the paryshe of
Claverley and with in the dyces of Lechfeld of good and
pfect memory thanks be unto the Lord make my last wyll and
testament in thys forme and manner as foloyth first and
pryncypaly I bequeath my sole unto Almyghtgy God my maker and
Redemer and unto the suffering and preyerse of my blessyd lade
Saynt Mare the vyrgyn and unto all the hole and blessyd company
wyche be in hevyn to pray for me and all that dye in the feyth
of Chryste and my body to be buryd in the churche yarde of All
Sayntts in Claverley churche when hyt shall plese God: I
bequeath unto the heye alter in Claverley church xd. Item I
bequeath to the heye crosse in the same church xd.
Item, I bequeath unto John Potter my son fowre pounds
to be payd to hym with in ij yeres after my buryall. Item I
bequeath to Ryc Potter my son fowre pounds to be payd
with in ij yeres after my buryall. Item I bequeath unto Wyllm
Potter my son after the desese of me and his mother all my
husbandrye stoffe that belongeth to my teme bothe iryn stofe and
wood stofe and won pott the best candylsteke and a puter basen
more and hyt ys my wyll that my son Wyllm shall have after the
desese of me and hys mother all my lands and the taking for the
yere to end. Item I bequeth to Francys my dahthtyr xiijl
xjs viijd and hur a baye and hur chanleys such as may be
honest and to be payd in the day of marage the last ther off.
Item I bequeth to Joyse Rudge ij ewe schepe. Item I bequeth to Humfrey
Potter my son won schepe and a puter dyshe. Item I bequeth
to John Browne won schepe. I bequeth to Elyzabeth my servand won
schepe. And hyt ys my wyll that and hyt plese God to call a way
any of my thre children before ther legace be payd to them that
then hys pte of the pte shall remayne among the others whyll any
of them do leve that ys John Ryc and Francys and the
sayd lecace to be devyded and eny won in lyvethe myche by the
cownsell and syrth of my overseer of my wyll and testament. All
the resedue of my goods and catells moveable and inmoveable my
detts payd and I brought again and my wyll fulfyllyd with all
ordinary charges dyschargyd I geve and bequeth to Annys my
wyffe whom I ordene and make my sole executrix to see thys
my last wyll and testament tryly pformyd and yf hyt so forten
that God call away the sayd Annys my wyffe before the
probacyon of thys my last wyll and testmet: that then hyt ys my
wyll that Wyllm Potter my son shall be my executor to
see thys my last wyll and testmet truly pformyd and Thomas Stoke
to be my overseer to see thys my last wyll truly pformyd whom I
geve for hys paynys takyn sjl xiijd and hys costs when he
talkyth payne ther in: Thes beying wytnessys to thys psent
testmet.
An inventory was created for Thomas, taken by Robert Foxsall of
Farncote, Thomas Rudge of Wondwall, Francys Hawys, and Humfrey
Hall of Claverley.
Thomas and Annys had the following children:
*1. William, born in about 1535 of Claverley; married
Alese; buried 19 January 1594 in Claverley.
2. Humfrey
3. John
4. Rychard
5. Francys
The Potters were listed in the Lay Subsidy for 1524 in Claverley.
This was a tax on persons based on the value of their estate.
Thomas Potter iii.Li - xviii
William Potter iii.LI -ii.s
Since our Thomas was about 14 year old in 1524, he would not be
listed on on the Lay Subsidy. It is likely that either Thomas
or William was his father. It is also possible that
Thomas' estimated birthdate was earlier than calculated, and he is
the Thomas listed in the Lay Subsidy, and William his father.
In the Lay Subsidy for 1525, these Potters are shown in Claverley:
Thomas Potter xl.s-xii.d
In the village of Wondewalld (Woundale) in Claverly parish:
William Potter iiii.Li - ii.s
In A List of Families in the Archdeaconry of Stafford, 1532-3,
no Potters were listed in Claverley. This fact is mentioned in The
History of Claverley: "This contains a full list of names
of whole families, including the names of two or even three
wives, and seems to indicate that the return contains the names
of those alive and the dead, for whom mass was being said. No
mention is made of Draycott, Aston, Ludstone or Sutton, ...
there is no mention of the Potters, who owned Chyknell at that
time." This is a census taken in 1532-3, which lists each
head of household, his current and past wives (uxor eius -
his wife), his children, and sometimes his parents (parentes).
The words "cum pueris" means with children, and is often
used when all of the children are not listed.
All of the listed Potters in A List of Families in the
Archdeaconry of Stafford, 1532-3 are found in the parish of
Alveley, about eight miles from Claverley. It is not known if the
Alveley Potters and the Claverley Potters are related.
Land records in Alveley show that Humphrey, John (married to
Margaret), Henry, and James Potter (married to Margaret) were
brothers.
"John Arden and John Holloway of the parish of Alveley Yeoman,
by their deed dated 2 April Elizabeth 1576 demised granted let
and to farm let, by the assent of six honest men of the lordship
of Alveley unto Thomas Arden of the said parish of Alveley,
Tailor, and Margaret his wife and Nicholas Arden their son, all
that messuage or tenement with the appurtenances in the lordship
of Alveley, aforesaid, commonly called or known by the name of
Juker’s tenement, now or late in the tenure of Humphry Grove and
Humphry Potter which lie at a place commonly called
Tyrley Green with all commons to the same belonging to have and
to hold unto the said Thomas Arden Margaret and Nicholas from 26
March 1540 for three score years if the said Thomas, Margaret
and Nicholas or any of them shall so long live, paying yearly 20
shillings at the feasts of St. Michael the Archangel and the
annunciation of the blessed Mary, by equal portions, with
permissio n for the tenants to take housebote, heybote and
firebote. They also paying upon the decease of any of them dying
tenants twelve pence in the name of an heriot and two shillings
yearly to the lord of the fee, and also one years rent of the
said land if need require and to keep the premised in repair.”
"Humphry Lowe of Alveley Gent, and John Longley of the same
parish yeoman, by deed dated 18 March 1 Elizabeth 1558 demised
granted and to farm let to Humphry Potter of Tyrley Green
singer and his assigns, one messuage and one nook of land
called Jocekeis, land and other nook of land called Okes’s with
the appurts. situate in Tyrley Green within the lordship of
Alveley, then in the tenure of Humphry Potter and his
assigns from the date thereof for the term of 21 years, paying
yearly ten shillings at the feasts of the Annunciation of Our
Ldy and St. Michael the Archangel and twelve pence at the death
of each tenant dying in possession as an heriot.”
“Humphry Elcock of the parish of Alveley, by his deed dated the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel in 28 Henry VIII (1537) demised granted set and to farm let, to Humphrey Potter and his assigns all those messes, lands and tenements in Alveley for years.”
“Humphry Potter of the parish of Alveley by his deed dated 1 January 33 Henry VIII (1542) assigned demised and released to John Potter his brother, half of the said meases lands, tenements, meadows with the appurtenances, to have, hold and occupy, half of the said meases, lands and tenements, with other appurtenances to the said John Potter and Margaret his wife, his father and mother to the end of the year as shall fortune to be behind and not come up paying yearly half of the rent and other out charges.”
“John Potter late of Alveley, by his deed dated 10
March 37 Henry VIII 1545 for three pecuniary pounds paid, gave
granted and assigned to Henry Potter his brother, the
whole of the residue of a term of years in certain tenements,
lying at Tyrley Green in the parish of Alveley, which he
purchased from Humphry Potter his brother, to have and
to hold to the said Henry Potter his brother, to have
and to hold to the said Henry Potter and his assigns,
immediately after the death of quitting of James Potter and
Margaret his wife, paying a moiety of the rent and other
extra burthens to the said tenement belonging.” (The King's Ley,
Gladys Howard Thompson)
The Potters are mentioned in Burke's Landed Gentry, in
discussing Chyknell Manor: "His progenitor, Edward Farmer,
obtained Chyknell in marriage with Elizabeth, dau. and co-heir
of John Potter, 6th in descent from John
Potter, proprietor of estates in the same
neighbourhood, 19 Richard II (1396), and whose wife was
of the family of Chyknell, the inheritors of that place during
several preceding reigns." (A Genealogical and Heraldic History
of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland, Bernard
Burke)