The Will of Richard Barrett of Old Court Farm Bosbury, 1787
God’s will be done. The last Will and Testament of me Richard Barrett of Bosbury in the County of Hereford is as follows my Soul I recommend to her Almighty Creator and my Body to its Original and as to my Worldly Goods I dispose thereof in the following manner that is to say whereas I lately purchased a small Copyhold Estate held under the Lord Bishop of Hereford of his Manor of Bosbury, Colwall and Coddington in the County of Hereford aforesaid and which I lately out of court by two customary Tenants of the said Manor surrendered to the use of my last Will and Testament, now I do hereby give devise and bequeath the same copyhold Estate with the Appurtenances to my dear wife Ann Barrett To hold to her and her Heirs according to the custom of the said Manor and I do also give and bequeath unto my said Wife all and singular my stock of Cattle, Corn, Hay, Grain, Implements of Husbandry, Household Goods and furniture of all sorts (except as hereinafter mentioned Plate, Linen, Bonds, Notes, Book debts all other my personal Estate of what nature kind or sort soever the same be and wheresoever situate as her own proper Goods Chattels and effects subject nevertheless to the payment by my Executrix and Executors hereinafter named of my just debts funeral expenses the Legacies and the conditions hereinafter mentioned. And I do hereby charge the several Premises hereinbefore mentioned devised and given to my said Wife with the payment thereof.
Item I give and bequeath unto my son Richard Barrett the Sum of one hundred pounds to be paid to him at the expiration of twelve Months next after my decease. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Barrett the sum of one hundred and forty pounds to be paid to her at the expiration of six Months next after my decease. I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Barrett the sum of one hundred and forty pounds to be paid to him on his attainment of his age of twenty four years. I give and bequeath unto my son John Barrett the sum of one hundred and forty pounds to be paid to him on his attainment of his Age of twenty four years. I give and bequeath unto my son James Barrett the sum of one hundred and forty pounds to be paid to him on the Attainment of his Age of twenty one years. I give and bequeath unto my son William Barrett the sum of one hundred and forty pounds to be paid to him on his attainment of the Age of twenty one years and it is my Will and desire and I do hereby order and direct that in case any or either of my said Children and Legatees shall happen to die without lawful Issue and unmarried the legacy or legacies herein before and hereinafter given and bequeathed to him her or them respectively shall go and be equally divided to and amongst the Survivors or Survivor of them at the respective times appointed for the payment thereof and it is my further Will and desire and I do hereby give and bequeath unto my said son Richard, Daughter Sarah, Sons Thomas Barrett and John Barrett the further Sum of thirty pounds apiece and to my Sons, James Barrett and William Barrett, the further sum of fifty pounds apiece to be paid to them respectively as before mentioned at the expiration of twelve Months next after the decease or Marriage of my said Wife Ann Barrett which shall first happen.
Also it is my Will and desire that — Richard Barrett — in case my said Wife Ann Barrett shall at any time after my death intermarry again that my said Sons and Daughter shall be intitled to have and receive of and from my Executrix and Executors hereinafter named the following Legacies and sums of Money at the expiration of three years next after the Marriage of my said Wife that is to say: To my Son Richard the sum of twenty five pounds; To my Daughter Sarah the like sum of twenty five Pounds; To my Son Thomas the like sum of twenty five pounds; To my son John the like Sum of twenty five pounds; To my Son James the sum of forty Pounds and to my son William the like sum of forty Poundsto whom respectively I hereby give and bequeath the same and do charge the whole of my Estates both real and personal with the payment thereof.
Item it is my will and desire and I do hereby order direct will and appoint that my Son Thomas Barrett shall on the next Candlemas day, Old Stile, next after my death enter into and upon have, hold, use, occupy, possess and enjoy for his own use benefit and advantage the several parts of the Estate now in occupation called the Old Court hereinafter mentioned that is to say the rough Ham cont. about eighteen Acres, the Great Ham containing about eleven Acres, Pack Meadow containing about four Acres, the Oldbury and plecks containing about twelve Acres and a piece of pasture Ground called Sledgmore containing about seven Acres, the Arable land called the two Little Tinings containing about fourteen Acres, the piece called the Great Tinings containing about forty two Acres, the piece or pieces called Suffield and Suffield Tinings containing about thirteen Acres, the orchard called Horsecroft Orchard containing about eight Acres, the piece called Rent’s Close containing about one Acre and a piece or parcel of Arable Land in Washerfield containing about four acres. Also five Acres of the further part of the Hop yard above the House on the North West part thereof together with the Hop poles belonging to and used with the same. Also one third part of the Coppices together with the Poles and Wood thereto belonging and being part of the old Court Estate. Also to have use and take the possession of the Hop Kilns and the rooms belonging to them and used with them in the drying, curing and bagging of Hops. Also the lower Barn and Elm Barn for Housing and Thrashing Corn together with the fold adjoining to the Churchyard late in the Occupation of Mr. Pritchard deceased and the use of all ways Waters, Watercourses, paths, passages, Easements and advantages whatsoever now used and belonging to all and singular the said premises and every part and parcel thereof without the let or interruption of any person or Persons whomsoever as fully in every respect as the Occupier or Occupiers of the of the other part and parts of the said Estate shall have a right to enjoy for and during the remainder of the Term of the Lease by which I hold the same Estate subject nevertheless to the payment of the sum of sixty nine pounds and ten shillings per as a portionable part of the rent and also to the Taxes and other Outgoings of the same Estate and to the Covenants of the Lease thereof. Also I give and bequeath to my said Son Thomas the two large Pipes or Casks I have together with sufficient room in the Chamber called the Gaol Cellar ------ Richard Barrett ---- and liberty at all times to go to them for the purpose of putting in or drawing Cider out of them. And I do hereby charge the whole of the Premises so devised given and bequeathed to her as aforesaid with the payment of such last mentioned respective Legacies and to be paid in such manner as the several legacies first above given to them are directed to be paid.
And I do hereby constitute and appoint my said Wife and my good friends Edward Fifield of Ledbury in the County of Hereford aforesaid and James Hartland of Bosbury aforesaid Gentleman joint Executrix and Executors of this my Will. And I do hereby give and bequeath to them the said Edward Fifield and James Hartland, the Sum of one Guinea apiece to buy them each a Ring if they accept of the said Executorship and Act therein and which I beg their or his Acceptance of as a small Gratuity for their or his trouble herein and do desire them and each of them if they see it necessary to possess themselves or himself of so much of my said Estate and effects as will be sufficient not only to pay all the said legacies but also the expence of proving this my Will and also of executing the Trusts hereby in them reposed. And I do hereby revoke and make void all former Wills by me heretofore made and do declare this to be my last Will and Testament.
In witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in this and
two other Sheets of Paper hereunto affixed set my Hand and Seal this eighteenth day of August in the
year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven
Richard Barrett
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Richard Barrett, the Testator, as his last Will
and Testament in our presence and at his request attested by us as Witnesses to the due execution thereof
William Steele Luke Morris John Grundy
all of Ledbury
Probate was granted on 24 May 1788 and by a Bond of Obligation Ann Barrett swore to produce a true inventory of her husband’s goods, chattels and credits and to exhibit it at the Consistory Court in Hereford by the following September.
