Will of The Right Honourable Eleanora Lady Clifford July 6th 1835 (proved May 20th 1836)

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen I the Right Honble Eleanora Lady Clifford Widow and relict of the late Right Honble Lord Clifford Baron of Chudleigh in the County of Devon being of infirm health but of sound and di…. my mind memory and understanding do make and publish this my last will and testament as follows I commend my soul to the Mercy of my Maker in the Hope that thro’ the infinite merits of his divine and only Son Jesus Christ I may obtain the forgiveness of my sins and life everlasting with him in heaven and as to the disposal of my mortal remains as it is my dearest wish so, I s…ly … and direct that in a way the most devoid of all manner of pomp or of ostentatious display of any kind they be decently removed to and deposited in either in the family vault at Ugbrook or in that at Durham to be made dependent on the nearer distance of either of the said family vaults to the particular place of my residence at the period of my decease and moreover that my funeral obsequies should be conducted throughout upon a Scale the most plain and simple that could suitably be devised and it is also my particular request that no sermon or funeral dis… be any where preached or read and that no public Dirge be performed in any London or County Chapel other than in that belonging to the place whither my remains might be removed for burial pursuant to the directions herein before in that behalf contained I give and bequeath unto my Son the Honble Charles Thomas Clifford all such articles of plate of whatsoever kind or description marked with the Cipher or Initials EC and not otherwise disposed of by me in my lifetime which may be found in my possession or be elsewhere deposited with any person or persons for safe custody at the time of my decease to and for his own use and benefit also I give and bequeath unto my said Son the Honble Charles Thomas Clifford the Crucifix which was given to one of the Family of the Thim… the proprietor of and then residing at Durham by the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots when in attendance upon her immediately previous to her execution and which interesting relict has since regularly descended to and become the property of the several Owners or proprietors in succession of the Durham Estate and my dearest wish and desire is that is that the said Crucifix together with the very valuable Episcopal cross which belonged to Cardinal Pole? given to me by my dear mother and which I also bequeath unto my said son the Honble Charles Thomas Clifford may be carefully preserved and be henceforth treated of and considered as in the nature of Heir Looms and pass on in the family succession of the present possessor the said Honble Charles Thomas Clifford with the Mansion House of Durham in the same manner as if they were land or other real property appendant or appurtenant thereto and shall accordingly? continue annexed? to the said Mansion House and to be inherited and enjoined on the several persons who shall hereafter succeed to the same under or by virtue of the limitations of the Settlement deed now subsisting therein and be subject to the rules of law or equity applicable thereto and in no ways to pass under any bequest of my personal or residuary estate or effects also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter the Honble Christina the Wife of Humphrey Weld Esq my Chariot with all its several appurts and appendages together with the several articles of furniture to be found in my apartment at Spetisbury except the Bureau and Glass top book case forming one piece of furniture which is the property of my Daughter the Honble Louisa Clifford to whom I had previously given it also I give and bequeath unto my three daughters the said Christina the wife of Humphrey Weld Esq the Honble Laura? the wife of the Honble Mr Stourton and the said Honble Louisa Clifford the sum of two hundred pounds sterling each and to my two Sons the Honble and Revd Edward Clifford and the Honble and Revd Walter Clifford the sum of two hundred pounds sterling each also I give and bequeath unto my two other daughters the Honble Eliza Clifford and the Honble Apollonia Clifford a like sum of two hundred pounds sterling each also I give and bequeath unto my niece the Honble Laura the wife of Colonel Mardonals? the sum of one hundred pounds to and for her own sole use benefit and disposal also I give and bequeath unto my late Servant Mary ..field as a Reward for her long and faithful Service one annuity or yearly sum of thirty pounds clear of legacy duty and every other tax or imposition the same to be payable to her by … and equal half yearly payments in each and every year commencing from the day of my decease and continuing for all the time of her natural life also I give and bequeath unto my Son the Right Honble Hugh Charles Lord Clifford my curious silver mounted box with agates originally the gift of the Countess of Litchfield to her daughter Ann Lady Clifford by whom it was given to her daughter the Honble Charlotte Clifford and at whose request the same thro the medium of my late dear lamented Lord as a gift came into my possession and also four framed miniature paintings by a German? artist representing Saint Ignatius Saint Stanislaus Rostka? Saint Francis? Xavius and Saint Aloysius Gouzaga? which came to me by the gift of my beloved mother the Right Honble Mary Christina Lady Arundell from whom and from my dear father the Right Honble Henry Lord Arundell I also received many valuable books and engravings which I have long since added to and given to the Library at Ugbrook also I also give to my said son the said Hugh Charles Lord Clifford a drawing in Indian Ink being a copy by my late dear husband of the painting in the Great Drawing room at Ugbrook by Van Lint? representing our Blessed Saviour receiving the little children also I return as part of the Heir Looms belonging to the family and the possession of which has belonged to me for my life the Rose Diamond ring? which is now in form of a Brooch and used as such and which was given by Queen Anne to the family and also a pair of valuable Diamond Earrings given also to the family by the said Countess of Litchfield all which said several articles and things as will by me in a special manner given as in like special manner returned to my said son the said Hugh Charles Lord Clifford I do earnestly entreat may be carefully preserved by him and be henceforth considered and treated of as in the Nature of Heir Looms and pass in the Clifford family with the title? and Mansion House of interest? in the same manner as if they had been land or other real property appendant or appurtenant thereto and accordingly to continue annexed to the said Mansion House and to be held and enjoined by the several persons who shall thereafter succeed to the possession thereof and by no means to pass under any bequest of my personal or residual estate or effects and as to and concerning a certain mortgage debt or charge of three thousand pounds sterling due and owing to me upon and out of the Durham estate in the County of Lincoln and all the rest residue and remainder of my estate goods chattels and effects of what nature or kind soever or wherever situated I give dispose and bequeath the same and every part thereof respectively subject nevertheless to the payment of my just debts my funeral expences and the costs and charges attending the proving of this my will and the execution of the … and provisions thereof and the one payment and discharge of the several pecuniary legacies and annuity therein contained unto my said Son the said Hugh Charles Lord Clifford his executors admons or assigns but with this strong and earnest request that the entire net balance arising from my said personal estate and effects which may remain after such payments and deductions as above expressly directed and authorised may be laid out and expended in and about the external as well as internal repairs of the family Mansion House of Ugbrook confining and limiting such outlay or expenditure to the restoration necessary repairs in painting and Woodwork and general preservation and support of the said family Mansion House of Ugbrook and by no means to be expended or applied towards any alterations or additions there contemplated or in part effected and I do hereby wish it to be distinctly understood that in directing the application of such the residue of my said personal estate and effects towards the necessary repairs of the said Mansion House I am thereby fulfilling as far as in such …. the avowed intention of my dear lamented Lord to have himself caused this object to have been effected had it pleased Providence for another year to have spared his life and lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint Humphrey Weld of Chideock? House in the County of Dorset Esq and Henry Knight of Axminster in the County of Devon Esq Executors of this my will hereby revoking and making void all former and other will and wills by me at any time heretofore made provided always and I do hereby direct and declare that neither of my said executors nor the heirs executors or admons of either of them shall be charged or chargeable with or for any more or other monies than he shall actually receive notwithstanding he shall or may give or sign or join in giving or signing any receipt or receipts for the sake of conformity or for the greater satisfaction only of the person or persons paying the same and that neither of my said executors shall be answerable or accountable for the other of them but each for himself only and moreover that it shall and may be lawful to and for my said executors and each of them at and about all times and occasions in the first place by and out of my said estate and effects or the monies to arise or be procured therefrom to deduct and reimburse themselves and himself respectively and to pay and allow to this coexecutor all such costs charges and expences as he or they or either of them shall or may sustain expend or be put into in F…. att… or otherwise heresoever in the execution of this my will or in the performance of any or either of the Trusts thereof or any thing in anywise relating thereunto In Witness whereof I have at the bottom of the first three sheets of this my will the whole whereof contained in four sheets of paper subscribed my name and to this fourth and last sheet set and affixed my hand and seal this sixth day of July in the Year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five Eleanora Clifford

Signed sealed published and declared by the above named testatrix as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses

Revd Joseph Lee Clerk Spetisbury

John Agates? Servant to the Dowr Lady Clifford

Proved at London 20^th May 1836 before the Worshipful John Laubent? Dr of Laws and Surrogate by the oaths of Humphry in the will written Humphrey Weld and Henry Knight

Esqs the Exors to whom Admon was granted having been first sworn duly to admin

Back