Law Suits C16th & C17th
Dorset Depositions (C16th & C17th)
Extracts concerning Winterbourne Steepleton (C16th & C17th)
taken from Dorset Depositions (Law Suits etc)
originally transcribed by F J Pope (unpublished)
Extracts from F J Pope's 14 handwritten volumes (in Dorchester County Museum) with all references to Winterbourne Steepleton (WS) and family names relating to the village. Pope gives a short description of the case and records witnesses etc - does not appear to record the outcomes !
The Winterbourne Steepleton extracts below were transcribed for the OPC from Pope’s volumes in DCM by Richard Crumbleholme (who has also made notes and comments in italics.)
General Notes :
Many of the law suits concern the Lawrence family who leased the (old) Manor House in the village for many years. The original lease was granted via the Paulet family in 1541 and was passed down through the Lawrence until the Civil War period. During the commonwealth period, Richard Lawrence had sided with the Puritan cause and appears to have entered into agreements that were later overturned after the Restoration of the Monarchy. He was reduced to poverty and is thought to have died as a foot soldier.
The original Manor House is thought to have stood on the site of the present Steepleton Manor (now a residential home)- the latter having been built in 1870. No traces survive of the original building today, although it is possible that some architectural features / masonry were taken and re-used in nearby buildings.
Hutchins notes “…opposite the church is a pretty large house once the seat of the Lawrences…”. The family had their own chapel on the north side of church although this was pulled down in 1680 and it is said that several Lawrence gravestones were buried in the ribbish !
A note from Whiteway’s diary (transcribed by Pope in his Miscellaneous Records Vol II held in DCM ref N5) records….. “April 18th 1634 – Mr George Lawrence’s house burnt at Steepleton”. The latter damage no doubt contributing to the poor condition of the house mentioned in a law suit of 1638.
Pope’s Volumes searched :
Volume page
1 65 + 371
2 50
3 35 & 36
4 309 & 310
5 290
6 300
7 32, 117 & 140
8 - 13 nil
14 191 & 192
[Vol 1 p65] (1625/6) (3 Sept 15Chas I) p69/5 At Fordington, Dorchester
Marquis of Winchester v William Lawrence & George Lawrence gents
The defendants were apparently lessees under the Marquis of a capital messuage and farm of Winterborne Steepleton and the suit concerned the state of repair of the houses and lands. The defendant William was stated to be about 80 years of age.
Various persons are recorded - those living or relating to WS are :
………………..
Adames, Charles of WS husbandman aged 36 (b.1616/7)
Adames, Raulfe of WS husbandman aged 30 (b.1622/3)
Adames, William of WS Miller aged 55 (b.1570/1)
Bellet, William of WS husbandman aged 86 (b.1539/40)
also :
Meech, Richard of Waddon in Portesham Yeoman aged 60 (b.1565)
[Vol 1 p371] (1666/7) (10 April Chas II) Whittington Dep 803 At Dorchester
Richard Lawrence v Marquis of Winchester
Paul Minterne of Hooke was bailiff & receiver of the rents of the Marquis in the County of Dorset & he or his father in that capacity had in 1641 leased two farms in Winterborne Steepleton to Thomas Meech late of that place. Paul Minterne had held his office for 25 years & his father had been agent of the Marquis
Various persons are recorded - those living or relating to WS are :
……………………..
Samwayes, Henry of WS yeoman aged 60 (b.1606/7)
Osmand alias Morgan, John of WS yeoman aged 40 (b.1626/7)
NB Richard Lawrence rented the WS Manor & farm
A note by Pope also notes : ……….. [see Masters report 13 June 1667 - Plantiff (RL) had held the farm "in the very heate of the late unhappy war" & the taxes and impositions thereon had been almost or quite equal to the rent"
(This refers to the Civil War / Commonwealth period 1649 - 1660)
[Vol 2 p50] (1667/8) (19 Chas II - No 112/38)
Richard Lawrence v John, Marquis of Winchester
Plantiff (RL) & Thomas Meech had from 1642 held the farms at Winterbourne Steepleton which had formerly been in the tenure of Robert Lawrence & Richard Parrott deceased.
Various persons are recorded - those living or relating to WS are :
Joy, Angell of WS husbandman aged 53 (b.1614/5)
Samwayes, Henry of WS yeoman aged 53 (b.1614/5)
Whittell, John of WS yeoman aged 60 (b. 1607/8)
[Vol 3 p35] (1685) Dated 27 November Collins 519/151
Clapcott v Roberts
Sarah Clapcott of Winterborne Steepleton spinster, daughter of Sarah Clapcott of the same widow, who owned lands & at fee simple in Winterborne Steepleton & Winterborne Abbas, sues her sisters & their husbands in connection with her share of her mother's estate. The mother's will dated 1682 is copied in full & mentions the following relations of testatrix viz : her daughters Sarah, Alice, Barbara, Ann, Mary Roberts & Honour Ellesdon of Lyme; her grandchildren Sarah Roberts of Winterborne Abbas & Henry & William Ellesdon of Lyme
[Vol 4 p309 & 310] (1665) Dated 18th December Mitford 321/244
Samways v Lawrence
Plaintiff, Henry Lawrence the elder of Winterbourne Steepleton Yeoman had by deed of March 1658 agreed to rent for 6 years from Richard Lawrence of Winterbourne Steeepleton, gent, a messuage & farm called South Farm in Winterbourne Steepleton (of which Lawrence claimed the inheritance) and a lease in the same parish called Teltes (?) lease. Lawrence had “gained” these lands “from the late usurped powers”, they having belonged “before the late unhappy warrs” to the Marquis of Winchester. And now the Sheriff acting on an order from the House of Peers had put the lands in the possession of the Marquis and ousted plaintiff – Lawrence was indebted to Symon Bridle of Upwey & Thomasine Angell of Long Briddy who were executors of Hipolett Mockett (?) of Long Briddy, yeoman.
[Vol 5 p290] (1657) Common pleas dated Easter 1657 fo 1222
George Edwards, gent, sues Robert Carpenter late of London(?) gent, concerning a messuage, 3 cottages & 36 acres in Winterbourne Steepleton which William Gould on the 26th March had demised to the said George for 5 years.
[Vol 6 p300] (1665) Mitford 192/18 3rd May 1665
Lawrence v Marquis of Winchester
Plaintiff Richard Lawrence of Winterbourne Steepleton gent, states that his uncle William Lawrence who died about 1640, had held for his life from John Marquis of Winchester two farms in Winterbourne Steepleton called North Farm & South Farm. And afterwards plaintiff & Thomas Meech of Winterbourne Steepleton yeoman, took the two farms to rent by the year at a rent of £200 per year. And plaintiff “having been unhappily misled in the late times” had bought some of the Marquis’ lands from “the late Committee which pretended to sell the same” Paule Minterne, “Bayly & Receivers” for the Marquis is mentioned.
[Vol 7 p32] (1634/5) 10th May 10 Charles I
Browne v Cake
Plaintiff John Browne of Charminster, husbandman, states that Richard Cake of Winterbourne Steepleton, now deceased, had been seized of a copyhold tenement in Winterbourne Steepleton for his life with remainder to his son Peter Cake (now deceased). And the said Richard and Peter had in 2 Charles I borrowed money from the plaintiff and had conveyed the copyhold to him for a term of 15 years. The defendant, Ellinor Cake, widow of the said Richard, had widow’s rights in the tenements………….document mutilated
[Vol 7 p117] (1654) Reymandson 408/12 12th February 1654
Lawrence v Gould
Plaintiff Richard Lawrence of Winterbourne Steepleton gent, and Thomas Meech of the same, yeoman, state that on 13th October 1653, the said Richard Lawrence had agreed to purchase lands, which had been the property of the Marquis of Winchester and which having been forfeited to the Commonwealth, were appointed to be sold.
According to the Act of Parliament estates sold under the act could be paid for one half in ready money and one half in debentures. And Sarah Gould of Broadwey, widow, and John Gould her son pretended that they had a debenture for money due to them “uppon the publiq fayth” and plaintiff had ageed to pay them 4s 6d in the pound of their debenture as part payment for the purchase of the lands. On 29th June 1654 gave a bond for payment of £100 to Sarah Gould and her son – being £93 for the debenture & £7 for the money lent. But afterwards, the trustees and treasurers (of the Commonwealth) refused to make any allowance for the debenture. The suit (?) concerned the bond. Sarah & John Gould are defendants.
[Vol 7 p140] (1650) Mitford 111/69 – 24th February 1650
Hoskins v Lawrence
Plaintiff, John Hoskins of Caundle Purse esq, had by bond dated 1639, lent money to George Lawrence of Winterbourne Steepleton gent, who had owned lands in Winterbourne Steepleton & in the Isle of Purbeck of the value of £120 a year. George Lawrence had died one & a half years since & the defendants is his son & heir Richard Lawrence of Winterbourne Steepleton gent.
[Vol 14 p 191] (1638) Chancery Proceedings
Marquis of Winchester v Lawrence - W 73/12 9th June 1638
Plantiff, John Marquis of Winchester states that his grandfather William , Marquis of Winchester being seized in fee of the Manor of Wynterborne Stepleton, Dorset, about 3 Elizabeth (1587/8), leased the same for years and lives to certain persons unknown to the plantiff.
The premises included a “fayre and strong built dwelling house” with barns and stables with timber trees and fences in good repair being “ a decent and useful habitation for a gentleman of good rauche (?) and quality”. The lease included 40 acres of wood in Poorestock called Poorewood and now William Lawrence of Dorchester gent, and George Lawrence of Wynterborne Stepleton gent, and Phillip Davy and Charles Davy his son have committed waste in the manor and are the defendants.
The answer quotes a deed of 20th October 13 Eliz (1570/1) whereby Sir William Paulet of Howke (Hooke), Dorset afterwards Marquis of Winchester demised the Manor to Richard Lawrence the elder of Wynterborne Stepleton and his sons Richard Lawrence the younger and William Lawrence (now plantiff) the capital mansion house of Wynterborne Stepleton and the advowson there, Court Leet and the wood called Poorewood for their lives. Defendant William Lawrence survived his said father and brother. He admits that part of the mansion house has lately become defective. (ie in 1638 – probably due to fire in 1634)(see also 90/26)
End