Description:

Will of James Williams, Yeoman, of Vowchurch co Hereford, (being sick and weak in body). Dated:16 Feb 1710

To my loving wife Elizabeth (whilst she remains my widow) all my Tithe corn and grain which shall come from the lands called Tre-Landon [Trelandon], the lands called Gridoll [Greidol] and the lands called Ty Kenoll in the parish of Clodock co Hereford for her life, but if she remarries, then my two sons James and Edward are to have them (also) to my said wife Elizabeth all my household goods as well as 10 bushels of wheat and one fat hog of the value of 25/- (these last two to be delivered within a year of my death)

The Rest & Residue including the Tithes from the lands called Old Courtes Barne and out of the township of Newton [in St Margarets, co Hereford] equally between my 2 sons James and Edward. After the death of my wife Elizabeth, they are also to have the Tithes from Tre-Landon, Gridoll and Ty Kenol [or perhaps Ty Renol] until the lease I hold on them expires.

Other Bequests:
To my son Edward Williams - £160.
To my daughter Elizabeth - £25 and a cow named Primrose (and) the sum of £230 'if she shall behave herself obedient to her Mother and shall be guided by her in the alteration of her state or Settlement.
To my two sons - all my cattle and my implements of husbandry and all my grain (except for the above mentioned 10 bushels).

Joint Executors:
My two sons James Williams & Edward Williams.
Signed James Williams(x)

Witnesses:
John Rogers, the mark of Jane Seaborn, the mark of Daniell Bates, Syl [?Sybil] Lloyd.

Proved, London (PCC) 1 Mar 1711 by the Exors.

Observations:

The same family appear in another document on this site i.e. nw_ewy_0001

Counterpart Lease, 26 September, 1699
(1) John Arnold of Llanvihangell co Mon, esq
(2) James Williams of  Boncechurch, co Herefs, yeo
£300
Tithe of corn and grain arising from lands called Old Court and Trelanden, in Clodock
For lives of James, Edward and Elizabeth, children of (2)
£1.8s 0d pa and £4 pa and 8 bushells of oats at Christmas

Counterpart Lease, 14 November 1704
(1) Nicholas Arnold of Llanvihangel co Mon, esq
(2) James Williams of Bouce Church, co Herefs, yeo
£300
Tithe of corn and grain from Old Court and Trelandon, Clodock
99 years
£1.8.0 pa and £4 pa and 8 bushells of oats at Christmas
Heriot £1

These two leases will refer to a single contract; the first was for the customary three lives whilst the confirmation five years later was for 99 years. The change from lives to 99 years would have been of benefit to both parties (99 years would have been a longer term than the three lives whilst the term in years was more easily determined and managed by the vendor).

It is to be noted that what was being purchased was a lease on the Great or Rectorial Tithes of an estate in more than one location.

£300 was a substantial sum and indicated that the Williams’ were a family of wealth or had connections to wealth. Applying a typical valuation guide of the purchase cost being equivalent to 15 years income, then the value of the corn tithes on the combined properties would be in the order of £15 per annum.

The purchase could have been made for one of two possible reasons: to provide a family annual income, or to avoid a family liability in the future payment of corn tithes on property already owned. Since the Tithe was in kind rather than cash and that both properties were some distance from James Williams home (which would have incurred collection and transport costs) the second of the two reasons is perhaps the most likely?.

The parish names have been misread by a copyist. Neither Boncechurch nor Bouch Church exist. The misread name would have been Fowechurch an ancient form of Vowchurch (see Coplestone-Crow, Bruce (1989). Herefordshire Place Names).

James Williams was buried 19 Apr 1711 at Vowchurch; his widow Elizabeth on 31 Aug 1711.