New Page 0

Proof of Thomas Withers as the father of Mary Withers b. ca.1604 d. 1666/67, married 1620, John Pyle b 1594 Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire, England

1. Thomas Withers b. 1545 d. 1624 Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire, England was a churchwarden in 1608, yeoman (farmer), will proved 12 February 1624 buried 21 June 1624.

Married: Joan Nash b. no date d. buried 1631

His will in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury 1624, II4: states……to Thomas Withers my son Thomas his son, a score of sheep within a year after my decease…..Thomas Withers executor

William Nash and Arthur Sloper overseers

There were 3 Thomas Withers named in succession in the family

Will of Joan Nash Withers: Will in Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of Sarum, roll B24:

Will of Johan Withers of Bishop Cannings, widow dated 1 November illegible: to be buried at Bishops Cannings: …..to Mary Withers the daughter of my son Thomas Withers my diaper table cloth; all residue I give to my son Robert Withers…..

Executor the Vicar Thomas Poole….( she was buried in 1631)

2. Thomas Withers b. about 1578 d. no date but after 1651 (see Pyle will)

3. Thomas Withers b. 1596 d. 1669

We have a will and this Thomas Withers is the famous Quaker contemporary of Fox and William Penn

Conclusion:

The wills explain who is the father of Mary Withers the wife of John Pyle b 1594 and the dates of birth eliminate number 1 above and number 3. Mary Withers b. ca1606 eliminates Thomas Withers b. 1596 due to age. He is probably not a dad at 10 years. Thomas Withers 1 could be at 59 years but Joan Nash is also about the same age and doubtful as the mother.

The will of Joan Nash Withers names son Thomas Withers and her burial was 1631 so there is no doubt of the Thomas Withers number 2 above being the father of Mary Withers husband of John Pyle.

The will of Thomas Withers b. 1545 and dates show the line of succession

The will of John Pyle b. 1594 Written 1651 states ….I doe appoint Thomas Withers the elder and Thomas Withers younger to bee my Overseers. John Pyle his marke. Witness Thomas Withers senior Thomas Withers junior

Thomas Withers of 1545 was dead so the number 2 and 3 are the Thomas Withers of the Pyle will. Would John Pyle have someone other that his wife’s father and her brother as an overseer to his will? I doubt it. It would make sense to keep the dispensation of the will in the family and it would make sense for Mary Withers Pyle the executrix to have her family to aid with the will.

Joan Nash b. no date d. 1631 wife of Thomas Withers b. 1545 above

Ancestors:

John Nash of Devizes, Wiltshire b. ca. 1502
William Nash b. ca 1545 of Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire, England

Married Margery Sloper of Bishops Cannings, widow and sister of Thomas Sloper of Easton, Wiltshire, Engand.

3. Joan Nash b. no date d. buried 21 Feb 1631 married Thomas Withers b. 1545

WITHERS OF BISHOPS CANNINGS, WILTSHIRE: 1550-present

Compiled by KIT WITHERS

email kitw"att"slingshot.co.nz - (I write "att" for @ to foil spammers.)
101 Allington Road, Karori, Wellington 6012, New Zealand phone +64 4 476 9554

How am I related? My ID here is 3842 815252.

Mrgaret THORBURN of East Sussex has sent me her
wonderful booklet "WITHERS of Bishop's Cannings, Wiltshire: yeomen, Quakers,
cottagers & farmworkers", 1.12.2005, goes back to 1406! 1st contact 2006.
Quotes are marked MT.

Her source are the Account Rolls 1449-1527 (WSRO 192/28 Bishops Cannings)
at the Wilts & Swindon History Centre, Cocklebury Rd, Chippenham SN15 3QN
wsro"att"wiltshire.gov.uk

CONTENTS
1. WITHERS of Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire
Summary 2
Details 3
1.1 Family members on email 69
1.2 Some related families "

2. CLUES
2.6 WITHERS CLUES "

4. APPENDICES
a. Abbreviations used 86
b. Dates 87
c. Numbering systems used "
d. Sources "
e. Index of PLACE NAMES 90
f. Index of SURNAMES 94
g. Index of Methodists and Quakers and The 1641 Protestation 97
h. Excerpt from "The Dictionary of British Surnames" "
i. Suggested reading "

1. WITHERS OF BISHOPS CANNINGS, WILTSHIRE

SUMMARY
William WITHERS subsidy 1550 at Bishops Cannings m Isabel SMITH 3
A=0 Thomas WITHERS (c1545 Bishops Cannings-1624 Bishops Cannings) "
1 Susan WITHERS m 1600 Southbroom, Wiltshire Edward LEWIS 4
2 Joan WITHERS m 1606 Bishops Cannings Edward GITTENS 4
3 Thomas WITHERS 1596-1668 m Mary SLOPER 1594-1678 "
31 Marie WITHERS 1621 Bishops Cannings m 1641 John LYNE 7
33 Thomas WITHERS the Quaker (bp 1624 Bishops Cannings) m Grace 7
35 John WITHERS 1629 Bishops Cannings-1719 8
351 Jane WITHERS 1652 Bishops Cannings m John SHERGOLD 8

354 Sarah WITHERS 1657 Bishops Cannings m 1679 Walter/Robert ASHLEY 8
356 Mary WITHERS 1663 Bishops C-1749 m1 John POUND m2 Robert WAYLEN 9 *LN,DT
36 Ralph WITHERS m 1678 Mary WILKINSON 9
37 Susanna WITHERS m 1678 John BEASER/BEAZER 12
38 William WITHERS (1637-1698) m1 Jane TARRANT (1631-1878) m2 Eliz. 14
383 William WITHERS 1665-1740 m 1684 Southbroom Anne WAYLEN 15
3836 Thomas WITHERS 1698 Bishops Cannings-1782 m Jane 18
3836 7 William WITHERS 1740 Bishops Cannings m Hannah MASLEN 19
3836 73 John WITHERS 1771 All Cannings-1828 m Sabra MASLIN 26 *DH?
3836 732 John WITHERS 1799 BC m Anna GREENMAN aka Hannah GREENHAM 31
3836 7323 Jane WITHERS 1826 Bishops Cannings m John HILLIER 1826 BC 32
3836 733 Hannah WITHERS bc1802 Bishops Cannings m William BAILEY 33 *VG
3837 4 William WITHERS 1728-1788 banker in Newbury m Hannah WEEKS 52

4 Joan WITHERS d1633/91 m John HISCOCK 65
5 Bridget WITHERS 1593 Bishops Cannings m1617 Thomas STEPHENS 66
6 Edward WITHERS d1622 m 1613 Thomasine DUGDALE widow "
(10) Margery WITHERS m c1628 John HOLLOWAY "
B William WITHERS (d1587 will) yeoman of Horton, brother to A above 67
B3 John WITHERS d1637 m1 Edith CLOUD m2 Susanna "
C Robert WITHERS (c1534-1600) Vicar of Cricklade, brother to A above 69
..................................................................

DETAILS

. 0--William WITHERS paid subsidy 1550 at Bishops Cannings. In Subsidy Roll
1550 but not 1545. (The Subsidy Rolls for 1545 include
Christian WETHERS of Netherhaven of Hundred of Everley & Elstor assessed 26/8,
Thomas WETHURS of Chiltern p12, 13/4,
John WETHERS of Codford St Mary & St Peter, Wilts., ass'd 4p, pd 6/8, p143.
The Subsidy Rolls include many WITHERS, eg 18 for Hampshire in 1586.)

1549 Wm WETHERS in goods 10p Lay Subsidy (a tax of moveable goods) -MT

NOTE 3 miles west of Bishops Cannings is the village of Heddington; bp there
were John WITHERS 1557, Robert 1560, John 1561, Thomas 1563, Joan 1564,
Marian 1565, William 1567, Edmund 1569, and Eliner dr of Robert 1570. -JC

cf 1587 will proved 1597 assigned to his son B William WITHERS below.

m sp-Isabel SMITH daughter of William SMITH of Bourton, Bishops Cannings, who had a 30 acre property "Foxes" at Bishops Cannings let to Hugh SLOPER and his wife
Agnes; granted 15.6.1595 (1595 is written "37 Elizabeth" =37+1558) (Chancery
Ref. C2/1312/69 James 1).

He appears in the 1576 tithings of Weke (Wick) & Mustede (Nursted) - both in
Roundway towards Devizes from Bishops Cannings (then St James-in-Green),
for the Hundred of Potterne & Cannings:

William SMITH assessed at 3 p(ounds), paid 5 sh(illings) with
John and Thomas WYTHERS each ass'd at 5p & pd 5 sh, &
Roberte WYTHERS at Endforde at Hundred of Elstubbe & Everleighe.

The wife of William SMITH was Laura buried 25.12.1591; other children were
Alice SMITH m William SLOPER,
Maud SMITH m Edward HAYWARD
Good SMITH m Richard HURLE.
Source: Dr Ted CHURCH

A=0 1--Thomas WITHERS (c1545 Bishops Cannings-21.6.1624 Bishops Cannings)
churchwarden 1608, yeoman; will proved 2.12.1624 (PCC 114 Byrde). Dr CHURCH:
buried 21.6.1624. See "Round about the little steeple"(1960) by Ida GANDY
(Allen & Unwin, London) for a graphic account of this village through the ages
with references to various family members.

His will in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (1624,II4 Byrde): Will of Thomas WITHERS the Elder of Bishops Cannings, Wilts. yeoman, dated 22.4.1624:

I give to the poor of Bishops Cannings 20sh; to my daughter Susan's, children 5p (pounds); to my daughter Bridget's children 4p; to Joan HISCOCKE's children 3p; (all to be paid 1 year after my decease); to Edward WITHERS son of my son Edward WITHERS 40p to be paid at 10 years of age & to be put to his best use by my executor until he comes to 21 years of age; to Mary SINGER's children 20sh a piece (same conditions); to my son Thomas WITHERS his daughter Marie 10p; to Thomas STEVENS my son in law 10p; to my son Robert WITHERS my best mare; to Jone my wife a featherbed with all that belongeth to him, which is now in her chamber I give her house room in her chamber & other parts of the house sufficient for her residing the aforesaid time, also corn to find her bread & wood to make her fire sufficient during my executor's will; also 40sh to buy her other
provision & 1 coffer of her choice & 1 cow the best there remaineth & my executor shall find her groass and fodder during my executor's year; to
Thomas WITHERS my son Thomas his son, a score of sheep within a year after my
decease, rather to keep until come to understanding; to Thomas STEVENS his
children 12 bushells of wheat & 4 of barley; to Robert WITHERS my son a
quarter of wheat; all residue of my goods to Thomas WITHERS & he to be sole
executor; my friends Wm NASH & Arthur SLOPER to be my overseers.

JC: I read Joan HISCOCKE as not being his daughter ... I think he calls all his
children my children and Mary SINGER [(12)2] and Joan HISCOCKE are not....
Also in Joans' will she calls John HISCOCKE 'my brother-in-law.'

m sp-Joan/Joane NASH (buried 21.2.1631)

Joan is 11 in "2. The NASH family of Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire: 1502-1867", at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2123/nash/nash.html

Will in Peculiar Court of the Dean & Chapter of Sarum, Roll B24:

Will of Johan WITHERS of Bishops Cannings, widow, dated 1.11.(year illegible):
to be buried at Bishops Cannings; I give to the Lady Church of Sarum 7d; to
the church of Bishops Cannings 19s; to the poor of Bishops Cannings 10s; to
my grandchild John GUITTINGS my bedstead etc; to my daughter Margery HOLLOWAY [A] my best holand bed sheet; to John HISCOCK [4-sp ?] of Allington, my brother in law & his daughter Susan 10s; to my daughter Susanna LWEISS (LEWIS) [1] 10s; to Mary WITHERS [31] the daughter of my son Thomas WITHERS [3] my diaper table cloth; all residue I give to my son Robert WITHERS [7] & he to be sole executor; the Vicar Thomas POOLE (FOOLE) & Thomas WESTON to be my overseers.

11 children, numbered 1 to 11 below.

1 2--Susan/Susanna/Susanne WITHERS
m 24.5.1600 St James, Southbroom,Wiltshire sp-Edward LEWIS 6 children.

11 3--LEWIS (bp 20.9.1601 St James, Southbroom) twin
12 3--Margery LEWIS (bp 20.9.1601 St James, Southbroom) twin
m 21.10.1632 sp-Henry LEWIS 1 child,

121 4--Catherine LEWIS (bp 29.4.1635 Southbroom)

13 3--Thomas LEWIS (bp 6.3.1602 St James,Southbroom)
14 3--Thomas LEWIS (bp 20.4.1603 St James,Southbroom)
15 3--Edward LEWIS (bp 6.10.1605 St James,Southbroom)
16 3--William LEWIS (bp 2.2.1609 St James,Southbroom)
m 31.10.1631 Southbroom sp-Margery WILSHERE 5 children

161 4--William LEWIS bp3-11-1632 Compton Bassett, Wiltshire
162 4--Marie LEWIS bp2-4-1634 Southbroom
163 4--Edward LEWIS bp3-4-1636 Southbroom
m sp-Susanna 1 child known

1631 5--Edward LEWIS . bp3-12-1664 Southbroom

164 4--Margery LEWIS .. bp28-1-1637 Southbroom
165 4--Cathren LEWIS .. bp23-3-1643 Southbroom

2 2--Joan/Joane/Jane WITHERS
m 11.2.1606 Bishops Cannings sp-Edward GITTENS d 11.2.1606 ?!

21 3--Joan/Jean GITTENS (bp 12.3.1608 Urchfont, Wiltshire)
m 10.10.1631 Bishops Cannings Thomas ASHLEY 1 child known

211 4--Ann ASHLEY bp28-5-1632 Bishops Cannings

22 3--Edward GITTENS (bp 2.8.1611 Urchfont, Wiltshire)
m ? 1 child known

221 4--John GITTENS ... bp26-9-1642 Urchfont

23 3--Richard GITTENS (bp 3.2.1618 Urchfont, Wiltshire)

3 2--Thomas WITHERS (bp 1596-buried 22.10.1668/9 Bishops Cannings) IGI: b1591.
Referred to as Thomas WITHERS junior of Bourton" at the baptism of his daughter
Mary in 1621 but his will below refers to him as "the Elder".

Yeoman, farmed at Bourton, a famous Quaker he was imprisoned a long time:
see p47,90,95 of Gandy(1960), "The sufferings of the Quakers" by BESSE
published 1753 by Hinde, "The Court Books of Bishops Cannings". p341 of
"History of Devizes" (1859) by James WAYLEN: `The earliest instance of
oppression connected with the Hundred of Potterne & Cannings belongs to the
year 1656 being the 2nd year of CROMWELL's Protectorate, when Thomas
WITHERS of Bishops Cannings was apprehended by a constable at Market
Lavington (probably for holding a meeting there) dragged into an
ale-house where he was kept till the next morning & then committed by
a JP to the county gaol. Two neighbours becoming bail for his appearance at
the Assizes, he was released but at his trial was sentenced to further
imprisonment (6 months?). During his incarceration an estreat came out
against his 2 bailers, a process which cost them more than 18 pounds.'
(This passage is continued under his son 36 Ralph WITHERS below.)

GANDY p47 "for stopping up a public footpath must pay 12 pence & make it
good"; p 90 " ... called Thomas - Thomas the Quaker. In his earlier
un regeneralte days this Thomas seems to have been a pugnacious person, in
trouble with the Manorial Court, disputing a right of way ... After George
FOX'S preaching had taken deep hold of him he showed the same obstinacy, the
same determination, only this time it was in pursuit of his faith. When
called upon to make good before the Manorial Court his claim to `one
messuage & 5 cotsots of land & 2 pieces of land ... in Downacre & Waleron &
also 10 acres of arable land called Boardland (Ref: Courtbook for 1658),
he refused to take the oath & Marie his wife was examined instead of him.
Robert Henley, Lord of the Manor, seems to have been unwilling to press a
respected tenant too hard. But Wiltshire magistrates showed far less
tolerance. After Thomas had attended a Sunday morning meeting at Market
Lavington he was seized, dragged into an alehouse (which in itself would
be abhorrent to him) & condemned to a long period of imprisonment. (Ref:
Besse). Later he was fined 20s for refusing to take his hat off in court.
[p344 History of Devizes, by James WAYLEN 1859; Devizes, Henry BULL]. When
his persecution was at its height he with other fellow sufferers sent a
moving petition to Judge WYNDHAM & the Salisbury Justices. (Ref: QSGR ed.
BH Cunninham p244) `Wee suppose' they pleaded `its not unknown how many
& how great are ... the troubles of us who are called Quakers which ever
since wee were a People have beene inflicted & are yett likely, if the
Lord open not people's hearts, to be continued against us.... severall of us
are & have for above 2.5 years been imprisoned in this County Goal... miseries,
necessities & calamities many of us with our wives & families have sustained...
We who are prisoners.. were [on 3.6.1663] charged & fined at Warminster
Sessions for meeting together - though it was only to worship God, some of us
40P & some 3P apiece... & being by a new order called to the Sessions.. was
there fined & returned to prison with them & at the Assizes after was called ..
demnified 30P... Another of us Jane SELFE being a wife & doing nothing but what
her husband allowed, because she kept ward at her husband's house, was brought
to prison with them, from her children & family. Now most of us are poor,
having wives & several small chn, yea so poor that we can truly say were we
willing, yet some of us are never likely to be in a capacity to answer these
imposed fines...' The petition draws attention to the injustices heaped upon
them & speaks of `the sighes & teares which our long bondage have produced.' At
the end comes an entreaty `Let not our words & desires returne in vaine but
favour us so much as to answer our complainte which we hope & believe will not
be forgotten in the records of heaven.'

Signed: Thomas WITHERS, Jane SELFE, Robert LUFFE, RObert BUTTON, John LEONARD & on behalf of the rest. (John Max Greenwood WAHNS 7616).

But the sighs & tears went on; the words returned in vain. Worn out with
imprisonment & ill treatment Thomas died 4 years later when only 46. Perhaps
the little plot beside the Gallows Ditch had not yet been acquired since he was
buried in Cannings churchyard. He would have been proud to know that his son,
another Thomas, followed in his footsteps..." -continued under 33 below. Also
p47,90,95.

1646-1731 Court Books (WSRO 248/91) Lands held by Ralph [36], Wm [38] & Robert
[34], sons of Thomas WITHERS [3] for the terms of their 3 lives or the
longest liver. -p5 of MT.

1647 Thomas WITHERS held 3 allotments of land & a leasehold for 14 years of 6
acres of meadow & pasture & divers parcels of land in the common fields
amounting to 30 acrew for a rental value of 14p (WSRO 248/101,6). The rest was
a copyhold valued at 28P with a rent of 3P 6s 8d plus a heriot (usually a best
beast or a sum of money - p13) at the end of the copyhold tenure. This included
a dwelling house, 2 barns, a stable, oxhouse, orchard & 3 closes, 3 acres of
meadow including 1 acre called Stoneacre (NOW the Rectory garden N of the
churchyard!) & common pasture on the downs & common fields for 240 sheep, also
further up on the downs rights of grazing for 12 beasts. There were 62 acres of
arable in the common fields. The third was aother copyhold held in the right
of his wife under the rent of 4 marks & the heriot of a pony at death of the
copoyholder. The estate was valued at 24P & consisted of a dwelling house, a
barn, a stable, an oxhouse alongside an orchard & backside, 2 meadows (in
dolemeads) 2 little grounds. There were rights of pasture for 200 sheep & on
the common fields & for 10 beasts on the cowdown & 61 acres of arable. It all
amounted to at least 164 acres with rights to grazing for 2 flocks of 200 sheep
each & for the cattle, on the extensive downland. - p5 of MT.

1669: Peculiar Court of the Dean & Chapter of Sarum (Roll M32), will of Thomas
WITHERS the Elder of Bishops Cannings,yeoman, dated 19.10.1669 (d date or date
will was proved?): Item 1st. Whereas I purchased a chattel lease of ye
feofees of the Churchlands of St Mary, parish of Devizes, of a tenement and
land situate & lying in ye severall parishes of Devizes & Bishops Cannings, I
give these to my son Thomas WITHERS [33]& to said Thomas, after the decease of Mary my now loveing wife, my furnace in the brewhouse, my tabel board in ye
parlour & 6 joint stoves, a fetherbee (bed), a paire of blankets, a boulster,
2 pillows, 1 orther bed, a paire of sheets & ye said bedstead in ye parlour
chamber & 1 half dozen of pewter; to my son John WITHERS [35] 5s to be paid
within 1 year of my decease; to my son Ralfe WITHERS [36], 1 fetherbed,a paire
of blankets & a paire of sheet, a boulster, 2 pillows; to my son William
WITHERS [38] 5s;to my daughter Mary LYNE [31] 5p 10s; to my daughter Susanna
BEEZER [37] 90p; to my grandchild Thomas LYNE [311] 50s;to my grandchildren
William WITHERS [383] Thomas WITHERS [382], Robert WITHERS [384], John WITHERS [385] & Mary WITHERS [381], the 5 children of my said son William WITHERS[38], 4 sheep a piece; to my 3 grandchildren Joan [351] wife of John SHERGOLD, Sara WITHERS [354] and Mary WITHERS [356], ye 3 daughters of my said son John WITHERS [35], 4 sheep a piece; to the poor of Bishops Cannings 20; all residue to my wife & she to be sole executrix; William WESTON & John ASHLEY to be overseers. (Signed in presence of Robert WITHERSE.) Inventory of goods of
Thomas WITHERS of Bishops Cannings appraised by William WESTON, John ASHLEY, John WITHERS [35], William WITHERS [38] & John SHERGOLD [351-sp] & dated 20.10.1669: 548 pounds 3 s.

The Pa. Genealogical Magazine Vol.32 pp283-5 quoted in Boles and Boles (1998):
By the time of PENN's visits in Wiltshire, Ralph and Thomas WITHERS were the
Quaker leaders in Devizes, and Ralph assumed leadership in the County. Ralph
signed the Epistles from London Yearly Meeting in 1675 and 1681 and he signed
as a witness William PENN's "Instructions" to his commissioners dated 30 9th month 1681.

Excerpts from "WITHERS OF BISHOPS CANNINGS, WILTSHIRE: yeomen, Quakers, cottagers & farmworkers", 1.12.2005, by Margaret THORBURN

http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/withers/mt.html

Version 17.4.2006, 22kb

Margaret may be reached at christa"at"le-bureau.co.uk
or via her daughter Jenny at jenny"at"sedgy.net

scanned & uploaded by
KIT WITHERS
email kitw"at"slingshot.co.nz 2006 - (I write "at" for @ to foil spammers.)
101 Allington Road, Karori, Wellington 6005, New Zealand
Telephone +64 4 934 4477

The numbers after WITHERS names eg [36] refer to that person at http://www.geocities.com//keeto111/withers/withers.html

CONTENTS

1. Excerpts from "WITHERS OF BISHOPS CANNINGS, WILTSHIRE: yeomen, Quakers,
cottagers & farmworkers", 1.12.2005, by Margaret THORBURN

2. Attending school at Bishops Cannings, by Margaret THORBURN

1. Excerpts from "WITHERS OF BISHOPS CANNINGS, WILTSHIRE: yeomen, Quakers,
cottagers & farmworkers", 1.12.2005, by Margaret THORBURN.

1406 Wm WITHERS held the office of woodward of Chyttoe (where the woodland of
the manor of Canings lay 5 miles to the NW) who paid 693 2d, which he delivered
to Henry BRETON, receiver general of the See of Salisbury.

1406 fines (fee to manorial lord at start of land tenure) by indenture for 21
years: Thomas SLOPER 70s, Wm WETHERS 6p, John SMITH 6p. - Translated from Latin
Gothic script by E Mgt THOMPSON; held in last 1/4 of the Simpson Box of
reference library of WANHS, Devizes. - Any chance of a photo?

1549 Wm WETHERS in goods 10p Lay Subsidy (a tax of moveable goods)

1550 "for sale of wood 69s 2d of the price of divers trees & twigs sold by
William WITHERS this year out of the Bishops wood in Cannings called
Ayrshanger, as appears by the bill of the parcels on the rath of the same
William" - Minister's a/cs of Edward 6 transcribed by E Margaret THOMPSON

1573 survey of the farm at Roundway MVc xxiii for John NICHOLAS "I have
(exchanged) in Edyeanger, by the land of WITHERS of Cannings, in the east,
9 yards". A hanger is woodland growing on a steep slope... There is a remnant
bya trackway to the N of the present Beckhampton Rd...

1597 Thomas WITHERS in goods 4p Lay Subsidy
1611 Thomas WITHERS in goods 3p Lay Subsidy
1628 Joane WITHERS in goods 1p Lay Subsidy

1646-1731 Court Books (WSRO 248/91) Lands held by Ralph [36], Wm [38] & Robert
[34], sons of Thomas WITHERS [3] for the terms of their 3 lives or the
longest liver. -p5 of MT.

1647 Thomas WITHERS held 3 allotments of land & a leasehold for 14 years of 6
acres of meadow & pasture & divers parcels of land in the common fields
amounting to 30 acrew for a rental value of 14p (WSRO 248/101,6). The rest was
a copyhold valued at 28P with a rent of 3P 6s 8d plus a heriot (usually a best
beast or a sum of money - p13) at the end of the copyhold tenure. This included
a dwelling house, 2 barns, a stable, oxhouse, orchard & 3 closes, 3 acres of
meadow including 1 acre called Stoneacre (NOW the Rectory garden N of the
churchyard!) & common pasture on the downs & common fields for 240 sheep, also
further up on the downs rights of grazing for 12 beasts. There were 62 acres of
arable in the common fields. The third was aother copyhold held in the right
of his wife under the rent of 4 marks & the heriot of a pony at death of the
copoyholder. The estate was valued at 24P & consisted of a dwelling house, a
barn, a stable, an oxhouse alongside an orchard & backside, 2 meadows (in
dolemeads) 2 little grounds. There were rights of pasture for 200 sheep & on
the common fields & for 10 beasts on the cowdown & 61 acres of arable. It all
amounted to at least 164 acres with rights to grazing for 2 flocks of 200 sheep
each & for the cattle, on the extensive downland. - p5 of MT.

After the restoration of the king in 1661, customary tenants are recorded
coming to the manor court to pay homage & be amerced (ie showing contrition by
making payment). In 1661 Wm [38], Ralph [36] & John [35] were amerced & a
further 10 defaulters in 1666 including John WITHERS [35] & Thomas WITHERS the
younger [33?]: (WSRO 248/91/222) - p10 of MT.

1659 The manor court records a redivision of a small amount of copyhold
land to Jason [361] son of Ralph [36], who had recently died in Wm PENN's new
colony in county Chester, PA & to Wm WITHERS [38?], & together paid the entry
fine of 20P - (WSRO 248/91/52) p10 of MT.

In 1684 Wm WITHERS [38?] & Edward & Wm NAISH carved their names on the N
wall of the NE chapel in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, BC. Again below the
doorway the names of Wm WITHER [383? -38 d1698] & Wm NAISH are carved dated
1700. - p10 of MT. (Photos of these carvings appear between p9 and 10.

By 1684 he renewed his "fine" before the manor court, based on an "entry" of
1638 [of his father?]. At the same court (WSRO 248/91/52) Thomas WITHERS "by
his own purchase took of the lord here in full court, by the hand of the
Steward & by the Rod" a cottage called Yonder Cotty & a little close of grass
next to a little close of grass, next to late parcel of customary tenement
called Westend Copyhold, for 2s yearly rental, & paying the entry fine of 30P.
This was shared with kinsmen of the ASHLEY family [cf 354]. The last entry
Feb 1731 in this court book was for the copyhold held by Abraham ASHLEY [3545?]
& his 3 sons Jacob, Isaac & Walter for the entry fine of 105P & yearly rental
of 8s8d for Yonder Cotty & also 1 messuage called Sims with adjoining garden &
orchard & 2 closes of meadow called Nettlehills & 6 acres of arable in the
common fields. -p11 of MT.

p 15:

By the 18th century ... the copyhold family farms could not sustain [all the
descendants]... In 1720, revised in 1738, a survey of the manor of Bishops
Cannings was drawn & assessed by John OVERTON & his son (WRO Bishoprick 49).
The survey recorded all the acreages of the tythings in the parish &
landholders. In Cannings, William [38?] & Ralph WITHERS [36?] held a copyhold
called Black House, lately held by Elizabeth WITHERS [m2 of 38?] consisting of
1 messuage & its appurtenances in "Canons" with several parcels of land there
containing 97 acres 1r 27p, value 47P, with beast leaze on the down & common &
for 200 sheep in ye fields. William WITHERS also held a small freehold of 4
acres 1r 36p. It was also recorded there were 11 cottages in the Green at
Cannings, one held by John MINTY.... - p15 of MT.

1.10.1711 [Wilts.] Court Roll abstract (National Archive (Kew) Crest 38/2056)
records the arable, lands, meadow & pasture & common of pasture for cattle &
sheep in Cannings called SLOPERS [so presumably inherited from his mother]
thereto in the tenure of Ralph WITHERS deceased, since in tenure of Richard,
John & Wm COX, now deceased, & then to W SOLOMON & James GENT for lives. This
entry points to a change of direction of the former copyholds held by the
WITHERS into other ownerships. James GENT a notable brewer & mayor of Devizes
- COLMAN 1991, "The Baker's Diary", Wilts CC & WAHNS. - p15 of MT. The COX
family may be that in will of 13 who m'd 135 of /nash/nash.html]

An abstract of title from Court Rolls (in the NA Crest Box 38/2056, reference
library of WANHS, Devizes) for 1 close of 3 acres of meadow called House Mead,
in Horton, formerly held by Jason WITHERS [361?], now held by SLOPER.
Perhaps more telling of the decline of the WITHERS' copyhold estate is
revealed in the court roll of May 1755 (from another abstract in the NA Crest
Box) `also one mesne (ie home farm) or tenement & 3 yardlands lying in
Cannings Episcopi & Roundway called by the name West End & then formerly in
the possession of Thomas WITHERS, & since Sara & Susannah NASH & granted to
Geo WILLY & Willy SUTTON & James SUTTON Esq by copy' (the latter were
successful clothiers in Devizes; JS 1725-88 is the husband of 35111 1 above]).

There is the suggestion from these records that members of copyhold tenants
of long standing were dispersing into other areas of expanding trades, or
perhaps some stayed to work the fields & animal husbandry as undertenants to
absentee landlords who had their business & trade in Devizes. [p16:] Turnpike
roads were being built & later the Kennet & Avon Canal & the Great Western
Railway. By the latter end of the 18th C Mark SLOPER held the copyhold estate
of WITHERS as described in the Enclosure Award 1794, 20 when .. piece of land
were being exchanged `in lieu & exchange for pasture land called Stubbhayes or
Stoney Croft now the property of Mark SLOPER in respect of his copyhold estate
called WITHERS (no 397 on Map B) 2 acres 1r 8p to James GENT. See also a
reference to George SLOPER master baker in Devizes (1753-1810) who in 1787
held copyhold land in the value of 615P in Bishops Cannings (COLMAN 199,55,
85). The turnpike road from Devizes to Beckhampton (now A361) passes close by
West End at Bishops Cannings, was finished by 1820. (The former route higher
on the downs in the N remains as green trackways.) The inn on the old road
became defunct & turned into cottages for farm workers. The making of the road
(by many labourers) must have displaced a cottage, as again the NA Crest Box
there is a record f a `newly created messuages or cottage divided into 2
tenements & yards, gardens & bakehouse, lying on the N side of the turnpike
leading from Devizes to Marlborough, & now in the occupation of James MINTIE
& John WITHERS as tenants to the said Nanny HAZELAND who paid the quit rent of
10s in 1827.' The Enclosure Award was a hard task for the surveyor &
commissioner William TUBB [in Bishops Cannings] when he started in 1794, who
complained that there were so many small pieces of land dispersed &
inconveniently situated held by several owners incapable of any considerable
improvement'. One of these old enclosures was a messuage or cottage with an
outhouse & home close called Cotty's Homestead now held by Eleanor SUTTON. The
SUTTON family also held West end farm (of Cannings Canonicorum) which was
adding to the large estate of the Sotheron Estcourt during the 19th C. The
Enclosure Award also records an old enclosure with no house held by MINTY &
WITHERS at West End.

The Tithe Award of 1841 (WSRO T/A Bishops Cannings) contains detailed info
with a map & number of landholdings & tenements. 40 copyholders were recorded,
albeit with small amounts of land, 2 acres or less & a cottage.

Tithe Award of 1841 (WSRO T/A Bishops Cannings)
In the 5th Schedule for tithes which belong with the land of owners ie
impropriators - John WITHERS, a house, garden - homestead.

No 296 James MINTY, Sarah WITHERS, house & garden 24 perches, copyholders at
Hazeland, near West End on turnpike.
No 370 Sarah & James MINTY 36p house & garden (end of Church Path round corner
into Village St)
No 351 Wm BEASANT, Wm MINTY, Edward WITHERS, house & garden 1 a copyhold
opposite West End farm.
Tithe free - James MINTY & SLOPER owner/occupier homestead 25p
No 572 2 cottages, late Shepherd Shore Inn, old brick & thatch each with 2
rooms, larder, wants repair. Opposite on other side of turnpike road. No 574
barn, both alongside Wansdyke. [A photo of Wansdyke looking E from Morgan's
Hill from
Archaelogy in the field by AGS CRAWFORD 1955, precedes p15] (Info from 1855
survey Z4. 1881 census records Thomas & Mary Ellen WITHERS (nee MINTY)
[3836 7356] & their 6 chn living there.)

Purchase by the Crown - Indenture 29.12.1858.
By the 19th C the various landholdings which formed the manors of the
Bishoprick & Dean & Chapter were in the lordship of TH Sotheron ESTCOURT, MP
for Devizes, who'd held the tenure on a 21 year lease over 3 lives. After 1835
this long established system was changed into the adin'n of Ecclesiastical
Commissioners who, to raise significant funding towards the spiritual needs of
an expanding urban population, decided not to renew the Sotheron ESTCOURT
lease & instead sold to the Crown Commissioners in 1858 (THORBURN 2002: The
Bishoprick Estate to Crown Estate: effecting the purchase of Bishops Cannings
in 1858, WANHM vol 98 327-336) surveys & valuations were carried out (CERO Z4
no 6871 41855).
The Tithe Map was used as the base map so numbers can be matched for the
properties & the survey describes the condition of the cottages & farmhouse.
Mark SLOPER occupied the former WITHERS' farmhouse Black House, then Blackwell
now Blacklands, described as a 'house, with 5 rooms, dairy room, bakehouse,
oven house, washhouse, open low house, cowhouse, cartshed and a piggery.
[The house is nearly opposite The Crown at B.C.]
Nearby on the corner opposite The Crown Inn, was a row of 3 tenements no. 392,
held by Wm. SLOPER of 3 rooms each, the west one 'not worth repair'.
(Fred MINTY occupied the last one and died there five years ago in 2000).
Simon and John MINTY held 2 tenements built of brick nog and thatch (no. 370)
in the Street. Old Shepherd Shore to the north west by Wansdyke had two
cottages in what formerly had been the Inn on the old road, built of brick
and thatch, each had 2 rooms and a larder, 'wants repair'.
Hopefully improvements were made after the purchase of the Bishopric Estate in
{p17} 1858, so that by the time of the 1881 Census my great grandparents
Thomas WITHERS [3836 7356] and his wife Mary Ellen (MINTY) had sufficient
space for their family of six children.
Next door lived their kinsmen, the WILTSHIRE family.
The steward of the Longleat estate, Thomas DAVIS, author of the General View
of Agriculture of Wiltshire, 1794 (W AHNS ref. Lib) and active improver who
doubled the rental value of the Longleat estate, but was deeply aware of the
social costs, wrote:
'There are numberless villages which supported a substantial yeomanry of 20 or
30 copyhold or leasehold tenants living on their own estates, £20 - £30 a
piece, and attending for their own sakes to all the minutiae of a farmer's
profits; now all are in the lord's land and let to no one, or at the utmost to
two farmers, and the houses turned into cottages for the habitation of a
miserable, dispirited set of labourers, the descendants probably of the
original owners. This is not the tale of fiction nor the language of romance
.... It is a fact, staring in broad daylight in nearly half the villages
throughout the west of England (Bath and West of England Agricultural Society
Papers X, 1805 : 38-56) (Bettey, 1986,200).

Postscript My grandmother, Louisa [3836 7356 4], was one of the six children
of Thomas WITHERS [3836 7356] and his wife Mary Ellen (MINTY) who were living
at Shepherd Shore in 1881 and at Hill Barn in 1891. The six year old girl
walked the mile to school in Bishop's Cannings and was the ten year old who
did not attend school because of 'a pain in her head'. On the 26 January 1952
she die of a cerebral haemorrhage in her feather bed in the house attached to
Sudbury Court Farm, Middlesex. She was tended by her daughter Edith May
[3836 7356 42] (my mother) and by her son John [3836 7356 41], and by her
beloved husband Fred CURTIS. The story of their lives in the 20th century has
been described by me in other collections of unpublished files.

2. ATTENDING SCHOOL AT BISHOPS CANNINGS, by Margaret THORBURN (5670)
received 25.2.2006.

My grandmother Louisa WITHERS [3836 7356 4], born 1874, attended the school at
Bishop's Cannings near Devizes trom the age of 5 years along with her brothers
and sisters, Mary, Thomas, Sophia, Ellen, Dora, John and Ruth. At first, they
lived at Shepherd Shore, just over a mile away in the downland by Wansdyke,
where there were other farm-working families with children. Latterly, the
family lived at Hill Barn Cottages, a little nearer the school.

The 1870 Education Act formalised church schools into the state system with
required standards, trained school masters and mistresses, a charge of 1d.
per week, and by 1876, school attendance was compulsory. A school building,
now a village hall, was built in 1830 and measured 30 feet by 30 feet, with a
central stove, two rooms, built of flint with a thatched roof. 'Offices' were
outside. The children of Bishop's Cannings were expected to behave well,
diligently learn their reading, writing and arithmetic, attend regularly,
achieve their labour certificates, and would leave school, hopefully literate
by the age of 10 years.

Keeping records of the school year was the duty of the headmaster, Mr OLIVER,
and once a year the school was visited by the Inspector, whose reports are
included in the Log Book. Mr OLIVER's copper-plate writing gives a
straightforward account of the days and months of teaching trom the years 1871
- 1907. Exasperation of the slowness of his pupils' progress emerges trom his
writing, mixed with a sense of sympathy for their lives so closely linked to
the seasons, the land and family labour, and also the wide spread of illness,
which afflicted them. When lighter events, such as teaching the children a new
song, the arrival of new books, a half-day holiday, the Vicar's garden party
in July, are recorded, there is a feeling of pleasure for the children. But
you can almost hear him heavily sighing as he writes 'Standard I very dull and
backward. It is impossible to make such children bright and intelligent'.

School attendance was always enumerated, as initially payment was related to
numbers of children. As the years progressed, the numbers of children
registered increased, and how the total of eventually 90 children fitted into
the two roomed schoolhouse seems hard to believe. But probably it was rare to
have a totally full schoolhouse as absences were frequently affected by
weather, field-working and illnesses.

A whole range of diseases afflicted the children - mumps, whooping cough,
measles, scarletina and ringworms, apart from coughs and colds. In 1885,
typhoid fever broke out in the parish. Continuous sickness in a family group
was a great drawback to school learning. Often the older girls were kept at
home to help their mothers with the younger children.

In March, the older children were usually absent when they helped with the
potato planting, and again in June for the haymaking, when children were
required to take the food out to their parents and older working children in
the fields. Once the corn harvest was under way by mid August, school ceased
and gradually there was a return to school in late September after gleaning
was finished. Such interruptions meant children easily forgot what they had
learnt.

In May 1876, Thomas [3836 7356 2] aged 7 years and Sophia [3836 7356 3] aged 6
years from Shepherds Shore my grandmother Louisa WITHERS' older brother and
sister returned to school after six months' absence, 'both backward and
stupid'. In this case the most likely reason was because their parents could
not afford the 1d. per week per child.

The variable weather at any time of the year made it difficult for children,
especially the younger ones, to walk to school and back and forth home for
dinner at midday. Not infrequently the cold and wet meant the little children
did not get to school. On 18 January 1881, the Headmaster writes 'a dreadful
snowstorm set in at about 10 a.m. which lasted for thirty-six hours and in
many of the roads it was 8 - 10 feet thick. The children could not get to
school any more during the week'. On 24 January he writes that 'the dreadful
bad weather has prevented 53 children from getting to school, so little
progress'. The 'dreadful snowstorm' caused the death of Charles CURTIS who
succumbed to the intense cold on his journey over Roundway Down back to
Heddington. He was the father of Fred CURTIS then aged 10 years, who was to be
Louisa's future husband, and father of my mother (see W.F.H.S. October 2003,
page 15). In June of the same year 32 children were absent with whooping cough
and mumps, and as only 23 were present, the Vicar closed the school.

Louisa's health seems to have been poor. In 1882 she and her younger sister
Ellen [3836 7356 5] were sent home both suffering from ringworm. The following
year Ellen was away sick. In June, Louisa, now 9 years, is recorded as 'very
dull' and that her mother called at the school to say Louisa often complained
of pains in her head. In January 1884 Mrs WITHERS called again at the school
to say Louisa, 10 years, was too weak to attend, and that 'she suffers very
much in her head since her last illness'.

Six years later it is recorded that her younger brother John, aged 6 years,
had returned to school after an absence because of whooping cough. His school
career does not sound one of promise, as three years later in 1892, John aged
9 years, was compelled to return to school by the Attendance Officer of Calne
District. By then, the family was living at Hill Barn Cottages. A year later
in August 1893, his father Thomas WITHERS [3836 7356] died from a head injury
as a result of an accident by falling off a wheat rick.

Sophia [3836 7356 3] married Thomas GRUBBE and they were living at Cherhill in
1901 with their four young children. Louisa [3836 7356 4] married Fred CURTIS
at Calne Registry Office in 1894, and they went to Bromham to work at
Netherstreet Farm and lived in a new Crown Estate house with pumped water and
a large garden. Within a few years they moved with their three young children
to Sudbury Court Farm, Middlesex, where Louisa and Fred lived for the rest of
their lives, dying within two months of each other in 1952.

Ref: Church of England School Log Book, Bishop's Cannings 1871 - 1904
(Wiltshire Record Office, Trowbridge)

m 18.11.1615 Bishops Cannings sp-Mary SLOPER (1594 Bishops Cannings
-8.12.1678 Bishops Cannings) (Dr CHURCH gives: buried 19.2.1678/79) 9 children.
Buried in the Quaker plot near the Gallows Ditch, Devizes. Her burial is noted
in the records of the Wiltshire Monthly Meeting of Friends: Boles and Boles
(1998) p219 quote Penney (no date).

**SHE IS 2111 211 of THE FAMILY TREE OF SLOPER OF BISHOPS CANNINGS at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2123/sloper/sloper.html (Bishops Cannings, Wiltshire c1590-1900; 50 kbytes).
Her will in Prerogative Court of Canterbury (1679.50.King):
Will of Maria WITHERS of Bishops Cannings, Wilts., widow, dated 12.7.1672:
I give to my sons John and Wm WITHERS 20s a piece nothing doubting but they
will willingly accept thereof & be thereon content concerning their portions
already given & provided for them is large enough considering my ability &
whereas my said son John [35] in & by one obligation stands bound to me my
executors & administrators in the sum of 120p (pounds) conditioned for the
payment of threescore p 1 year after my decease, now the said obligation & sum
of money grown due, I give it to my daughter Susanna [37] the wife of John
BEASER as an addition to her portion with which she shall be content; to my
son Thomas WITHERS [33] 40 sheep & my best brasse pan & my best brasse pot; to
my daughters Mary [31] & Susannah [37] all my wearing apparel equally divided
between them; to Susannah [371] & Frances [372] the 2 daughters of John BEAZER
2 sheepe a piece; also to my grandchild Ralph [386] sonn of William WITHERS
[38] aforesaid 4 sheepe; to all the rest of my grandchildren living at the
time of my decease 2/6 a piece; to the poor of the parish of Bishops Cannings
20s; to the poor friends (Quakers) 40s; all the rest & residue of all my
goods,chattels real & personal property to my well loved sons Thomas WITHERS
[33] and Ralph WITHERS [36] whom I appoint joint & coexecutors & appoint my
trusty & wellbeloved friends William WESTON of Bishops Cannings & John
SHERGOLD of Bourton in the said parish, yeomen, to be overseeers.

IGI gives dr Alice

31 3--Marie/Mary WITHERS (bp 1.5.1621 Bishops Cannings)
m 4.7.1641 Bishops Cannings sp-John LYNE/LYNN M014381 1591-1812 6 children.

311 4--John LYNE (bp 4.7.1641 Bishops Cannings) But this is m date of parents!
312 4--Thomas LYNE (bp 9.10.1642 Bishops Cannings)
313 4--Susan LYNE
314 4--Mary LYNE
315 4--Edward LYNE bp17-2-1647 Bishops Cannings
?m: 01 NOV 1690 Kington Saint Michael, Wilts sp-Susanna ARNOLD Batch A170520
316 4--Hannah LYNE bp2-3-1654 Bishops Cannings

32 3--Thomas WITHERS (bp 1622-1622 Bishops Cannings)

33 3--Thomas WITHERS (bp 1.5.1624 Bishops Cannings-buried 14.12.1684
Devizes, Wiltshire) Boles and Boles (1998) quotes Penney (no date) that his
burial is in the records of Wiltshire Monthly Meeting of Friends.

"Thomas the Quaker". Gandy p89-90 (continued from above):

"(His father) would have been proud to know that his son, another Thomas,
followed in his footsteps...", though the going was never quite so hard as
his own. But like his father Thomas refused all compromise with conscience.
Called on to swear his fealty to John METHUEN now Lord of the Manor, he
`Say'd these English words "He could not swear." Therefore he was not
admitted to his land.' (Ref: Court Book for 1681.) All the same he died in
possession of it and of a cottage and close called Yonder Cotty, at Westend.

John METHUEN like Robert HENLEY was unwilling to coerce an honest man whose
family was as much a part of Cannings as the land itself. (WAYLEN in his
History of Devizes speaks of the disinheritance of the WITHERS, but in the
Court Books we find them claiming & receiving back their land up to 1700).
(Another account has him going to the US in 1683! This was in fact
382 Thomas below.) His will in the Peculiar Court of the Dean & Chapter of
Sarum (Roll K105): will of Thomas WITHERS of Bishops Cannings dated
28.11.1684 (torn at top) ... cousin Robert WITHERS [34] ...
sister Mary LYNE [31] 30p (pounds); to Robert LYNE [354?] 22p 10s;
cousin John LYNE [312?] ... cousin Jason WITHERS [361?] 4p 10s; to Robert
LYNE's wife [3542] 4p; to cousin Ashley's [354?] 2 children 7p 10s; to cousin
Abraham ASHLEY [3545?], to cousins John [3511?] and William [3512?] SHERGOLD
3p 10s a piece; to my brother William's [38] sons Thomas [382] and Ralph
[386] and his daughter Mary [3861] 3p a piece; to brother John's [35] 2
daughters Sarah [354] & Mary [356] 3p a piece; to sister LYNE's [31] son
Edward [315] & daughter Mary [314] & Susan [313] 3p a piece; to such poor of
Bishops Cannings called Quakers 7p 10s; all residue to br's John [35] &
William [38] WITHERS & they to be sole executors. (Signed)
After the restoration of the king in 1661, customary tenants are recorded
coming to the manor court to pay homage & be amerced (ie showing contrition by
making payment). In 1661 Wm [38], Ralph [36] & John [35] were amerced & a
further 10 defaulters in 1666 including John WITHERS [35] & Thomas WITHERS the
younger [33?]: (WSRO 248/91/222) - p10 of MT.

For more on him see last para under 37.

By 1684 he renewed his "fine" before the manor court, based on an "entry" of
1638 [of his father?]. At the same court (WSRO 248/91/52) Thomas WITHERS "by
his own purchase took of the lord here in full court, by the hand of the
Steward & by the Rod" a cottage called Yonder Cotty & a little close of grass
next to a little close of grass, next to late parcel of customary tenement
called Westend Copyhold, for 2s yearly rental, & paying the entry fine of 30P.
This was shared with kinsmen of the ASHLEY family [cf 354]. The last entry
Feb 1731 in this court book was for the copyhold held by Abraham ASHLEY [3545?] & his 3 sons Jacob, Isaac & Walter for the entry fine of 105P & yearly rental
of 8s8d for Yonder Cotty & also 1 messuage called Sims with adjoining garden &
orchard & 2 closes of meadow called Nettlehills & 6 acres of arable in the
common fields. -p11 of MT.

m sp-Grace? (IGI gives wife Mary b1628 Bishops Cannings) 4 children.

331 4--Thomas WITHERS
332 4--Robert WITHERS
334 4--WITHERS
335 4--WITHERS

34 3--Robert WITHERS (bp 10.9.1626 Bishops Cannings-1655)
1654 Robert WITHERS [34 of 1.] took on behalf of his wife Jane & their dr Jane
"to the longest liver successively" a copyhold with the entry fine of 25P
(Court Books WSRO 244/101,71) -p5 of MT.

m by 1654 sp-Jane
341 4--Jane WITHERS alive 1654.

35 3--John WITHERS (bp 8.3.1629 Bishops Cannings -1719)
After the restoration of the king in 1661, customary tenants are recorded
coming to the manor court to pay homage & be amerced (ie showing contrition by
making payment). In 1661 Wm [38], Ralph [36] & John [35] were amerced & a
further 10 defaulters in 1666 including John WITHERS [35] & Thomas WITHERS the
younger [33?]: (WSRO 248/91/222) - p10 of MT.

Peculiar Court of the Dean & Chapter of Sarum (Roll N55), will of John
WITHERS of Nursted, parish of Bishops Cannings, Wilts., yeoman dated 4.10.1719:
I give to my granddaughter Mary WAYLEN [3561], daughter of my late son in law
Robert WAYLEN of Nursteed aforesaid deceased, all that messuage or tenement at Laywoods in the parish of Bishops Cannings
aforesaid to hold for evermore; to my granddaughter Mary WAYLEN all my
leasehold estate held of the Mayor of the Burrow of Devizes lying at Bishops
Cannings adjoining the Close called Dale Mead & also 100p (pounds); to my
grandson Robert WAYLEN [3562] son of my late son Robert WAYLEN [356-sp], when 21 years of age, 150p in the occupation of my daughter Mary WAYLEN [356]; if Robert WAYLEN [3562] die then to William WAYLEN [3563?] & granddaughter Mary WAYLEN [3561]; to Jason Jacob ASHLEY [3542,3541-the same person?] son of my daughter Sarah ASHLEY [354], 30p; to my said daughter Sarah ASHLEY 1 half guinea; to my granddaughter Sarah ASHLEY [3544] 1 guinea a silver spoon;
all the rest of my estate to Mary WAYLEN [356]. (Signed)

m WHOM? 5 children.

351 4--Jane/Joan WITHERS (bp 5.5.1652 Bishops Cannings)
m 26.10.1668 Bishops Cannings sp-John SHERGOLD/SHEARGOLD/SHEARBOLD b c1644 Bishops Cannings
To reduce the size of this file I moved this branch out to
http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/shergold/shergold.html on 1.9.2007.
See there for descendants. WHY DOES THIS LINK NOT SHOW UP?

352 4--John WITHERS (-1654?)

353 4--Mary/Marie WITHERS (bp 1.2.1656 Bishops Cannings)

354 4--Sarah WITHERS (21.11.1657 Bishops Cannings-1723)

m .6.1679 Bishops Cannings sp-Walter/Robert ASHLEY (-1720) cf p34 etc of
GANDY's book. 5 children.
(Dr CHURCH gives Jane WITHERS m .6.1679 Walter ASHLEY)

3541 5--Jacob ASHLEY bp 1.8.1684 Bishops Cannings to Walter & Sarah
P014381 1591-1812: this gives 28 other ASHLEY bps in BC 1593-1788
3542 5--Jason ASHLEY
3543 5--Walter ASHLEY

??35431 6--Walter ASHLEY bp 12.12.1773 Bishops Cannings to Walter & Jone
P014381 1591-1812

3544 5--Sarah ASHLEY The IGI has these:
SA bc1714 BC m by license 11 DEC 1735 James NAISH yeoman; dr Eliz c1737 BC
SA bp1788 BC to Isaac & Sarah

3545 5--Abraham ASHLEY

"The last entry Feb 1731 in this court book was for the copyhold held by
Abraham ASHLEY [3545?] & his 3 sons Jacob, Isaac & Walter for the entry fine
of 105P & yearly rental of 8s8d for Yonder Cotty & also 1 messuage called Sims
with adjoining garden & orchard & 2 closes of meadow called Nettlehills & 6
acres of arable in the common fields." - p11 of MT. See last entry under 33.

3546 5--Joseph ASHLEY (included by Lucille N)

355 4--Thomas WITHERS (bp 2.3.1660-d young) [Source: Dr CHURCH.]

356 4--Mary/Marie WITHERS (bp3.7.1663 Bishops Cannings-3.12.1749
Bishops Cannings) She died at Nurstead house aged 91.

m1 22.3.1683/4 Bishops Cannings sp-John POUND
NB This is m of 381 so which is right?

m2 (.3.1688 or 7.10.1688/89) Bishops Cannings sp-Robert WAYLEN (.3.1655 St
James, Southbroom, Devizes, Wilt.) dc 1716, Dead by 4.6.1719.

On 1.8.08 I split off this WAYLEN branch to its own site http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/waylen/waylen.html

36 3--Ralph WITHERS (bp 24.7.1631 Bishops Cannings-1719 Chester County,
Pennsylvania,USA) Horle et al (1991) give his death as 7.8.1683 -Boles
(1998).

James WAYLEN'S `History of Devizes' (1859) p341:

`In 1657 another member of this family viz Ralph WITHERS also of Bishops
Cannings was taken up in Marlborough for attending a meeting there and
committed to prison by the mayor on the charge of being a vagabond though his
habitat was well known.' Quaker (admon=? admonishments) jailed at Devizes,
delegate to London 1678 re William PENN's petition: see p91 of GANDY .
(Pennsylvania is named after Penn: he led the Quakers there away from
persecution in England.) "A collection of the sufferings of the people
called Quakers" by Joseph BESSE (1753) p45 Ch.2 Wilts 1678:

`Also Ralph WITHERS of Bishops Cannings was excommunicated and imprisoned
without any presentment or citation that he knew of for no
other cause than his being married in another manner than the liturgy of the
C of E directs.' p40 Vol 2, Wilts 1660: `It happened in this year that
John BEZER, .. & Ralph WITHERS were met together at the house of Wm MOXHAM on occasion of a private difference among some Friends which they were chosen as arbitrators to decide. The priest of the parish hearing of the meeting came
with his son attended by an officer & others armed with pikes, bills &
staves, entered the house & violently haled them away to a JP who required of
them sureties for their appearance at the next sessions which they, not being
conscious of any evil work they had done, refused & were committed to prison
where they lay many weeks.'

Gandy p91: `Ralph suffered more than any other member of the WITHERS family.
We find the Mayor of Marlborough "a man of fiery spirit" (who sent another
WITHERS to prison for "singing of ballets contrary to the statute" -probably
religious songs (Ref: Quarter Session Great Rolls for the 17th Centery ed
BH Cunningham) indicting him as a common vagabond & flinging him into prison:
we find him spending weeks in Devizes gaol in the company of common felons;
having his clothes stolen by the bailiff; driven from a meeting at Marden by
a `venomous' vicar & his party all armed with pikes, & again arrested;
excommunicated because he'd refused to be married according to the rites of
the Church of England. But before he died Ralph & other Cannings friends
were much heartened when William PENN addressed a big gathering `in the Great
Market Hall at Devizes ... wonderful sober the people were of all sorts'
says PENN .... Finally Ralph was chosen to go with another delegate to London
in 1678 to back up Penn's petation that in future a Quaker's word might be
accepted as a proof of loyalty. It seems likely that he died not long
afterwards (since his name disappears from the accounts of the Friends
activities) & that he was buried beside his wife near the Gallows Ditch.

The Sufferings of the Friends were almost over. Under James 2 other
WITHERS who were also followers of George FOX & many like them in Wilts
were gradually left in peace, till with the coming of William & Mary they
were given full freedom of worship how & where they pleasedd. Sunday
morning would have seen a small band setting calmly off by the footpath
through Prattes & the upland fields to join their fellow Friends at the
little Meeting House in Devizes for which the WITHERS were probably largely
responsible."

After the restoration of the king in 1661, customary tenants are recorded
coming to the manor court to pay homage & be amerced (ie showing contrition by
making payment). In 1661 Wm [38], Ralph [36] & John [35] were amerced & a
further 10 defaulters in 1666 including John WITHERS [35] & Thomas WITHERS the
younger [33?]: (WSRO 248/91/222) - p10 of MT.

On 20.5.1665 Ralph WITHERS [36] & John MAY purchased for 36P half an acre in
a field called Hillworth (WICK), the deeds are in WSRO 2269/49. By 1689 there
is a record of a house newly erected on the Quakers' burying place
(WSRO 0/24/2).

In 1702 ten "friends" purchased for 100P a piece of land in St John's parish
for a new meeting house, & the names included John WITHERS [35?], yeoman of
Bishops Cannings. (There is now a new meeting house on the same site, with the
Kennet & Avon canal close by.) - p12 of MT.

PCC (Prerogative Court of Canterbury) (1691.April.68): administration of his
estate granted to his son Jason WITHERS [361] of London in April 1691. cf
BOLES & BOLES (1998) quote Coldham (1989) "administration of the estate of
Ralph WYTHERS of Bishops Canning, Co. Wilts. who died in Pa. was granted to
John HALL guardian of the only child Jason WYTHERS.

SMITH (1862): WITHERS,Ralph came from Bishop's Canning in Wilts and
settled at Upland sometime before the arrival of William PENN. For a time he
held the office of Deputy Treasurer of the Free Society of Traders and was
afterwards one of the Justices of Chester County and sat as a Justice with
the Proprietary at the first court for that county over which he presided. He
was also ... a member of the Provincial Council. He had been identified with
the Quakers since 1657. In 1660 he suffered imprisonment on account of his
religious principles and again in 1678 for having married contrary to the
directions of the church liturgy. He was also one of the ministering Friends
who issued the epistle from Lodon Yearly Meeting in 1675.

HORLE et al (1991) quoted in Boles and Boles (1998):

(In 1677) Ralph WITHERS was treasurer of Charlcote Monthly Meeting and a year
later he was made treasurer of Wilts Quarterly Meeting. In 1680 he was
again a delegate to London Yearly meeting. c1681 he became deputy treasurer
of the Free Society of Traders, and one of its shareholders, therefore
becoming one of "the inner circle of prominent Friends planning the
settlement of Pennsylvania." ... (In October 1682 he) arrived in Pa. aboard
the ship Jeffrey which had been chartered by the Free Society of Traders. He
commenced selling supplies shipped by the society, at a good price but on
credit due to the shortage of money, contributing to the ultimate collapse of
the trading company ... a member of the first Pa. Assembly (4.12.1682). (In
June 1683) William PENN appointed Ralph WITHERS to a commission to negotiate
with the government of West New Jersey, but subsequently removed him... (On
7.8.1683 he) died, apparently at John BEZER's home in Chester Co. "like a
very innocent child without noise or trouble" as reported to William PENN.

FUTHEY and COPE (1881) quoted in BOLES and BOLES (1998): Ralph was
commissioned a Justice by PENN in 1682, appointed a member of the Pa.
Provincial Council for 2 years on 10.3.1682/3, a Justice in Chester Co.
27.6.1683.

From Jeff PALMER - d026600c"att"dc.seflin.org via Carole TODD 26.5.99:

The following citations on Ralph WITHERS are from "PENN's Colony, Volume
I: Passengers and Ships Prior to 1684," by Walter Lee SHEPPARD, Jr., The
Welcome Society, 1985:

p. 59: "Probably before the end of October the next ship, the 'Jeffrey',
of about 500 tons, arrived in the Delaware. Aboard her were the president
of the Free Society of Traders in Pennsylvania, Dr. Nicholas More; John
GOODSON, 'chyrrugeon' to the Society, Ralph WITHERS, deputy treasurer of
the Society; skilled workmen hired by the Society, and probably some
settlers."

p. 60: "James CLAYPOOLE, treasurer of the Free Society, sent over Ralph
WITHERS of Bishops Canning, Wilts, F.P. of 500 acres as deputy
treasurer until Claypoole himself should come over. WITHERS died soon
after his arrival, however, and letters of administration on his estate
were granted 12 1m, 1683, to John Bezer, one of the Society's
commissioners. PGM [Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine], XIX, 250;
Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd Series, XIX, 383."

p. 85: "[John HALL,] possibly the John HALL who invested [25 pounds] in
the Free Society of Traders (PMHB [Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography], XI, 177), and perhaps the uncle of Jason WITHERS [361], heir of
Ralph WITHERS [36], F.P. of 500 acres, for whom see Pennsylvania Archives, 2nd
Series, XIX, 383."

p. 202: Under a listing of First Purchasers (Group XXV): "Ralph WITHERS of
Bishops Canning in the County of Wilts, Yeoman, 500 [acres]"

1.10.1711 [Wilts.] Court Roll abstract (NA Crest 38/2056) records the arable,
lands, meadow & pasture & common of pasture for cattle & sheep in Cannings
called SLOPERS [so presumably inherited from his mother] thereto in the tenure
of Ralph WITHERS deceased, since in tenure of Richard, John & Wm COX, now
deceased, & then to W SOLOMON & James GENT for lives. This entry points to a
change of direction of the former copyholds held by the WITHERS into other
ownerships. James GENT a notable brewer & mayor of Devizes - COLMAN 1991, "The Baker's Diary", Wilts CC & WAHNS. - p15 of MT. The COX family may be that in
will of 13 who m'd 135 of /nash/nash.html]

m 27.3.1678 Wilts sp-Mary WILKINSON (-27.7.1680) daughter of Anthony of
Salisbury; buried near the Gallows Ditch, Devizes.
The Pa. Genealogical Magazine Vol.32 pp283-5 quoted in BOLES and BOLES (1998):
[This marriage] created a unique instance of suffering. According to BESSE:
"yet for that he was not married according to the will and pleasure of the
Priests and spiritual court (so called) it was deemed a clandestine Marriage.
And without any presentation or due citation as ever he saw or heard of, he was
excommunicated and although he offered to appear at their Court yet he was
denied it and by means of George FROMM, proctor, or some of ye aforesaid Court,
he was cast into prison.

3611 5-- WITHERS male bur 28.9.1680 near the Gallows Ditch [Source:Dr CHURCH]

37? 3--William WITHERS bp 1633 Bishops Cannings Could this the WW in
The Complete Book of Emigrants, 1607-1660?:
'William WITHERS of Devizes, [Wilts] bound to William COLE to serve 7 years in
Barbados', (BRO). [Bristol Record Office]
ex Sarah KEESEE lydiap"att"salisbury.net 2005.

37 3--Susanna WITHERS (bp 8.1.1633 Bishops Cannings)

m 1678 sp-John BEASER/BEAZER (1629 Bishops Cannings [IGI]-1683) Referred to as preparing to emigrate to Pennsylvania in 1682 in letter of 18.2.1684 from Wm
COOK of Devizes to his sister Sarah BEASER. The letter is in Appendix 2 of the
transcription of Wilts East (Charlcutt) MM Minute Book.

3821 Mary WITHERS (12 Sep 1713, in Chichester,Chester/Delaware, PA. d1750)

Peculiar Court of the Dean & Chapter of Sarum (Roll D67),
will of William WITHERS the Elder of Bishops Cannings,yeoman dated 20.11.1698:
I give & bequeath to my son John WITHERS [388], all my right title & interest
in the Leasehold estate which I & my brother John WITHERS [35] lately
purchased of the feffees (in trust of divers lands belonging to them in the
parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Burrough of Devizes) for the term of
4 score years & 19 years, which said premises do lye at a place called Laywood
within the parish of Bishops Cannings & now are in my or my said br's
possession to have & to hold after my decease unto my said son John WITHERS
[388], his heirs & assigns; & to my said son John my silver tankard & for his
own proper use.

Item. I give & bequeath to Elizabeth, my now wife, 1 guinea of lawful money
to be paid within 12 months afater my decease (if lawfully demanded). I give
to my 3 sons William WITHERS [383], Thomas WITHERS [382] and Robert WITHERS
[384], 1s respectively within 12 months. Item. my wife shall have the use &
usage of such of my household goods hereinafter mentioned, my best bed &
bedstead &furniture there to belonging, 1 tablecloth, 6 napkins, 1 round
tableboard, 6 joint stoves, 4 pewter platters, hour barrells, 1 undersized
brass pan & boyler, 1 little pott with convenient brewing barrell during the
term of her natural life (to be restored within 2 or 3 months of her death)
& equally divided between my said son John WITHERS [385] & my dr Mary WITHERS [381] or the survivor of them. All residue to John & Mary WITHERS equally,
if John die before 21 years,then to dr Mary, if Mary do die then to John; if
both die then the estate to be the use of my said 3 sons William [383], Thomas
[382] & Robert [384] equally divided; my said son William WITHERS [383] &
friend Thomas WILSHIRE of Bishops Cannings, silkweaver, to be my executors &
3s each in trust during the minority of the said John & Mary WITHERS. (signed)
Inventory of good of William WITHERS of Cannings made 8.12.1698: 39 sheep
upon Coscombe-Down & 89 sheep wintering: 8p 10s.

In 1684 Wm WITHERS [38?] & Edward & Wm NAISH carved their names on the N
wall of the NE chapel in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, BC. Again below the
doorway the names of Wm WITHER [383? -38 d1698] & Wm NAISH are carved dated 1700. - p10 of MT. (Photos of these carvings appear between p9 and 10.

Here is the 1684 carving.

Here is the 1700 carving.

381 4--Mary WITHERS (bp 14.6.1661 Bishops Cannings-1687) Ancestral File:
bur. 18 Mar 1680/1681 Bishops Cannings.

m by licence 22.5.1684 Bishops Cannings sp-John POUND/PROUD
NB This is m1 of 356 so which is right?
[NOTE Jane SONGHURST nee POUND MissSmirnoff123"att"aol.com 2003 ex Wilts.]

382 4--Thomas WITHERS (bp 30.5.1663 Bishops Cannings-1720 Chester co,
Pennsylvania) Quaker, immigrated to Pennsylvania 1683.

For his 3 wives and descendants see http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/withers/withersus2.html .1 mgbytes
2

For the descendants of his daughter Mary WITHERS who married William Parson HUGHES see http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/withers/hughes.html .1 mgbytes

383 4--William WITHERS (bp 1665-1740) p110 of "The House of WAYLAND" says
"This yeoman, who inherited a copyhold from his father, had long continued to
be periodically presented by the "homage" as tenant. The manor, belonging .."
John METHUEN now Lord of the Manor

m 23.6.1684 St James, Southbroom sp-Anne WAYLEN/WAILON (.12.1659) 7 children.

3831 5--William WITHERS (bp 12.4.1686 Bishops Cannings-1737)
sp-Ruth (-1732 Bishops Cannings)
3832 5--Mary WITHERS (bp 11.3.1688 Bromham,Wilts)
3833 5--Robert WITHERS (bp 18.5.1691 Bromham,Wilts)

3834 5--John WITHERS (bp 4.9.1693 Bromham,Wilts-1780 Bishopstone,WLTS)
Looks like Will of William WITHERS, Yeoman of Bishopston , Wilts 07 March
1796 PROB 11/1273 at www.documentsonline.nationalarchives.gov.uk
m 11.12.1718 Bishops Cannings sp-Susan RUDDLE 3 children.

3834 1 6--William WITHERS (bp 22.3.1719 Bishops Cannings-1796 Bromham,WLTS)
m 24.11.1744 Stanford-in-Vale,Oxfordshire sp-Lucy SKINNER (-1795 Bishopstone)

3834 11 7--William WITHERS (1750-1816 Little Minton,Berkshire) yeoman
m 1790 sp-Anne SUMNER

3834 111 8--William WITHERS (27.4.1796 All Cannings, Wilts) alive 1871
m sp-Elizabeth 1802 Chalvington, Sussex
[Who are these: 1841 Bishops Cannings
Wm WITHERS 1806
Jane DOWSWELL 1821 ?]
1841 Glynde, Sussex:
William WITHERS 45 1796 Wilts 3834 111
Elizabeth WITHERS 35 1806 Sussex
Betsy WITHERS 10 1831 Sussex 3834 1112
1851 Ringmer, Sussex (Ecclesiastical parish: Chichester):
William WITHERS 54 1797 All Cannings, Wilts Head 3834 111
Elizabeth WITHERS 49 1802 Chalvington, Sussex Wife
William WITHERS 22 1829 Glynd, Sussex Son 3834 1111
Betsy WITHERS 19 1832 Ringmer, Sussex Daughter 3834 1112
Caroline WITHERS 5 1846 Ringmer, Sussex Daughter 3834 1113
John LEVETT 64 Servant
1861?
1871 with son 3834 1111 Wm.

3836 5--Thomas WITHERS (bp 7.12.1698 Bishops Cannings-1782)
m sp-Jane (-1778)

3836 1 6--William WITHERS (bp 12.2.1725 Bishops Cannings-d young)
cf William WITHERS son of Thomas and Jane WITHERS bap 17.2.1724 at Bishops
Cannings

3836 2 6--Ann WITHERS (bp 7.2.1727 Bishops Cannings-1732 or 1800?)
[* cf Jaynie BALLARD jay"att"rite.fslife.co.uk 2002:
Ann WITHERS b abt 1728 in Leckhampstead [near Newbury], Berks.
m 5/1/1748 Wickham or Chieveley, Berks. John ADAMS (c1725 Leckhampstead)]

3836 3 6--Ralph WITHERS (bp 3.1.1732-3.1.1732 Bishops Cannings)

3836 4 6--John WITHERS (bp 10.1.1733 Bishops Cannings-1819)
m 6.1.1754 Bishops Cannings sp-Mary DREW (-1793 or 1797?)

NB Michael COYNE mjcoyne"att"xtra.co.nz 2006 descends from
John DREW m 1821 Mary SMITH He operated the Horton mill 1851.
His son-in-law John SMITH settled in Otautau, NZ c1864.

3836 41 7--Thomas WITHERS (bp 19.12.1754 Bishops Cannings)
m 24.1.1795 Bishops Cannings sp-Mary NEATE

NB Compare marriage of 3836 72 Thomas WITHERS (1769) on same day to Mary
NEATE. One of these marriage dates must be wrong, presumably this one, as
their son was born 1781!

[[ ex Jo C CNOELJO"att"aol.com 2003:
Mary PIKE baseborn dr of Mary WITHERS and supposed John PIKE bp 21.1.1749/50
Rodbourne Cheney, Wilts. Who is Mary?
]]

[38 3--William WITHERS (bp 1637 Bishops Cannings-buried 7.12.1698)]
m2 1680 sp-Elizabeth (-1714)

39 3--Alice WITHERS bp 3.7.1616 Bishops Cannings
3(10) 3--Jane/Joan WITHERS She and Sarah (12) below are referred to in
"WALLIS family notes", unpublished MS of Genealogical Society of Pa.
according to BOLES and BOLES (1998) p222.
3(11) 3--Elizabeth WITHERS
3(12) 3--Sarah WITHERS. One of these 4 sisters 39-3(12) may have m'd John
HALL: see note under 36.

4 2--Joan WITHERS (-1633) [Dr CHURCH gives Jane WITHERS bur? 2.12.1691.]
m 1.7.1615 All Cannings & Bishops Cannings sp-John HISCOCK/HISCOCKE

HISCOCK searchers include phqadam"att"es.co.nz,
shipsey"att"ukonline.co.uk, web.ukonline.co.uk/shipsey/,
"Moss WHITLUM-COOPER" ,
Archie HISCOCK, Puni, RD3, Pukekohe (1998),
Tina KIRBY tina.kirby"att"swangen.co.uk www.swangen.co.uk (2001):

see http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2123/hiscock/hiscock.html

41 3--Elizabeth HISCOCK/HISCOCKE (bp 26.5.1616 Bishops Cannings)
m 4.7.1636 sp-Thomas PHELPS

42 3--Susanna/Susanne HISCOCK (bp 6.3.1617 All Cannings)
m 16.6.1634 sp-William RIVERS

43 3--Joane HISCOCK (bp 24.11.1619 All Cannings)
m 27.7.1640 sp-Thomas SHAKERLY

cf Joan HISCOCK m 14.7.1642 sp-William SHIPMAN

5 2--Bridget WITHERS (bp 11.5.1593 Bishops Cannings)
m 19.5.1617 Bishops Cannings sp-Thomas STEPHENS/STEVENS (bp 26.12.1592
Bishops Cannings-1634) [Dr C gives (bur?) 19.5.1687.] Son of Robert STEPHENS
6 children.

51 3--Thomas STEPHENS (bp 11.10.1618 Bishops Cannings)
52 3--Robert STEPHENS (bp 12.3.1619 Bishops Cannings)
53 3--John STEPHENS (bp 15.12.1621 Bishops Cannings)
54 3--Ralph STEPHENS (bp 17.1.1624 Bishops Cannings)
55 3--Joan/Jone STEPHENS (bp 10.12.1625 Bishops Cannings)
56 3--William STEPHENS (bp 7.1.1627 Bishops Cannings)

[All are in JC's book of BC Registers.]

6 2--Edward WITHERS (bur. 10.1.1622/23) Will adm. 9.5.1623.
m 29.11.1613 Bishops Cannings sp-Thomasine DUGDALE (-1639?) widow
Prerogative Court of Canterbury granted her administration of his estate
March 1623. (23.) (She m2 10.6.1623 Bishops Cannings sp-Francis NEATE.)

61 3--Bridget WITHERS (bp 25.1.1614/15 Bishops Cannings)
62 3--Edward WITHERS (bp 5.3.1617/17 Bishops Cannings)
621 4--John WITHERS bur. 2.10.1642 [Source Dr CHURCH]
63 3--Susan WITHERS (bp 20.3.1619/20 Bishops Cannings)

64 3--Elizabeth WITHERS (bp 28.3.1622 Bishops Cannings-20 SEP 1649)
m 30.4.1642 Bishops Cannings sp-Thomas BAYLEY Jr/ BAYLY/BAGLEY Batch A170529.
(But chn b after 1649!) Chn ex IGI.

641 4--Thomas BAILEY b: 16 NOV 1644 Bishops Cannings, Wilts
642 4--Bridget BAILEY b: 10 APR 1647 Bishops Cannings, Wilts
643 4--John BAILEY b: 04 NOV 1654 Bishops Cannings, Wilts
644 4--Michaell BAILEY b: 09 FEB 1656/57 Bishops Cannings, Wilts
645 4--Phillice BAILEY b: 15/25 SEP 1658 Bishops Cannings, Wilts
646 4--Jane BAILEY b: 06 SEP 1662 Bishops Cannings, Wilts

65 3--John WITHERS (1643)
m sp-Francis NEATE

7 2--Robert WITHERS (bp 25.3.1595/96 Bishops Cannings-1655)
m 2.10.1621 Bishops Cannings sp-Mary SUMNER

8 2--Ann(e) WITHERS (bp 19.12.1598 Bishops Cannings)
9 2--Alice WITHERS (-1616)

(10) 2--Margery WITHERS
m c1628 sp-John HOLLOWAY 5 children.

(10)1 3--Elizabeth HOLLOWAY (bp 10.11.1628 Westbury,Wilts)
(10)2 3--John HOLLOWAY (bp 12.2.1629 Westbury,Wilts)
(10)3 3--William HOLLOWAY (bp 5.4.1636 Westbury,Wilts)
(10)4 3--Margery HOLLOWAY (bp 20.1.1638 Westbury,Wilts)
(10)5 3--Ralfe (Ralph) HOLLOWAY (bp 18.1.1640 Westbury,Wilts)

(11) 2--Mary M WITHERS (bp 1604 Bishops Cannings-1667 Bishops Cannings)
(NB Her inclusion is disputed by PC WITHERS, but included by HA Watts,
and various PYLE descendents.) m 1620 Bishops Cannings sp-John PYLE 8 children.

* See our PYLE tree (Bishops Cannings, Wilts 1594; to Pennsylvania c1683-present) at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2123/pyle/pyle.html

B 1--William WITHERS (d1587 will) yeoman of Horton. (Brother to A=0 1-- above.
I used B to avoid adding the prefix 1 to all previous ID numbers.)
Will in the Peculiar Court of the Dean & Chapter of Sarum (register 5 rol.6):
Will of Wm WITHERS of Bishops Cannings, husbandman,dated 1.10.1587.
To be buried in my parish church of Bishops Cannings; I give to my son John
WITHERS the elder, my estate of fee simple in my land with appurtenances in
Cannyings or elsewhere, provided that my wife Isobell shall enjoye the
commoditie thereof during her widdowes estate except half the house and half
the garton which my said son John shall have to his own use; if my sonne John
decease without heyrs male then my son William WITHERS the elder shall have
my estate of fee simple in my lands; that said Wm shall give unto Edith
WITHERS, dau. of my said sonne John 6 Pounds 1 sh 4d to be paid at daye of her
marriage; to my dau. Jone WITHERS 7 sheepe & 40/- in money; to my dau. Alice
WITHERS 7 sheepe; to my dau. Goodd WITHERS 7 shepe; to my dau. Avis WITHERS 7 sheepe; to my son Wm WITHERS the elder 7 sheepe; to my son William the younger 7 sheepe; all which sheepe shall be delivered at the appointment of
myne overseers; all the rest of my goods both moveable and immoveable I give
to Isabell WITHERS my wyfe whom I make whole and sole executrix, desiring my
brother Thomas WITHERS & John DALLYER to be my overseers.

m1 sp-?

Is this William WITHERS m 17.1.1630 Bishops Cannings sp-Susan MAYNARD? [IGI]

B1 2--William WITHERS the Elder (d1647) m sp-?

B11 3--Thomas WITHERS (18.7.1596 Bishops Cannings) alive 1635
B12 3--Rebecca WITHERS (27.5.1599 Bishops Cannings-1647)

B13 3--John WITHERS (d1599) [Dr CHURCH gives bur.1.11.1589 & a brother bur
5.2.1592 from "The registers of Bishops Cannings". He gives these 4 as chn
of William WITHERS of Horton (son of widow WITHERS) bur. 11.9.1599, who is a
possible brother of Walter WITHERS bur. 14.4.1614. He gives Walter as brother
of A=0 above with possible siblings
Richard (father of William bur. 11.9.1599)
John (bur. 20.3.1636) m1 Elizabeth (bur.24.4.1601), m2 Susan (bur. 21.2.1636)
& Joane (2 above).]

B2 2--Alice WITHERS (d1639)
m sp-Henry MURCH

B3 2--John WITHERS/WYTHERS (d1637 will) the Elder, yeoman

m1 25.8.1582 at St James,Southbroom sp-Edith CLOUD/CLOWDE (d1598 Southbroom)
Will in Prerogative Court of Canterbury (1637 127.Goare) of John WITHERS of
Bishops Cannings, Wilts., yeoman 18.11.1635 (exJC):
"To be buried in parish churchyard of Bishops Cannings. To my brother John
WITHERS [B8] 10/- in money, my best doublet, my 2nd best breaches;
to young John STEVENS my servant 4 pounds ..; to my son-in-law Thomas LYNE [B31-sp], his 3 children Edward [B311], Susan [B312] and Anne [B313] a ewe and lamb a piece; to my mayde servant Susanna LONDALL 5 pounds at date of her marriage; to my sister Anne [B7] 10/-; to every one of my godchildren 6d; to our Lady Church of New Sarum 12d; to the poor people of the church of Cannings Bishops 5/-; to the parish church of Bishops Cannings 12d; to Anne WILTSHIRE, dr of Thomas WILTSHIRE deceased, 20 pounds when 18 years; to John LYNE [B314] my grandchild, sonn to Thomas LYNE [B31-sp] of Stert, all freeland in the parish of Bishops Cannings; if he die without issue the said land to go to kinsman John WITHERS [B34] sonne to my brother John WITHERS [B3 or B8]; to my brother William WITHERS [B1?] 40/-, my fustion doublet, my best breaches, my green jerkin & my best pair of stockings & shoes; to said John LYNE [B314] the younger all leasehold in Penn in parish of Hilperton and also in Bishops Cannings provided that he give to his brother
Edward LYNE [B311] 30 pounds in consideration of the 60 pounds which their
father Thomas LYNE [B31-sp] gave towards the purchase of 1 leasehold in Penn
aforesaid; to my wife Susan WITHERS the featherbed which we lye on with the
boulster and coverlet belonging to it and 5 pounds in money; all residue of my
goods to the said John LYNE [B314] the younger & he to be sole executor:
Thomas FEREBE [vicar of BC 1623-50] and my kinsman Thomas WITHERS of Cannings to be my overseers."

B31 3--Edith WITHERS (d1608)
m 24.5.1608 at Bishops Cannings sp-Thomas LYNE/LINNE bp 10.5.1585 Stert,
Wilts. [Dr CHURCH gives m date as 24.3.1608.]

B311 4--Edward LYNE (before 1635)
B312 4--Susan LYNE (before 1635)
B313 4--Anne LYNE (before 1635)
B314 4--John LYNE (before 1635)

B32 3--Thomas WITHERS (chr.18.5.1588 at St James, Southbroom-1618
B33? 3--Joan WITHERS (d1593)
B34 3--John WITHERS

[B3 2--John WITHERS (d1637 will) the Elder, yeoman]:
m2 sp-Susanna (d1657)

B4 2--Joan WITHERS
m 16.9.1588 Shrewton sp-Robert MUNDAY

B5 2--Good WITHERS (alive 1608)

B6 2--Avis WITHERS (alive 1608)
m sp-Elizabeth

B61 3--William WITHERS (dsp c 1608) the Younger

B62 3--John WITHERS (d1695) the Younger.
m1? sp-Alice
m2 sp-Elizabeth (d1601/27)

B621 4--John WITHERS + 2 siblings all alive 1635

B7 2--Anne WITHERS
B8 2--John WITHERS the Younger.

[B 1--William WITHERS (d1587 will) yeoman of Horton]:

m2 2-sp-Elizabeth (Isabel)
Will in the Peculiar Court of the Dean & Chapter of Sarum (Roll C32)
Will of Eliz. WITHERS of Bishops Cannings, widow,dated 5.8.1608:
to the Lady Church of Sarum 6p; to my own parish church 12p; to my son John
[B8] the younger 20s; and to the rest of his children 5sh a piece; & to his
dau. a bed; to Joan MUNDAY [B4] my dau. 20sh; to my dau. Alice BURCHE [B2]
20sh; to Edith WITHERS [B31] dau. of John WITHERS [B3] the elder 20sh; to my
dau. Good WITHERS [B5]20sh; to my dau. Avice WITHERS [B6] a cow; to my son Wm
[B1] 6 sheepe; all the rest of my goods I give to my son John WITHERS [B3]
the elder & he to be my executor; Wm GOY (GOUGH) of Aston & Wm WHITE to be
overseers.

C 1--Robert WITHERS (c1534-1600) student of Christchurch,Oxford. Vicar of St
Sampson's, Cricklade (a village on the Thames 10 miles from its source)
1570-1600 where he is buried. (Robert WETHER p225 appointed 1570 by William
ERNELEY, gent. farmer of the vicarage from the Dean and Chapter of Sarum
ie Robert rented it from them; appointed after the death of John GOUGH.)
His patron was Thomas SAUNDERS of Wilts & Berks.
Sampson was a Welshman of the 6th century; the church is 9th century. King
Athelstan brought some of his remains here in the 10th century. The church
features corbels (carved stone faces to frighten away evil spirits), 6 bells,
a Roman altar stone, a 1658 clock, a flying buttress, a sepulchal stone from
the 10th century above the entrance. The nave is from 1080, the tower 16th
century, some walls anglosaxon. See photos. The vicar in 1994 Ken WITHINGTON
obligingly showed me "Materials for a history of Cricklade". Chapter 1 p15
gives some of the information above on Robert.
(Other WITHERS entries are p8 William WITHERS son of Gye bapt. 10.8.1693
and p78/151 Rosanna dr of John & Sarah of Bradon, labourer, bapt 18.8.1833
-buried 17.9.1833.) He is probably not in the museum's directory of graves.

m sp-Ann (d1601)

C1 2--Mary WITHERS
sp-Peter KNIGHT

382 4-- Thomas WITHERS (1663 Bishops Cannings -1720 Pennsylvania) Quaker

For his 3 wives and descendants see http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/withers/withersus2.html

NASH of Bishops Cannings, Wilts: 1502-1867 http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2123/nash/nash.html (38 kbytes)

SLOPER of Bishops Cannings, Wilts: c1500-present http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Village/2123/sloper/sloper.html

2. CLUES

2.6 WITHERS CLUES

See http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/withers/withers unrelated.html for some other WITHERS families in Wilts & elsewhere, many no doubt related.

*1406 Bishops Cannings Don't forget to look at http://www.geocities.com/keeto111/withers/mt.html
for the material Margaret THORNBURN found on WITHERS at Bishops Cannings
from 1406 from some translations of vellum scrolls held in the last 1/4 of the
Simpson Box of reference library of WANHS (Wiltshire Archeological and Natural
History Society), Devizes.

*1604 Bishops Cannings www.genesreunited.co.uk 2005 Wilts gave 26:
Alexander William George WITHERS 1928 Wilts
Colin John WITHERS 1942 Salisbury,wiltshire,england
Elizabeth WITHERS 1947 Wilts United Kingdom
Hannah Withers 1801 Lambourn, Wilts
Added by James - member no. 153561
Harry WITHERS 1924 Wilts United Kingdom
Jane WITHERS 1704 Wroughton, Wilts
Added by Florence - member no. 614179 CONTACT
Joan Jane WITHERS 1605 Wilts United Kingdom
John WITHERS 1669 Bishops Canning, Wilts,
John WITHERS 1771 All Cannings Wilts United Kingdom
Thomas WITHERS 1545 Bishops Cannings, Wilts
Thomas WITHERS 1578 Bishops Cannings, Wilts
Thomas WITHERS 1591 Bishops Cannings, Wilts !cf our 3
Thomas WITHERS 1663 Bishops Canning, Wilts
Valerie Josaphine Ann WITHERS 1928 Wilts
William WITHERS 1637 Bishops Cannings, Wilts ! our 38
William WITHERS 1740 Bishops Cannings Wilts
Added by Stanley - member no. 901487 CONTACT
Marjorie Olive WITHERS 1916 Wilts United Kingdom
Mary WITHERS 1604 Parish of Bishops Canning, Wilts
Mary Ann WITHERS 1811 Wilts
Oliver WITHERS 1885 Wilts United Kingdom
Ralph WITHERS 1671 Bishops Canning, Wilts
Rene WITHERS 1920 Swindon, Wilts United Kingdom
Robert WITHERS 1667 Bishops Cannings, Wilts ! our 384
William WITHERS 1851 Patney wiltshire
...................................................................

APPENDIX b. DATES

I use the English convention with month after day. So 3.4.1770 is 3rd April,
not March 4.
When known, the dates and places of birth, baptism and death follow each name.
For example
0 1--Thomas WITHERS (c1545 Bishops Cannings-1624 Bishops Cannings)
If not prefixed by b for born or bp for baptised, the first date/place will be
the christening or baptism date/place if before c1830 or the birthdate if
after c1830.

THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR replaced the Julian calander in Roman Catholic
countries in 1582. It was not, however, accepted in Great Britian
until September 2, 1752. Among the changes was the addition of 11
days to the year, however, the major change was that when the calendar
was adopted by Parliament, they also established January 1 as New
Years Day rather than March 25, as had been the practice under the old
system. Thus, the 3rd month, for example, would be May under the old
system but March under the new system. Furthermore, a date between
January 1 and March 25 would occur in different years, depending on
whether the old or new system was being used. That's why dates for
this period are often given in both years, such as 15 January 1724/5. - Joemo

This meant the loss of eleven days between the 3rd and the 13th of September and also New Years day changed from the 25th of March to the 1st of January.
- Mary MASON

APPENDIX c. THE NUMBERING SYSTEMS

(i) The number at the start of the line indicates his order of descent from
the initial couple in Bishops Cannings, Wilts
"0 Thomas WITHERS (c1545-22.4.1624)" and "sp-Joane NASH (bur 1631)".
For example their 3rd child is
3 2--Thomas WITHERS (1596)
His fifth child is
35 3--John WITHERS (1629)
His first child is
351 4--Jane WITHERS (1652)
and so on. I often put in a blank after every 4th digit for ease of reading.
If there are more than 9 children the numbering after 9 is (10), (11), (12),...
or sometimes a,b,c,... FIX
Sometimes under an entry I'll use say [-31] to refer to the 1st child of the
3rd child of the person in the current entry.

The exceptions to this system are on the last pages of the WITHERS tree:
the two brothers of "0 Thomas WITHERS" who are marked "B William WITHERS"
and "C Robert WITHERS".

(ii) The generation number precedes the name. (That for the initial 3 brothers
is 1.) For example the "4--" in
351 4--Jane WITHERS (1652)
indicates she is 4th generation. So to see who her siblings are one can either
scan for adjacent "4--" or scan for 352, 353, 354, ....

Generally a spouse's generation number is not given. However for a second
marriage it is sometimes given (eg "m2 4-sp-") as an aid to finding their
spouse above.

APPENDIX f. INDEX OF SURNAMES, SHOWING WHERE THEY FIRST APPEAR

Pyle (11) 1620 Bishops Cannings SEE pyle.html

APPENDIX g. INDEX OF METHODISTS AND QUAKERS

Methodists 3842 24 & family,3842 25751,Q218,Q26671,Q269,Q42c,
Quakers 3,33,36,382,386,3842 161-sp,

For an interesting introduction to the Quakers see
http://www.exlibris.org/nonconform/engdis/quakers.html

THE 1641 PROTESTATION
Source: Malcolm HUTTON
APPENDIX h. EXCERPT FROM "THE DICTIONARY OF BRITISH SURNAMES"
by PH Reaney (1958) London, Routledge.

WITHER,WITHERS: (i) WITHER, WIDER Domesday Book of 1066, WYTHER cognomento
Turnel 1134-40, Richerus filius Wither 1153-68, William WITHER c1160, Robert
WIDER 1176, Geoffrey WIDER 1192; (ii) John WYTHIAR 1327, Thomas le WYTHIER
1332 `Dweller by the willow'; cf WITHEY

Another source: WITHERS originated 1000 years ago in England as "Son of
Wiht-Here", a Saxon-English term meaning "Son of Spirit-Army". Agnes WYTHER lived in Cambridge & was a taxpayer there in 13th century. The WITHERS coat
of arms, granted in reign of Queen Mary (1553-1558) has a black chevron
between 3 red crescent moons on a silver shield.

WITHERS-Bapt. `the son of Wither'. Lower writes:`WITHER occurs in
Domesday as a tenant prior to that census,' The surname constantly
appears in the Hundred Rolls, but always without prefix, suggesting
that its origin is personal; cf WITHERSlack, WITHERSfield,
WITHERSdale, Witherley, all parishes set down in Crockford.
Agnes, Richard, Simon & Walter WYTHER co's Camb.,Oxf.,Hunts.,Camb. 1273;
1590 Married Jeames WYTHERS & Ann GRAVE: St Michael Cornhill p15
London 28; Oxford 3; Philadelphia 11 [ours!?]; Boston (US) 4.

1. Excerpts from "WITHERS OF BISHOPS CANNINGS, WILTSHIRE: yeomen, Quakers,
cottagers & farmworkers", 1.12.2005, by Margaret THORBURN.

1406 Wm WITHERS held the office of woodward of Chyttoe (where the woodland of
the manor of Canings lay 5 miles to the NW) who paid 693 2d, which he delivered
to Henry BRETON, receiver general of the See of Salisbury.

1406 fines (fee to manorial lord at start of land tenure) by indenture for 21
years: Thomas SLOPER 70s, Wm WETHERS 6p, John SMITH 6p. - Translated from Latin
Gothic script by E Mgt THOMPSON; held in last 1/4 of the Simpson Box of
reference library of WANHS, Devizes. - Any chance of a photo?

1549 Wm WETHERS in goods 10p Lay Subsidy (a tax of moveable goods)

1550 "for sale of wood 69s 2d of the price of divers trees & twigs sold by
William WITHERS this year out of the Bishops wood in Cannings called
Ayrshanger, as appears by the bill of the parcels on the rath of the same
William" - Minister's a/cs of Edward 6 transcribed by E Margaret THOMPSON

1573 survey of the farm at Roundway MVc xxiii for John NICHOLAS "I have
(exchanged) in Edyeanger, by the land of WITHERS of Cannings, in the east,
9 yards". A hanger is woodland growing on a steep slope... There is a remnant
bya trackway to the N of the present Beckhampton Rd...

1597 Thomas WITHERS in goods 4p Lay Subsidy
1611 Thomas WITHERS in goods 3p Lay Subsidy
1628 Joane WITHERS in goods 1p Lay Subsidy

1646-1731 Court Books (WSRO 248/91) Lands held by Ralph [36], Wm [38] & Robert
[34], sons of Thomas WITHERS [3] for the terms of their 3 lives or the
longest liver. -p5 of MT.

1647 Thomas WITHERS held 3 allotments of land & a leasehold for 14 years of 6
acres of meadow & pasture & divers parcels of land in the common fields
amounting to 30 acrew for a rental value of 14p (WSRO 248/101,6). The rest was
a copyhold valued at 28P with a rent of 3P 6s 8d plus a heriot (usually a best
beast or a sum of money - p13) at the end of the copyhold tenure. This included
a dwelling house, 2 barns, a stable, oxhouse, orchard & 3 closes, 3 acres of
meadow including 1 acre called Stoneacre (NOW the Rectory garden N of the
churchyard!) & common pasture on the downs & common fields for 240 sheep, also
further up on the downs rights of grazing for 12 beasts. There were 62 acres of
arable in the common fields. The third was aother copyhold held in the right
of his wife under the rent of 4 marks & the heriot of a pony at death of the
copoyholder. The estate was valued at 24P & consisted of a dwelling house, a
barn, a stable, an oxhouse alongside an orchard & backside, 2 meadows (in
dolemeads) 2 little grounds. There were rights of pasture for 200 sheep & on
the common fields & for 10 beasts on the cowdown & 61 acres of arable. It all
amounted to at least 164 acres with rights to grazing for 2 flocks of 200 sheep
each & for the cattle, on the extensive downland. - p5 of MT.

After the restoration of the king in 1661, customary tenants are recorded
coming to the manor court to pay homage & be amerced (ie showing contrition by
making payment). In 1661 Wm [38], Ralph [36] & John [35] were amerced & a
further 10 defaulters in 1666 including John WITHERS [35] & Thomas WITHERS the
younger [33?]: (WSRO 248/91/222) - p10 of MT.

1659 The manor court records a redivision of a small amount of copyhold
land to Jason [361] son of Ralph [36], who had recently died in Wm PENN's new
colony in county Chester, PA & to Wm WITHERS [38?], & together paid the entry
fine of 20P - (WSRO 248/91/52) p10 of MT.

In 1684 Wm WITHERS [38?] & Edward & Wm NAISH carved their names on the N
wall of the NE chapel in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, BC. Again below the
doorway the names of Wm WITHER [383? -38 d1698] & Wm NAISH are carved dated
1700. - p10 of MT. (Photos of these carvings appear between p9 and 10.

By 1684 he renewed his "fine" before the manor court, based on an "entry" of
1638 [of his father?]. At the same court (WSRO 248/91/52) Thomas WITHERS "by
his own purchase took of the lord here in full court, by the hand of the
Steward & by the Rod" a cottage called Yonder Cotty & a little close of grass
next to a little close of grass, next to late parcel of customary tenement
called Westend Copyhold, for 2s yearly rental, & paying the entry fine of 30P.
This was shared with kinsmen of the ASHLEY family [cf 354]. The last entry
Feb 1731 in this court book was for the copyhold held by Abraham ASHLEY [3545?]
& his 3 sons Jacob, Isaac & Walter for the entry fine of 105P & yearly rental
of 8s8d for Yonder Cotty & also 1 messuage called Sims with adjoining garden &
orchard & 2 closes of meadow called Nettlehills & 6 acres of arable in the
common fields. -p11 of MT.

p 15:

By the 18th century ... the copyhold family farms could not sustain [all the
descendants]... In 1720, revised in 1738, a survey of the manor of Bishops
Cannings was drawn & assessed by John OVERTON & his son (WRO Bishoprick 49).
The survey recorded all the acreages of the tythings in the parish &
landholders. In Cannings, William [38?] & Ralph WITHERS [36?] held a copyhold
called Black House, lately held by Elizabeth WITHERS [m2 of 38?] consisting of
1 messuage & its appurtenances in "Canons" with several parcels of land there
containing 97 acres 1r 27p, value 47P, with beast leaze on the down & common &
for 200 sheep in ye fields. William WITHERS also held a small freehold of 4
acres 1r 36p. It was also recorded there were 11 cottages in the Green at
Cannings, one held by John MINTY.... - p15 of MT.

1.10.1711 [Wilts.] Court Roll abstract (National Archive (Kew) Crest 38/2056)
records the arable, lands, meadow & pasture & common of pasture for cattle &
sheep in Cannings called SLOPERS [so presumably inherited from his mother]
thereto in the tenure of Ralph WITHERS deceased, since in tenure of Richard,
John & Wm COX, now deceased, & then to W SOLOMON & James GENT for lives. This
entry points to a change of direction of the former copyholds held by the
WITHERS into other ownerships. James GENT a notable brewer & mayor of Devizes
- COLMAN 1991, "The Baker's Diary", Wilts CC & WAHNS. - p15 of MT. The COX
family may be that in will of 13 who m'd 135 of /nash/nash.html]

An abstract of title from Court Rolls (in the NA Crest Box 38/2056, reference
library of WANHS, Devizes) for 1 close of 3 acres of meadow called House Mead,
in Horton, formerly held by Jason WITHERS [361?], now held by SLOPER.
Perhaps more telling of the decline of the WITHERS' copyhold estate is
revealed in the court roll of May 1755 (from another abstract in the NA Crest
Box) `also one mesne (ie home farm) or tenement & 3 yardlands lying in
Cannings Episcopi & Roundway called by the name West End & then formerly in
the possession of Thomas WITHERS, & since Sara & Susannah NASH & granted to
Geo WILLY & Willy SUTTON & James SUTTON Esq by copy' (the latter were
successful clothiers in Devizes; JS 1725-88 is the husband of 35111 1 above]).

There is the suggestion from these records that members of copyhold tenants
of long standing were dispersing into other areas of expanding trades, or
perhaps some stayed to work the fields & animal husbandry as undertenants to
absentee landlords who had their business & trade in Devizes. [p16:] Turnpike
roads were being built & later the Kennet & Avon Canal & the Great Western
Railway. By the latter end of the 18th C Mark SLOPER held the copyhold estate
of WITHERS as described in the Enclosure Award 1794, 20 when .. piece of land
were being exchanged `in lieu & exchange for pasture land called Stubbhayes or
Stoney Croft now the property of Mark SLOPER in respect of his copyhold estate
called WITHERS (no 397 on Map B) 2 acres 1r 8p to James GENT. See also a
reference to George SLOPER master baker in Devizes (1753-1810) who in 1787
held copyhold land in the value of 615P in Bishops Cannings (COLMAN 199,55,
85). The turnpike road from Devizes to Beckhampton (now A361) passes close by
West End at Bishops Cannings, was finished by 1820. (The former route higher
on the downs in the N remains as green trackways.) The inn on the old road
became defunct & turned into cottages for farm workers. The making of the road
(by many labourers) must have displaced a cottage, as again the NA Crest Box
there is a record f a `newly created messuages or cottage divided into 2
tenements & yards, gardens & bakehouse, lying on the N side of the turnpike
leading from Devizes to Marlborough, & now in the occupation of James MINTIE
& John WITHERS as tenants to the said Nanny HAZELAND who paid the quit rent of
10s in 1827.' The Enclosure Award was a hard task for the surveyor &
commissioner William TUBB [in Bishops Cannings] when he started in 1794, who
complained that there were so many small pieces of land dispersed &
inconveniently situated held by several owners incapable of any considerable
improvement'. One of these old enclosures was a messuage or cottage with an
outhouse & home close called Cotty's Homestead now held by Eleanor SUTTON. The
SUTTON family also held West end farm (of Cannings Canonicorum) which was
adding to the large estate of the Sotheron Estcourt during the 19th C. The
Enclosure Award also records an old enclosure with no house held by MINTY &
WITHERS at West End.