Walford family of wethersfield and finchingfield

[gloveg]

I would like to correspond with anyone who is researching on the above families. The History of Essex by Thomas Wright p. 609 states that "so incomplete are the early parts of the registers of Weathersfield and Finchingfield, that we cannot trace the family with accuracy until the end of the sixteenth century". The pedigree then listed begins with Giles Walford who resided at Finchingfield in 1540. I would like to know if anyone else has had a crack at trying to figure out the Walford family line prior to 1540.

[Vance Mead]

Was Giles Walford still alive in 1577?

Because in Seax there's a record of Giles Walford (son of Richard Walford) admitted to property in Wethersfield in that year.

https://www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk

https://www.essexarchivesonline.co.uk/result_details.aspx?ThisRecordsOffSet=1&id=40324


And here is Richard Walford, of Finchingfield, husbandman, in two cases in Common Pleas in Trinity term 1527 against John Walford, of Finchingfield, the son and executor of Thomas Walford. This looks like a dispute over inheritance.

f 152
Essex. John Walford, son of Thomas; and Henry Northey, executors of Thomas Walford, versus Richard Walford, of Fynchefeld, husbandman. Detinue: to return an indenture which he unjustly detains.
 
3rd entry:
http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT3/H8/CP40no1055/aCP40no1055fronts/IMG_0152.htm

d 135
Essex.  Richard Walford, versus Henry Northey, of Wetherfeld, husbandman; John Walford, of Fynchyngfeld, husbandman. Trespass breach of an enclosure belonging to Richard at Fynchyngfeld and taking five horses worth five pounds, and other goods and chattels worth 40 shillings.

2nd entry:
http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT3/H8/CP40no1055/bCP40no1055dorses/IMG_0135.htm

[gloveg]

Was Giles Walford still alive in 1577?

Because in Seax there's a record of Giles Walford (son of Richard Walford) admitted to property in Wethersfield in that year.

Dear Vance
Thank you for your response.

Yes, Giles Walford was alive in 1577. This record, however, refers to a Giles Walford of Wethersfield. I have searched, I believe, most of the Walford (plus variations) online references on Seax from 1400 to 1650. I think there must have been two Giles Walfords alive at around the same time, one in Wethersfield and one in Finchingfield.

I have found references for a Giles Walford of Wethersfield in 1577 and 1590 where he is described as "of Wethersfield, yeoman" and, as you mention above, as the son of Richard Walford of Wethersfield.

I have also found references for a Giles Walford of Finchingfield in 1589 (Panel of Hinckford) and 1592 (Jury Panel of Hinckford) where he is described as "of Finchingfield". Also, he is mentioned in the will of James Harrington of Finchingfield 1584 where he is described as his "son-in-law", but is more likely his stepson. Finally, his own will is dated 1625 (PCC). However, I have not been able to find any record which mentions who his father is, though it is most likely to be either a William or Thomas Walford, as he has a brother named William and his first son's name is Thomas.

The other two records you sent concerning Thomas, John and Richard Walford of Finchingfield, I did not have. Can you please tell me where you located these records. As I said, I have tried researching the Walford family back further than my ancestor, Giles Walford of Finchingfield, and have created quite a family tree based on what I have found online through Seax and other sources.

These additional records confirm that Richard and John were both sons of Thomas Walford of Finchingfield who is also mentioned in various deeds in 1510, 1513 and 1521 on Seax. However, I had the dates for their births and deaths approximated about 10-20 years later.

Three records that I am still seeking at present are:

Will of Richard Walford of Wethersfield 1574. (Not sure is this record actually exists.)
Will of Richard Wallforde of Wethersfield 1589. (A transcript of this record is found in "Essex Wills - the Archdeaconry Court 1583-1592 pp. 269-270 but unfortunately, I have not been able to obtain a copy of the second page.)
Nuncupative will of Gregory Walford of Finchingfield 1570. (A copy of this is held at the Essex Record Office but not available online).

Thanks again for the added bit of information. I would welcome any further information you can find on the early (1400-1600) Walford family in Finchingfield and Wethersfield that is not online on Seax (as I think I have exhausted that!).
Gerelle Lovegrove.

[Vance Mead]

Those records of Common Pleas are available on AALT (Anglo-American Legal Tradition).

http://aalt.law.uh.edu/

Almost 10 million images of records from the various courts (Common Pleas, King's/Queen's Bench, Chancery, etc) as well as other records (such as Exchequer and State Papers) are online.

A small portion of these have been indexed and can be searched here:

http://aalt.law.uh.edu/Indices/CP40Indices/CP40_Indices.html

http://aalt.law.uh.edu/Indices/KB27Indices/KB27Indices.html

And here:

http://www.uh.edu/waalt/index.php/Main_Page


Is it possible that Giles Walford of Finchingfield is the same person as Giles of Wethersfield? The two parishes are adjacent and one person might have had property in both parishes. So he might have been described in different ways at different times and in different contexts. When working with Common Pleas records I frequently come across people who are of two or more places.


Also, in the AALT records and in SEAX, the spelling of surnames might vary. In SEAX there is a John Walforth senior and a William Walforthe in Wethersfield in 1462.

Even Walworth might be a possibility, as in this 1567 record concerning land in Shalford:

http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT5/Eliz/CP40no1252/bCP40no1252dorses/IMG_0313.htm

Third to last entry:
Essex. Thomas Walworth alias Walforde paid the Queen six shillings eight pence for license to concord with John Pamphelon alias Pamflon and Elizabeth his wife concerning one messuage, one barn, one garden and two and a half acres of land with appurtenances in Shalford.

With this spelling there are many records in SEAX going back to 1420 for properties in Wethersfield, several for lands abutting the King's highway to Braintree and "Motoneslane" where the spelling is Walford or Walforde after 1500.

For example, there is this property held by John Walworth in 1447 and John Walford in 1513:

1447
Cottage and garden in Wethersfield, between land formerly of Robert Munde and now of John Walworth on one part and tenement late of Ralph Makworth and now of John Golding on other part, one head abutting on the highway from Wethersfield to Branketre and the other had on Motoneslane

1513
Messuage and garden in Wethersfield between land of John Walford called Mundes on the one part and house late of John Goldyng and now of Richard Harward on the other, one head abutting on the highway from Wethersfield to Braintree and the other on Motoys Lane.

[gloveg]

Thanks so much for your help and for the links. However, I'm not really sure how to navigate it to find any information.

I have wondered if the two Giles Walfords are the same person. However, the information I have gathered seems to suggest that they were, in fact, two separate people. The Giles Walford, son of Richard of Wethersfield, in 1577 would most likely be older than the Giles Walford of Finchingfield whose will is dated 1625.

The first Giles Walford (son of Richard Walford of Wetherfield) is mentioned as being a yeoman of Wethersfield in 1590.

The second Giles Walford of Finchingfield is mentioned (along with his brother William and sister Joan) in the will of James Harrington of Finchingfield 1584 as his "son and daughter in laws" (stepchildren). Also, Giles Walford is mentioned as being of Finchingfield in the Jury rolls of 1589 and 1592.

Further, I have not found a mention of any Giles Walford in any of the wills of the different Richard Walfords of Wethersfield that I have a copy of, which could mean that Giles died before his father. Again, that would mean he is not the Giles Walford who made his will in 1625. I know its a bit of a puzzle!

Consequently, I am looking for any information that would lead me to the identity of the father of Giles Walford of Finchingfield.

Thanks again,
Gerelle Lovegrove.

[Vance Mead]

These are the ones who are described as of Finchingfield:

1500/01 John, son of William Walworth, of Finchingfield (Seax)

1527 Richard Walford, of Fynchefeld, husbandman (Common Pleas)
 also in 1527: had an enclosure at Finchingfield

1527 John Walford, of Fynchyngfeld, husbandman (Common Pleas)

[gloveg]

Also, in the AALT records and in SEAX, the spelling of surnames might vary. In SEAX there is a John Walforth senior and a William Walforthe in Wethersfield in 1462.

Even Walworth might be a possibility, as in this 1567 record concerning land in Shalford:

http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT5/Eliz/CP40no1252/bCP40no1252dorses/IMG_0313.htm

Third to last entry:
Essex. Thomas Walworth alias Walforde paid the Queen six shillings eight pence for license to concord with John Pamphelon alias Pamflon and Elizabeth his wife concerning one messuage, one barn, one garden and two and a half acres of land with appurtenances in Shalford.

With this spelling there are many records in SEAX going back to 1420 for properties in Wethersfield, several for lands abutting the King's highway to Braintree and "Motoneslane" where the spelling is Walford or Walforde after 1500.

For example, there is this property held by John Walworth in 1447 and John Walford in 1513:

1447
Cottage and garden in Wethersfield, between land formerly of Robert Munde and now of John Walworth on one part and tenement late of Ralph Makworth and now of John Golding on other part, one head abutting on the highway from Wethersfield to Branketre and the other had on Motoneslane

1513
Messuage and garden in Wethersfield between land of John Walford called Mundes on the one part and house late of John Goldyng and now of Richard Harward on the other, one head abutting on the highway from Wethersfield to Braintree and the other on Motoys Lane.

Hi Vance,
Thanks for the Walworth/Walford suggestion. I had already made that connection but was glad to have you confirm your thoughts on it as well. The earliest Walworth records I have found are John Walworth in 1424 witness to a deed in Wethersfield and 1427 William Walworth also witness to a deed in Wethersfield. There a quite a number of deeds which show John Walworth (later John Walford) of Mundes in Wethersfield, with a number of grants and demises showing William or John Walworth. One particular Demise in 1483 shows a transfer of land from William Walworth Jnr. to William Walworth Snr, his wife Agnes and John Walworth, all of Wethersfield. The Will of William Walford (formerly Walworth), the Elder, in 1517 only mentions a daughter Parnell, as it would seem that his two sons, John and William, had already died (John lately of Mundes in 1510) and William Walworth Jnr about 1483).

The change of name from Walworth to Walford seems to occur between 1510 and 1513, though there does seem to be a few mentions of the name of Walworth after that, ie. the Thomas Walworth alias Walford of Shalford in 1546.

The first mention of the name Walford in the deeds of Wethersfield and Finchingfield is in 1510 and subsequently in 1513, where Thomas Walford of Finchingfield is mentioned, Alexander Walford of Wethersfield, John Walford of Mundes, Wethersfield and William Walford (possibly the William Walford whose will is 1517).

1521 - Thomas and John Walford of Finchingfield are made attornies to the will of Alice Craneford.

I have 18 records that mention Walworth on SEAX between 1424 and 1528 and 22 records that mention Walford between 1510 and 1599. There are about 24 more between 1599 and 1620, about which time the Finchingfield Parish Registers begin. Trying to put them into some sort of pedigree has been a challenge.

Thanks for your latest post which I just received.
The 1500/1 John Walworth son of William Walworth of Finchingfield I believe is the same person as the John Walworth lately of Mundes, Wethersfield (1510) and that he had properties in both Wethersfield and Finchingfield. He was the son of the William Walford/Walworth whose will is dated 1517. John Walworth/Walford's sons are Thomas Walford of Finchingfield (1513) and Alexander Walford of Wethersfield (1513).

1527 Richard Walford of Finchingfield, husbandman is most likely the son of the Thomas Walford of Finchingfield mentioned above.
And the 1527 John Walford of Finchingfield, husbandman, is Richard's brother. John Walford married  Elizabeth and has will dated 1556 of Finchingfield.

I am going to do a bit more searching between 1600 and 1625 to see if I can pick up anything more that will give me a lead to the father of Giles Walford of Finchingfield.

Thanks again for your help. If you find anything more, please send.
Gerelle.

[Gabriel 54]

I wonder if these have anything to do with a connection of mine :

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Walford_s_records_of_the_Great_and_Noble/ie5hmpEY-mQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Rev+William+Walford&pg=PA235&printsec=frontcover

He, Rev William Walford, was a descendant of Thomas Cromwell's sister Jane.