Robert CORNEWELL of Sewers End

[Peter Cornwell]

I am hoping that someone may be able to confirm if Robert CORNEWELL who married Agnes DRIVER at Fulbourn St Vigor's (Cambs) in 1598 originated from Saffron Walden ? Several public trees suggest that he was baptised in Saffron Walden on 22 Jun 1578 the son of Robert CORNEWELL & Sarah POMFRET (of Sewers End). And while dates & proximity make such a connection entirely plausible, my current belief is that child died aged two years & was buried at Saffron Walden on 22 May 1580 ? 

Can anybody point me to an established connection between the Saffron Walden & Fulbourn branches of these CORNEWELL families ? I would be most grateful - thank you.   

(Note: Request also posted on the Cambridgeshire board).     

[nannyj]

The baptism and burial are both in the parish registers as you say. The Robert who is buried is son of Robert Cornell but I suspect this is just an error on the clerk’s part. I checked the parish registers from 1560 up to 1589 and there are no more Robert cornwells born to a Robert, which does suggest that the Robert born in 1578 is the one buried in 1580.

[Peter Cornwell]

nannyj,

Thank you for checking the registers & for your comments. As far as I know, there were only two Robert CORNELLs (spellings do vary as you say) in Saffron Walden at the time who were the 'son of Robert'. The one baptised in 1578 who died two years later, and his father who continued siring children up to his own death in October 1592. So the younger Robert cannot be that who married Agnes DRIVER in Fulbourn in 1598 as has been suggested. I would really love to link the Saffron Walden CORNEWELLs & those in Fulbourn but, to date, nothing has emerged to establish any such connection. Thanks again.     

[nannyj]

Who’s the other Robert that was baptised. I only saw one but may have missed the other one?

[Peter Cornwell]

nannyj,

You haven't missed a thing. I have no record of any baptisms for Robert CORNELL (or similar) in Saffron Walden other than that on 22 Jun 1578. I believe that 'Old Robert' of Sewers End (the grandfather) was buried there on 30 Oct 1592 while his eldest son Robert (the father) followed on 24 July the next year. It was his son Robert who died in 1580 aged two years. Thanks again for your interest.

[amondg]

The Essex Record Office has many wills for the Cornewell family 1500's that are on line paid subscription required, they do have a one day pass, they can give you relationships.

I'd help but my sub expired.   

[Peter Cornwell]

amondg,

Thanks for the tip but I have already trawled that particular source. Plenty of useful data obtained on the early CORNEWELLs of Saffron Walden but nothing to connect any of them to Fulbourn. Thanks again.

[Peter Cornwell]

Further reassessment of all (to me) available evidence, confirms that the Robert CORNEWELL baptised in St Mary the Virgin Church, Saffron Walden, on 22 Jun 1578 was indeed buried there as 'Robert CORNELL son of Robert' on 22 May 1580. His father, 'Robert CORNELL Junior' was also buried there on 30 Oct 1592 while Old Robert CORNELL yeoman of Sewers End, the grandfather, followed them both on 7 May 1598. Only one other Robert CORNELL is documented in Saffron Walden around this time, the son Of John & Margaret (CHALLIS) who was baptised there on 5 May 1594. So no connection established with the Saffron Walden CORNELLs and my 8GGF Robert CORNEWELL who married Agnes DRIVER in Fulbourn on 30 Sep 1598.