Inkpen's Wills

The first will known for Inkpen is that of Wulfgar, (the name means wolf spear) and is shown here. It's dated 931-030 AD but is more likely 933-939 AD, and is held in the British Library. The British Library manuscript 15350 is known as the Winchester Codex and is dealt with in two doctoral thesis volumes under the title 'The structure and reliability of the Codex Wintoniensis (British Museum, additional ms 15350; the cartulary of Winchester Cathedral Priory)' 1, 2.

Cotton Charter viii, dated 931-939 AD includes the will of the Saxon, Wulfgar. This was in the reign of AEthelstan 924-939. Wulfgar wishes "the land at inche penne" to be divided on his death, with three quarters going to his wife AEffe, the other quarter going to "the servants of God" at his holy place, Kintbury (spelt Cynetanbyrig in the 10th century, and Kenetebury in the 13th century). Wulfgar adds to "the land at inche penne" the words, "which I had from Wulfric, who had it from Wulfrere who first owned it". Wulfric was Wulfgar's father and Wulfrere, his grandfather. Following AEffe's death, her share was also to go to the holy place at Kintbury, "for the souls of Wulfgar, Wulfric and Wulfrere".

Other Wills:

James Hawkins

1807

ADM

1

Jesse Watts

1856

ADM

1

William James Bartlett

1940

ADM

1, 2

Harold Victor Littlecott

B 1956

BT

1

Jane Mattingly

1804

IR

1

John Widdows

1809

IR

1

Philip Hide

1805

IR

1

Lilian Watts

1989

PROB

1

Dorotha Watts

1693

PROB

1

Edward Brushwood

1873

PROB

1

Edward Garrard

1627

PROB

1

Elizabeth Dobree

1832

PROB

1

Elizabeth Lovelock

1833

PROB

1

Erasmus Brickenden

1815

PROB

1

George Baster

1807

PROB

1, 2

George Kempe (see below)

1618

PROB

1

George Mallingly

1847

PROB

1

Henry Hayes

1775

PROB

1

Hugh Heron

1628

PROB

1

James Maskell

1844

PROB

1

James Smith

1835

PROB

1

John Baster

1825

PROB

1

John Buckeridge

1841

PROB

1

John Burgess

1850

PROB

1

John Finch

1844

PROB

1

John Gibbs otherwise Gibs

1779

PROB

1

John Norris

1800

PROB

1

John Watts

1742

PROB

1

Joseph Butler

1823

PROB

1

Joseph Gibbs

1809

PROB

1

Letitia Gibbs

1829

PROB

1

Lydia Vachell

1833

PROB

1

Mary Mohun

1767

PROB

1

Michael Kimber

1806

PROB

1

Reverend Richard Brickenden

1749

PROB

1

Reverend Robert Butler

1826

PROB

1

Richard Geater

1823

PROB

1

Thomas Bartholomew

1714

PROB

1

Thomas Sharpis or Sharpes

1760

PROB

1

Thomas Tailor

1638

PROB

1

William Buckeridge

1830

PROB

1

William Elbury

1809

PROB

1

William Hughes

1711

PROB

1

Richard Inckpen

1591

Nat Arch

1

Roger de Ingepenne

c1130

-

1

Wulfgar

931

Brit Lib

1


A translation and breakdown of George Kempe's will was kindly provided by Donald Peck, and is as follows:-
George Kempe made his will on 15 Jan 1615 and probate was granted (in the second para in Latin) on 7 Oct 1618.

George Kempe of Inkpen, husbandman, and he makes the following bequests:
His best coffer to his eldest son, Simon
1 coffer to his 2nd son, John
1 coffer to his 3rd son, William,
and 60s to his daughter Bridget - the '60s [were] in the hands of John Clitter' (or Glitter)
and George left everything else to his wife Christian Kempe with the witnesses being John Clitter and Frances Tayler

The separate Probate para mentions only his wife Christian (who is not specified as executrix but this shows that she must have had that role in practice)