Bond 158768 & 158769

158768. Hugh Byccombe & 158769. Elizabeth Gillingham {Bond}


~1410, Hugh born in England, s/o 317536. Richard Biccombe and 317537. Margaret Woth.

~1410, Elizabeth born in Co. Dorset, England.

1446, Unlabelled deeds incl. one of manors of Crowcombe and Broomfield, and the church burgages [rented lands].

1456, deeds show Hugh in possession of some family properties.

During his short tenure of the family estates at Broomfield, Crowcombe, Bishop's Lydeard, Selworthy, Timberscombe, Biccombe, and Dunster, Hugh had conveyed them to feoffees, apparently to the uses of his will.

1459, Hugh, ye son of ye Richard [Lord of Craucombe] grants ye same to ye said Richard who with ye above … confirm to ye said Hugh & his heirs ye said Mannors [Cokely, Rabbock, Maunsell], and in default to ye heirs of Richard ye Grantor.

1459, Hugh heir to his father. Hugh held his first court, and a presentment was made of a “pound breach”. (S) Notes and Queries for Somerset and Dorset, V6, P52.

4/1460, Hugh died leaving his 8-year-old son Robert as heir; buried at the Crowcombe Church.

1460, “Elizabeth Biccomb of Craucomb, widow of Hugh Biccomb, took a vow of chastity after the death of her husband.”

1460-65, “Dame Elizabeth Biccombe, late the wife of Hugh Biccombe, gent. v. John Britte and William Stenyng, feoffees.: Procuring a fraudulent deed of enfeoffment concerning lands, &c. in Crowcombe, Stogumber, Broomfield and Gerelyshays, Bickham in Timberscombe, and West Lynch in Selworthy.: Somerset.” (S) UKNA.

Elizabeth his relict, a ‘vowess,’ claimed a life-interest in the estates under the will and had to have proceedings in Chancery in order to quash an arrangement which the feoffees had made. She was apparently successful.

6/1505, Elizabeth died. Will abstract: “My body to be buried in holy grave in the church of Crowcombe next the body of Hugh Biccomb my late husband. To the repair of the cathedral church of Wells 12d. To the repair of the high altar of the church of Crowcomb three sheets with one napkin. To the parish church of Stokegomere an image of the Holy Trinity made of stone and one sheet. All my debts being paid I will that Richard Bluett dispose the residue of all my goods for the welfare of my soul and of my friends’ souls.” Proved 6/23/1505. (S) Somerset medieval wills, Weaver, 1903, P83.

Child of Hugh and Elizabeth:

i. Robert Bykcombe (79384), born 1451 in England.