Title:
Decree relating to Mrs Martin's Charity, with duplicate
Level: Category
Borough records
Level: Fonds
SAFFRON WALDEN
Level: Sub-Fonds
Charities
Level: Series
Martin's charity
Scope and Content:
George II to Samuel Woodcock and Ann his wife (Ann was heir to Henry Potterel, the last surviving feoffee of Lettice Martin), Richard Brookes and Oliver Rush, formerly churchwardens of Chrishall and Thomas Potterel, Sir Peter Soame, Revd Thomas Stock, Thomas Blackmore and others.

Refers to an Act of Parliament of 27 October1601 entitled 'an Act to Redress the Misemployment of Lands Goods and Stocks of Money heretofore given to Charitable uses by the Oaths of Joseph Woodham, Lancaster Richard, George Cockett, Thomas Rickard, William Headland, John Clerke, Ambrose Kent, Joseph Todd, Nehemiah Perry, Thomas Headland, Thomas Buck, Robert Lagden and George Buck honest and lawfull Men of the said County duly Impanelled and sworn'.

Lettice Martin owned land in Chrishall called Chalks Mead and Shaw Croft and other land in Heydon, Chrishall and Ballingdon, and by an indenture of 29 December 1562 conveyed the property to John Wise of Chrishall, gentleman, Henry Trigg of Elmdon, John Lee, Richard Lote senior, John Lucas, John Coleman, Richard Coleman and Thomas Coleman of Chrishall, husbandmen; after her death they were to give the churchwardens of Chrishall annually the sum of £9 13s.4d. to be distributed among the poor parishioners of Great Wenden, Little Wenden, Chrishall, Heydon, Great Chrishall, Elmdon, Great Chesterford, Audley End, Littlebury, Newport, Clavering, Debden, Langley, Wendon Lofts, Berden and Walden in Essex; Ickleton, Little Shelford, Great Shelford, Hinton, Duxforth [sic, properly Duxford], Whittlesford, Hinkeston and Thriplow (all in Cambridgeshire); and Barley, Hertfordshire. In addition, the income from sales of wood should be distributed among the poor parishioners of Great and Little Wenden and Chrishall. Also recites an indenture of 20 March 1563/4 between Lettice Martin and Sigismond Brooke of Chrishall, gentleman Thomas Trigg of Elmdon, yeoman, John Lee, Richard Lote senior, Thomas Hopper, Henry Trigg, Anthony Parker, Thomas Parker junior, John Lucas, John Coleman, Richard Coleman and Thomas Coleman of Chrishall, husbandmen, conveying 60 acres of land which is to be converted after her death and the sum of £3 16s.8d. given annually to the churchwardens of Chrishall to provide for the poor parishioners of Melbourn, Meldred [sic], Foulmure [sic], Shepreth, Newton, Stapleford (all in Cambridgeshire), Walden, Elmdon, Chrishall, Wenden, Harston, Hawkestone (both Cambridgeshire).

Lettice Martin made her will on 20 September 1568, which was proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 14 May 1575. An inquisition was held at Newport on 25 March 1673 into the allegation that the then trustees had let the land to their friends and relations at rents considerably below the market value; at that time only 4 feoffees remained: John Stock, Henry Potterell, John Griffen and John Woodcock. They were discharged and ordered to surrender the property to twelve 'of the best and most honest persons' of Chrishall; all leases granted by the four feoffees were declared void. All future leases should be no longer than 21 years. The 4 feoffees took exception to this decree and the case was heard by the Lord Chancellor on 29 February 1675, who confirmed the order. (Details of the pieces of land which were particularly affected, their tenants, the rents paid and their true value.) Four Commissioners determined that Samuel and Ann Woodcock should surrender the property to new (named) trustees and that the former churchwardens of Chrishall should surrender the sum of £16 16s.4d. then in their hands. In future annual accounts should be submitted to the Court of Quarter Sessions. When only 4 trustees remained alive they were to elect another 8 men to bring the number back to twelve. All accounts, title deeds and other documents should be kept in a special chest in the church vestry at Chrishall; there should be two keys, one to be kept by one of the trustees (elected by the others) and the other by the senior churchwarden.

Dates of Creation:
7 November 1745
Extent:
2 items
Physical Characteristics:
One of the duplicates is in poor condition; the other has two pages torn out.