Will of Nicholas Smith, clerk, 1617

Nicholas Smith was rector of Newnham and Mapledurwell from 1589 but may have retired before his death. He was appointed a fellow of Queen’s College, Oxford, the patrons of the living, in 1582. Queen’s College students came from north-west England which probably accounts for Smith’s bequest to the poor of Clifton in Westmorland. He had clearly accumulated substantial assets in Newnham during his incumbency.