Will and inventory of William Cowdrey/Cowdrye, yeoman, 1557

Cowdrey’s will is short and straightforward, but the property and goods listed in the inventory were the most considerable of any so far studied, being four times the value of most others at £416. For a wealthy man, it is interesting that he made no bequest to his parish church, just the customary 2d to the cathedral. Most of his goods he left to his wife, sole executrix, but his lands went to his eldest son and the house to another son on the death of his wife. There would seem to be younger children who each received £10, and they got an equal share in the estate on their mother’s death. He held land in Basingstoke and Sherfield on Loddon as well as Basing (over 120 acres), also the lease of a park (presumably for hunting) at Prewet. His house was large and well appointed, also the farm buildings, and his goods included rich apparel and the personal weapons of a gentleman. The stock included seven plough horses and eight oxen with equipment for both teams, and a large number of other stock, including a large flock of wether sheep as well as the breeding ewes and lambs, in toal 600 sheep. His house was well-furnished and reflected a greater standard of comfort than that enjoyed by most of his contemporaries.