Walter Vowles may have been baptized in 1580/81 in the parish church of St Mary, Wedmore, Somerset. The parish registers record the baptism of one Walter, son of Walter Vowles of Panborough, on 5 March 1580/81[1]. There are two males, John and Edward, baptized in the parish on 26 Dec 1579 with a father recorded as Walter Voules[2], these may be Walter's older brothers. John died and was buried three days after his baptism on 29 Dec 1579[3]
Walter Vowles (estimated to be aged 35 years) married Jana Vowles in Wedmore parish on 8 Jun 1615[4]. Their first child, Eleanor, was born just over nine months later.
Jana and Walter had at least nine children baptized in the parish church of St Mary, Wedmore between 1616 and 1635:
Walter may have died in 1652, there is record of the burial of "Walter Vowles of Theale" on 26 July 1652 without further information in the parish register[5]. He would have been aged 71 years. The Registers did not record any indicators of age in that period (unlike earlier Registers).
In his long life Walter acquired a significant estate. He lived through momentous times in England's history including a diminution of the old Roman Catholic order and the emergence of a protestant sensibility, and public administration. James I placed his imprimatur on a new vernacular version of the Christian bible which was to hold sway in the conscience of English speaking peoples well in to Victoria's reign. He saw the regicide of Charles I, and the creation of the Commonwealth under a Protector.
At the age of 71 years he distributed his estate between his children and grandchildren, and one brother. The bequests in his last will testify to his priorities and the assets he had acquired in his long life: his youngest unmarried daughter received 100 "pounds of lawfull monie of England ". His youngest son, Walter, was to inherit the bulk of his real estate upon Jane's decease. His older children received smaller bequests, perhaps because of their relative comfortable situations and married status. His son John, was bequeathed along with his land tenancies, his "black Cowe called Daysey and one heifer which was her calfe". This arguably prosaic concern reflects Walter's agricultural and farming concerns. They all speak to his relative affluence even after the disruptions of the Civil War. His personal circumstance and outlook during which are unknown.
Walter Voules of Theale, husbandman, made his last will and testament on 15 Jul 1652[6]. In it he made provision and gave parts of his estate to his son John, daughter Eli[n]nor, his grandson William, daughter Jane, his under-majority age daughter Mary, his son Walter and his brother Joseph. The remainder of his estate he gave to his wife Jane, and appointed her his executrix. She proved the will by sworn testimony on 22 Oct 1652. See a transcription of the will.
Whether John and Edward Voules, who were both baptized 26 Dec 1579, were Walter's older brothers is uncertain. In the Register they are recorded as "fillii Walteri Voules" without any geographic designation as suffix. In the entry recording Walter's baptism his father is styled Walteri Voules "de Panborowe", ie Panborough a village about 3 miles south-east of Wedmore.
To further confound the identity of children born to Walter Voules (the senior), the baptism of another child, named John (Joannis), is recorded in the parish Registers on 4 Jan 1582/83[7].
There is a record of the baptism of "Josua filius Walteri Voules de Theale" on 4 Jul 1585[8]. This may be another brother to Walter, the village Theale is only ¾mile north-west of Panborough.
Walter (the senior) had five children: John and Edward (bapt. December 1579), Walter (bapt. March 1581/82), John (bapt. January 1582/83) and Joshua (bapt. July 1585). The firstborn son John died in infancy and a second son was presumably named after him.
It is possible that Walter's father, also Walter, died in 1611/12, his burial on 17 Feb 1611/12 is recorded in the parish register[9].. He is described as "senex" i.e. old man. His baptism is not recorded in the parish registers and so it may be conjectured that he was baptized before 1561 when baptisms were first recorded.
The 1642 Protestation Returns for Bempstone Hundred (which included the parish of Wedmore) are not held by the UK Parliament. Parliamentary Archives. It is presumed that they didn't survive. It is not possible to confirm the existence of Walter and the adult male members of his family in 1642 through records in the Returns.
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Categories: English Husbandmen | Wedmore, Somerset