Humphrey Blake (abt. 1494 - 1558)

Born about 1494 in Over Stowey, Somerset, England

Descendants

Died 19 Nov 1558 at about age 64 in Over Stowey, Somerset, England

Biography

HUMPHREY1 BLAKE was born about 1494[7]

He married AGNES _____, who was buried on 24 June 1585 in Over Stowey[2]. [2, 4, 7, 14, 7, 7, 15]

Humphrey died on 19 Nov. 1558 in Over Stowey, Somerset, England, United Kingdom[2, 4] and was buried on 28 Dec. 1558 in Over Stowey[7]. ^{[1][2] [3]}

This family is supposedly descended from the Blake family of Calne, Wiltshire that dates back to the 13th century. There have been a number of lineages published on this line to the Somerset family, but they differ considerably and the connection is still in doubt. However, Humphrey's English descendants did use the arms of the Blake family of Calne[2]

It is clear that Henry Blake is the ancestor not only of the Wiltshire Blakes, but also the Blakes of Over Stowey, Somerset, although previously published lineages appear to be incorrect. The first four generations of the Blake pedigree from the 1623 visitation of Wiltshire are given below. There are perhaps three missing generations between Henry and Humphrey.

Robert Blaque or Blake of Wiltshire.

Henry Blake m. _____, daughter and heiress of _____ Dorant.

William Blake m. Eliza, daughter Thomas Power.

Henry Blake m. Margaret, daughter and heiress of Walter Bellet.

[perhaps 3 missing generations]

Humphrey Blake of Over Stowey (1494?-1558)[14]

Marriage and Children, Also See Disputed Wife

Spouse marriage dates seem to be in dispute Agnes James b. buried on 24 June 1585 in Over Stowey, Co. Somerset, England Married: October 2 1578 Over Stowey, Co. Somerset, England

Husband: Humphrey Blake and Agnes Littleton married 2 June 1519, Over, Somerset, England^[4]

1. Child: John Blakeb. about 1521[2]; bur. on 10 Dec. 1576 in Over Stowey[2]; m. JOAN
2. Child: Alice Blake
3. Child: Elenore Blake
4. Child: Agnes Blake
5. Child: Thomas Blake
6. Child: Robert Blake

Disputed Parents

The parents of Humphrey Blake are unknown, although it seems that he descends from a Blake family of Wiltshire: see The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Jan. 2010), p. 73.

Disputed Wife

There is no evidence that Humphrey Blake's wife was Agnes Littleton. According to the first part of the above-cited article on Humphrey Blake in the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Humphrey had a wife Anne or Agnes (maiden name unknown), but it is unknown whether she was the mother of his children.

Will

To be buried in the parish church of Over Stowey, with such orisons and prayers, to be said and done for me at my burial and in the days of my anniversary as shall be thought most mete by my Executors, etc. To the Parson of Aisholt to pray for me 10s-. To Anstice Blake, one of the daughters of Robert Blake, for her advancement in marriage, £6 . 6 . 8. To John Blake, the elder, my son, £100. To Robert Blake, my son, £100. The Manor of Tuxwell, Somerset, to my son Robert Blake and his heirs, etc., then to Thomas, my son, then to John Blake, the younger, my son. To John Blake the elder, my son, and his heirs, lands, etc., in Bishops Lydiard. Residue to Anne my wife, and my son, John Blake the younger, Exors. Date: 11 MAY 1558 Place: Over Stowey, Co. Somerset, England, will probated.^[5]

Manors and Other Estates

Three tenants in chief had land in Over Stowey in 1086, Alfred d'Epaignes, lord of Stowey, William de Falaise, lord of Stogursey, and William de Mohun, lord of Dunster.

Alfred d'Epaignes held STOWEY in 1086 in succession to Earl Harold. (fn. 35) His lands, including Over Stowey and Plainsfield and extending both sides of the Quantocks, (fn. 36) may have centred on the castle at Over Stowey, the only one known on his estate. Later the honor centred on the new castle at Nether Stowey and took its name. (fn. 37) Alfred and his immediate successors seem to have divided and subinfeudated the estate.

PLAINSFIELD, which had been held in 1066 by Edred, was occupied in 1086 by Hugh d'Epaignes under Alfred. (fn. 38) It was held of Nether Stowey honor until that was forfeited to the Crown in 1497, (fn. 39) and was held of the Crown from then until 1627 or later, in that year as of the manor of

Hampton Court. (fn. 40)

Richard son of Ralph held ½ fee at Plainsfield in 1166. (fn. 41) In 1262 Walter of Plainsfield was probably owner (fn. 42) and by 1285 had been succeeded by Adam de Chandos, probably also known as Adam of Plainsfield. (fn. 43) In 1300 Adam de Chandos settled the manor on himself for life with remainder to William de Chandos, son of Adam the elder. (fn. 44) Adam held the estate in 1303, (fn. 45) William in 1304, (fn. 46) and Adam de Chandos, possibly a third, between 1310 and 1318. (fn. 47) Another William Chandos held the manor in 1346 (fn. 48) and by 1393 had been succeeded by Joan Trowe, daughter of William Chandos. (fn. 49) Joan's son Thomas Trowe seems to have been in possession by 1402, although his mother may still have been alive. (fn. 50) Thomas continued in possession until 1431 or later (fn. 51) but by 1447 had been succeeded by John Trowe. (fn. 52)

In 1489-90 the manor was settled on Hugh Trowe and Elizabeth Malet, widow of Thomas Ashley, probably for their marriage. (fn. 53) Elizabethsurvived her husband but died in 1493, when her husband's brother Thomas was heir. (fn. 54) Thomas was involved in the rebellion of 1497 against

Henry VII and was attainted in 1504. Plainsfield manor was granted to Sir John Williams in 1506, (fn. 55) and on his death two years later it passed to his son Reginald, then a minor. (fn. 56) Reginald died in 1559 leaving sons John (d. 1560), Nicholas, and Richard. (fn. 57) Nicholas and Richard both died in 1568 without male issue and the manor reverted to the Crown. (fn. 58)

By 1601 Humphrey Blake (d. 1620), whose family had been tenants of the demesne probably from the mid 16th century, had acquired the manor. (fn.59) Humphrey's son Humphrey and their kinsman Robert Blake (d. 1627) seem to have shared the estate. Robert left a son, also Robert, a minor, (fn. 60) but in 1639 (fn. 61) the manor was held by the younger Humphrey's son or grandson, also Humphrey, who was succeeded in 1665 (fn. 62) by his son John. (fn. 63) John Blake died in 1695 and his son, also John, in 1704. (fn. 64) A third John Blake, son of the last, by his will of 1722 left the manor in trust for his nephew John Rich. John Rich by will dated 1747 gave Plainsfield to his brother Nathaniel who with his wife Joan sold the manor in 1761 to John Perceval, earl of Egmont (d. 1770). (fn. 65) The manor thereafter descended like Enmore; the lordship was not, however, mentioned in the sale of the estate in 1833. (fn. 66)

Plainsfield Court- The Blake Home

Over Stowey ?mostly belonged to the Blakes is pleasantly situated on the eastern side of the Quantock hills.? The church is a plain structure, consisting of a nave, chancel, and north aisle, with a tower at the west end, sixty feet in height, containing five bells. the parish registers, which begin in 1558, contain numerous entries of the family of Blake, and their collaterals, and some monumental tablets of the family yet remain.

The manor house of Plainsfield, long the residence of the Blakes, stands about a mile from the church, and affords a good specimen of a gentlemen?s residence in the early part of the sixteenth century, its massive walls, arched entrance porch, and general construction bearing evidence of its antiquity.

Plainsfield Court is a medieval farmhouse (Listed Grade II) with a self-contained wing and a range of traditional outbuildings set in the Quantock Hills with magnificent views across to the Bristol Channel and Somerset Levels. The Plainsfield Blakes came from Calne, Wiltshire, and settled in Somerset towards the end of the 15th Century. In the great hall, over the fire-place, are the sculptured arms of the family, as borne by their progenitors in Whiltshire and Hampshire. A venrable chesnut tree overspreads the building, and adds much to the picturesqueness of the spot. Many years ago the estate passed from the Blakes, and the mansion is now occupied by a tenant farmer of the Earl of Egmont.?

Research Notes

The English ancestry of William Blake, of Dorchester, MA was printed in the Search series, volume 17, pp. 19-21, and his line has been traced back to Humphrey Blake, who was buried in Over Stowey, Somerset in 1558. Now there is evidence he may have been born about 1537, in nearby Bridgwater, Somerset. A case has been found concerning tithes payable by John Rowswelll, in respect of which evidence was given on 9 Dec. 1567 by Humphrey Blake of Bridgwater, Husbandman, "where he had lived from his birth, aged 30 years or thereabouts" (ref. Somerset Record Office. D/D/Cd 12). This witness was therefore born at Bridgwater c. 1537.

This is the earliest evidence so far discovered for what is presumed to be the family of the Blakes later of Ov er Stowey, as the forename Humphrey was persistent on this branch. This is clearly too early for parish registers to be of help and a search through the unindexed Bridgwater borough records for the early 16th century was indicated. Unfortunately, although Bush has consulted the borough catalogues and looked at a number of rentals, surveys, deeds and leases, he has found no further reference to the surname. In itself this proves nothing. The fact that the above Humphrey was described as a husbandman suggests a relatively lowly status, which might in turn explain the dearth of references. Bush says he could pursue this further but he feels that additional work would not be justified at this stage.^[6]

Humphrey Blake was in Somerset in the early 1500's and founded that county's Blake family. He died C1588, and is buried on 28th December 1588 in Over Stowey, Somerset, England. In the early 1500's, he purchased large estates in Over Stowey, where he acquired the Plainsfield Manor (now Spaxton) and lived in the manor house, now called the "Court House", which still stands today. He became Lord of the Manor of Plainfield, situated on the east side of Quantock Hills, it consists of 4 hamlets of march Hills, Addiscombe, Ely Green, and Plainfield. the manor house (Plainfield) has the Blake arms over the fireplace in the great hall. In 1555, Humphrey Blake added the adjorning manor of Tuxwell. Arms of the Wiltshire Blakes: Argent, a chevron between three garbs sable. Crest: On a chapeau gules, turned up ermine, a martlet, argent. This coat of arms was borne by Admiral Robert Blake on his ships, as his personal coat of arms since he is the son of Humphrey XII [Robert X] and great nephew of John the elder, Robert and John the both being son of Humphrey IX.His will was dated 19th November 1558 and proved 11th May 1559 Over-Stowey, co. Somerset, England.^[7]

Humphrey, son of William Blake, removed early in the sixteenth century to Over Stowey, Somersetshire, and became lord of the manor of Plainfield, in that parish, adding the adjoining manor of Tuxwell, bought in 1555 of George Sydenham. Over Stowey was owned in large part by the Blake family for two centuries. The manor house has the Blake coat-of-arms over the fireplace in the great hall. Humphrey died in 1558 and was buried December 28, in Over Stowey. His will is dated November 19, 1558, and proved May 11, 1559. His widow Agnes was buried June 24, 1585. Children: John, the elder, Robert; Thomas; John, the younger; Agnes; Eleanor; Alice.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #100234277
2. ↑ "He died at Over Stowey, Somerset, 19 November 1558, according to his inquisition post mortem."
3. ↑ Inquisition post mortem of Humphrey Blake, 20 September 1559, C 142/119, The National Archives.
4. ↑ #S460: vol. 14; p.56
5. ↑ #S460: vol. 14; p.56
6. ↑ #S460: vol. 26, pt. 2; pp. 12-13
7. ↑ Cutter, William Richard. New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Volume III. 1915. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1996.

• [1]
• 1. Burton W. Spear, Search for the Passengers of the Mary and John - 1630 (Toledo, Ohio: B.W. Spear, 1985-1992), 17:128.2. Ibid., 17:19.3. Ibid., 17:20,128.4. Ibid., 25:13.
• 5. New England Historical and Genealogical Register 163 (2009): 199.6. Ibid.: 202.7. Ibid.: 87.8. Ibid.: 88-91.9. Ibid.: 91.10. Ibid.: 91, 96.11. Ibid.: 92.12. Ibid.: 93.13. Ibid.: 96.
• 14. New England Historical and Genealogical Register 164 (2010): 73.
• 15. Paul C. Reed, "Two Somerby Frauds or "Placing the Flesh on the Bones", The American Genealogist, vol. 74. (1999): pages 15-30. [https://www.americanancestors.org/DB283/i/13222/15/24783173 AmericanAncestors.org link.
• 16. Francis E. Blake, "The Blake Family in England," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 45 (1891): 35-38.
• S460 Title: Search for the Passengers of the Mary & John 1630 Abbreviation: Mary & John series Author: Mary & John Clearing House Publication: Burton W. Spear, Toledo, OH, 1990
• Stott, Clifford L., Humphrey Blake (1494?–1558) and His Descendants in New England and South Carolina: Blake, Richards, Selleck, Torrey, and Wolcott, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 2009) Vol. 163, WN 650, Page 87.