Chelsfield - Parish Information
        Abstract of will from
        Chelsfield proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
        Geoffrey Copus.2005
        Anthony
        Petley of Chelsfield dated 11 July
        1655
        Abstract of the will of Anthony Petley of Chelsfield
        yeoman dated 11 July 1655.
           My body to be decently interred in the parish church of
        Chelsfield near the corpse of my deceased father. I leave to the poor of
        Chelsfield 40s. to be distributed by my brother Robert Petley on the day
        of my burial.
           " I give fourty shillings towards the repair of the
        Vestry and Chancell of the said parish of Chelsfeild the said fourty
        shillings to be imployed about laying a peece of timber mending the
        guttur or any other work needful to be don between the two roofes of the
        said Vestry and Chancell and if ther be any overplus of the said forty
        shillings my will is that the same be imployed to the reparacion only of
        the Vestry aforesaid. "
           I leave £10 to my nephew Robert Smith and £10 to be
        divided equally between his two sisters, my nieces Mary and Elizabeth
        Smith.
           To my servant men John Jackson and George Wakelyn 10s.
        each.
           To my servant maid Alice Nott 40s.
           To my niece Sarah Acourt alias Gardiner £5.
           I leave to my brother Robert Petley and his heirs for ever
        all the house and lands wherein my wife is estated by Jointure, to be
        enjoyed by him and his heirs for ever, after her death.
           I leave to my wife the rent of the house and land in the
        occupation of Thomas Death of Orpington and also the rents of my lands
        in the occupation of John Gilpin of Orpington and my meadow in St. Mary
        Cray containing 2 acres, all the rents of which said premises she is to
        enjoy for life.
            After her death my brother Robert Petley and his
        heirs for ever shall have the fee simple of the said houses and lands.
           I leave all residue of my personal estate to my wife Anne
        whom I make my Executrix.
           Witnesses Mary X Petley Robert Milles Mary Milles. 
        Proved 21 June 1656 by Anne Petley widow the relict.
        [ PCC will PROB 11 / 256 - but that is illegible in places and I took
        the above details from the original will, reference PROB 10 / 832. The
        seal on the will does not show the Petley arms, but a sheaf of arrows,
        tied.]
        Transcribed by Geoffrey
        Copus