Denne Will 1799
Will of Samuel Denne
of Wilmington, Kent
Source: Prerogative Court of Canterbury 1799
Transcribed by Brian Denn
This is the last Will and Testament of me the Reverend Samuel Denne of Wilmington in the County of
Kent Clerk Whereas Thomas Cradock late of the City of Rochester in the said County of Kent,
Bachelor of Physics deceased made and published a codicil in writing to his last Will and Testament in
writing bearing date the 16th day of January in the year of our Lord 1770 and which said codicil bears
date the 23rd as well as the 11th day of December in the year of our Lord 1780 and is executed and
attested in such manner as is required by Law for passing real estates whereby the said Thomas
Cradock after taking notice that Mary Thornton late of Maidstone in the County of Kent spinster
deceased by her last Will and Testament in writing bearing the date the 13th day of May in the year of
our Lord 1769 had given all that Manor of Northwood ? or by whatsoever other name the same was
called or known together with the farm lands hereditaments and premises with the appertuances
belonging in Stroud in the said County of Kent unto him the said Thomas Cradock and Susanna Denne
therein undernamed their heirs and assigns upon the trusts hereinafter mentioned subject to the
payment of two annuities of �20 each to Elizabeth Glover (who is since deceased) and Ann Glover and
to the means and remedies given for Security the payment of the same and that the said Thomas
Cradock and Susanna Denne should out of the rents and profits keep the said premises in repair and
also should ? part of the chancel in the Parish Church of Luddesdown in the said County of Kent and
keep the Monument belonging to the family of the said Testatrix in the said church in good repair and
what should then remain of the surplus the said Susanna Denne should take for her life and after her
decease then that the said Thomas Cradock should take the same to his own use and benefit and after
the decease of the Survivor of them the said Elizabeth and Ann Glover then upon the trusts and for the
intents and purposes in the will of the said Mary Thornton mentioned ? being thereunto had and also to
the said codicil of the will of the said Thomas Cradock will now fully and at large(?) appear and in the
said codicil now in writal(?) it is further noticed(?) that by a codicil to the will of the said Mary
Thornton bearing date the 13th of May 1769 as afore mentioned which stated that part of the above
mentioned farm belonging to the Manor of Northwood ? containing about nineteen acres was held by
her by lease from the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Rochester she did declare that such
part of her said farm should go along with that part of her said farm that was freehold and should be
possessed and enjoyed by such person and persons for such estates intents and purposes as she had
directed concerning the freehold part of the said farm and did direct that her said Trustees should from
time to time renew the said lease out of the rents and profits of the whole of the said farm so long as the
same could be done upon reasonable and equitable terms and that such renewed leases should be
deemed taken possessed and enjoyed to and for the uses intents and purposes before mentioned as ? to
the said codicil and to the said codicil of the will of the said Thomas Cradock being had will more fully
and at large appear and the said Thomas Cradock by his said codicil now in writal(?) after taking notice
of the death of the said Susanna Denne and that the said lands and premises were become solely vested
in him as surviving Devisee. In trust did give devise and bequeath all that said Manor of Northwood ?
hereditaments and premises and all other manors, lands and hereditaments devised to him by the will of
the said Mary Thornton and all his estate and interest therein unto me the said Samuel Denne my heirs
executors and assigns upon the trusts and for the intents and purposes mentioned in the said will of the
said Mary Thornton.
Now I do give devise and bequeath all the said manor lands hereditaments and
premises with their and every of their appertuances comprised in the said will of the said Mary
Thornton and in the will and codicil of the said Thomas Cradock and so given devised and bequeathed
to me as aforesaid unto my dear sister Susanna Denne now residing with me if she shall be living at the
time of my decease her heirs executors administrators and assigns but upon the same trusts and for the
same uses intents and purposes as are mentioned expressed and declared in the said codicil of the will
of the said Thomas Cradock but in case my said sister Susanna Denne should not be living at the time
of my decease or in case she shall survive me but shall depart this life in the life time of the said Ann
Glover then I give and bequeath all the said manor lands hereditaments and premises with their and
every of the appertuances unto Samuel Hawkins of Pall Mall in the Parish of St James, Westminster,
Solicitor in Chancery his heirs executors administrators and assigns upon the same trusts and for the
same uses intents and purposes as are mentioned expressed and declared in the codicil of the will of the
said Thomas Cradock and in case the said Samuel Hawkins shall become the Devisee in Trust of the
Manor of Northwood ? with all and every its appertuances as above stated I further declare it to be my
intention and my will that all profits intermediate or ultimately contingent that may accrue from the
premises hereby bequeathed shall fully vest in the said Samuel Hawkins his executors administrators
and assigns and that my Residuary Legatee shall not be entitled to any part of the said profits.
As to the rest residue and remainder of all my estate and effects real or personal I give devise and bequeath the
same to the said Susanna Denne she paying all my debts and funeral expenses being well assured that
my dear brother will dutively(?) approve of my reasons and motives for the ? hereby given to our
beloved sister and I do hereby appoint my said sister Susanna Denne and my worthy friend the
aforenamed Mr Samuel Hawkins the Executors of this my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof
I the said Samuel Denne have to this my will written upon three pages of a sheet of paper to the two
first pages set my hand and to this third page affixed my seal as well as subscribed my name this ninth
day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine. Samuel Denne signed
sealed published and declared by the said Samuel Denne as and for his last Will and Testament in the
presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed
our names at witnesses thereto.
John Tasker of Dartford, Stout Brewer, Thomas Harman, Wilmington,
Yeoman. James Harman, Wilmington, Yeoman.
It may be not improper to mention that the four interlinations in this page marked by a cross of
reference in the margin and the insertion of Denne after Susanna between lines six and seven of Page 3
were written my myself before I executed my will. Samuel Denne
This will was proved at London the eighteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and ninety nine before the Worshipful Samuel Pearce, Parson Doctor of Laws,
Surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or
Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of Samuel
Hawkins Esq one of the Executors named in the will to whom administration was granted of all and
singular the goods chattels and credits of the deceased having been first sworn duly to administer
power reserved of making the life grant to Susanna Denne spinster the sister of the said deceased and
the other Executor named in the said will whom she shall apply for the same.
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Will of Samuel Denne
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