The will of Cicely Sladden née Bedlake (1630-1714)
Cicely was my 8 x great grandmother.
Cicely left everything to her one surviving child, her son, Richard. This included two tenements described as ‘on the beach’ in Deal, no doubt the same properties which were later described in Richard’s will as in Beach Street. She stipulated he should pass these on to his children, doing nothing to hinder this unless there was a good reason. The OED gives 3 meanings for ‘beach’ (as a noun) – it can mean shingle or pebbles of the sea-shore, or a ridge or bank of stones / shingle, not just that part between the high and low water mark. Its use by Cicely would seem to imply one of the first two meanings. In this rather flat part of East Kent, shingle can extend well beyond the reach of the sea.
Deale in the County of Kent Widow Being of Sound and perfect mind and memory
But being aged and Considering the Uncertainty of this life Doe make and Declare my
last Will and Testament in manner following. First I com[m]end my Soul unto Almighty God,
my Maker; and my Body to the Earth from whence it is. And as for my Worldly Estate, I
give and bequeath the same as followeth (That is to say) I give and bequeath, All
Those my two Leashold Tenements Ground and Appurt[enance]s thereunto respectively belonging
Scituate lying and being upon the Beach in Deale aforesaid, and now in the tenure or occupacon
of [blank] Cooper, and Grace Denne or their Assignes, unto my Son Richard Sladden For and
During the Term of his natural life, he keeping the same well repaired And after his Decease to
to the Children of his Body lawfully begotten and to be begotten, and to their Executos. Adms. and
Assignes. And my mind and Will is, That my said Son Richard shall not doe any act or thing
Whatsoever whereby to hinder and prevent the said Tenements Ground and prmisses, from
descending to his Children, according to the true meaning of this my Will, Except he shall find a
Necessity and good occasion otherwise to dispose of the same, which in such case I hereby give him
Power to doe (any thing aforesaid Notwithstanding) Item All and singular the rest and
Residue of my Leasehold Estate Goods Chattells moveables and personal Estate whatsoever and
wheresoever Of what nature kind or quality soever I give and bequeath unto my said son
Richard Sladden his Executos. Adms. and Assignes, And I doe make Ordeine appointe
and Constitute my said Son Richard Sladden Sole Executor, of this my last Will and Testament,
And Revoking All former Wills by me made I Doe make and Declare, this only for my
true and last Will and Testament. In Witnesse Whereof I have hereunto sett my hand
and Seale the three and Twentieth day of June, Anno Dom: 1711: And in the
Tenth Yeare of the Reigne of Our Soveraigne Lady Anne Queen of Great Britain
her mark
[a very complicated mark. possibly an attempt to sign – not simply XX, not easy to represent]
by the said Cicely Sladden For and as
her last Will and Testament on the
day of the date thereof in the p[re]sence
of:./ Richd. Knowlden
Jno: March
John Taylor Not Pub: [Public Notary]
Probate granted to Richard Sladden, the executor named in the will,on 20 May 1717; full probate statement to be transcribed and added.
Source
This is a transcription by me, Teresa Goatham, of an image of the original will, KHLC ref. PRC/31/187 S/2, viewed on FamilySearch at Yeovil FHC.
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