Outline tree 036Nicholas 3837
- Doing some further research on this tree with the coat of arms with Ian Gotts in Kings Lynn, Nicholas who died in 1684 in Hempstead is clearly related to this tree. His will shows:
- Firstly, he gives his lands to his son Owen and makes him executor (obviously the first son). He also gets Edmonds House in the manor of Hempstead Losehall (so presumably aged over 21 (b bef 1661)?
- He refers to three younger sons (ie younger than Owen), all under 21
- He refers to his son Nicholas who shall be bound apprentice for twenty pounds each (so presumably aged 6-20, born 1664-1678) (In Norfolk Record Office there is an indenture release for Nicholas dated 1695)
- Also to his son Thomas who shall be bound apprentice (so presumably aged 6-20, born 1664-1678)
- William is the third son, (presumably not of apprenticeship age, so 10- 14?, Born 1670-1674 )
- Mary his daughter who is under 25 at that time (so born 1659-1684)
- Elizabeth his daughter, also under 25 then. She is also appointed guardian of William until his age of 15, so presumably there is ten year difference between them (so born c1659-1674)
- Nicholas is given his father’s ring- " my ringe with my coate of arms thereon…it having been the ringe of my ancestors"
- There are also bequests to Diana Palmer, daughter of William Palmer deceased, though there is no indication of the relationship
Nicholas made the will on 25 July 1684, a codicil was made on the thirtieth of July and probate was granted on 20 August, less than a month later.
In the codicil it makes the place for distribution to be his " new mansun (mansion) house " but it doesn’t state where it is.
There is no reference to his wife, so presumably she has died before him.
Ian Gotts in Kings Lynn has tracked down the property through a book by Robin Carver, Hempstead: A Norfolk Village ( 2000 ), Chapter 9
"In the 17th Century Brownwood Farm belonged to the Gotts family, passing under the Will of Nicholas Gotts dated July 24th 1684 mostly to his son Owen Gotts but part to his second son, also called Nicholas.
On April 16th 1690 Owen Gotts sold to Edmund Brightman, who died shortly afterwards leaving his property to his widow Mary. Nicholas Gotts’s family must have retained his share of the land because in 1695 Nicholas Gotts junior of North Walsham sold it to Peter Drury a tailor.
Brownwood Farm is south of the village between Marlpit Lane and Pond Hills. It is marked on the Ordnance Survey Map Pathfinder 841 (TG03/13) for Holt."
With reference to the ‘ring of my ancestors’ I assume this is to the ring used by Richard 843 on the lease dated 1633, which adds weight not only to Nicholas being part of this tree but also to Richard being potentially his grandfather.