Somersham.info

The will presented below was made by Sir Anthony Hammond some years before he died and was essentially part of his marriage contract with Jane Clarges. This was a good marriage for Sir Anthony, as Jane was connected to the Walpole family and Sir Robert Walpole was the pre-eminent politician, a frequent prime minister and dominant figure of the first half of the eighteenth century. The other point of interest in the will below is the progress being made on the draining of the fens. Already the Bedford levels are noted but clearly, even at this date, much of the land around Somersham at the lower end of the village was marsh and fen!

An Act to enable the Trustees to sell some ffenny lands in the County of Huntingdon and Cambridge part of the estate of Anthony Hammond Esquire and to settle of these lands.

Whereas by Indenture of Lease and Release, the release being dated the eleventh day of august one thousand six hundred and ninety four being made between Anthony Hammond of Somersham in the County of Huntingdon Esquire on the one part, and Sir Thomas Clarges of the parish of Saint James within the Liberty of Westminster in the County of Middlesex knight, Sir Walter Clarges, son and heir of the said Sir Thomas Clarges, and Jane Clarges daughter of the said Sir Walter Clarges of the other part.

In consideration of a marriage to be had between the said Anthony Hammond and the said Jane Clarges the said Anthony Hammond did hereby convey unto the said Sir Thomas Clarges and Sir Walter Clarges and their survivors; All that part of marsh and fenny land lying and being in Somersham in the County of Huntingdon marked with the letter C in the map or Lott Book of the Corporation of the Great Level of the fenn called the Bedford Levell, being part of the fourth lott set out or reputed to contain three hundred acres and heretofore the possession of Sir William Tyrringham Knight of the Bath, and all those three hundred and thirty three acres of marsh and fenny land described in the said Lott Book of Somersham Common. And in the twelfth lott being last the possession of William Hammond Esquire and all those one hundred and six acres and two roods part and parcel of one hundred and nine acres and two roods of fenny marsh or late surrounded ground in the Isle of Ely in the Counrty of Cambridge described in the said Lott Book Sutton Ground South of the Bedford River lying next to the Grounds of Sutton in the first lott and being in Lott the twelfth number and second and heretofore the possession of Sir John Marsham baronet. And also all profits, commodities, advantages, emoluments and appurtenances whatsoever to the said marsh or fenny land ground and intended to be freely granted and released to any part of them belonging or appertaining therewith, now or at any time heretofore held, used occupied, possessed, or attested , reputed or deemed part and parcell or member thereof all which respective easements(?), are part of the ninety five thousand acres vested in the Corporation of the Great Levell by an Act of Parliament made in the fifteenth year of the lat King Charles the Second, to the use of the said Anthony Hammond and his successors until the said marriage took effect and from and after the said marriage then to the use of the said Anthony Hammond for and during his natural life without Impediment and from and after the determination of the estate to the use of the said Sir Thomas Clarges and Sir Walter Clarges and their successors for and during the life of the said Anthony Hammond to support as to Contingent Remainder and from and after the death of the said Anthony Hammond then to the use of the first and every other son of the said Anthony Hammond on the body of the said Jane Clarges to be begotten in remainder to the Right successors of the said Anthony Hammond.