I Stephen Whetham of Netherbury in the County of Dorset, Maltster, hereby revoking all former and other wills by me here to fore made, make & ordain this my last will and testament in manner following (that is to say) I give & appoint all my MessuageHouse or dwelling,
inc. outbuildings &
orchard, courtyard
or gardensHouse or dwelling,
inc. outbuildings &
orchard, courtyard
or gardenss, Tenaments, Closes & pieces of Ground & all other my CopyholdType of feudal land tenure
with duties and obligations
to the Lord of the ManorType of feudal land tenure
with duties and obligations
to the Lord of the Manor Estate which I have surrendered to the use of my Will unto my Friends James Dunning of Beaminster in the said County, Surgeon, & Richard Wilks of Netherbury aforesaid, Officer of Excise, & the survivor of them & his heirs so for and upon the several Uses, Trusts, Ends, Intents & Purposes herein after mentioned (viz).
All that Dwellinghouse with the Malthouse, Orchard, Garden & Appurts to the same belonging commonly called or known by the name of Scotts House situate in Netherbury & part or parcel of the Manor of Slape In trust that they the said Js Dunning & Richd Wilks, & the survivor of them and his Heirs, do and shall so soon as my son Stephen Whetham shall attain his age of twenty one years surrender the said Premisses with the Appurts according to the custom of the said manor To the use of my Son and his assigns for ever.
And concerning all that close of meadow called Beckeys containing one acre and half (be the same more or less) situated also in Netherbury & part or parcel of the said Manor of Slape And also all that Dwelling house & Garden situate in Netherbury Street adjoining to the Dwelling house of Francis Mills also in the said Manor of Slape In trust that they the said Js Dunning & Richd Wilks, & the survivor of them and his Heirs, do & shall so soon as my Daughter Polly shall attain her age of twenty one years surrender the last mentioned Premises with the Appurts according to the custom of the said manor to the use of my said Daughter Polly Whetham and her assigns for ever.
And concerning all that Dwelling House, Outhouse & Garden situate in Netherbury Street & wherein I now live also in the manor of Slape I give & bequeath unto my Wife Fanny Whetham during her natural life paying unto my Daughter Jenny (so soon as she shall attain her age of twenty one years) the said Js Dunning & Richd Wilks, & the survivor of them and his Heirs, do and shall so soon as my Daughter Jenny shall attain her age of twenty one years surrender the last mentioned premises with Appurts according to the custom of the said manor to the use of my Daughter Jenny & her assigns for ever.
And also all that Cottage or Dwelling House with the Appurts & all that Plot of Ground containing about thirty six feet in length and thirty feet in breadth, at the North end thereof whereon formerly stood a Dwelling, two shops[?] & a Well - bounded with Garden late of Roger Gollop deceased on the West & Brigmans Ditch on the east - which premisses are situate within & part or parcel of the Manor of Beaminster Parsonatus otherwise Netherbury in Ecclesia In trust that they the said Js Dunning & Richd Wilks, & the survivor of them and his Heirs, do and shall so soon as my Daughter Jenny shall attain her age of twenty one years surrender the last mentioned premises with Appurts according to the custom of the said manor to the use of my Daughter Jenny & her assigns for ever.
And in case either of my said children Jenny Polly or Stephen shall happen to die before he or they shall attain their age of twenty one years then In trust that the said the said Js Dunning & Richd Wilks & the survivor of them and his Heirs do and shall surrender the the share of him or her so dying according to the custom of the said Manors To the use of the survivor or survivors between them equally share & share alike and their assigns for ever.
And in case all my children shall happen to Die before they shall attain their respective age of twenty one years then In trust that they the said Js Dunning & Richd Wilks shall surrender all the said Premisses with the Appurtenances to the same belonging according to the custom of the said Manors To the use of my Wife Fanny Whetham & her assigns for ever. And also In trust to permit my said Wife to receive & take the Rents & Profits of all the above mentioned Premisses and apply the same for and towards the Maintenance, Education and bringing up of my Children Jenny, Polly & Stephen untill they shall arrive to their said respective ages of twenty one years.
All the rest and residue of my Goods, Chatels, Monies, Securities for money and all other my Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever after payment of all my just Debts Funeral Expenses and all other expenses I give and bequeath unto my said Wife Fanny Whetham whom I do hereby make, constitute and appoint whole & sole Executrix of this my last Will.
And lastly It is my Will that my said Trustees shall reimburse themselves all such costs, charges & expenses as they or either of them shall sustain or be put unto in and about the Execution of the Trust hereby in them reposed and that neither of them shall be accountable for the Acts, Receipts, Neglects or Defaults of the other nor for any more money then shall come to their hands respectively nor for the loss of any money that shall be casually and not willfully lost In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the twentyninth Day of January One thousand seven hundred and eighty one.
Stephen Whetham
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Stephen Whetham the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in the presence of each other at his request and in his presence have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto.
William Tolley
William Maber
Grace Curram
At Beaminster on the 26th day of August 1782 the sole Executrix was duly sworn before me.
