Description:Amongst the legal papers concerning the Leveson versus Lougher case are a number of ‘Depositions’ which were given by people living in Perton during the 1630s. These depositions tell us more about the case and how the situation was interpreted by local people.
‘Ellen Woolaston of Perton in the County of Stafford’ was a ‘Widdowe Aged fortie yeares or thereabouts’. Ellen had known ‘the Mannor house of Perton’ for about ‘seaven yeares or thereaboutes’, and was approached to give evidence in the John Lougher case.
Ellen was good friends with ‘Widdowe Hinckes’, who occupied the Mill in Perton. Widow Hinckes had lived in the Mill for about seven years. Although Ellen couldn’t say ‘whoe hath enioyed the lands belonginge therevnto’, she recalled having ‘paide tenne shillings Rent for one yeare to Mr John Lougher’ for her property. Ellen’s deposition provides evidence that John Lougher had taken over the Manor House in Perton and was charging tenants for rent.
‘Edward Neway of Hampton in the County of Stafford’ also gave evidence in the case. Edward was a ‘Bellowes maker Aged three score yeares or thereabouts’. He told the court that he had been employed by ‘Mrs Lougher’ to fell trees ‘upon the demeasne lands belonginge to the Mannor of Perton’. After completing his work, Edward had given ‘parte’ of the trees to Mrs Lougher and taken the rest of the timber in payment ‘for the Workemanshipp’. His evidence suggests that the Loughers were responsbile for cutting down trees on the disputed lands in Perton .
Perton People in the Leveson vs. Lougher Documents
The document above, entitled ‘Depositions of witnesses taken at Newporte in the Countie of Salop’ was made on 21st April 1632. A number of the deponents who gave evidence in the case are also listed in the 1645 Rental for Perton and Trescott, telling us more about the people living in Perton during this period.
Other women are listed as deponents, including ‘Margerie Hinckes of Perton Millne’. Margerie occupied the Mill in Perton, and like Ellen, she was a ‘Widdowe Aged Fiftie seaven yeares’.
Ellen’s relative ‘John Woolaston’ is also referred to in the legal papers. John was living in nearby ‘Trescott in the County of Stafford’ and is described as a ‘gentleman Aged Thirtie yeares’. Thomas Chamberlayne is also described as a ‘gentleman’, aged ‘three score years’, and Henry Lyndforde of Perton, a ‘gent Aged Thirtie fowre yeares’ also features.
Many of the people living in and around Perton in the 1630s were yeomen. Mathewe Passe, aged sixty eight was a yeoman, as was Edward Whitmore, who resided in Penn. John Hardwicke from Trescott was also a yeoman ‘Aged ffyftie seaven yeares’.