Richard Leveson's Will: Land

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Date:1576

Description:Richard Leveson’s will identifies him as ‘Richard Leveson of Lylleshal in the County of Salop Knyght’. His identification with Lilleshall in Shropshire is significant as it was his father James Leveson (c.1500-1547)who acquired the family’s Shropshire estates following the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Richard is the first Leveson to associate himself directly with the Lilleshall estate, requesting in his will that he be ‘buryed in the parysshe churche of lylleshal’.

Richard leaves his lands to his wife Mary Fretton, including lands ‘in the county of Staff’. He refers also to ‘Trentham’ and lands ‘in the county of Salop’. It is evident in such bequests that Richard Leveson was very wealthy, owning extensive properties throughout Staffordshire and Shropshire.

In addition to his lands in Staffordshire and Shropshire, Richard bequeaths ‘my lease of the Deanry or lordshippe of Wolverhampton’ to his brother Edward, and then to his son Walter. This was evidently inherited from his father James Leveson, who was very closely associated with Wolverhampton, bequeathing money to surrounding Parishes in South Staffordshire.

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