Hugh Chester
c
1490 to c 1570 (estimated)
CHE00001
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1490
Hugh Chester might have been born
in or about 1490.
1515
Hugh Chester married Alice (Baker, J Bellyse
(1982), Highfields,
Audlem: Sixteenth Century Home of the Dod and Baker Families, Audlem
District History Society, page 5).
Hugh Chester was the father of
Anne Chester (CHE00001) who may
have been born in or about 1515.
1553
Hugh Chester owned Highefields Pasture, part of 500 acres at Woodhouse
Lane. He seems to have lived at Newstreet Lane. New
Street Lane runs from Calverhall, a small rural
village in North Shropshire, about 8 kilometres southeast of Audlem, to Market
Drayton.
William Dod of Losford
(presumably Lostford, near Tern Hill)(DOD00061) inherited
various lands including the pastures known as Highfields and the Marestalls from the Chester family in 1553. This deed is a
recognition of right in which William Dot received five hundred acres including
a house in Woodhouse Lane. There is no payment involved, so one can only assume
that William’s wife, whom we know in deeds as “Anne”, was the daughter and
heiress of Hugh and Alice Chester. As the Highfields is referred to as a
“pasture or close”, it seems that the house did not then occupy the site. In
Camden 's Britannia of 1695, Highfields is marked, also Maer Houses, where Mere
farm now stands in Woodhouse Lane. Could this be the Marestalls
referred to in the document? (Baker, J Bellyse
(1982), Highfields,
Audlem: Sixteenth Century Home of the Dod and Baker Families, Audlem
District History Society, page 5).
1557
Four years later, in 1557, William
made the estate over to his son, William Dod of Newstrete
Lane “in consideration of £3”. The son, William, would appear to be living with
his grandfather, Hugh Chester (his grandmother had died) perhaps helping him to
manage the estate. (Baker, J Bellyse
(1982), Highfields,
Audlem: Sixteenth Century Home of the Dod and Baker Families, Audlem
District History Society, page 5).
1568
The next document to survive is a
marriage settlement of 1568, between William Dod of Newstrete
Lane and Margaret Pixley, of Willaston, Shropshire,
Widow. In return for making over various parcels of land to his future wife,
Catherine and any children of the marriage in the event of his death, William
received a dowry “£56.13.4 by instalments, to be completed at the feast of
Saint Michael 1569”. At the time of their marriage, he further received “one
bed” and “such decent apparel as shall be thought decent, meet and convenient
for the set Katharin.” (Baker, J Bellyse
(1982), Highfields,
Audlem: Sixteenth Century Home of the Dod and Baker Families, Audlem
District History Society, page 6).
Hugh Chester was still living in Newstreet Lane (Baker, J Bellyse
(1982), Highfields,
Audlem: Sixteenth Century Home of the Dod and Baker Families, Audlem
District History Society, page 6).
1570
Hugh Chester might have lived
until about 1570.