This is the last will and testament of me Thomas Rowlandson of Kirkby Kendal in the County of Westmorland Yeoman I give and devise unto my natural son William Rowlandson by my now wife Janet my son Thomas Rowlandson and to their heirs and assigns forever all that my tracks messuage and tenement called Grayrigg head otherwise Neverhouse Close with all the lands grounds hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging situate lying and being in Grayrig in the parish of Kirkby Kendal and County of Westmorland aforesaid and Hold of the honourable Sir James Lowther Baronet by payment of the yearly free rent of three shillings and four pence and two pence prescription money in lieu of Tyth Corn and Hay In Trust that they may my said two sons William Rowlandson and Thomas Rowlandson or their heirs or assigns shall and do with all convenient speed after my decease sell and dispose of the above said premises in public sale or otherwise to the best advantage and/or the best price and most money that can reasonably be got for the same And I do order that the receipt or discharge of ones said my said sons or their heirs Shall be sufficient discharge 2 the purchases of the said premises for his or her purchase money notwithstanding any miss applications of the said purchases purchase money or any part thereof and by and out of the moneys to be raised by such sale I will and order that my said sons do first of all ????? and reimburse themselves their or their Agents Costs and Charges relating the trusts hereby in them reposed and with the clear money to be then remaining shall and do pay my just Debts as for and the same will recast and extend. And if any surplus remain after paying my said just debts in full the same to be added to and made part of my personal estates.

And I give and devise unto my above said son William Rowlandson and to his heirs and assigns forever all my aforesaid messuage and tenement called Coatawaiste in Grayrig aforesaid with all the land grounds hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging and all those my closes enclosures or parcels of freehold lands called New Close with the outhouse standing therein the Inn Moore the Middle Dale and the Little Butt with their respective appurtenances situate lying and being at Dobshole in Grayrig aforesaid All which said respective premises at Coatawaiste and Dobshole are hold of the Honourable Sir James Lowther Baronet by payment of the yearly free rent of sixteen shillings and eight pence and thirteen pence prescription money in lieu of Tyth Corn and Hay. He my said son William or his heirs or assigns paying and discharging out of the said premises all such part of my just debts if any there be as shall remain unpaid out of the clear money raised by sale or otherwise of my aforesaid messuage and tenement called Grayrig head otherwise Netherhouse Close as aforesaid And also paying two my well beloved wife Ann within fourteen days after my decease the sum of fifteen pounds towards defraying the expenses of my funeral .

And my son William Rowlandson is also to pay the charges of proving this my will. Also I give to my well beloved wife Anne out of any above divised premises at Coatawaiste and Dobshole the yearly annuity of ten pounds of lawful money of Great Britain clear of all deductions to be paid to her by my son William or his heirs or assigns at fair equal quarterly payments every year during the full span and term of her natural life the first quarterly payment to be made at the end of three calendar months after my decease And I hope and desire that my said wife will immediately after my decease in consideration of the said annuity release all her rights of thirds or dower at common law of in or out of all my said messuages land's and tenements it being my will and mind that such annuity shall be in lieu thereof. and further it is my will and mind that my said son William Rowlandson his heirs or assigns shall pay out of my above disposed messuage and tenement at Coatawaiste and Dobshole unto my above named son Thomas Rowlandson or his legal representative or representatives the full sum of one hundred pounds sixty pounds thereof at the end of twelve calendar months after my decease and the other 40 pounds at the end of twelve months after the death of my wife he my said son Thomas upon receipt thereof giving a sufficient discharge for the sums and also it is further my will and mind that my said son William Rowlandson and his heirs or assigns shall pay out of my above said messuage and tenement at Coatawaiste and Dobshole the legacy of one hundred pounds apiece all to each of my three daughters Agnes Mary and Anne or to their respective legal representative or representatives sixty pounds a piece there of to be paid to Agnes and Mary at the end of twelve calendar months after my decease and sixty pounds due and payable to Ann at the end of ten days after my decease so that she or her mother as her Guardian may demand interest by the same after the rate of ten pence per pound by the year but neither her mother nor brother William have power to take or charge any part of the said sixty pounds towards her maintenance or bringing of her up except in the late case of sickness or other urgent necessity and the other forty pounds a piece is each of them to witt Agnes Mary and Anne is to be paid at the end of twelve months after the death of my wife they respectively giving sufficient discharge to my said son William or to his heirs or assigns upon receipt of their respective legacies and if it should happen that any of my four above said children Thomas Agnes Mary or Anne should die before my wife the legacy that would have been due to the deceased upon the death of my wife shall go to the children of the deceased if he or she shall have any but if he or she shall have no issue then the sum same legacy shall be equally divided amongst the surviving children And it shall likewise be the case if more than one of my said four children die before my wife the deceased issue shall have and enjoy the legacy due to their parents but if these be no issue than those that otherwise shall have and enjoy the same share and part alike so that no part of the legacies given hereby to my four children Thos Agnes Mary and Ann shall fall back to my son William if any of them survives my wife.

And I do hereby charge my above said freehold messuage and tenement at Coatawaiste and the enclosures of Dobshole with the full and entire payments of all the above said legacies. Sole executrix of this my last will and testament I make and appoint my well beloved wife Anne and to her I give and bequeath all my personal estate and effects goods chattels household furniture and monies credits and all my whole personal Estates whatsoever and wheresoever and to her own proper use and benefit and to her heirs or assigns forever And I do hereby further declare it to be my last will and mind that no disability in respect to this my will shall arise to my said son William by reason of his having been born before my marriage but that he shall enjoy the devises and requests to him herein contained as fully and effectually to all intents and purposes as if he had been born twelve months after marriage. In witness whereof I the said Thomas Rowlandson the testator have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy three

Thomas Rowlandson [seal]

This writing was signed and sealed by the above named Thomas Rowlandson the testator by him published and declared as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other subscribed our names as witness to the same.

John Tennant

Jeremiah Waine

Anthony Boones

24th May 1775

Anne Rowlandson Widow, sale Executrix in the Before written Will named was sworn well and truly to execute the same and so forth, Before me Josias Lambert Surrogate

[Note on place names: Coatawaiste appears on an 1852 OS Map as Coat o'West. Dobshole appears as Dobs Hole on the same map. Both are