The only baptism of a Thomas WOODWARD near to Chipping Campden in the 1670, i.e. the right age to start his large family, took place on 22 May 1673 in Aston Subedge, a village 2 miles north of Chipping Campden. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth WOODWARD.
The only record for the marriage of Thomas near to Chipping Campden in the years before Feb 1694/95 when Thomas first child, Richard was baptized, was on 24 Jan 1688/89 to Anne ACOX in Blockley. Blockley is just 3 miles from Chipping Campden. Thomas would have been 16 years old in 1688/89, so his first child may have arrived the year after he turned 21.
He and his wife went on to have 14 children together.
In 1724 Thomas, probably with the assistance of his son Edward, took down the old tower of St Peter and St Paul's Church in Blockley, and replaced it with a Gothic tower of his own design, completing the work in 17281. Fans of the BBC TV's Father Brown series will see his work in almost every episode.
Thomas' tomb can be found in St James Church in Campden, and memorialises Thomas, his son Edward and grandson Richard. It reads:
THOMAS WOODWARD died Aug. 4, 1748, aged 76.
RICHARD, Son of EDWARD and ELIZABETH WOODWARD, died June 2, 1755, aged 32.
EDWARD WOODWARD died March 24, 1766, aged 69.
Thomas' will, dated 1748, ref GDR/R8/1748/191, is available at Gloucestershire Archives. He is described in the catalogue as a mason.
Thomas, and his son Edward were both masons, and it is a testament to their skill that the tomb is now a Grade II listed building in it's own right.
It also strongly suggests that Thomas was closely linked to the church, either as a functionary or perhaps in a professional capacity as a mason.
Another will exists, held in Gloucestershire Archives, belonging to Edward WOODWARD of Chipping Campden, Mason, dated 1692, ref GDR/R8/1692/257, which might be a close family relative.
