The following is the record of a land transaction in the reign Of King Henry III (1216-1272). Named is a William Carpenter with a land holding in the Parish of St. Clement Danes in London. This is interesting because it identifies a Carpenter a generation before the very interesting merchant, Edward Carpenter, who resided in the same parish roughly 25 years later. This now establishes a family pattern in the same neighborhood of London from mid 1200s to the early 1400s, directly to the probable father of John the Town Clerk of London, Richard Carpenter, and a probable relative William Carpenter in the same neighborhood. This document’s discovery is very good news because I will, at a later date, identify the arrival in the London area this first local group of the Carpenter family in the early 1200s. This document in itself is of interest because of its descriptive character. We can see how this William Carpenter’ s land holding was very near, or right on, the Thames River itself. This all has the aroma of merchants and trade, shipping and warehouses; although William’s land was a small parcel to be sure. A warehouse? This is from A Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Deeds in the Public Record Office, Vol. I, London, 1890, p. 194: “Grant by Henry son of Reiner to Eustace de Falconberg, for 3 ½ marcs, of the land he held of the fee of Robert Robert de Harocurt in St. Clement Danes’ parish, with the land which was Richard le Fruiter’s, saving to William Carpenter the three messuages he holds, which are 40 ½ ells in width, 21 ¾ ells at one end, and at the other, sloping towards the Thames, 25 ¼ ells; paying half a marc yearly. Witnesses:- John de Gestling, William the Chaplain, of the Strand (‘de stronda’) Richard son of Edward, then sokereve, and others (named).”