Hallo everyone,  I am hoping this will be of interest/helpful to some of you to maybe take your research back a little further!   I have a book published in 1883 by Rev. Charles Kerry which is about the St. Lawrence Church, Reading and includes its history and many names and details from its records since the 1400s.   One section has some early Wills transcribed and one in particular that I saw today and dated 1493 has so many names as well as relatives of the Testator it strikes me as being a treasure for someone!!   As the names here are from the 1400s they will probably not show in any parish registers however early they go back, but some of you might just be able to link these together with other Wills, to your own ancestors so I am adding them here in the hope it will help. (For me sadly, none of these names are connected to my own ancestors, but I found it interesting all the same). This is just an abstract of the names - please contact me off list if these could be connected to your research so that I can let you know the bequests and/or details of the book if it is possible to still get it.   The Will of Henry KELSALL, of Redyng, clothyer 1493   “ … hole and sounde the mynde, not being syke the body, and in my last days not knowing seke …”   He mentions and bequeaths to various churches “ Saint Lawrence”, “Sainte Marys” and “Saynt Gylys chirch” in Reading. Also bequeaths to the church at Knottesford, Cheshire He has property in Reading, Southampton and the “Ile of Wyght”.   Thomas KELSALL my brother Roger KELSALL my brother (possibly dead before 1493) Charlys KELSALL son of my brother Roger KELSALL Elizabeth KELSALL daughter of my brother Roger KELSALL Thomas KELSALL son of my brother Roger KELSALL (These three children are probably not of age - 21 or 25 as at 1493 “age xxiiij” ) Agnes my wife Margarett BOSDEN my sister Mawde BOSDEN her daughter Margarett BOSDEN sister of the saide Mawde Jonett SWYNTON my sister Roger SWYNTON her son Any son and any daughter of my brother Thomas KELSALL … to every of my Cosynnes, sonnys and doughters lawfully bigotten, between Thomas MADOK of Knottesford (Cheshire) and Elizabeth my sister nowe being alive … Henry WOODHATCH my godson John SAUNDER my servant Johne BROKE my servant Bequeaths to the marriage of Elizabeth CRANTMORE Bequeaths to the daughter of William SWYNTON Bequeaths to Margery PASTLEWE Bequeaths to Joan ASSHENDON Bequeaths to Henry SADELER Bequeaths to the wife of John LECKE, hatmaker The following ten names are “maynteners and susteyners of thaier devocion of the Masse of Ihu …” Richard CLECHE, draper John BAXTSTER, tanner John LANGHAM, iremonger Stephen DUNSTER, draper Rauff MYLLINGTON, clothyer William TRU, yoman John WYLCOKKS, chaundler and ffisshemonger William SCOCHON, draper Richard SMYTH, gent John TWYTT He mentions also Thomas GRENEWEY my suant (I wonder if this is servant)? He makes Rauff WHYTE of Wokynham joint executor with his brother Thomas KELSALL Witnesses: Rauff HETHCOTE; Richard CLECHE; Rauff MYLLINGTON; William TRUE.   He bequeaths to the “making of the Gyldhall in Reding when the said hall shall be new bilded” He makes bequests to many churches in Berkshire and Oxfordshire He makes several bequests to the “mending of the way between Reding and Pangborne …” (and many other mending of the ways between …) He leaves bequests for a set number of “maydens” and a set number of “pore men”.   The Will was Proved at Lambeth sometime between January and February 1493-4. 　 Well, I really hope there are some gems there for some of you and I would love to hear from anyone that this has hopefully helped. I think Henry KELSALL was a generous man and obviously made a lot of money in his time. I love it that various roads leading from Reading to other places that my ancestors would have travelled over were partly made because of his bequests and I love it that he contributed to the Guildhall at Reading, (is it still there?) and must have known it was going to be built as he provided for it before it was “new bilded”.   I’m happy to pass on more details from this Will to anyone so interested in it.   Kind regards,   Christine Read Cornwall, UK So That’s Where I Get It From www.rootsresearcher.wordpress.com