By the Rev. F. H. Manley. 



309 



Of the earlier Rectors we know little. John Chelsey died Canon 

 of Wells and Eector of Somerford Magna. In his will, dated St. 

 Thomas' Day, 1400, he directs that his body shall be buried in a 

 tomb "intra claustrum ecclesiie cathedralis Wallei," leaves small 

 donations to those attending the funeral ceremonies, 40s. to 

 Bradenstoke Priory, 20s. to Hen tone Priory and 13s. 4d. to be 

 divided among sixteen of the poor of Somerford. The John Mason, 

 who held the living from 1511 for three years, may have been the 

 Chaplain of Magdalen College, Oxford, instructor of the choristers, 

 and in 1508 said to be "now much in esteem for his profession " — 

 (Fasti i.) afterwards Canon of Hereford and Treasurer of the Cathe- 

 dral. Henry Unwin, whose institution is not recorded, was appointed 

 Vicar of Cheryngton in 1554, but was Rector of Somerford Magna 

 certainly in 10 Eliz., as he witnesses in the parish a will of that date. 

 Richard Attwood, Rector from 1578 to 1605, is said by Aubrey to 

 have been drowned in the river. The transcript of the register for 

 1605 tells us that Richard Attwood, Clerke, and Margaret Pen 

 were married at Great Somerford on 29th April ; also that on the 

 17th day of the following January he was buried. As he died 

 intestate, it seems that his death was unexpected, and may well 

 have happened as Aubrey says. Samuel Kinaston, appointed 

 Rector in 1637, was a native of Shropshire, and at one time Rector 

 of Blackmanston, in Kent. He married Mary, one of the daughters 

 of John Mayo, of Broad Somerford, and died 1667. Nathaniel 

 Aske, his successor, was, apparently, well-to-do. He spent some 

 money on the rectory buildings, and also bought property in the 

 village. In his will he says : " I give and bequeath all my lands 

 and tenements, viz., my estate at Burton Hill, and in Somerford to 

 my son, Richard Aske, when he conies to the years of twenty and 

 one, provided that he betake himself to some calling, trade, or way 

 of livelihood ; otherwise, if he be idle and follow evil courses, then 

 I will the aforesaid estate to be kept by his mother, Anne Aske." 

 Further on in the will, he mentions — " moneys due to him from 

 the Mannor of Linacre," which he bequeaths to his wife, and £2 to 

 be given to the " Poore of the parish of Somerford." Apparently 

 the son Richard died young, and all the property came to his wife, 



