The following is a possible historical interpretation of the Carpenter
data in the Hidden abstracts. Firstly, a probable reason for no birth or
marriage records for Carpenters
in the Hungerford area in the late 1500s, was that the Carpenters had left
the area.
In 1548-9 much of the land in this area passed into the hands of Edward
Seymour (1506-52),
First Earl of Hertford. Seymour was an extremely important man in English
politics. He was basically the first Protestant ruler of England.
Unfortunately he experienced downfall. In 1549-50 he was put on trial,
eventually losing most of his land, and his head!
His eldest son, Edward Seymour (1539?-1621), Lord Beauchamp, was poor and
financially dependant on others after this, but was finally restored in
1602. Thus from 1550 to 1600 the Seymour family
fortunes were at their lowest point. This time period coincides with the
Carpenter data for the
Hungerford area. From about 1525 to 1600 there is no document in the area
with a Carpenter
surname. After 1600 Carpenters appear aplenty in areas controlled by the
Seymour family.
My interpretation of this is that after the Hungerford lands entered the
Seymour family, Thomas Carpenter of Hungerford was perhaps financially
connected to the Hungerford Manor and other Seymour land. When the Seymours
lost their lands, the descendants of Thomas Carpenter left for other
holdings. This may explain Carpenters at Marden, who possibly lived on land
previously belonging to a Thomas Carpenter. After 1600 and Seymour
restitution, the Carpenters perhaps regained their lost claims, moving back
to the Hungerford area.
BC