A Simon Charpenter can be found in 1252 (Close Rolls, Henry III, p. 237)
involving abbey land in Essex. The document is careful to identify him as
Simon filius Ade or the son of Adam Charpenter, who we can assume, was
born sometime about 1200. If we look elsewhere for more evidence for Simon
Charpenters activities, there exist three very long land cases for
religious institution land concerning the Abbey of Spalding in Lincolnshire
for the years 1237-42. Let us say 1240 (Regis Rolls, items 1583, 1719 and
1824). The dates for Simon are consistent. In the same three Spalding
dispositions a Galfridum Carpentarium (Geoffrey Carpenter) makes his
appearance. The documents make no connection between the two, but given the
great number of those concerned who are listed, I suspect the usual
refinements legal documents were abandoned, i.e. the exact family
relationship of all those listed. If the two were brothers, then possible
evidence of that is indeed extent in a Fine Rolls notation for 1268, that
indicates, Galfridum filius Ade Le Carpenter de Grantham or Geoffrey the
son of Adam Carpenter from Grantham (Rotulis Finium, p. 473). Grantham is
located about 40 kilometers from Spalding. Previously we were able to locate
a master Adam Carpenter of Rochester in Essex in the 1220s. Had Adam
Carpenter returned to Lincolnshire in his old age? The Carpenters persist in
Lincolnshire, as we will see, well into the 1300s. Also in the 1268 Fine
Rolls is an additional Carpenter related notation concerning a Gilbert Le
Carpenter, who had sons Robert and Gilbert (RF, p. 469). This information
puts on more sure footing, because a good deal of material exists for
Lincolnshire Carpenters about 1300. Gilbert Carpenter is found in a
remarkable Boston merchants charter with a Walter Carpenter and a Nicholas
Carpenter. All three Carpenters are identified as men of Spalding (Charter
Rolls, Edward II, 1308, pp. 123-25). A 1311 Patent Rolls identifies Robert
le Charpenter as a Boston wine-merchant delivering 14 tuns of wine to the
King from Gascony (PR, Edward II, p. 98-9). This piece of information is
particularly valuable because an extremely influential Elias Carpenter
served the King in Gascony throughout the late 1200s. Previously I had
identified this Robert with the son of Edward Charpenter of London. The
merchant Robert would more likely be the brother of merchant Gilbert
Carpenter given the geographical proximity. At this same time in the
historical record another Spalding Carpenter, a John le Carpenter, was
unfortunately murdered in York in 1288. Fortunately for Carpenter history
the case is discussed at length, and it is very plain that any violence
against the Spalding Carpenters was violence against the King himself. John
s murderer is at once sent to Westminster pending investigation and trial.
He is delivered to bail to twelve men of the county of York. The murderer
s entire worldly estate was confiscated by the King (PR, Edward I, p. 249).
The late 1200s are a time of violence against foreign or foreign connected
merchants. There were many, many violent acts against Carpenters in this
period. Gilbert Carpenters descendants are identified in lengthy
documentation of an Orby manor in Lincolnshire for 1311. Sons John and
William are specified as sons of Gilbert Carpenter. Gilbert must have had
title to the land holdings there before them (Lincoln Record Society, vol.
85, p. 101). Into the 1300s both Gilbert and Nicholas Carpenter can found in
connection to London properties. Nicholas Carpenter resided in London, in
the Holeborn area with many other Carpenter relatives. Gilbert Carpenter
appears also in a land document and case that Richard Carpenter was a
witness to its settlement. The final Carpenter connection to Lincolnshire
concerns Bishop of Worcester John Carpenter, who is usually thought born in
Gloucestershire. This is entirely a speculation. However the Bishops first
religious appointment was at Navenby in Lincolnshire, not at all far from
the above-discussed locations. Bishop John remained in Lincolnshire nearly a
decade before he headed St. Anthonys hospital in London in 1420. John was
presented by the Crown to Navenby in 1412 (Lincoln Record Society, vol. 7,
p. 193).
BC