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The Blaker Society © Nuthurst and southwest of Cuckfield. Cowfold and Shermanbury were the two
COWFOLD

Cowfold lies between West Grinstead and Bolney, being southeast of

parishes that formed Windham and Ewhurst hundred of Bramber rape, and both

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Chichester and Lewes. Cowfold parish registers survive from 1558 onwards.
were on the Lewes side of the boundary between the archdeaconries of
George Blaker

George Blaker of Cowfold made his will 23 April 1617. His four
children, John, George, Richard and Thomas, were under the age of 20, i.e. born
between 1597 and 1617. There is no mention of his wife, suggesting that she
2
was already dead. Edmund Blaker (not apparently closely related) was one of
his trustees and executors, and he mentioned his good friend William West,
known to have been Edmund’s brother-in-law. A Richard Blaker (probably
Edmund’s brother Richard or his father Richard) was one of the witnesses.
Nothing is said relating to any farm or land: George was illiterate.
The first two children of George Blaker were baptized in the adjoining
parish of Bolney, where the parish registers survive more or less complete from
3
1541 onwards : he was perhaps living there immediately after his marriage, but
he was not baptized, married or buried there:

4 5
th
1604. John the son of George Blaker baptized ye 13 of Januarie 1604.
6
th
1607. George Blaker filius Georg blacker xxian’ the 29 of march.

George Blaker’s children.

Edmund Blaker of Nuthurst, one of the three men responsible for the
upbringing of George Blaker’s children, made bequests (about 1634) to
George’s son George (£15), his son Thomas (still under 21) (£20) and Richard,
Richard being favoured with his house, barn and land, as well as being
appointed his executor.

Richard Blaker

Cowfold appears in the West Sussex protestation returns of 23 February
1642, which listed virtually all adult males. No Blaker appears: nor is Richard
7

1 These need to be searched
2 See NUTHURST
3 Sussex Record Society xv: The Parish Registers of Bolney, Sussex, 1541–1812. Edited by Edward Hut, 1912,
Lewes
4 Old Style
5 page 23 of the printed transcript
6 page 24 of the printed transcript
7 Sussex Record Society v: West Sussex Protestation Returns 1641-2. Transcribed, Edited, and Indexed by R.
Garraway Rice, F. S. A., of the Middle Temple, Barrister-at-Law, 1906, Lewes
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