Timeline of the Precy family in Bishopstone, 1500-1800
Note: wherever possible, spellings are as in original
document or reliable transcription. Even
when there was a will, which was of course almost contemporaneous with the
burial, spellings invariably differed.
Where relevant, I have listed wills and burials in the same entry and
given both spellings.
Pre-1752 dates are all
in modern format eg baptism of Jane Precy in Jan 1626/7 is listed under 1627.
Unless otherwise
stated, events took place in Bishopstone.
Roman numerals I, II
and III are not in the originals. I have
added them for clarity where adults with the same forename were definitely part
of our family.
Unless otherwise
stated, parents of baptised children are: 1627-35, Samuel I and Edith; 1656-77,
Samuel II and Priscilla; 1696-1716, William and Mary.
From the baptism of
Samuel I in 1593 to the birth of our ancestor Edmund in 1705, there is a direct
line, events concerning which are in bold. The earlier period is less certain but the historian of Bishopstone,
Gwendoline I Parker, concurs with the dates that I have given for the Precys’
leasehold of Bishopstone manor.
1500
Thomas Presey left will.
Early C16
Bishops of Salisbury leased demesne land to members of Precy family.
1523
Harry Preci died and a memorial to him erected in St Mary’s church.
1542
Bishop SALCOT leased Bishopstone to John Precy.
1543
Charles Pressey of ‘Bishop’S Tonne’ born, according to an unsourced
FamilySearch entry. It is decidedly
iffy, but not inconsistent with the other known facts. He could be the man mentioned in
1583-4/1599/1626, or that man’s uncle and also younger brother of Henry (died
1599).
1545
John Precye headed Bishopstone ‘benevolence’ [tax] list, paying 20s.
1548
Bishop leased whole manor to John KNIGHT for 99 years, subject to
Precys’ interest.
1575 Edward Presye buried 31 May.
1576
Henry Precye third on Bishopstone benevolence list – 1d in 1s on £7 =
11s 8d.
1583
Henry Prese of Bisshopston gentleman stood surety at quarter sessions
for Thomas WHITWAY of Remesbury gentleman.
1583-4
Ellen, Henry, Samuel and Charles Presse indicted of ‘rout, riot etc’ at
quarter sessions and fined 12s.
1586
Elinor Preasy w of Henry gent buried 22 Dec.
1587 Samuel Preasy buried 14 Sep.
1588
Richard Presy baptised 31 Mar was probably Richard P…y buried 8 Jul
1591.
1589
Henry Presye baptised 19 Oct was possibly Hairie Precy buried 1 Apr
1620.
1591
Susan Presy baptised 13 Jun was probably buried 29 Jun 1591.
1592
Richard Presye baptised 5 Jul was probably buried 23 Jul 1592.
1593 Samuel Presye I baptised 29 Jul.
1599
Henry Presseye died and left a will – manor passed to Charles Precy.
1600
Mary Precye baptised 20 Sep, ‘Elizabeth Precye gent’ buried 2 Oct.
1604
Richard Pressie son of Mr Henry buried 5 May, Thomas Pressie buried 2
Nov.
1606
Joan Pressey wife of Thomas buried, probably between 16 Mar and 30 Jun.
1615
Margaret Peessy married John BASSEDELL gent 9 Jan. It is unclear whether she was connected with
the Precys.
1620
Hairie Precy buried 1 Apr.
1626
Probable year of Samuel I’s untraced marriage to Edith.
Charles Precy I buried 28 Dec.
1627 Thomas Precy I and Henry SHELLEY sold lease
of manor to Thomas KEATE.
Jane Precy baptised 18 Jan and buried 19 Mar.
1628
Charles Precy II baptised 17 Apr.
1629 Samuel Precy II baptised 27 Dec.
1632
Thomas Precy baptised 29 Jan, but I have found no further mention of
him.
1633 Sarah Precy baptised 5 May.
Edmund Presse of Bishopstone married Alice
RABBESON of Coombe Bissett at Dinton & Cheffont Magna 1 Jul. [No known
connection to our family. This was
probably the other Bishopstone, near Salisbury, for it and Coombe Bissett are
both about ten miles south-east of Dinton.]
1635
Elizabeth Precy baptised 7 Oct, Edith Precy buried 9 Oct.
1636 Priscilla TAYLOUR daughter of William
baptised 19 Apr.
1637
Sarah Precy buried 5 Mar, Elizabeth Precy buried 16 Apr.
1639
Jane Precy buried on 6 Feb was a widow, but it is uncertain whose. One possibility would be Henry/Hairie
(1589-1620), if they are the same man.
The only Jane listed on the Nimrod Index is Jane GREENE who married
Henry Pressy at Downton on 6 May 1633, but that is a completely different
branch of the family.
1654
Charles Pressey II gent married Mary BUTLER 26 Dec
1655
Samuell Precy married Priscilla TAYLOR 17 Sep.
Charles II and Mary Precy’s first child,
Charles, baptised 5 May and buried 19 Jul.
1656
Thomas Precy II baptised 4 June.
1657
Charles II and Mary Precy’s second child, also Charles, baptised 29 Jul
and buried 17 Aug.
1658
Charles II and Mary Precy’s daughter Mary baptised 13 Aug. No further mention.
1659
Sarah Pressey baptised 19 Feb.
1661
Samuel Precy III baptised 4 Apr.
No further mention.
1663
Charles Pressey III baptised 8 Jul.
1665 William Precy I son of Sammull II baptised 28
Dec.
1667 Ann
Pressey wife of Samuel I buried 20 Aug.
1668
Edward Pressey baptised 29 Oct.
1671
Mary and Elizabeth Pressey baptised 29 Jul. No further mention of Mary.
1672
Vicar’s glebe terrier showed Samuel Precy I to be one of the leading
landholders in Bishopstone.
Charles Presie II husbandman died and left a
will. Charles Pressey buried on 26
May.
1674
Susanna Pressey baptised 15 Jan
1677
Baptism of Priscilla Pressey [bishop’s transcripts Presey] 26 Mar. No further mention.
1678 Samuel Pressey I yeoman died intestate. Samuel Precy buried 12 Dec.
1679 Samuel Pressey II obtained administration of
Samuel I’s estate 1 May.
1680
Mary Pressey widow of Charles II died and left a will. Mary Precy buried 29 Dec.
1688
Charles Pressey III married Hannah CLUTTERBUCK 24 May. Bondsman: John SMITH. Witnesses: John ROWLAND, Susanna HULL,
Susanna HARRIS. Location unknown but
recorded in the Peculiar Court of Salisbury.
1690
Sarah Pressey married John DORMER of Highworth 14 Dec. Bondsman: Thomas Pressey II, gent of
Bishopstone. Location unknown but recorded
in the Peculiar Court of Salisbury.
1695 Probable year of William I’s untraced
marriage to Mary.
1696
Henry Pressey baptised in Aug.
1698
William Pressey II baptised in Jan.
1700
Thomas Pressey III and Anne son [sic] of William [Bishop’s transcripts
Precy] baptised 26 Mar. No further mention of Anne.
1702
Mary Pressey baptised 17 May.
1703 Edward Prasy married Jane THORNBOURGH 12 Jul
at Ramsbury.
Richard
Presey buried 12 Oct – no known connection with our family.
Sarah Presey (born 11 Nov, baptised 12 Dec) is not
mentioned again.
1704
Elizabeth Presey daughter of Edward and Jane born 13 Apr, baptised 16
Apr.
1705 Edmund
Pressey born 16 Oct, baptised 1 Nov.
1706
Priscilla Pressey born 5 Dec 1706, baptised 21 Dec, buried 16 Apr 1707.
1707
Susanna Preice married Henry GREENE 22 Mar at Highworth, with Edward
Presey as bondsman. Charles Presey IV
born 14 Dec, baptised 26 Dec.
1708
Elizabeth Pressey born 29 Dec 1708, baptised 20 Feb 1709.
1713
Jane Presey born 25 May, baptised 31 May.
1715
Edith Pressy [bishop’s transcripts Prescey] born 9 Jan, baptised 16 Jan.
1716
Samuel Pressey II died 2 Feb ‘intending but not effecting a will’.
Samuel Presey buried 5 Feb.
Son-in-law Henry Green undertook administration
of the intended will 20 July.
Samuel Pressey IV born 24 Aug, baptised 26 Aug.
1717
Approximate year Thomas III apprenticed wheelwright in London.
1722 Edmund Presie apprenticed baker in London 15
Jan.
1723
Thomas Presey II buried 9 Jul.
1724 Priscilla Presey widow of Samuel II buried 15
Jan. Priscilla Pressey left will.
1726
Charles Pracy IV apprenticed dyer in London 2 Mar.
1727 Henry Pracy married Mary PACKER at Lambourn
in Berkshire 8 Oct.
He may well have been Henry b. 1696, though no
firm evidence either way.
1731
Mary Presey married George CURTIS 12 Oct.
1736
Edith Presey buried 20 Mar. Jane
Presey buried 21 Aug.
1738 William Presey II buried 24 May.
Samuel Pracy IV married Mary STOURS 25 Sep at
Liddington.
1741
Elizabeth Pressey buried 14 Dec.
1746 William Pracy I buried 3 Jan.
1747
Charles Pracy CURTIS son of George & Mary baptised 24 May.
1752
James Precey innholder of Salisbury was a bondsman at the marriage of
John LODGE (farmer aged 27) and Sarah GRIFFIN (aged 20), both of
Bishopstone. This seems to be a coincidence
unrelated to our family.
1754
Henry Presey moved to a cottage near Bishopstone millpond.
1758
Bishopstone map showed Henry Presey’s cottage.
1762
Jane Pracy buried 15 Oct.
1770
Henry Precy buried 5 May.
1783
Henry Pracy CURTIS son of Henry & Elizabeth baptised 1 Jan.
1791
Sarah Presey married William NORRIS 22 Mar. Mary Preasy buried 15 Sep.
1817 Henry Preacy CURTIS married Ann SAYER in
Highworth.
David Pracy, Nazeing, Essex. Third published version, December 2007