FEREBY-FERBY OF KENT

Article by G.O. Bellews from The Genealogist, v.27, pp. 8-15. Notes within ((brackets)) are mine. According to Philipott, this family took their name from Ferbies in Speldhurst, where they anciently resided (Villare Cantianum,2nd ed. 1776, p.320. It seems more probable that the "S" in "Ferbies" is possessive and that it took its name from the family). They "sealed, as high as Edward III, with a fess ermin, between three goats' heads erased, in labels affixed to their deeds, which was the paternal coat armour of John de Fereby (for so the name is written in ancient muniments), who flourished in the reign of Edward II and Edward III ((1327-1377)). But this man's posterity being desirous to transplant themselves to Paul's Cray, where they had before purchased lands called Hokinden of Dynley, about the latter end of Richard II ((c.1395)), conveyed that estate they had here in Speldhurst to Walter of Gromebridge." (ibid, Philipott). The father of John Ferby, who heads the following pedigree, and of a daughter Alice, living in 1454, was probably the first of the family to settle in Paul's Cray. In the south chantry of Paul's Cray Church, which passed with the ownership of Paul's Cray Hill, there must have been several monuments of the Ferbys besides that described by Thorpe. Hasted writes in 1778 that the "chancel" belonging to the Ferbys having tumbled down continued a heap of ruins, covering the graves and monuments ("Kent", vol. 1, p.148). Major Heales says that the south chantry had fallen into ruin, and the arches opening from it into the church had been built up or destroyed, many years before the "restoration" in 1856 ad 1861, when the chantry was entirely rebuilt (Archaeologia Cantiana, vol. 18, p.282). (( In 2002 the church is closed and declared redundant and in danger from neglect)).

I. JOHN FEREBY I. John Fereby, sold to Thomas Walsingham in 1433 eight acres of land near the manor of Chameynes in Paul's Cray (Webb, Miller, and Beckwith. "History of Chisehurst", p.114) He married Alice .... and had issue _ 1. Thomas Fereby (II) 2.,3.,4. Three other sons, one of whom was perhaps William Ferry (sic), citizen and mercer of London, an executor of the will of Thomas Ballard, proved P.C.C.(14 Godyn) 1466. 5. Alice, married firstly, John Penn, citizen and mercer of London, and Aldenham, Herts, and had issue three sons, John, Thomas, and Ralph, and two daughters, Alice and Margaret. She married secondy, John Newbury (Early Chancery Proceedings, b. 62, no. 430). 6. Another daughter. The testament of John Fereby is dated 6 Nov. and his will was proved Holy Innocents Day 1454 (Rochester Wills, ii, 26, no probate act entered.) He desires to be buried "in the church of St. Paulinus on the south side of St. Catherine's chapel". There are bequests to the fabric of the church; to the poor on the day of his burial; to the rector for tithes forgotten; to the prior of Tonbridge; to the abbot of Lessness; to the altars of St. Catherine and St. Edmund; to John and Alice , sons of John Penn; and to the mother of John Fereby the younger. It appears from recitals in his will, made in the presence of Master John Sone, rector of St. Paul's Cray, that the feoffes of his lands in Kent included ((among 9 others)) John Fereby the younger; that he executed a deed "of a ceratin almshouse inSt. Paul's Cray"; that another deed executed between him and the abbot of Lessness that provided out of the issue of his manor in Lesnes-marsh, of which his son Thomas was enfeoffed, a chaplain should be found to celibrate in the chapel of St. Catherine in Paul's Cray church for twenty years after his death. Propperty in St. Mary Cray, Sotton (Suttton?) , and Farningham is to be sold for the good of his soul; the residue of his lands in Kent is left to his wife Alice for life, with the remainder to his son Thomas. Witnesses are John Fereby the younger, William Hickock, Robert Foster, and Robert Aylemer. Thorpe writes in 1769 that in the upper end of the south aisle in Paul's Cray church, on a grave stone, there was a brass plate half torn off, with the following inscription in black letter:- "Hic jacet Johannes Fereby generosus, qui ob... Decembris Anno Domini MCCC..." (Registrum Roffense, p. 1002). Above the inscription were two plates of brass and the effigies of John Ferby and his wife; in 1769 the lower part of his effigy was torn away and that of his wife quite gone. Under his figure were four sons, and under the mark of her plate two daughters. ((NOTES: East Sussex Revord Office, Deeds of the Manor of Boarzell and land (140a) in Ticehurst and Etchingham FILE - Grant - ref.  DUN 1/9  - date: 19 Nov 1428 [from Scope and Content] William Hermer of Etchingham to John Fereby the elder, John Fereby the younger and Robert Cauntlou' of St Paul Cray (Paulynyscreye), Kent, and the assigns of JF the elder. FILE - Quitclaim - ref.  DUN 1/11  - date: 13 Feb 1432 [from Scope and Content] William Hermer of Etchingham to John Fereby the elder and John Fereby the younger and to the heirs of JF the elder. FILE - Quitclaim - ref.  DUN 1/12  - date: 27 Oct 1432 [from Scope and Content] John Hermer, son and heir of William Hermer of Etchingham to John Fereby the elder and John Fereby the younger and to the heirs of JF the elder.        FILE - Quitclaim - ref.  DUN 1/21  - date: 30 May 1449 [from Scope and Content] William Stevyday, Thomas Seyn Nicholas, John Monyn, John Hensell and John Congerst to Thomas Hoo, John Fereby and Thomas Fereby.))

II. THOMAS FEREBY II. Thomas Fereby, excommunicated in 1456 for having procured the celebration of a clandestine marriage in Paul's Cray church and required as penance to offer at the shrine of St. Thomas at Canterbury, as the image of St. Blaize at Bromley, and in Chiselhurst church a wax taper of a pound weight, and to allow for two years exhibitions to two scholars at Oxford (Archaeologia Cantiana, vol. 13, p. 155). He married Agnes ...., and by her had issue_ 1. John Fereby. Died on 5 Dec. 1487, having enfeoffed William Besels, Humphrey Coningsby, and William Pende with the manor of Knight's Place, and held the abbot of Lessness in socage. He left a daughter and heir, Margaret, in or before 1482 (Inquisitions post mortem, 4 Nov. 1488). 2. William Fereby (III) 3. Richard Fereby 4. Thomas Fereby, perhaps to be identified with Thomas Fereby who was joined with Humphrey Coningsby and others in two Herts fines in 1501/2 and 1507 (Brigg, "Herts Genealogist", vol. i, pp. 6,9). 5. Andrew Fereby 6. Edward Fereby 7. Isabel Fereby 8. Alice Fereby The testament dated 22 Oct. and will dated 2 Nov. 1464 of Thomas Ferby were proved P.C.C. (8Godyn) in 1466 by Agnes his widow and executrix. He desires to be buried in St. Paul's Cray church on the north side of St. Catherine's chapel before the image of the Virgin Mary. There is a bequest for tithes forgotten, and a priest to celebrate for his and the souls of his parents for one year. His wife is residuary legatee. By hs will he leaves to her all his lands and tenements in the hands of his father's feoffes for the maintenance of herself and their children. To his son John on coming of age the manor of Hockenden called Dyngle, and "after the years shall be complete, according to the will of my father, and one year, according to my own will, for the exhibition of one chaplain". The manor called Knight's Place, lying in the marsh next the abbey of Lesons in the parishes of Erith and Plumsted; also in remainder after his mother, his lands in Kent and Essex called Wyklands. To hs son William on coming of age his princpal place, the place called Walkelynes, and other property. To his son Richard on coming of age his lands in Chelsfield and Speldhurst and, in remainder after his mother, lands in Farnborough. Tenements in St. Mary's Cray, North Cray, Brasted, etc. etc., are to be sold for the benefit of his son Thomas and his two other younger sons and his two daughters. The witnesses are Sir William Whitley, rector of Paul's Cray, and others.