Person:Thomas Noyes (16)

In 1516, Robert Noyes leased the manor of Littleton, Hampshire, from the Abbot of the Monastery of Saint Peter's of Gloucester. (C1/861/87-91) After his death, his widow made a new lease and enjoyed it nine years before her own death. The complicated suit brought by Nicholas St. John in the Court of Requests, over possession of two-ninths of this manor, resulted in the recording of depositions about four generations of Robert's family. (Court of Requests, REQ2/14/71) Robert Noyes left a will, naming his son William as his executor, but this document does not survive. (Lists and Indexes, No. 50, "List of Early Chancery Proceedings", vol.7 (London, 1926), p.186) Joan Noyes left the earliest Noyes will on record. Buried outside the door of the church of Blessed Mary of Kimpton next to wife Joan. excepting the advowson of Wee [Weyhill] Church, for a period of 50 years at a rent of £8 6s 8d. Another lease, dated 21 June 10 Henry VIII [1518] granted the same, at the same rate, for a period of 40 years. Thomas Noyse was farmer of the manor on 6 October 20 Henry VIII [1528] when he made agreements with his tenants This last Thomas Noyes is certainly Thomas Noyes (b. say 1488), from whom descent can be traced with certainty. 

There are two likely scenarios by which Ramridge might have descended through the earliest generations of the Hampshire Noyes family. The first scenario assumes a direct descent through [1] Robert (b. say 1390), [II] John (b. say 1415), [III] Robert (b. say 1440), [IV] Thomas of Andover (b. say 1465), to [V] Thomas (b. say 1488). The second scenario takes into account the possibility that the Robert who farmed Ramridge from 1493 to 1497 might have been Thomas's uncle Robert, who later acquired the lease of the manor of Littleton, and may have held Ramridge during the minority of his nephew Thomas as guardian. The earliest [I] Robert (b. say 1390) who farmed Ramridge in 1432-33 would again be the first generation, then the second generation would be unknown. [III] John (b. say 1440) who farmed Ramridge from 1475 to 1484 would be next, and father of both [IV] Thomas (b. say 1465) mentioned in the court rolls of Andover 1490-1491, and Robert, of Kimpton, who farmed Ramridge from 1493 to 1497 during the minority of his nephew, [V] Thomas Noyes (b. say 1488). But as only names and dates have been gleaned from the manorial records, no specific relationships are known with certainty until we reach Thomas Noyes (b. say 1488). It is impossible at this point to determine which descent is correct.