Furtho - Catalogue of records of Arnold Charity


Edmund Arnold was born of a poor family in Nether Heyford. By hard work and some good fortune he became a lawyer. He graduated from Merton College Oxford on 10th October 1661 via the Court of Arches. He began to purchase land around Furtho and eventually acquired the Furtho estate. In his will he left the bulk of his estate in trust to a Charity, called Arnold's Charity, for the support and encouragement of Apprentices from several villages which had been part of his life. His descendants contested the will but it was upheld. The documents listed below were Edmund Arnold's papers and those accumulated after his death. They were catalogued and summarised, by an archivist.

Original documents lodged in Northants Records Office. The original transcriber has anglicised words and modernised punctuation. They use ' to indicate uncertain spelling. There may be typing errors. A subsequent researcher has corrected in parts. [ ] are used to clarify this transcription.


Documents by date order.


Box No. Record Office No. Content   Box No. Record Office No. Content
Box I [1] FX/1-24

Documents relating to the executorship of Mrs. Jane Allen (died 1713) bequeathing legacies to relations living in Monmouthshire, 1692-1715. These documents have no obvious connection with the Arnold Charity.

   Box XII [12] FX/82-86 The Manor Farm, extent, plan, alterations 1833-1840, 1915
Box II [2] FX/1-14

Deeds etc. relating to land at Potterspury purchased by Edmund Arnold in 1671

   Box XII [12] FX/87 Valuation 1849
Box III [3] FX/1-50

Deeds of land at Cosgrove, Furtho etc.

   Box XII [12] FX/88-94

Tenancies and agents, 1849-1933
Box IV [4] FX/1-21

Deeds of land at Furtho bought by Thomas Furtho, 1571

   Box XII [12] FX/95-96

Rent receipts 1744-1805, 1839
Box V [5] FX/1-9

Deeds of Manor of Furtho etc. 1625

   Box XII [12] FX/97-100

Miscellaneous income from the estate (timber sales etc.) 1839-1917
Box VI [6] FX/1-14

Manor of Furtho distress (Banastre), 1626

   Box XII [12] FX/101-105

Insurance, tithe, tax, war damage claims etc. 1842-1942
Box VII [7] FX/1-16

Deeds of Olney lands in Potterspury

   Box XII [12] FX/106-107

Furtho church, 1843, 1848
Box VIII [8] FX/1-20

Deeds conveying Manor to Edmund Arnold from 1666

   Box XII [12] FX/108

Will of Thomas Bates
Box IX [9] FX/1-18

Deeds including Alice Banastre purchase from 1625

   Box XII [12] FX/109

Misc, bits of paper, blank forms etc.
Box X [10] FX/1-60 Mediaeval charters re Furtho & Cosgrove   Box XIII [13] FX/1-14

Furtho & Potterspury documents before Edmund Arnold's purchase of Furtho, 1393-1668
Box XI [11] FX/1-23

Court rolls, charity accounts etc.

   Box XIII [13] FX/15-20

Acquisition of the Furtho estate by Edmund Arnold, 1668-1673
Box XII [12] FX/1-10

Extracts from E. Arnold's Will, charity schemes, conveyances to new  Trustees 1692-1929

  Box XIII [13] FX/21-57

Litigation about the Arnold estate after Edmund Arnold's death in 1676
Box XII [12] FX/11-12 Re new Trustees 1893-1932   Box XIII [13] FX/58-91

Charity Accounts & Trusteeship matters (see also 195-197)
Box XII [12] FX/13-18 Re Trustee's meetings, minutes etc. 1838-1907   Box XIII [13] FX/92-148

Vouchers, 1710-1781
Box XII [12] FX/19-28 Correspondence 1855-1950   Box XIII [13] FX/149-194

Apprenticeships & benefactions, 1714-1949
Box XII [12] FX/29-38 Accounts, vouchers etc. 1693-1928   Box XIII [13] FX/195-197

Charity Accounts (see also 58-91)
Box XII [12] FX/39-44 Accounts, vouchers etc. 1846-1931   Box XIII [13] FX/198-255

The Furtho estate (Manor, farmhouse & lands)
Box XII [12] FX/45-47 Re stocks etc. 1858   Box XIII [13] FX/256-276

Miscellaneous letters, c.1666-1769
Box XII [12] FX/48-63 Apprenticeship papers (registers, indentures, correspondence etc.) 1693-1940   Box XIII [13] FX/277-294

Maps & plans, 1900-1926
Box XII [12] FX/64-73 Operation of the Charity generally 1820-1883   Box XIII [13] FX/295-307

Miscellaneous, and documents unrelated to Arnold's Charity.
Box XII [12] FX/74-81 Furtho Court Rolls 1725-1838        

Glossary

A Selion is a medieval open strip of land or small field used for growing crops, usually owned by or rented to peasants. A selion of land was typically one furlong (660 ft) long and one chain (66 ft) wide. However, exact measurements could vary depending on geography of the land. The area of one furlong by one chain is one acre. 

VFP: View of Frankpledge.