Early Years

A record in Chancery [TNA 'Discovery'] describes a Wood family that was involved in a dispute about property in Cockermouth and Lamplugh sometime between 1529 and 1532.

I have in my notes that the family were 'of Lamplugh'. Either I have made an error, or the catalogue description has changed. I haven't seen the original record and need to do so.

This family could, therefore, be the Wood family of Mockerkin (who used the name William), or indeed any family resident in Cockermouth or elsewhere!

Assuming for the moment that the family was resident in Lamplugh, as I once thought, then there are only two options in the sixteenth century - Wood of Woodend or Wood of Redhow (farms that are almost contiguous). There are three reasons for thinking the former.

The first is that Woodend was a larger and richer farm than Redhow, and so more likely to be involved in such a widespread property dispute. The second is that the Wood surname and the hamlet Woodend are likely to have developed together - the Woods of Redhow would be a sprig off the main shoot, rather than the other way round. The third is that John Wood of Woodend, who was buried in 1582, was described as bailiff - indicating a high socio-economic status. He could just squeeze in as the plaintiff in 1529 (say he was 21, then he would have died at the age of 74), or as son of the plaintiff.

This is, however, conjecture.

Richard Wood of Woodend (-1597)

The next Wood to be described as of Woodend was Richard Wood, who was buried 06-09-1597. His wife Anne was buried a few days later 13-09-1597. The Lamplugh register only starts in 1581, so no marriage or baptism would have been recorded.

He (they?) started a family in the 1570s. That would suggest a birthdate of c1550, which would be consistent with being son of John Wood the bailiff and grandson of John Wood the plaintiff.

Five of his children are recorded in the baptismal register: Thomas (baptised 20-11-1582), Dorothy (baptised 27-08-1587), William (baptised 05-06-1590, buried 08-09-1590), Richard (baptised 29-08-1591), and William (baptised 10-03-1595).

Woodend was inherited by a John Wood (died 1608), who was presumably his eldest son. John Dickinson of Woodend married an Agnes Wood of Woodend, so she was presumably another child.

Thomas Wood of Kirkland (1582-)

It is likely that the Thomas Wood, baptised in 1582, is the same as the Thomas Wood of Kirkland whose daughter Agnes was baptised 05-03-1608/9 and buried 02-07-1609. This might be further evidence for the Chancery connection above.

Agnes Dickinson of Woodend (married 1614)

Agnes Wood had an illegitimate child, James, by Thomas Dickinson (-1665) of Woodend in 1613. They married in 1614 and had a number of other children.

John Wood of Woodend (-1608)

John inherited Woodend. He was born before the Lamplugh register started, but is likely to have been baptised around 1565-1575. This estimate is derived from a probable marriage and first child in 1600.

Four of his children have baptism entries: John (30-11-1600), Philip (01-05-1603), Richard (01-07-1605) and Robert (21-02-1608).  He had another son, Thomas, with no surviving record of baptism.

There is a marriage entry in the printed register for a 'Gawen Wood' [mistranscription?] to an Annas Harrison 26-01-1599/1600. This is a perfect fit, both in date and surname (there was a Harrison family at nearby Millgillhead, which is relevant in the next generation).

John is in the Protestion Return, but Philip, Richard and Robert aren't. Either they were dead by that point, or had moved elsewhere. Philip is an unusual forename for Lamplugh, and maybe Robert is more associated with Arlecdon or Dean, which may give hints about maternal ancestry. A Thomas Wood, however, is in the Protestation Return; and probate evidence shows that he is another of John's children.