In the Name of God Amen I WILLIAM WRAY of Middleham in the County of York grocer being in perfect health and of sound mind and understanding but considering the uncertainty of this life do make a publish this my Last Will and Testament in manner and form following. It is my will and desire that my debts and funeral expences be paid out of my personal estate then it is my will and desire I give unto my sister DOROTHY HARRISON £10 a year during her natural life and provided her son GEORGE HARRISON be then living at her decease I give unto him the said GEORGE HARRISON the continuance of the said £10 a year his mother enjoyed for and during her natural life and I subject the said £10 out of my estate I have in Walden in the parish of Aysgarth now tenanted by WILLIAM TAYLOR.

Item next I give unto my dearly beloved wife JUDITH WRAY her heirs and executors ... for ever all my houses shops lands gates [cattlegates] on Middleham Moor and all appurtenances in the parish of Middleham and the parish of Aysgarth .... I likewise give unto JUDITH WRAY all my Personal estate and effects whatsoever. But should my wife JUDITH WRAY after my decease marry again then it is my will that my Personal effects I died with should be equally divided amongst my neices that are then living by equal shares, the daughters of WILLIAM DIXON and BARBARA DIXON boatman of Middleham and unto my nephew WILLIAM DIXON son of WILLIAM and BARBARA DIXON I give all my houses shops and appurtenacnes and a field called Bullas Crofts and all the fields which lay west of Middleham in the foot road to Wensley which I bought of Mr THOMAS MIDGLEY with gates of Middleham Moor and tenanted by RICHARD PICKERSGILL, PERCIVAL WILLIS, JOHN TENANT, WILLIAM BYWILL and GEORGE HUDSON....... unto WILLIAM DIXON my nephew. I likewise give unto my nephew JOHN DIXON the four fields which I bought of ROBERT and JOHN GILL lying in the parish of Middleham with my estate lying in Walden with a gate on Burton Pasture in the Parish of Aysgarth the same lands subject to pay my wife JUDITH WRAY her thirds ..... I likewise subject the estate in Walden to the payment of £10 a year to my sister DOROTHY HARRISON and after her decease my nephew GEORGE HARRISON ... and I order that it is my will that my dear wife JUDITH WRAY shall have the order of my funeral which I would have in a private and decent manner and I ordain my dearly beloved wife JUDITH WRAY the executrix of this my Last Will and Testament revoking all former wills by me made In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 4 February 1779

Witnesses George Hudson, Betty Deighton, John Prest.

NB - gates refers to Cattlegates, grazing rights on common land.

This will was proved at London 3 December 1789 ... by the oath of Judith Wray widow and relict of the deceased and sole executrix .....

From the North Riding of Yorkshire Register of Deeds at Northallerton

BV 230 118

and also PROB 11/1186

Middleham Parish Registers Burials

1789 26 September Mr William Wray, gentleman, aged 70 years

Middleham Monumental Inscriptions

Here lies the body of William Wray who died 23 September 1789 aged 70. Also Judith his wife who died 7 July 1802 age 80 years.

Click Here to view the will of William's wife Judith