JOHN COLE of Edenbridge, butcher (c1520-c1585)

John Cole, born around 1520, was the eldest son of Andrew Cole and Agnes Blundell. In 1525 he was left a cow in the will of his grandfather John Blundell. Andrew Cole, John's father, died in 1546, leaving to his son the house in the market place of Edenbridge [TA 494]. It is likely that John would have married soon afterwards. He had several children, probably, Johanna (1547), Juliana (1550), James (1554), John (1555), and Andrew (1556). The parish registers for Edenbridge commenced in 1546 but some early pages are missing. Possibly he married a second time Elizabeth (possibly Beecher) and by her had a daughter Anna (1577). Since Elizabeth may have been an heiress (see below) this would explain why Anna came to marry Reynold Holmden, son of a gentleman, in 1594.

There are several wills and deeds which refer to John Cole. The most interesting is one of 1567 in which John and Elizabeth Cole with Ann Beecher sold a large farm to Reginald Holmden, who was presumably of Crowhurst in Surrey. Reginald bought from John Cole and Elizabeth , with warranty from the heirs of Elizabeth, and from Anne Becher for £40 one messuage, one barn, two gardens, one orchard, 40 acres of land, 10 acres of mead, 40 acres of pasture, 10 acres of wood in Leigh, Chiddingstone, Sevenoaks and Penshurst. In 1568 there was a similar purchase in which Reginald Holmden bought the same property but only one sixth of a messuage from Robert and Joan Budd for £40. In 1558 Nicholas Beecher of Leigh had died (Will Drb). He had a son Sybell and six daughters. If the son had died the six daughters would have become co-heiresses. Possibly Elizabeth Cole, Ann Beecher and Joan Budd were three of the daughters. If the property were compact it would have to be located near the meeting point of the mentioned parishes, which was an area where the Beecher family were prominent, and was close to Sharp's Place in Chiddingstone. In 1623 another Reginald Holmden sold Wickhurst in Leigh, Chiddingstone, Penshurst and Sevenoaks, 110 acres, to George Payne. In the Tithe Award of 1838 Wickhurst is a little to the south of where I would have expected the land bought by and sold by Reginald Holmden to have been. There are other references to the name Cole in the vicinity. In 1572 Richard Cole, husbandman, was a former occupant of Sharpes Place. In 1574 Michael Cole owned land at Hale Oak in Chiddingstone near to that of Reginald Holmden, and just a little south of Cole's Field and Cole's Wood. However cole references are equally found in many other parishes.

In 1584 Andrew Cole, son of John Cole, died. In his will he says: "First I will that John my father shall have his lodging and abiding within the chamber where he now lyeth in my house at the church gate in the town of Edenbridge for and during his natural life and also his competent meat and drink lodging fire and washing to be found and appointed unto him for and during ten years next after my death by my executors and after the end of the said ten years by my son James Cole upon consideration notwithstanding that he my father do so execute of it without any further claim to any my lands and tenements for life or otherwise, and do also permit and suffer my said wife, whom I have before made my sole executrix, to have and enjoy the lease and term of years yet due of and in the lands called Broad Marles (probably near Dencross) with the appurtenances situated within the parish of Edenbridge aforesaid which he holds by the demise of William Gresham, late of Titsey in the county of Surrey, esq., deceased, for and during the continuance of that demise, she paying to the said John Cole my father 20s yearly at four times in the year by equal portions, in current money during the continuance of that demise, and paying and discharging my said father of all other farms and charges issuing going out and dependent in and upon the said lease; and of my said father to execute and allow of this my bequest without ant further trouble. I will and my mind is that he shall forfeit and lose the benefit of this my will and bequest to him otherwise".

John Cole had therefore become incapacitated, perhaps as a result of a stroke, and had made over his property to his son Andrew before his death. The date of John Cole's death is not recorded, but Elizabeth was buried in Edenbridge on September 14th 1583.