Alys Wolfden
Personna Details
16th Century 1546?
Father (Giles) died, Mother (Isabella) dead
Younger brother (Vincent) not yet of age - crown assumed wardship of the estate till brother became of age.
Actually managed to keep property in family once brother reached maturity.
Brother married, his wife and child died in childbed. Brother died a couple months after in hunting accident leaving full inheritance legally to his elder married sister Alys Wolfden.
Alys husband (Marc) died of disease, elderly man.
Alys now holds her families estate, her husbands as well.
Their lands close to Berwick has changed hands many times between English and Scottish occupation (indicating why on occasion the 16th Century Lady Alys can be seen in 'provential' garb of her grandmother (Scottish Geils). Family would have been involved with milling or wool / weaving given the locale in addition to typical local crop farming to keep the family and tenants fed.
References: Bess of Hardwick: Portrait of an Elizabethan Dynast by David N. Durant - information reguarding the rebirth of the wardship laws. Given Names from Brittan 1384-1600 information gathered from local parish records (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/tangwystyl/latebreton/). Medieval Atlas Central Europe 1550 (http://historymedren.about.com/library/atlas/blatmapce1555.htm) England 16th Centruy (http://www.pbs.org/shakespeare/locations/) Berwick (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berwick_upon_Tweed) North Berwick history (http://www.north-berwick.co.uk/history_nunnery.asp) Scottish Names (http://www.mulletargent.com/projects/aberdeennames.html)