Gurney Genealogy Library Updated 29 May 2026 by Allen Gurney

These research notes are provided as-is and contain supplementary working research.

William Gurney V (G18) Notes

Research notes for g18-william-gurney-v-fact-sheet.md. See .claude/rules/research-files.md for the paired-file rule.

Working Notes

IPM (DG-Supp Note 132, pp. 817–819) — decedent is William Gurnay senior (G19), not G18

Attribution correction, 22 May 2026, verified by direct page-image reading of DG-Supp Note 132 pp. 817–819 (Internet Archive scan of the 1858 Supplement). The Inquisition Post Mortem titled “Willelmi Gurney Senioris” is the IPM of William Gurnay senior. DG-Supp Note 133 explicitly identifies the IPM decedent as “William Gurney IV” — therefore G19, not G18. The IPM material below — manor portfolio, two trust deeds, the 16 February 1507/8 death date — belongs to G19. It is preserved here in the G18 research companion because the IPM explicitly documents G18’s place in the succession: G18 was William Gurnay junior, who married Anne Heydon and “dying in the life time of his father” caused the inheritance to descend after his father’s death to the grandson Anthony.

Taken at Norwich on 4 November 1532 (13 Henry VIII), by virtue of a brief dated Westminster 10 May 1532. The IPM covers both Norfolk and Suffolk.

Norfolk holdings at death:

Trust 1 (deed dated 19 September 1485, 2 Richard III):

  • Manors of Swathings, Rokelondtoftes, and Hingham with appurtenances in Hardingham, Reymerston, Brandon, Runhall, Corston, Rising, Thuxton, and Hinghamberg, plus the advowson of St. James, Thuxton.
  • Feoffees: William Calthorpe Knt., Henry Gray, Robert Drewry Esq.
  • Held of William Arundell Knt. and Lord Maltravers, as of their manor of Cantley (the old senior Gournay manor), by one knight’s fee. Valued at £18/year.
  • Note: DG adds: “It is clear by this that these manors were held by the West Barsham Gurneys under the lords of Cantley and Caistor, which had formerly been the elder line of their own family.” The junior branch still held under the residual lordship of the senior Gournay estates.

Trust 2 (deed dated 6 April 1505, 21 Henry VII):

  • Manors of West Barsham, North Barsham, Houghton, and Denver with lands in West Barsham, North Barsham, Houghton, Denver, West Dereham, Fincham, Fordham, Downham, and Larlyngeforthe.
  • Feoffees: Edward Howard Knt., Philip Calthorpe Knt., Robert Clere Knt., Robert Drewry Knt., Nicholas Appleyard Esq., William Calthorpe of Pockthorpe, and Thomas Gurnay Esq.
  • Held of Thomas Earl of Arundell, as of his manor of Castle Acre, by one and a half knight’s fees. Valued at £20/year.

Held directly:

  • Manor of Harpley with advowson of St. Lawrence church and lands in Harpley and Houghton. Held of Earl of Arundell as of Castle Acre, at half a knight’s fee. Valued at £10/year.
  • Manor called Barkers or Bakers in Irstead. Held of John, Abbot of St. Benet’s Holme, as of his manor of Netysherd, in socage, at a rent of 102s/year.

Suffolk:

  • Manor of Depden with advowson of St. Mary the Virgin. Held of Thomas Earl of Arundell as of Castle Acre, at one knight’s fee. Valued at £20/year.

Death date of the IPM decedent: “He died on the 16th day of February, A.D. 1507, the 23rd of Henry VII.” This is the death date of the IPM decedent = William Gurnay senior = G19 William Gurney IV, not G18.

Heir: “Anthony Gurnay is of blood and next heir, and of the age of thirty years and more at the date of this inquisition.” Anthony was G19’s grandson; G19’s son and heir (this man, G18 William Gurney V / William Gurnay junior) had already died, so the estates descended to Anthony as grandson of the decedent.

The two trust deeds span two dynasties: The 1485 trust was created under Richard III (2 Richard III), and the 1505 trust under Henry VII (21 Henry VII). This shows the family managing estate planning across the Yorkist-Tudor transition. The 1505 feoffees include Edward Howard (later Lord Admiral, killed at Brest 1513) — a Howard connection of the highest order.

G18 identified as William Gurnay junior — predeceased his father

2026-04-18 (revised 22 May 2026) — The IPM explicitly states: “William Gurnay, junior, and Anne, his wife, had issue Anthony Gurnay, and that the said William dying in the life time of his father, his rights descended, after the death of his said father, to Anthony Gurnay, his son and heir.”

This identifies G18 William Gurney V with William Gurnay junior: husband of Anne Heydon, father of Anthony, and predeceased son of William Gurnay senior (= G19 William Gurney IV). The estates therefore skipped a generation, passing from G19 William senior directly to grandson Anthony (G17), because the intervening G18 William junior was already dead by 16 February 1507/8. G18’s own death date is not given in the consulted sources beyond “in the life time of his father” — sometime between the 28 May 1484 marriage indentures and 16 February 1507/8. The marriage to Anne Heydon was arranged “by God’s permission” under indentures dated 28 May 1484 (1 Richard III), between Henry Heydon Esq. and William Gurnay senior (= G19).

Anne Heydon’s will — full English text (DG-Supp Note 133, pp. 820–822)

2026-04-18 — DG-Supp Note 133 provides the complete text of Anne Heydon’s will, extracted from the Registry of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Dated 29 March 1520/21, proved at Lambeth 8 May 1521.

Anne had remarried after William junior’s death to Sir Lionel Dymocke, Knt., of Maring-on-the-Hill, Lincolnshire. She survived him too and “lived at Boston, in Lincolnshire, as a widow.”

Key bequests:

  • To Anthony Gurno (her son): a gold ring with a turquoise, a featherbed, a table, a pair of trestles of wainscot, her best carpet, a gilt covered cup.
  • To Anthony’s wife (“my daughter”): a truss bed with tester, 3 curtains, fine sheets, a gown of black satin, a coffer of cypress, a gown of chamlet lined with sarcenet.
  • To Frances her daughter: fine sheets, a gown of black cloth furred with white.
  • To “my Daughter Sybsaye” (Amy, who married George Sybsey of Boston): a bonnet of black velvet, the best counterpoint, the best featherbed, two pairs of fine sheets, a fur of calabar in a gown of damask, gilt salts with covering.
  • To Thomas Gurno (her other son): the house in Horncastle, Lincolnshire, to remain to the issue of his body, with remainder to daughter Sybsey.
  • To Irstead church in Norfolk: 13s 4d for “our Ladies werke.”
  • Executors: Anthony Gurno, John Robynson of Boston, Sir John Kempe priest.
  • Supervisor: “my brother, Sir John Heydon, Knight.”

Significance: The Irstead bequest confirms a connection to Irstead that DG noted earlier — DG-Supp Note 118 suggested William V “was probably buried at Irstead.” The Irstead manor (Barkers or Bakers) appears in the IPM. Anne’s will also names sons Anthony and Thomas “Gurno” and daughter “Sybsaye” (Amy Sybsey) — confirming the children listed in the DG pedigree.

The material culture details (gold ring with turquoise, featherbeds, wainscot furniture, gowns of black satin and damask, a coffer of cypress wood, a gilt covered cup) paint a vivid picture of early Tudor gentry domestic life.

Landholdings

Place Period Notes
West Barsham, Norfolk c. 1507/8 – d. 16 Feb 1507/8 Primary seat. Trust 2 (1505).
North Barsham, Norfolk c. 1507/8 In Trust 2
Harpley, Norfolk c. 1507/8 Held directly with advowson of St. Lawrence. Valued £10/year.
Houghton (in the Dale), Norfolk c. 1507/8 In Trust 2
Denver, Norfolk c. 1507/8 In Trust 2
Hardingham/Swathings, Norfolk c. 1507/8 In Trust 1 (1485). Under Lords of Cantley — the old senior line.
Hingham (Rokelondtoftes), Norfolk c. 1507/8 In Trust 1
Barkers/Bakers, Irstead, Norfolk c. 1507/8 Held of Abbot of St. Benet’s Holme. 102s/year rent.
Depden, Suffolk c. 1507/8 Wauncy inheritance. Valued £20/year.

Open Questions

  1. William junior’s death date: When did William V’s son William die? The IPM says he died “in the life time of his father” but gives no date. He married Anne Heydon c. 1484, and Anne’s will is dated 1520/21. He must have died between c. 1485 and 1507/8.
  2. Irstead burial: DG-Supp Note 118 says William V “was probably buried at Irstead.” Anne Heydon’s bequest to “our Ladies werke of Irsted in Northfolke” (13s 4d) supports an Irstead connection. Is there a memorial or grave at Irstead?
  3. Edward Howard as feoffee: The 1505 trust names Edward Howard Knt. — the future Lord Admiral killed at Brest in 1513. What was the specific Gurney-Howard connection?
  4. Cantley tenure: The IPM reveals the Swathings/Hingham manors were still held under the lords of Cantley — “which had formerly been the elder line of their own family.” The junior branch paying knight’s service to the residual lordship of the senior Gournay estates is a remarkable structural persistence across 400 years.

Sources Consulted

  • DG-I, p. 287 (pedigree). [DG-I]
  • DG-I, pp. 405–409 (William V chapter). [DG-I]
  • DG-Supp, Note 132 (pp. 817–819): Full IPM text — manor portfolio, two trust deeds (1485 under Richard III, 1505 under Henry VII), death 16 Feb 1507/8, Anthony heir aged 30+. [DG-Supp]
  • DG-Supp, Note 133 (pp. 820–822): Anne Heydon’s will — full English text. Proved Lambeth 8 May 1521. Sons Anthony and Thomas “Gurno,” daughter Sybsey, gold ring with turquoise, featherbeds, gowns, Irstead bequest. [DG-Supp]
  • DG-Supp, Note 131 (p. 817): Calthorpe Pockthorpe residence. [DG-Supp]
  • Public Records: Escheats XIII Henry VIII, part 1, Nos. 103 (Norfolk) and 122 (Suffolk). [PRO]

Conflicting Information

Claim Source A Source B Status
William V burial DG-Supp Note 118: “probably buried at Irstead” DG-I (Edmund flagstone at West Barsham attributed to William V in earlier tradition) DG favors Irstead for William V, Edmund for the flagstone.

Fact Sheet Improvement Notes

  1. Cantley tenure: The revelation that the junior branch still held its Swathings/Hingham manors under the lords of Cantley — the old senior Gournay seat — in 1507 is extraordinary. Four hundred years after the senior line was established at Cantley, the junior branch was still paying knight’s service to that lordship. This structural persistence deserves prominent treatment.
  2. Edward Howard: A future Lord Admiral as feoffee shows the Gurney-Howard relationship was real and high-level.
  3. Anne Heydon’s will: The material culture (turquoise ring, cypress coffer, damask gowns, gilt cup) paints the most vivid domestic picture of any Gurney source before the 17th century. Could be excerpted in the narrative.
  4. Son predeceasing father: The succession gap (William V → grandson Anthony, skipping son William junior) is genealogically important and should be clearly explained.

Heydon-Gurney alliance — operating in 1471, formally sealed by the 1484 marriage

The 1484 marriage indentures between William V (G18) and Anne Heydon (granddaughter of John Heydon of Baconsthorpe) are conventionally framed as the moment the Heydon connection entered the Gurney line. The full record shows the alliance was operating thirteen years earlier:

  • 27 July 1471 — Thomas Gournay II’s will probated. John Heydon of Baconsthorpe is named as supervisor (the senior overseer of the executors). Heydon was the most powerful Norfolk lawyer of the mid-fifteenth century, the Paston Letters antagonist, William de la Pole’s chief East Anglian agent, joint Duchy of Lancaster steward with Sir Thomas Tuddenham, and survivor of Tuddenham’s 1462 execution by paying 500 marks for a Yorkist pardon. (Source: Blomefield, History of Norfolk, vol. vii, “West-Barsham,” pp. 42-47, will text — see sources/corpus_supplement/blomefield-norfolk-vol7-pp42-47-west-barsham.md.)
  • January–May 1472 — Saxthorpe Court showdown. Henry Heydon (John Heydon’s son) raises men-at-arms in William Gurney IV’s support during William IV’s two attempts to hold a manorial court at Saxthorpe against John Paston. Documented in the Gairdner Introduction to the Paston Letters — see v62 for the full extract.
  • 28 May 1484 — Marriage indentures. Between Henry Heydon Esquire and William Gurnay senior (= G19 William IV), arranging the marriage of Henry’s daughter Anne Heydon to G19’s son and heir William junior (= G18 William V). Documented in Daniel Gurney Supplement Note 132, pp. 817-819 (within the 1485 trust deed recital).

The 1484 marriage was the formal sealing of a Gurney-Heydon professional and military alliance that had already been operating in the field for thirteen years.[1]

  1. 1471 supervisor: Francis Blomefield, History of Norfolk, vol. vii, “West-Barsham,” pp. 42-47, British History Online, Source ID blomefield-norfolk. 1472 Saxthorpe Court: James Gairdner, ed., The Paston Letters (1904), Introduction vol. I, Source ID paston-letters-gairdner (added to data/sources.json in v62). 1484 marriage indentures and 1485 trust deed: Daniel Gurney, Supplement to the Record of the House of Gournay (King’s Lynn: Thew & Son, 1858), Note 132, pp. 817-819, Source ID dg-rec-supp. ↩︎