This Crest has all the attributes mentioned below by Windsor Herald of Arms,
in addition it includes the slogan, " SEMPER in MOTU "  which translates as
"Always in Motion" or "Perpetual Motion" allusive to the
predictable (apparent) shifting of the Sun, Moon and stars.

Click


Click
"Sable, a Chevron between three Garbs Argent"
( Arms of John Field )

"Arms were confirmed to John Field of Ardsley, co: York on 4 September 1558."

At the same time the Crest atop was granted;
"A dexter Arm issuing out of clouds  fesswise proper habited Gules, holding in the hand
also proper an Armillary Sphere Or." (EDN 56.18b; Miscellaneous Grants 1.59)

The above definitions from the armorial were given by letter  dated 17 July 2009
from William G Hunt, Windsor, Herald of Arms, London  EC4V 4BT


No proof of a Knighthood has been found. If John Field had been dubbed a knight (i.e. Sir John Field)
the crest would have included a Helmet, but that is plainly not the case. [13]

"I John Field of Ardeslaw, fermor, sometymes studente in the mathymathicall sciences" is how he described himself in his Will of 1586.  A Crest on his coat of arms was awarded in 1558 for his services to the science of navigation.  In the previous year he published an almanac entitled "Ephemeris anni 1557 currentis iuxta Copernici et Rheinhaldi canones ephemeris", i.e. tables etc of star and planet positions for navigators, the first in England based on the new  astronomy which placed the Sun at the centre of our planetary system, and not the Earth. The work was inspired by "De revolutionibus orbitum coelestium" by the Polish scholar and linguist Nicholas Copernicus (1473 - 1543).  Surprisingly other countries were slow to take up this science.  Its development, mainly by protestant states it seems, simplified the task of navigating the World and exploiting its resouces. Seventy-five years later Galileo was abused by the Roman Inquisition for his support of these new ideas [link].
John Dee (1527 - 1609) alchemist, astrologer and mathematician, astrologer to Mary Tudor, wrote an "Introductory Epistle" to John Feild's almanac.

• The Ardsley  favoured here may or may not be the village of East Ardsley. Historically, Ardsley, also known as Woodkirk is a large district south of Leeds which includes East Ardsley; West Ardsley; Batley; Morley; Robin Hood; Tingley; Topcliffe; and other settlements.  And so, I aim here to put John Field and his descendants into that landscape based on the historical records, and some well considered intuition.  
• As a curiosity, the Baptism register for St.Michael, East Ardsley shows my distant relation Hanna Feild (1706) , and the clerk has added marginalia indicating that the ceremony took place elsewhere, in fact at West Ardsley (St.Mary), Woodkirk which is two miles to the west of St.Michael's. 
• Also long ago, "St.Michael's, East Ardsley (q.v.) was a chapel dependent on St.Mary's, Woodkirk."
  

Joseph Hunter, a descendant of John Feild believes that John was a son of Richard Felde, and born in Ardsley, West Yorkshire, who received his early education at the ancient monastic cell at Woodkirk, an outpost of Nostell Priory near Wakefield, and that he later graduated from Oxford University.  [8]

John Feild's last will mentions a financial arrangement with (agriculturalist) John Francklyne of Little Chart , Kent.  His wife Jane b.1540    [14] was also from Kent, and daughter of a John Amyas. [3a]   So, were the Franklyne and Amyas families 'of Kent' neighbours, or otherwise related ?   Linking to a Geograph.org image we see the ruined church of St.Mary the Virgin and the Holy Rood.  In WW2 a German 'Doodlebug' flying bomb crashed on it.  Curiously (although this may be a coincidence) the Woodkirk, Ardsley church also bears the same name.  Is it possible that John and his wife had a part in the naming and dedication of the church at Woodkirk which replaced the earlier monastery ?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

The timeline of my interest in John Feild begins here : -
   
1511 - 1568   Lifespan of Armigael Ward (Oxford B.A. 1532) navigator.  His adventures might have impressed the young John Field.
See Will of John /footnote no.1

1520 William Cecil was born. He became Queen Elizabeth's chief adviser, and nemesis of Mary Queen of Scots.

1522  John Feild was born.  He became Princess Elizabeth's astrologer.

1527  John Dee was born.  He became Queen Mary's astrologer.

1533 Princess Elizabeth was born, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. (Later Queen Elizabeth I)

1536 to 1540  Dissolution of the Monasteries Act      would have disturbed the Woodkirk (Ardsley) monastery; church; and John Field's primary education.

1543 May 24  Death of Nicolas Copernicus in Poland, age 70.


1546   Birth of Thomas Digges at Wootton, Kent who upon the death of his father became a ward of John Dee. See 1560 and 1576.

1547 Jan 28   Death of King Henry VIII

1554 Following the failure of Wyatt's rebellion, Queen Mary imprisoned Princess Elizabeth in the Tower of London and later moved her to Woodstock under house arrest. There, I believe the princess met the queen's astrologer John Dee and her own mentor John Feild.  Apparently the lodge was their jail because the main house was in such poor condition.  The princess remained at Woodstock for almost a year until her release in April 1555.  She was summoned by her half-sister Queen Mary to live at Hampton Court, then in October 1555 allowed to return to her own 'palace' Hatfield House.

In the meantime our hero and others found themselves in hot-water :-

1555 June 5th & 7th. The Privy Council ordered that astrologers John Field [33] and John Dee [28] should be examined on charges of  'endeavouring by enchantmentes' to destroy Queen Mary in the matter of her failure to produce an heir; and bewitching children, etc. They were jailed and it was Christmas of the following year before Dee was bound over to keep the peace. [12]   The webmaster believes that our John was released at the same time and that during their imprisonment the shamed astrologers had worked on their recognition and championship of the Sun-centric planetary system as propounded by  Nicholas Copernicus and Erasmus Reinhold.


1557  Birth of John Savile who became 1st Baron Savile of Pontefract, mentioned here as he built Howley Hall, nr Woodkirk establishing a dynasty of interest to the Field family researchers.

1557  Publication of ancestor John Feild's "Ephemeris Anni 1557 - - - " based on the Copernican system, prefaced by John Dee.  
The book is an almanac of star and planet positions etc specifically for the year 1557. The printers' format is known as small-quarto or square-octavo, very close in shape to the present ISO-216 /A5; 210mm x 150mm.

 1558  September 4th.  The family Arms were confirmed to John Field and a Crest awarded for his services in the science of navigation.  It is unlikely that this would have meant an audience with the Queen.  Following the death of his father he would have petitioned the Court of Wards and Liveries for his right to continue in his late father's office as estates agent and tax collector.

Then only 10 weeks later :

1558 Nov 17  Queen Mary died and her half-sister Elizabeth [25] ascended to the throne.  Robert Dudley, known as a 'favourite' of Elizabeth, appointed astrologer John Dee to set the date of her Coronation, and around that time ancestor John Field [35] was about to settle in Ardsley (Woodkirk), Yorkshire.  [7]

__________________________________________

Residence of ancestor John Field from about 1558.
John and his wife moved from the south of England to Ardsley (Woodkirk), Yorkshire.  Having been one of Queen Mary's courtiers perhaps he was not welcome at the court of Queen Elizabeth. However on a personal level, perhaps he had inherited his father's lands and resettling in Yorkshire might have suited him. Earlier, when as a young man he left for Oxford, the monastic cell at Woodkirk would have been closed under the Dissolution of the Monasteries Act.  Land management had been conducted at Woodkirk for centuries, making it an ideal homestead for a retired courtier.  His residence though not yet identified may have been Topcliffe Hall (demolished c.2016) about one mile north of St.Mary's still within the greater manor of Ardsley/Woodkirk. This is proposed upon the assumption that John Field's burial in the porch of Ardsley's church uncannily imitates that of Sir John Topcliffe. The Topcliffe tomb (1513) is under a slab in the chancel of St.Mary's, Woodkirk. The Latin memorial inscription was seriously blemished with mortar c.1835, however with great foresight it had been earlier recorded by lawyer and historian Mr Norrisson Scratcherd of Morley, thus:- 

• "Orate pro amina Johannes Topcliff quondam Capitalis Justicarii Domini Regis Henrici VII et VIII in Hibernia. Item Magistri Monetae qui Quidem. Obit XII die Decembris Anno Domini MCCCCCXII. Cujus animae propicietur Dues."
  

Which in the webmaster's English translates to :-  

• "Please pray for (the soul of) John Topcliffe, once Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII; and of the Exchequer.  He died the 12th of December 1512."

Wikipedia shows John Topcliffe (LCJ 1496 - 1512) in his place among the others who held the post of Lord Chief Justice of Ireland (Link). There is also a reference to author Jane Austen's, Pride and Prejudice, i.e. the character of Mr Darcy was based upon that of her sweetheart Thomas Lefroy who many many years later became Lord Chief Justice of Ireland (LCJ 1852 - 1866).

• However, as a promising alternative residence another place deserves our consideration as it is very near to St.Mary's church. An old map (Link) c.1890 shows a 'Manor House'; 'Fields Buildings'; and 'Woodkirk Mill' (water-powered), all three just a short walk from the church.
• It appears that the water courses were important to the Field family, i.e. Woodkirk Mill (the water corn mill)  mentioned in John's will relied upon the combined power of Woodkirk Beck and Hey Beck; and Fields' Buildings near Syke Beck were probably the site of their saddlery workshop (see the conjectural note below '1660' on this page). If part of the works was a tannery a water course would have been essential. Unsurprisingly John Field names a tanner, Robert Allott as a supervisor of his will.

• 1560  Thomas Digges' father died, and as a consequence young Thomas age 14, too young to inherit the estate, became a ward and pupil of John Dee. As Dee had already endorsed Field's Ephemeris, it follows that the young Digges would be acquainted with John Field and his works.  There was also a geographic connecton between Digges and Field; they both had strong links with the county of Kent : 1560 is about the time of John's marriage to Jane Amyas of Kent; and at that time Thomas Digges (b. in Kent) would have been about 14 years old.  [ see 1576 for example of Thomas Digges work ]
  

Occupation
Just prior to John Field's death his Will styles him as a 'fermor', so a definition of the word has been sought. It is clear from other parts of the will that he is a farmer i.e. in his Will he mentions agricultural chattels which he left to his wife. However a 'fermor' might also have been a Tax farmer (old English 'fermor' = collector of land-taxes) as described in this link.   If so he would have been responsible for 'harvesting' taxes etc, and as can be seen at 1612 June 11  his son Matthew had the power to penalise those in debt.  Now (2014) as a late addendum to this paragraph I realise that John's son Matthew 1563, and in turn his grandson James 1587 became agents of the Royal Court of Wards and Liveries which commissioned them as tax-collectors and land agents.
________________________________________________________________________

Children of John Field and his wife Jane (as recorded in 1584) : -
1562 Richard, 1563 Matthew, 1565 Christopher, 1568 John, 1570 William, 1572 Thomas, 1574 James, 1577 Martin, 1580 Ann

1563   birth of Matthew Field  Matthew my 9th g.grandfather  (St.Matthew is the patron saint of tax-collectors.)  
Of John Field's children, I believe that Matthew is the most likely to be my ancestor.  Following his father's death he appears to have taken over as head of the family, and as the 'squire' would be the most likely son to remain on the estate along with his mother.  Also John Field's will link makes it clear that he is disinheriting his eldest son - - "I do give to my disloyal and loose-lived son Richard one silver spoon in full payment of his child's portion, with which he be not satisfied will he lose the benefit of the same".  So is this the reason why the Will refers to "my eight children" and not the 'nine' as listed above ?

• 1564 April 26  Baptism of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon.

1573   Thomas Digges (age 30) protege of John Dee published "Alae seu Scalae Mathematiae" dedicated to chief minister to Queen Elizabeth, William Cecil / Lord Burghley.  Later in 1587 Cecil signed the death warrant of Mary Queen of Scots.  She was executed at Fotheringay Castle on his estate.


1585  John Dee [58] was touring Europe.  He was made a Doctor of Medicine whilst visiting Prague or Krakow.

1584-85  Heralds,  Flower and Glover were in Yorkshire and recorded John Field's family and reviewed his right to Arms [3a p.494]

1586 Dec 31  John Field made his Will [link].  Strangely the Will shows no legacy for his son Matthew.  Could it be that the conveyance of the Ardsley manor to Matthew had been arranged beforehand in the same way as Matthew did later on behalf of James in 1631 at Thurnscoe ?

1587 Feb 8  Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded at Fotheringay Castle.
|=
1587  Death of John Field [65, b.1522]
|=
1587 May 3  John Field's will [link]  probate at York.
|=
1587  Birth of James, son of Matthew [24].

1589  Birth of ancestor Robert; son of Matthew [26, b.1563] He was a grandson of the Copernican, and brother of James [aged 2].

From here and throughout the 1600s this timeline, to some extent, deals with the lives of both of these brothers. Uncle James' family, a spur on my pedigree, is included because of James' rank, and my recognition of his children born at Ardsley and Thurnscoe. In comparison, my ancestral thread from his brother Robert 1589 >  George 1615 >  James 1647 > and Joshua 1681 seems very ordinary, although well documented.

Ref. 1590  Howley Hall was built one mile west of Woodkirk, St.Mary. The hall was in turn the seat of John Lord Savile, Earl of Sussex; then his son Thomas Lord Savile b.1590; then grandson James Lord Savile b.1647 - d.1671 no male issue. (See eventual demolition of the hall at line 1730)  Our Copernican's grandson James Field b.1587 was harassed by Thomas Lord Savile, the fact was mentioned in Star Chamber proceedings, see below at line 1638 April 10

1596  Dr John Dee [69] was appointed Warden at Christ College, Manchester.

1598  BENCHMARK  Parish churches were for the first time required to keep records of Births, Marriages and Burials.

1603 Mar 24  Death of Queen Elizabeth I, succeeded by James the 1st.
 
1604 * * * *

The following  'Sir Henry Savile' had no obvious link to the above Savile family of  Howley Hall, Batley.

• And here I should explain my need for the following paragraph. Put simply I want to show tenuous links between elements of my John Field b.1522 and other(s) so please consider these clues: There is (I believe) a copy of one of John Field's Almanacs in the Bodleian Library (about a mile from Merton College, Oxford); John Field and John Dee were the best of friends c.1560; Sir Henry Savile founded 'chairs' at Oxford in Astronomy and Geometry; and we should remember John Field's will in which he describes himself as a 'sometymes studente in the mathematical sciences'.

1604 Sep 30   Henry Savile, of Merton College, Oxford was knighted by King James I. Sir Henry was one of the body of scholars which later prepared the "Authorised Version of The Bible" (1611). He personally translated (from Greek) parts of the Gospels; Acts of the Apostles; and the Book of Revelation.
And earlier (1583) in Queen Elizabeth's reign along with Thomas Digges and John Dee, Sir Henry sat on a commission to consider whether England should adopt the Gregorian calendar - - - but the result was it seems a 'NO' as the eventual change was as late as 1752.

Ref. 1604-1605  The Gunpowder Plot
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Ref. 1606 Jan 30th & 31st  Guy Fawkes aged [35] and others died on the the scaffold for their parts in the Gunpowder Plot.

• 1607 Oct  There was a great comet in the sky, later known  as Halley's Comet.  Edmund Halley studied the comet's movements in 1682, and predicted its return of 1758. 

• 1608 May 10 For reference only. A child of John Lord Savile's died and was buried at All Saints, Batley. On the next line of the record, two days later, Elizabeth Savile was also buried there, probably the child's mother. This is included here as it is in the locality of other events described on this page such as the acrimonious relationship ( [3a] Parsons p.328 ) between James Field and Thomas Lord Savile at 1638 Apr 10 on this page, and later claims of the webmaster to some ancestors being in the Batley records, e.g 1615, 1647 and 1675.

1609  Death of Dr John Dee [82] scholar, buried at Mortlake, Richmond-on-Thames.  [12 p.322]
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1609 July 17 ancestor Jane [Amyas] Field signs her will.  Executor : William [39] of Thurnscoe. [2/Pierce/p.24] 
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1609 Aug  3   Burial of ancestor Jane [Amyas] Field [69], at Ardsley
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1610  Marriage of uncle James Field [age 21].  Regarding his children from 1610 : Surnames spelt as found; and in the Leeds record Jas = James, (standard religious  abbreviation).  St.Peter's church, Leeds referred to below is four miles from Topcliffe Hall.  It seems that James married twice as his children range from Robert b.1612 at Ardsley, to Anne b.1649 at Thurnscoe, which seems too great a time for one woman.  There were Judiths born at both places, which suggests that the latter child might have been named after a deceased half-sister which was not uncommon.

1612  Birth of cousin Robert, son of James Field [25].  James  "------had a son, Robert born in 1610, who emigrated in 1636 to Boston, and in 1645 moved to Flushing, Long Island." [2/Pierce/p.24]  (Robert's relationship as a 'cousin' is, along with other cousins,  abbreviated. To be strictly correct he should be described as my '1st cousin 10x removed'. I have used the same device with the titles of uncles. For example, this Robert's father, James is strictly speaking, my 9th great grand uncle, not simply an 'uncle', i.e. a term used in this page for brevity.)

1612 June 11 ancestor Matthew Field [49, b.1563] /Document at National Archives, index states "Feoffment MD244/194  11 Jun 1612  Contents : of a moiety of the manor of Thurnscoe in performance  of an indenture of the same date (Sir ? ) Gervais Clifton to Matthew Field. Deed poll, Latin." This is one of fourteen such transactions naming Matthew Field and/or James Field: MD244/194 11 Jun 1612 to MD244/207 1 May 1651.  Some of these are referred to below.

1613 Birth of William Gascoigne of Thorpe on the Hill, Middleton, Leeds.  He invented instruments for astronomical observations.
See 1639 / Transit of Venus etc. [5]   

1613 September   Birth of William Calverley whose family occupied land at Oulton, Rothwell and probably had an interest in Holling Hall farm homestead of the webmaster's 'Barber' ancestors. (See 1753)

1614 Jul 10  Baptism of uncle Henry Field, son of ancestor Robert Field [25] at All Saints, Batley

1615   Matthew Field ancestor [52, b.1563] of Ardsley and William Field of Carhead bought one quarter of the manor of Idle (nr Shipley) from John Lord Savile.

1615 (Savile/Field friendship ?)  There was a John Savile living at Haigh Hall probably a relation of the Howley Hall family. It is believed that James Field who lived nearby was Savile's steward. There is a tradition of Field inviting Savile as he came out of Woodchurch one Sunday to dine with him on "cock and bacon".
[notes 2a & 3a to Parsons 1834]

1616 Feb 18  (A Julian Sunday) Baptism of ancestor George Field, son of ancestor Robert Field [b.1589, age 27] at All Saints, Batley. 

West Yorkshire Archive Service : D37/1

1616 April 23   The death of William Shakespeare

1617 May 13   Baptism of 'uncle' Mathew Feild, son of James Field [b.1587, age 30] recorded at St.Peter's, Leeds [10a]
Mathew, named by convention after his paternal grandfather. Misspelling of "Field" is to be expected when recording a largely illiterate population, the interpretation of the surnames etc was at the discretion of the Parish Clerk.  A very similar misspelling occurs on the baptism record [1706] of Hanna, daughter of Joshua.  His name is recorded as Joshuae Feilds. In general many of these discrepancies were due to the sluggish shift of the established church away from Latin.

Ref. 1618 October 29  Execution of Sir Walter Raleigh in London. His body was laid to rest in St Margaret's Church, Westminster, the very place where two of my cousins were baptised on 22 September 1822. (link)

1619 Feb 12   Baptism of 'cousin' Lanclot [sic] Feild, son of Jas [32] Recorded at St.Peter's, Leeds  [10b]

1620 Jul 30    Baptism of 'uncle' John Field, son of Robert Field [31] at All Saints, Batley

1620 Sep 5    Baptism of 'cousin' Judeth Feilde, daughter of Jas [33] Recorded at St.Peter's, Leeds  [10c]

1620 Sept 66  The Pilgrim Fathers set sail from Plymouth, England for North America aboard the Mayflower.

1622 Mar 31  Baptism of 'uncle' Thomas Field, son of Robert Field 1589 at All Saints, Batley


1623 Oct 26   Baptism of 'cousin' Margrit (sic) Fields, daughter of Jas [36] Recorded at St.Peter's Leeds [10d]

Ref. 1625 Mar 27  Death of James I, succeeded by Charles I

1626  From this year, James "- - had several children baptised at Thurnscoe [3a/Parsons/p.327] "   These would be in addition to those recorded at Leeds from 1610 to 1623.  The Thurnscoe children [Hunter/p.496] are of little interest at this time, see my tree at "Ancestry".co.uk where I am known as 61007.

1630 Aug 30/31  John Lord Savile died at his home Howley Hall (exactly one mile west of St.Mary's, Woodkirk). And later, following the death of John Savile there were serious loggerheads for James with the next generation of the Saviles namely Sir John's son and heir Thomas Lord Savile. (Parsons on p.327 says : "This young Lord is charged by James to have - - taken him alone to his study, shuts the door, putting the key into his pocket, goes to a drawer, whence he takes out a dagger puts it to his breast, and swears by a most fearful oath that if he did not presently sign and seal that writing before him, he would kill him in that place. He thus terrified, sealed it." See 1638 Apr 10

1631 Apr 5   ancestor Matthew Field [68, b.1563] perhaps anticipating his demise arranges conveyance of the manor of Thurnscoe in trust to his son James [44].  At the National Archives (MD244/199) Matthew is referred to as Matthew Field the elder of Ardeslaw (not the younger Matthew b.1617).

1631 Jun 2  Death of  Matthew Field ancestor [68, b.1563] [2] Pierce p.24

1631 Sept 8  Matthew Field ancestor / Document at National Archives, index states "Inquisition post mortem of Matthew Field of Ardeslaw. MD244/200  8 Sep 1631  Contents :  Relates to Thurnscoe manor (land).  Taken at Doncaster."  [5]

1631 November 3  'uncle' James Field [44] inherits his right to coat-armour (as did his father Matthew, and grandfather John Feild). James Field/Document at National Archives, index states  "Royal livery MD244/201  3 Nov 1631  Contents : Includes extent of the manor of Thurnscoe.  Sir Robert Nannton wiki, Master of the Royal Court of Wards and Liveries and Sir Benjamin Rudyard, Surveyor of Liveries, pro King Charles (I) to James Field." [5]
  
The Court of Wards and Liveries was a money-spinning instrument of the State set up by Henry VIII.  It took over the management of estates where the main beneficiary of a Will was incapable, for example, under the age of responsibility; or an imbecile etc. and many families were overcharged for the services.  After the Civil War the discredited Court was abolished, and from 1660 the money was instead raised by taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and luxuries.

1633  Trial and second judgement of Galileo by the Holy Office which charged him as "vehemently suspect of heresy". [link]  He was imprisoned (at the mercy of his accusers) until his death in 1642.

1636  Death of Robert Greenwood of West Ardesley who had been a supervisor of John Field's Will of 1587. The death is noted in Dugdale's 1665 - 1666 Visitation of Yorkshire.  The same family-tree also shows Greenwood's son "Ferdinando Greenwood, a Lieutenant of Horse in the service of King Charles 'slane' in the Civil War at Newark".

1638 Apr 10  Star Chamber enquiry into a complaint by Thomas Lord Savile of Batley that James Field [51] was accusing him of false imprisonment and being forced to sign contracts under duress (actually, at the point of a dagger).  There is a legend that this case "ruined Field who ended his days in great poverty on Haigh-moor-side (note at 1587).  The Civil War in this country, the troubles of the times, and the consequent destruction of the Star Chamber prevented in all probability this affair being brought to regular issue."  [3a/Parsons/p.328]        



The 1639 'transit' brought together three English north-country astronomers, Jeremiah Horrocks [21] of Southport; and William Crabtree [29] of Salford; and William Gascoigne [27] of Thorpe-on-the-Hill, Leeds. Horrocks predicted the transit, then he and Crabtree witnessed it, each from his own home. Gascoigne  joined the group later. He, Gascoigne invented the telescope-micrometer and other instruments. Upon the outbreak of the English Civil War (1642) he was commissioned as a Royalist officer, and I have read somewhere that he was killed two years later in the Battle of Marston Moor. The battle site near York is only 20 miles north of his home. Some historians have named the above trio as the fathers of today's Astronomy.

It has been said that astronomy is the most serene of sciences, and I couldn't agree more. Also I feel that the history of astronomy serves to remind us of the trials and tribulations of the giants, such as Ptolomy; Copernicus; Galileo; Newton and others.  And then there's pathos - - for example the young Horrocks died aged 22 only a year after the Transit. He left us with a fond farewell heralding the next Transit (1761 ?).
He wrote :
"Thy return, posterity shall witness; years must roll away, but then at length the splendid sight again shall greet our distant children's eyes."
Jeremiah Horrocks [link]  

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1641   The Star Chamber was abolished.

1642   Outbreak of the English Civil War

• 1642 Death of Galileo Galilei

• 1642 Birth of Isaac Newton

• 1644 Death of William Gascoigne at the Battle of Marston Moor.  (see 1639 / Venus above)

1644 Dec 22 Baptism of George Field, son of George [29, b.1616] at All Saints, Batley. (George 1644 elder brother of my ancestor James 1647)

1645  Robert Field [33] son of James [1587] moves from Boston, N.America to Long Island [see 1610]

1647 Aug 14  Baptism of ancestor James Field son of George [32, b.1616] at Batley


1649 Jan 30  Execution of Charles I.  Start of the Commonwealth Period. 

1651 Apr 3   James Field [64, b.1587] Document at National Archives ( MD244/203 ) He is referred to as "James Field of Thurnscoe Grange".  

1651 May 1   James Field [64, b.1587] Document at National Archives ( MD244/207 ) Final archive entry of James Field, of Thurnscoe. He received rent from Francis Pierrepont.  He was not in this role as landlord for much longer it seems, as the Field family of land agents had served the losing side in the Civil War and it appears that James returned to Ardsley.  (See 1638 Apr 10, "There is a legend - - - ")

1651 Sep 3  Battle of Worcester, which marked the end of the English Civil war.

1658   Death of Oliver Cromwell aged 59.

1660   Coronation of King Charles II.

1660   The Royal Court of Wards and Liveries was abolished by the Tenures Abolition Act 1660

1666   The Great Fire of London.   [ link ]

Here we have a watershed. The above Court which had employed four generations of the Field family was gone, and the  1665-1666 Visitation of Yorkshire by Heralds Sir William Dugdale and  Sir Gregory King shows no "Field" estate.  The role of the Fields as civil servants / estates managers was over,  and James who received his right to coat-armour in 1631 was the last of my ancestors to hold the office.

I believe the Fields re-established themselves in trade at Ardsley to develop a traditional interest in the manufacture of horse tack, i.e saddles; bridles; stirrups etc.  This enterprise was no flash in the pan. After the Civil War, the sport of deer hunting declined, to be gradually replaced by fox hunting. The latter which required greater agility of horse and rider would have brought about refinements in the design of saddlery, the art and craft of which was  well established at Woodkirk long before our astronomer's time due to the annual Horse Fairs held there.  The Royal Charter for the fairs was received in the reign of King Stephen in 1135.  For additional background information go through these recommended links : (Lee Fair)  <>   (YouTube)

Detail from a painting, "Lee Gap Fair" by  John E.Ferneley 1782 - 1860 Woodkirk Beck, flowing away from the artist, had the power to drive an old water (corn) mill at Hey Beck Lane (Batley Road).   The image is included here with the approval of the Turton family who own the original painting. (Email - 22 July 2014) See also : http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/artists/john-e-ferneley

WOODKIRK / WEST  ARDSLEY  and the resurgence of the Fields as 'new-age' saddlers.
1675 Nov 19  Marriage of my ancestor James Field [28, b.1647] and ancestor Hannah Fearnley at All Saints, Batley, parents of  Joshua Field b.1681

• All Saints, Batley and St. Mary's, Woodkirk are adjacent parishes, separated by the Dewsbury/Leeds Road.  The church buildings are only two miles apart.  In the English tradition it has been customary for marriages to take place in the bride's parish church.  Later, two sons of the above couple, Richard Field 1676 and James Field 1678 were baptised at All Saints, Batley.  Joshua (b.1681) is believed to have been a child of this family, but a search for the fact has been frustrated by lost records. [1]  A letter from the Borthwick Institute, York tells us that church records for Woodkirk, West Ardsley; and East Ardsley are missing for 1679 to 1681, and the webmaster suspects that the All Saints, Batley records suffered the same fate.
• The bride's maiden surname 'Fearnley' occurs again in 1747. (cousins marrying ?)

1680   Nov 28  Baptism of ancestor Judith Cryer at Woodkirk, filia, i.e. daughter of Isaac Cryer  Judith, my 6th g.grandmother
¦     ¦    
1681   Birth of ancestor Joshua Field, son of James [34, b.1647]
Joshua >> m-m-f-m-f-f-f-f , a code used sparingly throughout my pages as a generation indicator. Editor-GR

1693 March 31 (O.S.)  John (longitude) Harrison was baptised at Foulby, St.Michael, nr Wakefield, W.Yorkshire.
His mother was an Elizabeth Barber who married Henry Harrison, 7 June 1692.)

1705 Nov 27   Marriage of ancestor Joshua Field saddler, and ancestor Judith Cryer at Woodkirk, Ardsley  [10g]  

Reference only: 1706 Nov 15 baptism of Hanna [10e] daughter of Joshuae Feild (sic)

• Although recorded at St.Michael's, East Ardsley, marginalia in the parish clerk's handwriting indicates "Woodkirk" which would have been St.Mary's, West Ardsley.

• Hanna appears to have been named 'conventionally' after her grandmother, in fact both of her grandmothers (see 1674 and 1675) were named Hannah.

1708  Birth of Thomas Field, son of Joshua[27, b.1681]
1709  Mar 27  Baptism of Thomas Field, son of 'Jehosha' Field, at Woodkirk, St.Mary's

1710 abt  ancestor James Barber was born - - later of Holling Hall (Now Oulton Farm, Wakefield Rd, Oulton, Leeds LS26 8EL)

1720 Nov 24  Baptism of ancestor John Field, Woodkirk, son of ancestor Joshua Field [39, b.1681].

1722 May 24  Death of Thomas aged 14, son of ancestor Joshua Field [39, b.1681]  Thomas, my 5th great-grand-uncle.
It seems that Joshua never got over the boy's death.  Their very simple and yet durable gravestones are embedded, in close contact in the lawn at St.Mary's, Woodkirk.  His small turf-level gravestone is close to the south-facing porch at West Ardsley, St.Mary
 
1723 Nov 3   Baptism of ancestor Anne Briggs at Rothwell, Holy Trinity, her father's name was William.

Ref. 1730  Howley Hall demolished by a great-grandson John Lord Savile whose seat it was from 1590. The great-grandson in question was the Earl of Cardigan - - - but that's another story. See the location and what remains of the ruins Howley Hall [today]

1744 about  Birth of son Thomas to ancestor James Barber [34] of Holling Hall, the baby's mother not known but might have been "Maria".  A Maria Barber who died age 31 (child-birth) is mentioned in 'Rothwell, Holy Trinity' graveyard notes by a Rev Mercer (late 1940s) brought to my attention by Howard Benson (Woodlesford Station webmaster).  Her death at 31 would have left James free to marry again as logged below at 1747. 
 
1747 Sep 23   Marriage of ancestor James Barber [53 b.1694] of Holling Hall and ancestor Ann Briggs [24 b.1723] at Rothwell, Holy Trinity. The Register states : "The 23rd day James Barber & Anne Briggs were married by Mr Brown, vicar. Banns thrice pub(lished)"

1747 Dec 30   Marriage of ancestor John Field [27] saddler, and ancestor Sarah Fearnley at Woodkirk. My 5th g.grandparents.  
Sarah could have been John's cousin as his paternal grandmother was a Fearnley. See 1675.

then 36 weeks later :
1748 Sep 11   Baptism of ancestor Thomas Field, ( my 4xg.grandfather ) at Woodkirk.  I would like to think that this ancestor was named after his deceased uncle Thomas for the reasons at "1722".

• 1750 July 28  Death of Johann Sebastian Bach.  Mentioned simply because this webmaster, an aspiring organist, was born on another "July 28" in 1935.
  

1750, for reference only :- -
"The Calendar (New Style) Act 1750" was introduced in England, a part of which subtracted 11 days from the calendar of 1752.  In a nutshell Wednesday the 2nd of September was immediately followed by Thursday the 14th of September.

1753 Mar 28   Birth of ancestor Mary Barber (4xg.grandmother) daughter of James [52 b.1710 abt] and Anne [30 b.1723] of Holling Hall, now Oulton Farmhouse, LS26 8EL.  "Holling Hall" sounds like a grand location but not so, as it became a typical 'home-farm' adjoining the estate of the superior Oulton Hall (LS26 8HN).  Mary was baptised at Rothwell, Holy Trinity on Sunday 15 Apr 1753. In 1760, the Blayds (Calverley) family of Oulton Hall acquired the freehold of Holling Hall, and the Barber family remained as tenants.
 

Image : © 2017 / Google Earth 53º 44' 30.22" N   1º 27' 12.50" W   elev 144 ft HOLLING  HALL (Tudor) Homestead of my Barber ancestors in the 1700s Grade 2 Listed Now known as Oulton Farmhouse LS26 8EL, currently (2018) in the occupation of Cairnsworths Consulting Ltd (Mr T D Cairns) [17] " King James (1603 - 1625) did sell to William Foreman and heirs "

1755 May 31   Death of ancestor Joshua Field [74 b.1681]
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1755 Jun 1   Burial of ancestor Joshua Field, saddler.
Joshua has a special place in this saga. When my wife and I visited St.Mary's, Woodkirk [2008] we went with little hope of finding anything of real interest. However upon entering the churchyard we found ourselves face to face with a significant group of Field family graves. Joshua's [1755] gravestone was there, embedded in the turf and yet proud enough to attract our attention.   The gravestone is close to the south facing porch of Woodkirk, West Ardsley, St.Mary

"1759 news" Gladly received from Howard Benson, webmaster of site themed for Woodlesford (railway) Station  [Link]
" - - - an advertisement in the Whitehall Evening Post, a London newspaper, connects him (Richard Butterfield) to the sale of the freehold of Holling Hall estate at Oulton now in the occupation of Mr James Barber."  
Presumably my ancestor Mr James Barber was the tenant, not the freeholder but whatever transpired regarding the potential sale seems to have had little or no effect on the Barber family as James' son Thomas (42) was still farming at Holling Hall 27 years later.  Incidentallly in those days the form of address 'Mr' was a mark of respect accorded to a man of property sometimes measured in terms of the number of hearths or fireplaces or chimneys he possessed !

1760  Freehold of Holling Hall farm including some surrounding properties (fee-simple) were sold to the Blayds (Calverley) family of the nearby Oulton Hall. [17]

1762 Nov 21  Burial at Rothwell, Holy Trinity, of ancestor James Barber [52, b.1610 abt] 5th great-grandfather.
In the register he is entitled "James Barber, Yeoman - - from Holling Hall, Oulton".

Reference only: 1769 June 3 :  Captain James Cook an English navigator had carried a team of scientists to Tahiti for the purpose of precisely timing a Transit of Venus; and simultaneously as part of the same experiment, similar observations were carried out by others at Greenwich, London, England, i.e. two sets of observations at opposite ends of a very long baseline.  As a result, calculations were made which greatly improved our knowledge of the scale and structure of the Solar system.  The success of the experiment was in no small measure due to watchmaker John Harrison's earlier solution to the so-called Longitude Problem.  His creation the H4 chronometer, a reliable sea-clock, was transforming the science of navigation.

1771  Jan 21   Marriage of my ancestor Thomas Field [23, b.1748] and ancestor Mary Barber [18, b.1753] at Woodkirk. Mary was a newcomer to the village. Her birthplace Hollin Hall [extant] is about 6 miles NE of Woodkirk.
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1771 Nov 13   Burial of ancestor John Field [51, b.1720] Woodkirk, Ardsley  "saddler & householder".  That house was probably Syke House a few yards to the west of the Bull's Head near the Dewsbury Road / Rein Road (A6029) junction. Considering the history of the cross roads and the presence of  the Field's saddlery works perhaps Rein Road was aptly named. (see map referred to at line 1851)

1778 Apr 19   Baptism of ancestor  John Barber-Field son of Thomas [30 b.1748] and Mary Barber [24 b.1753] at St.Mary's, Woodkirk. His middle name 'Barber' is squashed into the register as an after-thought, perhaps acknowledging his late grandfather's status i.e. James Barber [1710 - 1762] Yeoman of Holling Hall. Now in modern times the double-barrelling of John's surname has been a fortuitous 'Google' tag.

c.1781   Death of ancestor Ann Barber [58, b.1723] nee Anne Briggs, widow of James Barber [m.1747]
(presumed from memoranda c.1944 of Rev Geoffrey Hamish Mercer i.e. both graves at Rothwell, Holy Trinity).

1786  Thomas Barber (42) son of James (b.1710), was still farming at Holling Hall, Oulton (Rev Geoffrey Mercer's sketch-map)

1800 Nov 20  For reference only, a rhetorical query, on behalf of my co-conspirator Mary B-E :
Molly Barber-Field [25, b.1775], sister of John Barber-Field (see below), married Officer of Excise Thomas Barber. I think that this tax-collector was a son of Thomas on the 1786 line above,  i.e. Molly's cousin, assuming generation steps of 31 years.

1803 Sep 25   Marriage of ancestor John Barber-Field [25, b.1778] saddler of St. Andrews, Canterbury, and ancestor Sophia Crockford of Borden, Kent.  
There are coincidences here, i.e. that our John Barber-Field (originally of Woodkirk, Yorks) found himself a wife 240 miles away in Kent as did our Royal astronomer John Field 240 years earlier.

Ref. only : 1805 Oct 21st : "The Battle of Trafalgar" and the death of Admiral Nelson.

1805 Nov 20   Birth of ancestor Sophia Field, daughter of John Barber-Field [27, b.1778]   (Winterschladen family bible)

1806 Jan 5 Baptism of ancestor Sophia Field at St.Andrew's, Canterbury, Kent, England    (Canterbury Cathedral archive U3/S/1/4/St.Andrew's)

1808 : Here it would be remiss of me to not mention the Rev. John Hepworth, incumbent of Woodkirk, St.Mary from 1808.  For 38 years his signatures (and marginalia) streamed through the parish registers as he escorted his parishoners one-by-one through life's pivotal moments.  The Gentlemen's Magazine (Bowyer-Nichols, London) records his death aged 68, as the 18th of July 1846.

1822 Baines Directory and Gazetteer includes my ancestor Thomas Field [74, b.1748], saddler  (Sophia's grandfather and my 4th g.grandfather)

1822 Sep 8  Burial at  St.Mary's, Woodkirk, Ardsley of my ancestor Mary Field (nee Barber) of Syke [68, b.1753 Holling Hall, Oulton, wife of ancestor Thomas (d.1835).  In the church record both Mary and husband Thomas have as their abode 'Syke' which I am assuming was Syke House, adjacent to the Bull's Head Inn, Dewsbury Road.

1825 September  25th,  for reference and its significance : The opening day of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. This brought about a massive cultural change around the World. For too long the people had been content with things as they were.  The effect on this branch of my family is illustrated by the virtual grave table at the foot of this page, i.e. the way in which easier travel affected the distribution of birth-places.  

1835 Aug 11  Burial of my ancestor Thomas Field of Syke House [86, b.1748] saddler, at St.Mary's, Woodkirk, Ardsley. The record of his burial shows an informal note in the margin which states "Parish Clerk nearly 40 years".

1851 Census shows my great uncle Isaac Field [69] was farming 50 acres, estimated to be about half the arable land of Lee Fair Green, West Ardsley. The total area of the Green is 140 acres which includes the site of ancient water-powered corn mills and the course of Woodkirk Beck (the mill stream). The ancient corn mills are very likely to be those mentioned in John Field's will. The Green (2015) is bounded by Syke Rd; Baghill Rd; Hey Beck Lane aka Batley Rd; and Dewsbury Rd.  Also, a map of 1894 shows old established Field's Buildings on the northern apex of the triangular Lee Fair Green. (The map extract shows Dewsbury Rd to the left, and Syke Rd to the right.)

1851 Jun 25   Death of my ancestor John Barber-Field [72 b.1778], 3 x g.grandfather. (Date from a Winterschladen family Bible)
¦
Father and daughter, last individuals in my line of 'Field' ancestors, R.I.P.
¦
1883 Feb 11   Death of my ancestor Sophia Barrett nee Field [77 b.1805], g.g.grandmother, at Hume Terrace, Darlington.

[1]   Parish record information re 1681 / Joshua Field received from The Borthwick Institute, University of York ( 29 May 2009)

[2]  Recommended book from which many internet websites seem to be sourced :---
"Field Genealogy", by Frederick Clifton Pierce, published 1901. Available on-line  http://www.archive.org/stream/fieldgenealogy01pier/fieldgenealogy01pier_djvu.txt
The book may be downloaded from a choice of formats. I would strongly recommend the .pdf at 44Mb (not b/w).
Some time after the death of Mr Pierce, May 1, 1905 there was an interesting comment in a newspaper about the book; its author; and a Mr Somerby [link] .

[2a]  Recommended reading from a Google digitised book : by Edward Parsons published in 1834 :-
"The Civil, Ecclesiastical, Literary, Commercial and Miscellaneous History of Leeds, Halifax, Huddersfield, Bradford, Wakefield, Dewsbury, Otley and the Manufacturing District of Yorkshire.

[3]  The blazonry of the Arms was described (for a fee) by "Windsor Herald of Arms", London by letter dated 17 July, 2009 (EDN 56.18b; Miscellaneous Grants 1.59)
This translates to three silver wheat-sheaves and silver chevron, on a black background and [not illustrated] the crest, a right arm in a red sleeve issuing out of clouds holding in the hand a golden armillary sphere, i.e. a spherical frame of the heavens with lat/long circles and an ecliptic circle tilted relative to its equator.  The crest honoured John Field's contribution to England's grasp of Copernicus' revelations.
 
[3a] In the Gentleman's Magazine, 1834, p.491 the Rev. Joseph Hunter contributed, "Some Particulars of the Life of John Field, the proto-Copernican of England".  Then later. as a critique of the foregoing, Edward Parsons wrote essays [ 1834 ] on "Ardsley" and "Woodchurch" in a Yorkshire history book Digitized by Google  pp.322-335.  Mr Parsons takes delight in challenging Mr Hunter's suggestion that John Field attended an East Ardsley church, preferring instead, as I do, Sancta Maria [St.Mary's] at Woodkirk, Ardsley. Also [8], another Joseph Hunter, a descendant of John Field mentions Woodkirk, Ardsley in connection with John Field's education, adding some  weight to the argument which favours St.Mary's.  Images of England "  the U.K. Government's statutory adviser on the historic environment provides archaeological notes about St.Mary's which include references to 'watermills' such as mentioned in John Field's last Will. i.e. " Excavations have revealed a courtyard over 50ft square with adjacent buildings. There was also a garden, an orchard and a stone dovecote with fishponds below the church which served as reservoirs for the watermills.  St.Michael's, East Ardsley (q.v.) was a chapel dependent on Woodkirk. [Written by] Joan Thomas, St.Mary's, Woodkirk (undated church leaflet). "

[4]  More conjecture for future consideration : John 'longitude' Harrison' was born near Nostell Priory, Wragby.  There is an ancient religious connection between 'Nostell' and St Mary's, Woodkirk. The webmaster wonders whether the hyphenated Barber-Field children of the 1700s were so named as a kind of hero worship e.g. John Barber Field was baptised only 10 years after Harrison's clocks contributed to the scaling of the Solar system through the Tahiti/Venus experiment.

[5]  The U.K. National Archives provide useful references to Matthew Field (b.1563) and his son James  [go to page at National Archives MD244/194 to 207] .  The records show that in the early 1600s Matthew, and later, his son James had business dealings regarding Thurnscoe, although it appears from the evidence that "Matthew Field of Ardislaw", preferred to commute between the two places.

[6]  Once upon a time before this history came to light,  the webmaster dabbled in astronomical instrument making : - -  Optical telescope  Radio telescope

[7]   The date of the trial of John Field, believed to be for the illegal prediction of Queen Mary's pregnacies, was found in John Foxe's Book of Martyrs 1583/p1581.

[8]  Wikipedia link and Wikisource link to John Field proto-Copernican.

[9]  A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 66-69. See Ardsley (West) here > > > URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=50758  

[10] CITATIONS 1617 to 1706  [10a] etc etc

[10a]  "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NBMX-521 : accessed 31 Dec 2012), Mathew Feilds, 13 May 1617; citing SAINT PETER,LEEDS,YORK,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 0599914 IT 3, V. 1, 0599915 IT 2, V. 3, 0599916 IT 2, V. 7, 0599919 IT 1, V. 20.

[10b]  "England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JW6N-24N : accessed 31 Dec 2012), Lanclot Feild, 12 Feb 1619; citing SAINT PETER,LEEDS,YORK,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 0599914 IT 3, V. 1, 0599915 IT 2, V. 3, 0599916 IT 2, V. 7, 0599919 IT 1, V. 20.