Eacotts from 1600 - 1800
There are numerous records of the Eycotts - Eacotts from 1600 onward. However in 1608 in his" Men and Armour " Smith who took a record of all men in Gloucestershire age 20 to 60 fit for military service recorded no Eycotts in Rendcomb, North Cerney, Bagendon, Woodmancote or anywhere.. Yet less than twenty years earlier there were several grown Eycott men. There is listed one Thomas Coots as age about 40, a fairly short man who was suitable to be a cavalier. At this time Lady Mary Stafford was the Lady of Woodmancote and Lady Eleanor Berkeley was the Lady at Rendcomb. In the absence of any Eycotts we must assume the name Coots was such. Of course there may be other reasons they were not listed such as the holding of beliefs that would not make them suitable for military duty for the crown.

At this approximate time, 1603 Thomas Ecott baptized two daughters at North Cerney, a Thomas was buried there in 1604. There were no children living with those names at that time.

Wiiliam Eacoote was baptized at Winstone in 1607, son of Edward and Margerie. Thomas Ecott was born in 1607 as was Joseph Eycot. In 1610 John Eycott married and John Ecott died. None of these people appeared in Smith's book. Why? Catholics?

From 1619 we have the Rendcomb will of Joan (Jane) Ecott whose brothers were William, Thomas and Richard Eacott whose son was Thomas. Her sisters were Susan Chamberlain and Margaret Broade and her mother-in-law was Susan Jefferies.. Joan directed her body to be buried in Rendcomb churchyard.
In 1623 John Eicot was churchwarden at Bagendon.
In 1630 John Eacott was born to Richard, a rough mason, at North Cerney. At this time surname interchanges were quite common. Parish and Bishops registers were even at variance with the same person and event. Alse and John Eycot lived at the Moor in the 1630's From 1430 until the late 1700s there were 141 Eycot and variations recorded at North Cerney, 15 at Rendcomb, 56 at Bagendon. From after 1683 there were 46 Eycots (only Eycots) at Cirencester. Records went back in most places to just before 1600.
The Eycots did not leave the Churn valley until after 1600. Their first regular appearance outside the valley was at Warminster in 1665, then South Cerney 1696 and Cromhall 1697 although the Rev. Nathaniel Eycott was preaching in Thuxton, Mitford Hundred, Norfolk in 1655-7 for the sum of 22 £ per year. He may have been brother of Joseph b. 1607. In early 1700's Eycott's spread more into Wiltshire and a few other areas such as London. The Eacott name as such became common at Cromhall and the parishes which adjoin it to the south and around Warminster.
The reasons for the movement out of the Churn valley and the locations where they appear is difficult to determine. However, when examined there are lordships connected to the places where Eacotts went. The Berkeley family around Cromhall and the Thynne family at Warminster. In addition other names which are associated with Bagendon and North Cerney such as Guise, and Stafford show up in the same places.
Family connections of note from this group include William Ecott of Cromhall who married Sarah Guy, daughter of Philip Guy of Gloucester. He was a descendant of John Guy the colonizer of Newfoundland. From his will of 1625 we find that this Governor of Newfoundland and former mayor of Bristol (1618 - 19) had a farm at Gauntes Earthcott in Almondsbury Parish, a tenement in Bristol, land known as Seaforest in Newfoundland and 1/16 part of the prisage wines of Bristol.

William and Sarah had a son William who married Mary Drew in 1767. their son William born 1776 reportedly went to the West Indies.

All told the Eacott records for Cromhall 1697-1849 include 90 persons, with another dozen at Wickwar and Charfield. At Alveston there were 47.
In Wiltshire the Eacotts (by that version) appear in Warminster 1665 and Purton in 1703. At Warminster it is possible to suggest a connection with nearby Longleat whose owners had a connection with Woodmancote or with the line of Eacotts from Winstone. The Warminster line continues for many years and 54 are recorded over 150 years. The Purton connection which may have even older area connections going back to 1500's with a name which is awkwardly related and Purrton may relate to persons living at Wooton Bassett and Swindon a total of 36 persons.

Just north of Warminster at Westport, Thomas Ecut left his will in 1627 naming his mother Elizabeth, and a wife Rachel who was with child. This may well connect with Warminster and North Cerney.
Warminster
The first record for Warminster shows John Eacot and Edward Eacot as paying tithes as householders in 1665. (History of Warminster by J.J. Daniel 1879 pg 116). There is no birth record for any Edward in the possible life span of this person with an Eacott type name. These were two adult males who must have been born 25 to 50 year earlier 1615 to 1640. Warminster in 1665 was a prosperous wool town, and a cloth making centre, it was also known for malting and particularly for its market. There were 350 homes and about 1,800 people in the town. These two Eacot families would have been well known in such a small community. What they did for a living we do not know but they owned property, their homes.
A will of 1684 for William Ecut of Eysey Manor (Kempsford-Castle Eaton area), labourer, whose wife was deceased left his goods to sons William and Nicholas and daughters Ann, Margaret, Elizabeth.

In Berkshire at Tilehurst (1742-1812) a line of Ecket names occur. The same occurs derived from Eycott at Ampney Crucis (1709-49). At Yattendon Berks. Eacotts are listed (1745-48) and later at Brightwalton (1775-1824).

Eycotts and Eacott occur in London from 1710 in small numbers. There are a number of Marriages occurring in different places without any additional entries.
Berkeley Eycott and the Goldsmiths
One Eycott of some interest is Berkeley Eycott. He was a goldsmith of Cirencestor who lived at Bagendon, likely at the Moor. In 1670 Berkeley was apprenticed to William Cowland a London goldsmith. Someone, his father would have had to have enough money to pay the premium for him to be apprenticed to Cowland and the Goldsmiths. As an apprentice he would have had to live on Goldsmiths Row. He would have been about 14 years of age and would spend 7 years leaning the trade. He would learn to make and sell plate, to buy foreign coins of gold and silver and melt them, make small wares, cutlery, salters, cups, chafing dishes etc. and to complete his training he would have made a masterpiece of his own. The Goldsmith Hall, the guild of craft workers in gold was at the time also the assayers of the gold for England and acted as bankers before the Band of England began. Goldsmiths were people of real status. How did young Berkeley get to be an apprentice? 1670 saw the end of Cromwell's commonwealth. .Richard Eycott of North Cerney may have been his father. His brother may have been Samuel also a Cirencester goldsmith. An uncle or great uncle might have been the Lord Mayor of London, Thomas or Robert Vyner, also goldsmiths. Lady Berkeley was mistress at Rendcomb. How was this young man connected to any of these people? There is no record of Berkeley completing his training and petitioning for his freedom. He returned to Cirencester and apart from being a goldsmith, and possible a mortgage lender, he was an important person in the Church at Bagendon. He arranged for a land transfer to the benefit of the church. Berkeley had a large family, 5 boys and 2 girls. At least one of the sons, John went into the goldsmith career. The venture into being a lender turned sour for many goldsmiths in the early 1700's when their clients defaulted and they lost heavily. We don't know if this affected the Eycotts or not. In his will Berkeley is noted as a Gentleman of Eycott House, Rendcomb Glos..
His son ? John who died in 1751 succeeded his father in the goldsmith business in Cirencester and left his estates in Bagendon to his sons Richard, Thomas and John. John was the executor, John the deceased had a wife Elizabeth. The boys Thomas and Richard were neither of age (21). They were to get 250 pounds each along with their own estates in Bagendon. This John had a number of sons and daughters of whom only three are noted in the will. The significance of this is unknown and should be examined.
Tetbury
1719 Jane Wells charged Richard Eycott with defamation
1728 Jane Eycott and Marg Mitchell charged with adultery
1760 William Eacott of Charleton in Tetbury parish left his will to his son Richard Eacott and his daughter Elizabeth wife of Jonathan Avery.
Who was this man of means?
Lincoln's Inn was one of the 4 courts of law to which barristers belonged. John Eycott was a lawer and he dwelled in the accommodations provided for them in London.
1751 April 19 – John Eycott of Lincoln's Inn, Middlesex, Gentleman
From North Devon Chichester family papers
1821 May 10 – John Eycott of Lincoln's Inn, Middlesex, Gentleman
From Lowndes Family of Chesham Buckinghamshire
a limited administration granted to Willoughby Rockham.
(Eycott was a man of means, why he is in these papers is not known although the last item appears to be giving power of attorney to care for him.)
At Cromhall in 1776 William Ecutt, who had remarried left his son John, eldest, the messuage and tenement and also left to other sons William, Robert and Philip. He owned 2 other cottages.
Stonehouse
At Stonehouse during the period from about 1770 to 1840 the father, and perhaps grandfather, Henry Eycott and son, Frederick Eycott were active clothiers owning and operating mills. The Manor of Frocester in 1803 was put on sale by George, Earl of Warwick. Leonard Parkinson bought the manor and much of the land. Henry Eycott of Stonehouse purchased another part but sold it to Parkinson in 1806. The Stonehouse Upper Mill was owned by Messers Eycott by 1776 who worked the mill which has 3 stocks and a corn mill. During this time woolen broadcloth was being produced throughout this area and a special skill in coloring the cloth was employed. Mills were generally quite profitable. Bond's Mill the lowest in the parish was built in 1714 and in 1784 the Eycott's had 4 pairs of fulling stock at the mill.. Henry leased the mill to William Wood in 1832. His son Frederick leased it to William Wise in 1840 after a power loom had been built in 1837. Another estate at Nostend was owned by Henry from 1813 to 1830. Nostend was mostly Clutterbuck land. Frederick had 139 acres at Nostend in 1839. Is this the same Henry who led the Gloucester Militia in the early 1800's? Clearly they were a prosperous and influential family at that time. . (History of Gloucester vol 10)
Henry Eycott and Family of Stonehouse (near Stroud)
1800 – boundary between Stonehouse and Eastington. Henry Eycott of Bond's Mill proposed to cover ditch between Stroud Old River and Stanley Brook erecting merestones on the course of the ditch.
1800 – Joseph King stole loom from Henry Eycott, clothier
1804 – legal file of Mrs Anne Clutterbuck Eycott, Stonehouse and William Fryer of Eastington
1817 – Wool was stolen from Samuel Clutterbuck and Henry Eycott, owners. Joseph Eycott was informer (alias Lewis)
1823 – marriage contract between Catherine Eycott of Bond's Mill, Stonehouse, spinster and William John Wood of Stroud.
1831 – John Fletcher stole conies from Frederick Eycott and was fined.

There are also a few other personal notes available apart from statistics of births, deaths and marriages.
In 1632 Richard Ecot of Bagendon, a roughmason died. In 1710, April 19 John Eacutt was a juryman at Southam Manor, Court leet. The business was to order some ditches cleaned and repaired. In 1715 Thomas Eycott was appointed constable of Bagendon. This is interesting in that the Eycotts then living at Woodmancote were considered Papists (Catholics) and could not hold such an office at the time. They were registered as persons whose loyalty could be in question. In 1734 rioters destroyed the toll booths of Cairncross House (near Stroud) and F. Eycott of Oakfields was hired to rebuild the gates. This could be the father or grandfather of the Eycotts of Stonehouse.
1655-7 Nathaniel Eycott listed on survey for trustees of Maintenance for Preaching Ministers
He received 22 pounds a year from his patron Robert Long Esq. At Thuxton Rectory, Mitford Hundred, Norfolk. This was an effort in Cromwell's time to address inequities in preachers incomes largely by fining the wealthy bishops.
1736 – James Ecott, the younger, labourer, gets a deed for property at Rodbourne Cheney.
1768 – James Eycott of Haydon Wick, his will, provides for care of his property at Rodbourne Cheney. Bills for thatching and repairing Eycott property from 1778 to 1783. His bequest was rolled into a trust later to create the Wayte Educational Charity.
In 1735 John Eccutt; Thomas Goodall, baker; Phillip Moor all of Uphaven were charged with stealing a furnace belonging to Roger Jarvis and were tried in Wiltshire.

In 1736 William Ecott served on a jury at Westbury Wilts.

Martha Eacott (alias Bryant) was sentenced in March 1759 to 7 years banishment to America. She was taken from jail in Wiltshire directly to the boat where she was shipped out by shipping contractors. She would have to work off her transport as a semi slave. The crime is not known but theft would get such a sentence
1778 Thomas Eacott of Chippenham, plumber and Glazier died. His son was Thomas and daughters were Elizabeth and Susanna. His brother was John Eacott of Wotton Bassett who was also a plumber and glazier.
Chippenham – Deed to Eacott 1784-1805
1792 John Eacott, Yeoman of Wotton Bassett dies. His wife Mary but no children. Nephews were John and James Smith and Neices Sarah, Ann and Mary Smith. ( I also give and devise from after the decease of my wife the house and premises now occupied by Joseph Humphries situated in Wood Street aforesaid unto my niece Ann (sister of the said John Smith) and to her heirs....)
In 1797 Henry Eycott was appointed an officer in the city of Gloucester, Troop of Gentlemen and Yeomanry, a cavalry group organized to defend England against an invasion by Napoleon. He was not listed in an 1803 reorganization.

In 1810 William Eacott worked for two years as a weaver with J&T Clark of Trowbridge Wilts.

Most of the Eacotts were probably farmers like most of the population before industrialization.

The dispersal of the Eacotts was not very extensive. There are only very casual entries for all areas of England except Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. A few in Berkshire and a few later on in Surrey. All of the rest are a single marriage or a family with one or two baptisms. Many counties have no Eacotts or variant in the records. Most of the entries are after 1750 and particularly 1800. Only one or two are before 1700 and are marriages.

Of the dozens of parishes in Gloucester and Wiltshire, only 12 in Wiltshire and 25 in Gloucestershire record Eacotts. Most but not all parishes have been documented to 1600s or earlier. Only 27 parish records contain 5 or more entries.18 contain more than 10 and 8 contain more than 15.
These are the most important sites and the number of names listed and the number of years people lived there. (1986)
Place Number people  Time years   From      To
Rendcomb      15               416        1416    1832
Bagendon       56               390        1394    1788
North Cerney 141             320        1430    1751
Winstone        13                 60        1583    1643
Colesbourne   13                 88        1664    1751
Cheltenham      7                 85        1710    1795
Cirencester     46               110        1683    1795
Ampney Crucis 13               40        1709    1749
Cromhall         90               300        1697   1997+
Alveston         47               150         1767   1911
Purton            11               180         1703   1888
Wooton Bassett 12             40          1728   1772
Swindon         14                19          1779   1798
Warminster     54              215          1655   1880
London           12              150+       1710   1860+

This chart was created in 1997 and does not reflect updated information or variants other than Eacott and Eycott or Ecott.
PARISHES in GLOUCESTER and WILTSHIRE with Eycott, Eacott before 1800

1. North Cerney
2. Bagendon
3. Stratton
4. Cirencester
5. Rendcomb
6. Chedworth
7. Colesbourne
8. Elkstone
9. Side
10. Winstone
11. Brimsfield
12. Ampney Crucis
13. South Cerney
14. Cheltenham
15. Stonehouse
16. Stroud
17. Cherington
18. Purton
19. Highworth
20. Cromhall
21. Charfield
22. Wickwar
23. Alveston
24. Iron Acton
25. Chippenham
26. Wooton Bassett
27. Swindon
28. Baydon
29. Warminster
30. Westwood
31. Kings Stanley
32. Lydiard Tregoze
33. Withington
34. Gloucester
35. Minchinghampton
36.Sutton Veney (aft 1800)
Also Prior to 1800 : London, Bisley Surrey, Tilehurst Berks, Yattendon Berks, Brightwalton Berks, and several places not on the map: Tetbury, Devises, Chobham, Long Newton, Trowbridge. Shortly after 1800 Westwood, Berkely, Preshute, Castle Eaton.
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