Indentures

Welsh Harpe 1689 & 1717

An inn whose site cannot be located (although it stood on the Cosgrove side of Watling Street) was the White Lion, bought by Thomas Penn in 1636 and sold by him to John Wooddell, a London innholder, in 1647. Two years later Wooddell conveyed the property to John Hobbs of Old Stratford, who married Thomas Penn's daughter Mary and died in 1654. The White Lion later passed to his nephew William Hobbs, who in 1688 left the property to his wife Mary and then to four sons.
Could this have been renamed the Welsh Harp perhaps?

A house which definitely stood on the Cosgrove side of the main road is described as the Welsh Harp (suggesting that it had once been an inn) between 1689 and 1717, when it belonged to the Penn and Webb families.

The Falcon: George Emmerson was the owner by 1653, in the indenture for the Welsh Harpe, 1689 it mentions a John Emerson as the neighbour on the south east side. From this we might perhaps conclude that the Falcon and Welsh Harpe were close neighbours.

Indenture - Welsh Harp 1689
This indenture: made this first Day of Aprill in the first yeare of the reignes of Our Soverignes Lord and Lady William and Mary by the grace of God of England France and Ireland King and Queen defenders of the faith etc. Annoq domini 1689 Betweene Silverster Penne of the West Side of Stony Stratford in the parish of Calverton in the County  of Buckinghamshire Tanner of the one part and Sivester Webb of Old Stratford in the parish of Cosgrave in the County of Northamptonshire Cordwainer of the other part Witnesseth that for and in a consideration of the Summe of Twenty poundes of good and lawfull money of England to him the said Silvester Penn by the said Silvester Webb at or before the ensealing and delivering of these presents in hand well and truly paid (the receipt whereof he the said Silvester Penn doth hereby acknowledge) and thereof and every part and parcel I hereby acquit ex…. And forever discharge the said Silvester Webb his Executors and Administrators and every of them by those presents he the said Silvester Penn hath granted demised sell and to Harrie letten And by those presents doth grant demise se.. and to Harrie lett unto the said Silverster Webb his executors Administrators and Assigns All that Messuage Tenement dwelling house and pightle thereunto belonging and adjoining containing by estimation halfe an Acre (be the same more or less) situate standing lying and being in Old Stratford aforesaid in the parish of Cosgrave in the County of Northampton and now in the occupation of one Katherine Webb widow her assignee or assignes and commonly called or known by the name of the Welsh Harpe The High Road called Watling Streete  Road lying and being next on the West side thereof The house and Pightle now in the occupation of John Emerson butting next South East And the house  and Pightle now in the occupation of one John Marriott standing and being next North=West. Together with all and singula houses out=houses ediffices Buildings barnes Stables yards Orchards Gardens backsides Walles Fences Mounds Hedges Ditches trees woodes Underwoodes Wells water water-courses Commons and Common of pasture ways easements pathes passages priviledges profitts Commodities advantages Emolluments Hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the premises aforesaid belonging or in anywise pertaining or therewith all any part of parcell thereof commonly used occupied or enjoyed or knowne accepted reputed or taken to be any part or parcel or member thereof. And all the Estate right Title interest use possession yearly benefitt claime and demand whatsoever of him the said Silvester Penn his heirs and assigns and every of them in to or out of the same premises  and every or any part or parcel thereof And alsoe all Deeds Evidences and writings touching and concerning the said premises only or only any part or parcell thereof To have and to hold the said Messuage Tenement or dwelling=house and Pightle and all and singular other the premises herein before granted and demised or meant mentioned or intended to be by those presents granted or demised and every part and parcell thereof with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said Silvester Webb his Executors Administrators from and immediately after the decease of the aforesaid Katherine Webb mother of him the said Silvester Webb (who hath an Estate for and during the terme of her naturall life of in and to all and singular the said premises herein before mentioned with the appurtenances when soever it shall happen for and during and unto and continuing the full end a Terme of Five hundred years from thenceforth next and imediately ensuingand fully to be compleate and ended Yeilding and Paying therefore yearly and every yeare dureing the said terme unto the said Silvester Penn his heirs or assignes the yearly Rent of one Pepper Corne only at the feast of St Michaell the Arch=Angell if the same shall be lawfully demanded And the said Silvester Penn for himself his heirs Executors and Administrators and for every of them doth hereby o.. and miss grant and agree to and with him the said Silvester Webb his Executors Administrators and Assigns and to and with every of them by those present in manner and forme following (that is to say) the full Summe of Twenty Two pounds of good and lawfull money of England in maeere and forme following (that is to say) Tenn shillings (part thereof) on the first day of October next ensueing the date of these presents Tenn shillings more (part thereof) on the first Day of Aprill which shall be in the yeare of our Lord God One Thousand six hundred and Ninety, Tenn shillings more (part thereof) on the first day of October which shall be in the said yeare of our Lord God One thousand six hundred and Ninety and Twenty pounds and Tenn shillings more (residue thereof) on the first day of April which shall be in the yeare of Our Lord God One Thousand six hundred and Ninety and one without any frand? Or further delay deduction deflation diminiation or a batem: for any manner of Taxes or other matter or thing whatsoever. Provided always under the lesse and upon the expresse Condition and it is hereby u.tually cause to be paid unto the said Sivester Webb his Executors Administrators or assignes or to any of them, the said full Summe of Twenty Two pounds of good and lawfull money of England on the said  very days and times herein before limmited  and appointed for payments therof and according to the purport tenour true intent and meaning of the Covenant in that behalf herein next before continued and other said parties hereunto, That then and from thenceforth this present Indenture and every Grant Covernant clause Article and thing herein contained shall cease determine be utterly used? Frustrate and of none effect in the Law To all Intents constructions and purposes whatsoever Anything in those presents contained to the contrary thereof in anywayes notwithstanding, In Witnesse whereof the parties first above named have to theses present Indenture  inter changerably sett their hands and Seales the Day and yeare.

Silvester Penn
Indenture - Welsh Harp 1717
This Indenture made the Eleventh day of October in the ffourth yeare [1717] of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lord George by the grace of God of Great Brittaine ffrance and Ireland King defender of the ffaith and Anno Domini 1717 Between Katherine Webb of Old Stratford in the parish of Cosgrove and the County of Northamptonshire Spinster of the one part And John Walderne of Old Stratford aforesaid in the parish and County aforesaid Blacksmith and Mary his wife Which said Mary was the widdow and relict of Robert Webb late of Old Stratford aforesaid in the parish and County aforesaid Cordwainer the said Katherine late father deceased And she the said Mary is the mother of the said Katherine of the other part Witnesseth that the said Katherine Webb for and in consideration that the said John Walderne hath since the death of the said Robert Webb her late father paid and satisfied diverse debts due and owing from the said Robert Webb in his lifetime to diverse other persons the Creditors of the said Robert Webb to the amount of ffifty pounds and upwards And also in consideration that the said John Walderne at his own costs and charges hath bread up or provided for the said Katherine in her minority And for the greate Zeale love and affection which she hath and beareth to the said Mary here mother and also for their better support maintenance in their old age And for diverse other good causes and considerations her the said Katherine thereunto moving she the said Katherine hath demised Leased sett and to farme Let And by these present doth demise Lease sett and to farme Lett unto the said John Walderne and Mary his wife All that Messuage Cottage or tenement with the barnes stables yards orchards gardens backsides and little pightle of pasture ground thereunto belonging and adjoining All situate standing and lying and being in Old Stratford aforesaid in the parish and County aforesaid And now in the late tenure or occupation of the said John Walderne his assignee or assignes And which said Messuage Cottage or Tenement is commonly called or knowne by the name or Signe of the Welsh Harpe together with all and singular houses outhouses hedges ditches mounds fences ways waters commons profits comodities and appurtenances whasoever to the said Messuage Cottages or tenement pightle and premises belonging or in anywise appertaining And the revercon  or revercons remainder and remaiders Rents issues and profitts thereof And also all the sate right title interest property clame and demand whatsoever of her the said Katherine Webb her heirs and assignes of in or to the said premises and to every or any part thereof To have and to hold the said Messuage and Cottage or tenement pightle and premises with their and every of their Appurtenances unto the said John Walderne and Mary his wife their Executors and Administrators from the day of the date hereof for and during and unto the full terme of Ninety and nine years from thence next ensueing and fully to be completely ended (If they the said John Walderne and Mary his wife shall both so long live) Yeilding and paying therefore yearly and every yeare during that said terme unto the said Katherine Webb here heirs and assigns the yearly rent of one peppercorne only at the ffeast of Saint Michaell thearchangell (If the said shall be lawfully demanded) Provided alwayes nevertheless And it is the true intent and meaning of those presents that if incase they the said John Walderne and Mary his wife their Executors and Administrators and Assignes do not or shall not well and sufficiently uphold maintain and keep the said Messuage Cottage or tenement barnes stables outhouses And the mounds and fences belonging to the same in good tenantable repayre during all the said terme And do not put into repayre all or any the premises upon three months notice to be given by the said Katherine Webb her heirs and assignes whenever the Same shall be out of repayre That then and from thence forth it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Katherine Webb her heirs and assignes into and upon the said demised premises to reenter and the same to have again as in her and their first and former Estate any thing herein contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding In witness whereof the parties first above named to theses present Indentures interchangeably have sett their hands and seales that day and yeare first [above written]