Family and Education

m. bef. Sept. 1423, Agnes.1

Offices Held

Town clerk, Wallingford by July 1412-aft. July 1431; mayor Mich. 1436-7, 1439-40, 1444-5, 1448-9; alderman 1440-1, 1445-8.2

Biography

One of the most important of early 15th century Wallingford burgesses, Bodyngton frequently held local office, and witnessed the parliamentary elections for the town in 1420, 1421 (May), 1429, 1431, 1435, 1437, 1442 and 1449.3 He himself sat three times, on each occasion with John Warfield.

It is possible, however, that he was not originally a Wallingford man; indeed, he may well have been the William Bodyngton who had witnessed a deed at Standhill in Oxfordshire in 1397. Nevertheless, by 1412 he had become town clerk, an office he apparently held continuously for nigh on 20 years. He owned considerable property in the borough, and witnessed numerous deeds there. In 1425 he acted with William Hende* as executor for Robert Deffont*.4 He himself probably died soon after 1449.

Ref Volumes: 1386-1421

Author: Charles Kightly

Notes

• 1. Berks. RO, W/TLb/16.
• 2. Boarstall Cart. (Oxf. Hist. Soc. lxxxviii), nos. 806, 808, 811, 818-19, 835, 837, 840; C219/15/1, 6; Bodl. Ch. Berks. 137; Harl. Ch. 45A 26; Berks. RO, W/RTb/102-5, W/TLa/14.
• 3. C219/12/4, 5, 14/1, 2, 5, 15/1, 2, 6.
• 4. Boarstall Cart. nos. 162, 790, 809, 839; Berks. RO, W/TLb/16; C145/307/5.