The Cuffley family

Researched by Barbara and Peter Cuffley

My Cuffley ancestors were in the parish in the seventeenth century. The earliest record is the baptism of Mary Cuffley, daughter of John and Susan, 6th October 1622. Their son Edmond/Edward, baptised 11th March 1627 is in parish records up to 1670. He married Katherine Irons at Shephall, 18th July 1653 and first appears in the Churchwarden's Accounts 2nd November 1654.

My ancestor Richard Cuffley was baptised at Little Munden, 26th April 1663. By 1687 he is living at Bishops Stortford, and in 1707 moved to Sawbridgeworth. The origins of John Cuffley who married Susan have yet to be resolved. He could have been the Johnes Cuffleye baptised Kings Walden, 9th October 1586. That line goes back to Hexton, a place which offers the earliest Cuffley record in the region, dating to the fourteenth century.

The village or hamlet of Cuffley to the south is recorded as Kuffele in the Assize Rolls of 1255 and Caffele(ye) in 1275. The situation with the registers for Little Munden makes life difficult. I believe the Bishop's Transcripts are patchy and at times difficult to read. There is no record of John Cuffley marrying Susan though the baptisms of Mary, Richard, Thomas and Edmond are there.

A John Cuffley marries a Judith Lawrence at Sacombe in 1618 and strangely there are two baptisms at Little Munden for children of a John and Judith - Sarah in 1633/34 and Joseph in 1636. I wonder if Susan and Judith are the same person? The Churchwardens Accounts suggest only one John, and from early 1650 there are entries for "Widd Cuffley" holding the same land. She seems to be rated up to 1652 and Edmond appears in 1654. She receives a "4 pennie loafe" in 1655 then disappears.

One of the tantalizing entries in the Churchwardens Accounts dates to September 1637. I am sure my John Cuffley is in the text; he is certainly in the list below. On the film it is hard to read, dark enough, but somewhat blurry. I am fairly good at seventeenth century writing and have about half the words transcribed. It seems to refer to a will and the distribution of charity to the poor. Are you familar with it? Am I right in surmising that John Cuffley's rent is part of the money distributed?