The Case of Morice v. The Bishop of Durham
Researched and explained by Neil B. Maw
Document: PRO Ref: TS11/371
Court of Chancery. The Rev William Morice and Mary Morice, Spinster, Plaintiffs
Shute Lord Bishop of Durham, Richard Bullock, Edward Bullock, Burton Morice, Anna
Maria Dobson, Elizabeth Dobson, Susannah Dobson and his Majesty’s Attorney General,
Defendants. Bill filed 27th January 1803
The second statement is also a Court of Chancery document and headed, to the Right
Honourable John Lord Eldon, Barron Eldon of Eldon in the County of Durham, Lord
High Chancellor of Great Britain.
Humbly complaining is the Rev William Morice of Gower Street in the Parish of St. Giles
in the Fields in the County of Middlesex, Doctor of Divinity, and Mary Morice of the
same parish, Spinster. 9th Feb 1804
A précis of the two very lengthy documents
The Rev. Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode, late of Queen’s Square, (died 5th April 1799)
within the City and Liberty of Westminster, Clerk. At the time of his death he was in
possession of real estate at Wymandleigh and Berkhamstead in the County of Hertford
and a freehold house in Queens Square, Westminster which were worth approximately
£30,000. He also had personal effects and estate to the approximate value of £50,000. He
made his Will on 9th Sept 1792. Apart from specific legacies he left the rest of his estate to
his sister Ann Cracherode, of Queens Square, Spinster. At this time Ann was around 80
years of age, very deaf and used an ear trumpet, and was described as weak and infirm.
Shute Bishop Barrington was a friend of Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode but his sister Ann
did not know him. A day or so after Clayton’s death, the Bishop called on Ann and
offered her any assistance. She asked him to help her set out her new Will. It was claimed
