I have been researching my ancestors, the WILES family of Ruskington for many years. They were yeoman farmers in the village. Thomas Wiles who married Maria Claricoates are my 3 x Great Grandparents. Maria Wiles, sister of Thomas, married Walter Baldock who was in mamy ways "all things Ruskington." He was landlord of the Shoulder of Mutton Public House in the village.
Always good to be in contact with fellow researchers.
Robert Turner of Newark, Notts.
Thank you for your very interesting email.
Although my research has centred upon Duddington, I am always interested to learn more about other lineages of the 'Wiles' - 'Wyles' surname. As a matter of interest, what is the earliest known example of 'Wiles' in the Ruskington area? Prof. Peter McClure has provided documentary evidence to me (the 'lay subsidy rolls') that a man named 'Wyles' existed in Oundle (situated around 13 miles South of Duddington) as early as 1301. For Duddington at the moment. (this could change if older documents are discovered), the earliest documentary evidence is a tax return for a number of men named 'Wyles' dated as '1523'. I suspect this is a father and a number of sons who have perhaps just entered the area under Henry VIII, although this is a contentious issue that needs more research (obviously, the 1523 tax return is for the Crown of Henry VIII). The next document is a 1588 tax return for a number of 'Wyles' men living in Duddington to be paid to Elizabeth I. The first observable burials in St Mary's Church (Duddington) is of 'Robert Wiles' (1619) and his wife 'Agnus Wiles' (1646).
The earlier Oundle and tax returns version of the surname is 'Wyles' with the above graves being 'Wiles'. There is only one other burial spelt 'Wiles' in the graveyard but even this is spelt 'Wyles' in other documents. I would like to see more research into the 'Wiles-Wyles' dichotomy as I think with regards to other (unrelated) geographical areas the use of the name might well be unrelated and a product of a different (ancient) Celtic or Anglo-Saxon origins and linguistic evolutions. Of course, spelling was not 'standardised' in the past as it is today, and I have even seen the name spelt 'Whyles' in Church records - which gives a clue to its pronunciation. Again, yet another area of contention as Scottish researchers have suggested to me that the name should be pronounced 'Wy-les' as in 'Wallace' with this latter name being a modern invention, etc. This narrative feeds into the Viking origination theory (that 'Wyles' = 'Jarls') c, 9th century CE. All these theories date to before the Norman Conquest - but I have no direct evidence that 'Wyles' existed prior to this time (Although I am always seeking the possibility of such evidence). On the other hand, names such as Wills, Wylls, Wiles, Wyles, Willes, Wylles and Willes, Wylles etc, could all be derivatives of 'William' or 'Wilhelm', etc, and possibly be inspired by 'William the Conqueror'. Research as to the historicity of the surname is ongoing.
All Best Wishes
Adrian Wyles