The earliest mention of the surname of Gwinnett (or variant) so far found in the Gloucestershire county records is that of Roger Gwyet/Gwyat/Gwyett/Guyett/Gwiett. These names appear in the Hockaday volumes which point, in turn, towards various ecclesiastical sources. The Victoria County History for Gloucestershire calls him Roger Gwinnet, so possibly their researchers have found a different record including that spelling.
Roger Gwyet is first recorded in 1555 in Elmstone Hardwick (otherwise known as Aylmondeston) and finally mentioned in 1584 by which time he had died. No evidence has been found to state whence he came. It is assumed that he originated in the North Wales area now called Gwynnedd but I will probably never know. Nor have I found any evidence that he was educated at a university. However, on 7th January 1555, his name was put forward by Walter and Ann Baston to be the vicar of Aylmondeston church since the previous vicar, Richard Hiller, had died. [GA Ref: GDR 1b p.12]
On 2nd April 1555, Roger Gwyett was instituted ‘by the Chancellor at Gloucester to the perpetual vicarage at Aylmondestor alias Elmstone, vacant by the death of the last incumbent on the presentation of Walter Baston & Anne Baston relict and executrix of the testament of Philip Wither, deceased, late of Tewkesbury, patrons for this house by virtue of a grant of advowson to George Throckmorton, gent, during life of the deceased intestate and the said late Philip Wither, their executors and assigns, jointly and severally made by the late abbot and convent of the lately dissolved monastery of Tewkesbury, before dissolution. A letter to induct was written to the archdeacon of Gloucestershire and his officials, jointly & severally.’ [GA Ref: GDR 2a p.116]
Six weeks later, Roger Gwyet, clerk., was compounded for the first fruits of the vicarage of Elmyston, at £9 2s 2d. Payments were due on Michaelmas Day and the Annunciation. Sureties were Lewis Vaughan of Corse, Co. Glouc, a yeoman, and Richard Rawlins of the parish of ST. Saviour in Southwark, a vintner. [TNA Ref: Comp. Books, Vol 6, fo. 20v]
Nothing more is heard of Roger Gwiet for over three years when, on 6th October 1558, he takes a parishioner to the Gloucester Consistory Court. Recorded this time as Sir Roger Gwiet, vicar of Elmeston, he accuses Joane Wyninge, widow of the same parish. ‘The vicar appeared personally in court and appointed Mr Bowland as his Proctor. On the petition of Bowland, the Judge charged the said Joane with contumacy and, in pain of contumacy, suspended her, in writing, from entering the church and decreed [that she should show reasonable cause?] (sic).
On October 27th, the case continues and ‘Twyninge was suspended. The said Joane now appeared and prayed the benefit of absolution. The Judge absolved her: and decreed a prayer of Bowland assigned at the times on the next hearing in the presence of the said Twyninge monished to receive. The Judge on prayer of Bowland pronounced the said Joane otherwise judicially monished, contumacious and in pain of contumacy, excommunicated. Afterwards appeared the said Joan whom the Judge on the prayer of Guiet dischared. [GA Ref: GDR 14 p.79 and GDR 15 p.142]
The next reference found that mentions Roger Gwyat refers to the state of the church. At the 1563 Presentment, it recorded that ‘ther chauncell is very ruinous which ought to be repared at the charges of the person.’ The following item stated that ‘they present Sir Roger Gwyat ‘being vicar there servithe them and at Swyndon and mynystrythe in both the same places.’ [GA Ref: GDR 20 p. 42] At some later date, he was only serving the Elmstone Hardwick community.
Over the next few years, the churchwardens continued to complain of the ruinous state of the chancel, dropping none too subtle hints that it was the duty of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I to have it repaired. In 1573, they finally get round to blaming the state of the chancel on ‘the parson’. Presumably it was his job to ask the Queen for the wherewithal to employ the men to repair it. On 18th June of that year, the record states ‘the farmer to be called’. The ‘famer’ in those days collected the tithes so maybe they were hoping to use the taxes to pay for the repairs. [GA Ref: GDR 31 p.4]
In 1576, in a reference to the Latin and Scripture abilities of the various vicars of the Winchcombe Deanery, there is an entry stating: Roger Gwyett, vicar of Elmeston ‘a verie olde man smallie seene in the latine tongue but meanelie seene in the scripture.’[GA Ref: GDR]
Seven years later, in 1583, under the heading Elmstone, was briefly recorded: ‘Roger Gwiett, vicar. Not a graduate nor a preacher. No other benefice. Did not appear.’ Within a year, the churchwardens were complaining of his drunkenness and that he wore a surplice when on perambulation! That seems to have been the final straw. Roger Gwiett ‘occurred in visitation’ on 27th April 1584 but resigned his living before 29th May 1584. On that day, it was reported that, during a visitation of the Diocese, a Commissioner instituted Richard Woodroff, clerk, to the perpetual vicarage of the parish church of Elmiston, ‘vacant by the resignation of the last incumbent.’
Finally, in 1586, at Gloucester Consistory Court, Letters of Administration of the goods of Roger Guyett, clerk, deceased, late vicar of Elmston, were granted to Edward Budding and Henry Hurst of Cheltenham, debtors, who were bound in £20. [GA Ref: GCC Act 1 p.286]