3. The Barwises of Dryholme, Holm Cultram Parish.
Robert Barwis I of Dryholme, the third son of Richard Barwis IV occupied the farm called Dryholme according to the Rental of the Abbey of Holm Cultram from 1519. By the Survey and Rental carried out at the Dissolution in 1538, his widow, Ann Barwis held the tenancy. They had at least one son, Robert Barwis II of Dryholme. He was named as the main beneficiary and executor of the will of his nephew John Barwis probably of Swinsty, in 1570. A John Barwis is listed as the tenant of a farm in Swinsty in the Rental of 1570. By 1589, the only Barwis in Swinsty was Magdalena, granddaughter of Robert Barwis III of Swinsty, so named in his will, proved 1590. This makes the proposed relationship highly probable. John Barwis of Swinsty had a brother, William Barwis, and a sister, Janet Barwis, who is mentioned as a niece in the will of Alice Barwis (née Langcake). He also left a lamb to Hugh Barwis, his cousin. Robert Barwis II of Dryholme had died by 1578, as he is not mentioned in his son Hugh’s will of that date. He married Alice Langcake and they had three sons:
1)	Hugh Barwis – his wife was called Ann and they had two children:
i)	John Barwis
ii)	Alice Barwis
2)	Robert Barwis III of Swinsty who presumably occupied the property left to his father, Robert Barwis II of Dryholme, by his nephew John Barwis who died in 1570
3)	William Barwis
Hugh Barwis died in1578. In his will he left custody of the farm at Dryholm to his mother until such times as his son John Barwis came of age. The succession of inheritance was clearly laid out – first John, then his lawful male heirs, then Hugh’s brother Robert and his lawful male heirs, then his brother William and his lawful male heirs, and finally his daughter Alice, on condition she marry a Barwis!
Alice Barwis (née Langcake) is on record as purchasing “8 mess. & lands in Langrigg, Bromfield, also Bromefield, Skayles”  (Cumberland Feet of Fines; see Appendix) from Adam Laythes and his wife Alice, in the 22nd year of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. Given the size of Langrigg, it is virtually certain that this purchase included the farm that was ultimately held by John Barwis, Benjamin’s father (see later). In the late 18th century, when the population had presumably grown somewhat, the demographics of Bromfield parish were as follows:
Bromfield	17 men	22 women	24 children 	Total 63
Scales	21 men	23 women	21 children	Total 65
Langrigg	50 men	57 women	59 children	Total 166
Total population of Bromfield Parish – 1063 - 326 men; 376 women; 353 children
(from William Hutchinson, “The History of the County of Cumberland”; first published 1794-7; Republished, EP Publishing Ltd., 1974).
In her will of 1586, Alice Barwis mentions her sons, Robert and William, her niece Janet Langcake (her brothers daughter), her sister Janet, and John and Alice Barwis – who are presumably her grandchildren (see Appendix). 
Robert Barwis III of Swinsty, alias “Captain”, died in 1590. That he was Alice’s son is almost certain, because he includes his lands and tenements in and around Langrigg, which he left to his wife, Janet Barwis. His alias is recorded with the entry for his burial in the parish record of Holm Cultram (see Appendix). Furthermore, his eldest son and heir was Thomas Barwis, and a Thom Barwis held Dryholme at the time of the survey and rental of 1589 (see Appendix). Thomas is his major beneficiary. Robert’s second son, Robert Barwis III of Dryholme is stated as having already received his inheritance. Only John’s daughter Magdalene is mentioned, and John appears to get nothing. From the will, his and Janet’s children were as follows:
1)	Thomas Barwis of Dryholme
2)	John Barwis of Dryholme who was resident at Dryholme, according to the Holm Cultram registers, by 1593. He married Mabel Whitlocke on the 20th August 1583; she was buried in Holm Cultram on the 1st of May 1621. From a combination of the will of Robert Barwis II and the Holm Cultram parish registers, they had a number of children:
i)	Magdalene Barwis, born about 1584, who inherited the property at Swinsty, which she occupied in her own name at the time of the 1589 Rental and Survey (see Appendix). In 1596 she married Adam Laithes. 
ii)	John Barwis – buried as an infant on the 23rd of August 1591
iii)	Hugh Barwis II - baptised 21 January 1593 in Holm Cultram. He had children
01)	Mabel Barwis – baptised 28th May 1615 in Holm Cultram
02)	Francis Barwis (a son) – baptised 1st March 1621 in Holm Cultram
03)	Mary Barwis – baptised on the same day as Francis
iv)	William Barwis – baptised 15 September 1594 in Holm Cultram
3)	Robert Barwis III of Dryholme – his wife’s name is not known, but she was buried on the 5th September 1596 in Holm Cultram. They probably had several children, two of whom are mentioned, though not by name, in the will of Robert Barwis II, their grandfather. From the Holm Cultram parish register they were:
i)	John Barwis I of New Cowper – baptised 25th February 1582 in Holm Cultram. It is a leap of faith, but, because of the connection with properties in Langrigg, this is taken as being the direct ancestor of Benjamin Barwis of Penryn (see below)
ii)	Maudlin Barwis – baptised 28th September 1583 in Holm Cultram; buried 22nd September 1588 in Holm Cultram
Ann Barwis – baptised 5th June 1586 in Holm Cultram