The wills and inventories of the people of the upland Pennine township of Sowerby paint a vivid picture of life (and death) at the end of the seventeenth century. Many were involved in the domestic textile trade, most had some involvement with farming. A few were owed considerable sums of money and some were in debt. They all followed the customs of the time in making provision for their soul, their funeral and their dependents.

The documents provide an intriguing insight into the links between the families through personal bequests, transfers of property, support for those surviving and the appointment of executors. The inventories not only describe personal possessions and household goods, but also trade tools and farming implements.

The introduction includes a description of the probate process, and the volume has a glossary, indexes and maps.