Note: I'd like to extend special thanks to researcher Jared Nathan for sharing his work pertaining to 262697Helewys, especially for providing a translation of her husband 262696Stephen's will.

As explained below, 262697Helewys Baker was the daughter of 525394William Baker and 525395Denise ___; married 262696Stephen Bettenham; had sons 131348John and Thomas; and died by 26 May 1412.

Problem: Resolved What evidence supports the above statements? Husband and Death: The will of 262696Stephen Bettenham, dated 26 May 1412, includes the phrase ad sepeliendum in porticu ecclesie de Cranebrok’ iuxta Helewys primam uxorem meam ("to be buried in the porch of the church of Cranebrok next to Helewise, my first wife").1 Father: Elsewhere 262696Stephen's will mentions Willelmi Bakere patris ipsius Helewys ("William Baker the father of Helewys herself") and Dionisie quondam uxoris predicti Willelmi Bakere ("Denise, the late wife of the said William Baker").1 In agreement with 262696Stephen's will, the the 1574 visitation of Kent describes 262697Helewys as 525394William Baker's daughter.2 Mother: 262696Stephen's will does not explicitly state that 525395Denise ___ was 262697Helewys' mother, but this seems exceedingly likely based on the language and context of these phrases in the will. Furthermore, after 525394William's death, 525395Denise acquired land in Hawkhurst,3 which was later passed down to some of 262697Helewys' descendants.4 Child(ren): 262696Stephen's will1 and the 1574 visitation of Kent2 suggest that 262697Helewys was the mother of 131348John and Thomas Bettenham. See a more thorough discussion in 131348John's profile.

262697Helewys is buried in the porch (i.e., porticus a.k.a. entryway) of St. Dunstan's Church in Cranbrook,1 whose coordinates are N51.0973 E0.5364. The church is still active and has a website.

The exterior of St. Dunstan's Church, where 262697Helewys is buried. Bigger image.4

Sources Cited:

1: E. F. Jacob, ed., and H. C. Johnson, The Register of Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury: 1414-1443, Volume II (University Press, Oxford, 1937), pages 33-36. This a transcription of the will of Stephen Bettenham, which is in Latin. I privately obtained an English translation. I have been unable to find the original record that Jacob and Johnson transcribed.

2: W. Bruce Bannerman, ed., The Visitations of Kent, Taken in the Years 1530-1 and 1574, Part 1 (Publications of the Harleian Society, volume 74, London, 1923), page 29.

3: Kent History and Library Centre archive reference P178/28/11 (Hawkhurst Parish Records / Final Miscellaneous), a land record dated from William de Herdynden' of Hawkhurst to Denis Herthre, late wife of William Bakere of Cranbrook.

4: UK National Archives record CP 25/1/117A/352, number 527. I obtained an image of this record from: Anglo-American Legal Tradition, O'Quinn Law Library, University of Houston; <http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/CP25no1/CP25_1_117a/IMG_0640.htm>, accessed 4 March 2022. As you can see, the original record is in Latin, so this abstract is helpful and comes from: Some Notes on Medieval English Genealogy, <https://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/fines/abstracts/CP_25_1_117A_352.shtml>, accessed 4 March 2022.

5: Julian P. Guffogg, "St Dunstan's Church, Cranbrook" (photograph taken 13 August 2011). Wikimedia, <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St_Dunstan%27s_Church,_Cranbrook_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2551260.jpg>, accessed 7 March 2022. Mr. Guffogg has shared this image under a Creative Commons BY-SA 2.0 Generic license.