History of Norfolk/Volume 2/Wayland

by Francis Blomefield

The Hundred of Wayland

Wanelunt, as it was anciently called, or Wanelund, is bounded on the east with the hundreds of Shropham and Fourhoe, on the west by Grimeshou and South-Greenehou, on the south by Shropham, and on the north by South-Greenehou and Mitford. At the Conquest it belonged to the Crown, and paid 40s. by Godric, who farmed it of the Conqueror. It was given by King John, with the hundred of Grimeshou and manor of Saham, to Sir Roger de Thony, or Tony, and his heirs, from which time it passed with Grimeshou (as you may see at p. 148) till the year 1662, and then it was divided and sold by William Crane, of Wood-Rising, Esq.

Part of it came to the Wrights, and Mr. Wright, late of Brandon in Suffolk, son of the Rev. Mr. Wright, vicar of Stepney, enjoys it, and hath the leets of Thompson, Griston, Caston, Ashill, Ovington, and Threxton.

And part, viz. the leets of the Carbrooks to Rob. Clayton, Gent, afterwards Sir Rob. Clayton of London, Knt. along with Carbrook manors, with which they have passed ever since.

The hundred is a deanery of itself, denominated from Breccles, the head town at that time; it is subject to the Archdeacon of Norwich, had a bailiff and two coroners in Edward the First's time; it paid to the tenths 75l. 11s. 6d. clear. It was let at five marks in 1267, and at 3l. 5s. in Henry the Eighth's time; the manors of Breecles, Watton, Saham, Stow, and Merton, having their own leets belonging to them, render them independent of the hundred, which at this time [1738] contains 15 towns, of which I shall begin with Breccles, the ancient residence of the Deans of Breccles.

This deanery was taxed at 6s. 8d. and the Archdeacon of Norwich received of the dean for synodals every Michaelmass, 16s. 4d. for synodals every Easter, 16s. 4d. and for Peter-pence every Easter, 20s.; it was in the Bishop's gift, who collated the following

Deans

• 1310, 7 kal. June, Peter de Bosco, de Parva Elingham, accolite.
• 1320, 11 kal. Oct. Robert Atte Wode, de Elingham, sub-deacon.
• 1323, 4 id. June, Martin de Innyng, sub-deacon. The Bishop's chaplain. Change with Besmere deanery.
• 1323, 5 kal. Dec. John de Meleburn, sub-deacon, the Bishop's chaplain. Ditto.
• 1339, 19 March, Rob. de Austerby, accolite.
• 1352, 6 Feb. Thomas de Hemenhale, accolite.
• 1377, 9 Oct. John de Bosworth, clerk.
• 1388, 8 Oct. John Shepmeadow, clerk.
• 1390, 10 Nov. Joan Pykes, clerk.
• 1398, 14 Aug. James de Horsford, clerk.
• 1400, 8 Oct. Nicholas Broun, clerk.
• 1404, 12 Oct. Tho. Wylimott, clerk.
• 1409, 3 Aug. John Watlyngton, priest.
• 1466, pen. Sep. James Lawys, at whose institution it was consolidated to the deanery of Cranwich.

BRECCLES-MAGNA, OR GREAT BRECCLES

The church of Breccles-Magna was dedicated to St. Margaret, and was appropriated to the priory of West-Acre: the rectory was taxed at 12 marks, the vicarage was valued at 6 marks, but was not taxed; it paid 15d. Peter-pence. There were two gilds, one dedicated to St. Margaret, the other to the Holy-Trinity.

Vicars

• 1305, 6 non. July, Tho. de Stow-Bidon, chaplain. The prior of West-Acre.
• 1331, 3 non. March, John de Saxlingham.
• John de Salthouse, buried in the churchyard by the south church door, anno 1377.
• 1377, 30 June, John Spinneys.
• John Peyntour.
• 1382, 10 Nov. John Fincham, buried in the churchyard in 1390.
• 1390, 26 Apr. John Powe, of Tiryngton.
• 1393, 17 Sep. Will. Walman, buried in the church in 1432.
• 1421, 21 Nov. Stephen de Swafham, alias Paly, on Walman's resignation.
• 1425, 10 Jan. Will. Joynture, resigned.
• 1427, 13 May. Rob. Langwade.
• 1433, 17 Feb. Will. Durant.
• 1441, 12 May, Bartholomew Lowell.
• 1445, 19 Apr. Nicholas Essex.
• 1447, pen. Feb. Rich. Garnon.
• 1452. 7 Nov. Rob. Hoper.
• 1463, 3 Oct. Roger Parke, died vicar.
• 1502, 16 Dec. John Bosom. In 1504, Robert Perry was buried in the church, and gave 4 acres and an half of land in Breccles-Field, to find two wax tapers of a pound weight burning before the sacrament at the high-altar, and a messuage and 4 acres of land for a certeyn for ever, viz. the vicar to have a penny every Sunday in the year, to say De Profundis for the souls of James, Thomas, and Robert Perry, and if he neglects it, the poor to have it in alms for ever. He was a benefactor to the two gilds in Breccles, and the three in Hockham.
• 1510, 14 Feb. Edw. Butterworth. Edmund Wanton of Breccles, in 1507, gave three acres in Puttock-Croft, for a perpetual light before the holy sacrament and St. Catherine.
• 1521, 3 Jan. Sir Thomas Lowthe, who was the last presented by the convent.
• 1542, 10 July, Stephen Jonson. The King. Nicholas Louth.
• 1543, 30 Apr. Edw. Buckeley. Mary Dutchess of Richmond. Robert Picto, resigned.
• 1563, 24 May, Rich. Clegge. The Queen. He died vicar.
• 1573, 17 June, Thomas Atkinson. Francis Woodhouse, Esq. who joined the impropriation to the manor.
• 1620, 2 Jan. Samuel Hardyng. John Webb of Breccles, Esq. He resigned, but held it united to Rockland St. Andrew.
• 1628, 28 Aug. Sam. Warren. John Webb, of Breccles, Esq. at whose death it became void, and was returned among the void livings at the Restoration, in 1662, and since hath had no incumbent instituted, it having been held as a donative, named to by the impropriator, who pays 13l. 6s. 8d. per annum only, for the curate's stipend, and takes the whole profits.
• 1689, Daniel Bret, curate.
• 1709, Samuel Rudland, curate.

The Rev. Mr. James Smith, vicar of Stow, is the present [1738] curate.

The vicarage is 7l. 17s. 11d. in the King's Books, sworn of the clear value of 13l. 9s. 8d.; it paid 3l. 12s. 8d. to the tenths; 2s. synodals; the temporals of the Abbot of Bec, with the Prior of Okeburne, were taxed at 4s. and belonged to their Wrotham estate.

The temporals of West-Acre Prior were taxed at 3s.; the spirituals, viz. the appropriate rectory, at 12 marks.

This town is valued to the tax at 341l. per annum.

The Church hath an ancient steeple joined to its west end, which is round at bottom and octangular at top; it hath only one bell, thus inscribed,
Dos Prece Saptiste, galbent tua Dulnda, Chciste.

The chancel and church are leaded, the south porch is tiled; on a black marble in the chancel,

Webb's arms impaling Richardson.

Here rests the Bodyes of JOHN WEBB, Esq; and of MARY his Wife, Daughter of Sir THOMAS RICHARDSON, Lord Chief Justice of England, She died March 10, 1656, aged 56. He Octob. 25, 1658, aged 70 Years.

Near this lies a small oval black marble, with these words only,

STAT. UT VIXIT, ERECTA.

This is placed over the coffin of Ursula Webb, daughter of the said John Webb, Esq. and Mary Richardson, wife of Sir William Hewyt, Knt. who was interred in an upright posture by her own desire, according to the purport of the inscription. By her lies her husband under a black marble, on which are the arms of,

Hewyt impaling Webb, with a raven for a crest, and this,

Here under lieth the Body of Sir WILLIAM HEWYT, Knight, who married URSULA WEBB, Daughter to JOHN WEBB, Esq; he died Apr. 4, 1667, aged 52 Years.

Arms in the windows were,

Breccles.

Arg. a fess between two chevrons or.

Arg. three bezants, a canton az.

Breccles, at the Conquest was in three parts; the first part, in Harold's time, was held by 8 freemen, who had then five carucates, these were seized, with all their land, by the Conqueror, and laid to his manor of Saham; there were then 5 socmen, and half a carucate; and 15 acres, which the steward of Saham sold to Eudo, Earl Ralph's man, who was to hold them by the rent of a bridle; this he added to the Earl's manor of Elingham-Parva, upon whose forfeiture, when Robert de Blund had the management of that manor, he received of them 10s. 8d. a year, but now they are laid again to the King's manor of Saham, which is in his own hands, and so they pay no rent to Godric; there was also another freeman, whose rent and services were worth 2s. per annum, besides a quarter of an acre, and right of commonage, which in the Confessor's time, and now, belongs to Saham, but Godric claims it as belonging to Earl Ralph's fee in Stow, and says that he farmed it of the Earl two years before he forfeited, and of the King two years after, and brings one of the King's men of Stow to prove it. Breccles was then a league long, and half a league broad, and paid 11d. gelt, and the King and the Earl had the soc.

The next part was held by a freeman in the Confessor's time, and contained a carucate of land, but at the Conquest it belonged to the King, and was farmed by Godric, who made it a berewic to Sporle, with which manor it was valued.

The third part belonged to Ralph de Tony, who joined it to, and valued it with, his manor of Necton.

Breccles Manor

The first part belonged to William de Warren Earl of Sussex, by gift from the Crown, and he gave it to Thomas, son of Godfrey, son of Albert a Frenchman, who came over at the Conquest, along with the manors of Grimston, Burnham, &c. for which reason he assumed the coat of his lord, varying only the colour, viz. chequy or and sab. which the Breccleses always bore, though sometimes with a fess arg. This Thomas and his descendants assumed the name of Breccles, and oftentimes are called by the name of Grymston, both which manors belonged to them; at his death, Peter, his son, was made a Knight, and inherited, and at his death left it to Sir Thomas, his son and heir, who died without issue, leaving his manors and advowsons of Breccles, Burnham, Grymston, &c. to Christian, his only sister and heir, who died without issue, upon which her uncle Peter inherited, who died also issueless, leaving it to Bartholomew, his brother and heir, who left it to Alice, his daughter, who married to John de Breccles, and both were alive in 1276.

This John afterwards married Elizabeth, daughter of Jeffery, brother of Thomas de Grimstone, who died without issue, so that his neice Elizabeth, at the death of Agnes his widow, inherited LittleBreccles manor; in 1286, he was attached for holding a whole knight's fee, and being no knight; this John purchased the lands, &c. that belonged to Tony at the Conquest, and so joined them to the manor; he left it to Benedict, his son and heir, who gave the advowson to West-Acre priory, according to the order of his father; he held Grimston manor and advowson, Burnham manor, and the mediety of the advowson of St. Mary's at Burnham West-gate, of the Earl of Arundel, this, and Little-Breccles manor, and had weyf and stray, a free bull and free boar, and a leet held by the King's bailiff, but all the amerciaments belonged to him: he died in Edward the Second's time, and was succeeded by John Breckles, his son and heir, who left it to Benedict, his son and heir, who had it in 1402; it seems Constance, his daughter, had it, for in 1441 she levied a fine of it to William Warner and others, in trust, by which it was settled on her brother, John de Breckles, who left it to his two daughters; Alice, married William de Compton, who left John Compton, whose daughter, Margery, died without issue, and her part went to the heirs of Margery, the other daughter of John de Breckles, which Margery married Theobold de Thorlee, and left a daughter only, named Margaret, who married to Robert de Brome in Henry the Fifth's time, and they left three daughters; Katherine, married to Henry Starmere, in 1463; Elizabeth, to Rob. Harington; and Margaret, to Will. Fenne, who all joined with Thomas and Hugh, sons of Will. Fenne, and sold the manor to Sir Edw. Woodhouse of Kimberley, Knt. in 1469, he left it to Sir Thomas Woodhouse, his son, who left it to his second son, John Woodhouse of Breccles, who in the time of Henry VIII. married Anne, daughter of William Spelman, Esq.; and left Francis Woodhouse of Breccles their son and heir, who held it of Rob. Southwell, Esq. as of his manor of Saham; in 1551, he settled it on Will. Yelverton, who had it in 1564, and was found to hold Grimston and Congham manors, and to have license to settle this on Sir Thomas Cornwalleis, Knt. and Tho. Shelton, Esq.; but it was in trust, for in 1595, Francis Woodhouse aforesaid was lord of BrecclesMagna, and Bule's manors, which were soon after conveyed to John Dowfyld of Euston, Gent. Will. Webb of the same, and Hen. Branthwait, Esq.; who conveyed them to Sir Rob. Gardiner of Breccles, whose heir married John Webb, who was settled in the manor in 1619, after Sir Robert's death, and Ursula Webb, the heiress of that family carried it to her husband, Sir William Hewit, who died in 1667, and left it to Gardiner Hewet, Esq. who sold it to Wormley Hetherset, who gave it from Edmund, his only son, to his four daughters; Jane, married to Thomas Squires of Elm by Wisbitch; Sarah, married to James Barker of Shropham, son of John Barker of Thorndon; Elizabeth, to Edw. Owen of Coventry; and Mary to Joseph Randol, alias Baylis, of London, who purchased in all the parts, and left it to Mary his widow for life, who now enjoys it; remainder to Mr. Rich. Baylis, her only son, who married Philadelphia, granddaughter to Sir Philip Ryley, by whom he hath one son Robert an infant.

There is a separate fishery belonging to the manor, called Breccles Mere, and a good old seat, or manor-house, in which the present owner resides; it is called Breccles-Hall, but was not the site of the manor of that name, but of the capital manor of Great Beccles.

Breccles Hall, Bule's, Lingwise, or Diver's Manors

Came from the Crown, and in 1280 belonged to Sir Warine de Muntchensy, which family granted off large parcels of it to divers persons. In 1304, William, son of William de Breccles, and William, son of Thomas de Breccles, held 7 messuages, a mill, 88 acres of land, 10s. rent, part of it in Breckles, Stowbydon, Bekerton, Griston, and Caston. It continued sometimes in the Breccles; but in 1498, Tho. Sayve of Breccles, Gent. was buried in the chancel, and gave his manor of Breccles-Hall, in Breccles, after his wife's death, to Osbert Sayve, Gent. his son; in 1545, James Payne and William Atmere had the manor of Lingwise, alias Divers, in Breccles, settled on them, by William Tassell and Margaret his wife, when it contained 3 messuages, 60 acres of land, 10 of meadow, 70 of pasture, 2 of marsh, and 10s. rent. In 1577, Francis Woodhouse, Esq. was lord of Breccles Hall, and Bule's manors, which he joined to the manor of GreatBreccles, with which they still continue.

STOW

Joins to the east side of Breccles, and is commonly called StowBreccles, to distinguish it from other towns of the same name; it was formerly called Stow-Bydon, from its ancient lords; [stou] signifies a house, or place of habitation, and often, by way of eminence, a church, that being esteemed by the ancients the most eminent of all habitations. In the Confessor's days the whole village belonged to Alfere, a Saxon, who had 5 carucates in demean, and it was worth 10l. per annum. It afterwards came to Earl Ralph, upon whose forfeiture the King seized it, and let it to Godric at 12l. 13s. 4d. a year, and as long as the soke belonged to it, Godric let it for 13l. 13s. 4d. and 20s. income; but when the soke was taken away, it fell to 7l. for then the King had the parts of several manors, as Caston, Griston, Thompson, &c. which belonged to this, laid to their own manors, and so reduced the value of this. Stow was then two leagues long and half a one broad, and paid 10d. ob. 1q. gelt.

Bydon, or Bedon Manor

Continued some time in the Crown, but how long I cannot say; in Henry the third's time it was in the Bydon family; and in 1345, was held in dower by Maud de Bydon, daughter of Thomas Fitz-Berward, and widow of John de Bydon, junior, afterwards married to John de Bokesford, the manor being then valued at 11l. 12s. and Eugenin, mother of Thomas Fitz-Bernard, had the custody of it, after the death of John de Bydon, junior, it being held of the King at half a fee, and was part of the honour granted to the Bydons, which Humphry de Bydoun, lord of Kirby-Bidoun, formerly held. In 1254, the aforesaid Maud died seized. In 1256, Thomas, son of Robert, was lord and patron of this church, he sold the manor this year to Walter de Hide, reserving the advowson and divers lands, and thus the manor and advowson were separated, the former of which, in 1273, was settled on the said Walter, and Joan his wife, by fine levied between them, and Jeffry de Suthorp, and Margery his wife, who reserved to themselves the advowson, which they had purchased, with the lands that Thomas, son of Robert, reserved upon his sale of the manor, all which lands they settled on Walter, and Joan their daughter, on her marriage with Walter; and in 1281, the said Jeffry, sold the advowson to Eleanor, Queen consort to Edward I. who gave it to Marham abbey; but the manor, at the death of Walter de Hide and Joan his wife, returned to Thomas Fitz-Robert aforesaid, who held it of Sir Baldwin Wake, and it had a leet belonging to it, free-warren, and the assize of bread and beer. In 1285, Robert le Veel or Vele, and Hawise his wife, had it, it being the inheritance of Hawise, who brought an action against Fulk Baynard, for 60 acres of land and Sandwade-Mere, and recovered; in 1286, Henry de Gildeford held it for life of the said Hawise at half a fee, of whom Robert de Aula (or Hall) of Thompson held a 6th part, which he had assigned to Robert Crowe and Agnes his mother, who held it of him; the Veles held the whole of the heirs of Wake; in 1303, the said Hawise, then widow of Robert le Vele, settled it on William Paynell, and Margaret his wife, and her heirs. In 1337, Thomas Lord Wake of Lydel, and Blanck his wife, conveyed it to the Prior of Hautamprize in Yorkshire, and his church of St. Mary and the Holy-Cross for ever, and the prior regranted it to him and his wife for life, paying a rent of 10l. per annum. In 1345, the said Thomas held it at half a fee, and Baldwin Buturt, Ric. de Alva, and his tenants in Thompson, held a 6th part of it; in 1348, John Delves held it of the Lady Wake, (her husband, before his death, having obtained the fee of it of the Prior) by the rent of a pair of gilt spurs a year, but the manor was charged with an annuity of 26l. 6s. 8d. paid to Tho. de Budenhall, Henry de Cotton, Alexander de Bayton, John Wisham, and their heirs. Henry Delves was brother and heir of John, but the inheritance was in the Earl of Kent, for Edmund of Woodstock, third son to King Edward I. married Margaret, sister and heiress to Thomas Lord Wake, and left issue two sons, Edmund and John, who dying without issue, Joan their sister inherited, who married Sir Tho. Holland, Knt. created in her right Earl of Kent, and Lord Wake of Lydell, which Earl became possessed of this manor; it came from the Kent family to Ralph Lord Cromwell, and in 1514, a moiety of it belonged to William Fitz-Williams of Sprotsburgh in Yorkshire, as descended from one of the heiresses of Ralph Lord Cromwell, and the other moiety to Will. Knevet of Bukenham-Castle; and in 1521, John Spelman purchased of Sir Edm. Knevet, Knt. and Anne his wife, the moiety of the manor, and joined it to the other moiety that he had before, and it hath continued in that family ever since, John Spelman of Narburgh, Esq. being the present [1738] lord. The large water called Sandwade, now StowMere, belongs to this manor.

Bekerton Manor

Is that part of the town which lies next the Bek or river, and is sometimes called Bekerton-Hamlet, and Bekerton, alias Water-House manor. The most ancient lord that I meet with after the Conquest, was John de Rudham; in 1253, Ralf de Camois, senior had a charter, for free-warren here; in 1315, Ralf de Camois, his son, was lord, who settled it on Elizabeth his wife the year following; in 1379, Sir Thomas Camois, Knt. lord of Camoys, settled it on Robert Braybrook Bishop of London, and other trustees; in 1401, Sir Thomas Camois, was lord of this, and trustee of Stow-Bidon manor; in 1423, it was in the King's hands by the death of Sir Thomas, who granted it with the custody of Hugh Camois, his cousin and heir, to Sir Gilbert and Sir John de Ryghley, Knts. and Ric. Iskelay; in 1425, Sir John Ryghley, Knt. released to Gilbert Ryghley, Knt. Rob. Ryghley, Esq. and Ric. Iskelay, chaplain, all his right in this manor, which he had with several others, of the gift of Katherine Golding, formerly wife of Richard de Golding, and daughter and heir of William Cranewell. Soon after this, it came to the Spelmans, which family had been concerned here for some time, for in 1369, John Spelman had lands here; in 1385, a fine was levied between John de Wolterton, clerk, and John Spelman of Bekerton; in 1432, Henry Spelman of Bekerton was lord, he it was that first built Bekerton-Hall, part of which is now standing, and is a good old building, called the Water-House, Bekerton Hall, or Spelman's Place. In the parlour window I saw these shields, viz. Spelman, quartering gul. a chief erm. impaling quaterly, a chevron between three crescents, and a chevron between three leopards faces. Spelman, impaling Manning, and Brotherton's arms. This Henry died this year, and was buried in the churchyard, leaving John and Robert his sons; Isabell his wife was to have her dwelling in his principal mansion, for life: she died in 1444, and was buried by him; in 1460, John Spelman, Esq. was buried in the church, Robert, John, and William were his younger sons, and Katherine and Agnes his daughters; he left this manor to Henry, his eldest son, and his manor of Crow's Hall to Marion his wife for life; in 1470, Henry Spelman held it of Roger Grimston, Esq. as of his manor of Elingham-Parva by fealty, and 13s. 4d. per annum; in 1471, he was dead, and William Spelman, Esq. was lord in the latter end of Henry VII. and in the beginning of Henry VIII; in 1541, John Spelman purchased Bedon manor, and so was lord of the whole town, and Thomas was his son and heir; in 1561, Francis Spelman, Esq. settled Bekerton manor, two fold-courses, &c. on Sampson Hoopes, in trust; in 1570, John Spelman was lord of Crow's Hall and Bekerton; and in 1601, Robert Rolf, Esq.; in 1622, Bridget his widow; in 1626, Brampton Gurdon of Easton was lord, in whose family it hath continued ever since, Thornhaugh Gurdon of Letton, Esq. being now [1738] lord.

Crow's Hall Manor

Was part of Bedon manor, granted to Hawise Le-Vele and Henry Le-Gildeford, to Robert de Aula, or Hall, who sold it to Robert Crowe and Agnes his mother, who held it at the twelfth part of a fee of Bedon manor; in 1287, Jeffry Crowe had it, and so many parts were bought in, that it is said to contain a fifth part of Bedon manor. In 1405, Richard Berney, Knt. was lord; in 1460, it was united to Bekerton manor, and hath continued so ever since; the manor of Cursons, of which I find the name only mentioned, being united also at the same time.

The Church hath a square tower, and three bells; it consists of a nave and chancel covered with thatch; there are no memorials, though there have been several of the Spelmans interred in it. Weaver, p. 821, tells us that William Spelman, Esq. who died in the reign of Henry VII. (it should be Henry VIII.) is buried under a fair tomb, which was taken down to rail in the altar the more conveniently. The register informs me that Grace, wife of John Spelman, was buried here in 1548.

It is dedicated to St. Butolph, and was appropriated to the Abbess of Marham, before the Council of Lateran, the appropriation was valued at 16 marks, and the vicarage, of which the Abbess was patroness, at 5 marks and an half, but was not taxed; it paid 21d. Peter-pence, and there was an annual pension of x.s. paid by the vicar to the abbey. It was valued in the King's Books at 4l. 19s. 4d. ob. and was sworn of the real value of 19l. 18s. before the augmentation.

Vicars

• 1303, 7 kal. Oct. Walter de Banham, priest.
• 1310, 14 kal. May, John de Marham.
• 1322, 6 kal. May, Robert de Wys of Ingham.
• 1335, 9 kal. May, John de Bokenham-Ferry.
• 1349, 19 June, Henry de Branton.
• 1349, 18 Aug. William Ernald of Palgrave.
• 1399, 25 Oct. John Kemp of Hengham.
• 1413, 17 Oct. Will. Orlyons, on Hengham's resignation.
• 1433, 14 Aug. Richard Whitbred, on Orlyon's resignation.
• 1436, 23 May, William Patrington.
• 1440, 16 Dec. Thomas Payn. Thomas Dawys.
• 1473, 27 Aug. John Taylor, on Dawys's death.
• 1511, 1 April, Robert Bullman.

The above were presented by the Abbess and Nuns of Marham.

• 1542, 17 April, John Disse. The King.
• 1546, 10 March, Thomas Cheveler. Tho. Hare, citizen and mercer of London.
• 1548, 30 July, Thomas Grene, on Cheveler's resignation.
• 1554, 5 June, Edward Shord, on Grene's death.
• 1556, 12 February, William Harrison.
• 1581, 18 April, Leonard James, Nich. Hare, Esq. He had Rockland St. Peter. (See p. 477.)
• 1608, 13 Jan. John Lewthwait, A. M. Sarah James, widow. Robert Pooley, senior, resigned.
• 1663, 24 Oct. Robert Pooley, junior. Rob. Pooley, senior.
• 1690, 31, Jan. John Wightman, at Pooley's death. James Smith.
• 1693, 12 Oct. James Smith, on Wightman's resignation. John Smith, LL.B.
• 1719, 30 Sept. Henry Goodrich, on Smith's resignation. James Smith, clerk.
• 1720, 13 June, The Rev. Mr. James Smith, the present incumbent, on Goodrich's cession. He is now patron.

The impropriation with the advowson of the vicarage was first granted to Nich. Hare, citizen and mercer of London, by Henry VIII. who left it to Nich. Hare, Esq. who sold it to Humphry Marshall and Walter Averell, and they to Rob. James of Little-Ellingham, who, in 1587, settled it on Leonard James, his son, and Sarah his wife; after this, a license of alienation was granted by King James I. on which it was sold to Anthony Style, who conveyed it to Edward Bulwer in 1622, and he in 1655, sold it to Rob. Pooley of GreatFraunsham, clerk, who left it to Christ. Pooley, and he to his son, Robert Pooley of Beetly, clerk, who in 1665, left it to Christopher Pooley, of St. Michael's Coslany in Norwich, who sold it to John Smith of Reymerston, clerk, who gave it to his son, Mr. James Smith, vicar here, and he, in 1719, settled the impropriation on the church, and procured the Queen's bounty, by which means the whole is joined, and it is become a rectory, with the addition of an estate of 10l. per annum, purchased with the bounty-money; the said Mr. Smith left it to his son, the present [1738] patron. While the convent held the impropriation, the vicar was endowed with a sixth part of the great tithes.

The Abbess of Marham was taxed for her spiritualities at 16 marks.

The Prior of Bukenham for his temporals at 25s. 8d.

The Prior of West-Acre for his, at 6s. 8d.

It paid 3l. 8d. to the tenths.

Here was a gild dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

It is valued to the tax at 379l. 6s. 8d.

CASTON

Church is dedicated in honour of the Invention of the Holy-Cross, was valued at 15 marks, and paid 20d. Peter-pence; there is a noble new house built by Mr. Shuckburgh, and about 60 acres of glebe. There was a gild dedicated to St. Mary, and there were two lights continually burning in the church before the images of the Virgin and St. Nicholas. The rector anciently paid a pension of xis. per annum to the patron; it stands in the King's Books by the name of Caston alias Coston, valued at 11l. 19s. 2d. and pays 1l. 3s. 11d. yearly tenths, first fruits are 1l. 15s. 3d. and the synodals are 2s.

Rectors

• 1305, 5 id. May, Tho. Thorneye. Will. de Castone.
• 1333, prid. id. Nov. John de Lenn, priest. Sir John de Caston, Knt. He resigned.
• 1338, 18 May, Sir Soloman de Swaffham, priest. Ditto. Change for Bishop's Eccles. He resigned.
• 1374, 31 March, John Barbour. Catherine, relict of Sir John de Caston, Knt. He was buried in the chancel.
• 1377, 31 Jan. John de Burewell. Ditto. He made the stalls, forms, and pavement on the north side of the choir.
• 1391, 8 August, John Sad. Catherine, Lady of Caston. He was buried in the churchyard, by Sir John Caston's tomb, under the north chancel wall.
• 1421, 13 July, Thomas Peck. Sir John Carbonell, Knt. He was buried in the church, on the south side between the image of the Blessed Virgin of Pete, and the image of St. Christopher.
• 1453, 20 June, Edward Elys. John Berney of Caston, Esq. Edmund Morle died rector.
• 1473, 20 Aug. Ambrose Ede. Will. Tendale, Esq. He died rector.
• 1502, 1 May, William Peper. John Berney of Roedham, Esq.
• 1504, 18 Febr. John Treman; he resigned. Ditto.
• 1510, 19 Oct. John Crew; he resigned. Ditto.
• 1531, 30 Sept. John Weymer; he died rector. Ditto.
• 1533, John Beckham, rector. Ditto.
• 1541, 20 July, Robert Blundeston; he resigned. Ditto.
• 1558, 17 July, Richard Holmes; he died rector. Hen. Bernet, Esq.
• 1558, 13 Aug. Gregory Madys, resigned. Ditto.
• 1559, 22 March, John Blacklock, resigned. Ditto.
• 1572, 29 July, Richard Browne, resigned. Ditto.
• 1575, 23 June, Edmund Gelson, died. Ditto.
• 1579, 15 Aug. Will. Laurence, resigned. Ditto.
• 1585, 3 Febr. Will. Buck; he resigned. Tho. Berney of Reedham, Esq.
• 1598, 14 Aug. Christopher Sutton. Alice Berney, widow. He held it united to Wood-Rising.
• 1618, 1 June, John Sutton; he died rector. Will. Ireland, assignee of Alice.
• 1634, 20 Dec. John Beckham; he died rector. Henry Scottyng, &c.
• 1679, 7 May, Samuel Gray, died. Rich. Berney, Esq.
• 1681, 5 Oct. Charles Seppens, died, united to Scoulton.
• 1691, 9 Dec. John Dawney, died, united to Roydon.
• 1705, 7 April, James Smith. Anne Martell, widow.
• 1720, 20 April, George Shuckburgh, at Smith's death; he died rector. John Cotton, Esq. and Roger Burgoin.
• 1733, 20 April, John Lloyd, A. M. on Shuckburgh's death.
• 1735, 26 May, the Rev. Mr. Henry Burgh, clerk, A. M. on Lloyd's resignation, is the present rector. John Cotton, Esq. patron.

The church and chancel are thatched; the tower is square, and hath five bells in it; there are now no memorials, save one or two of the following arms, all which were in the windows in 1664.

Mortimer, quartering Fitz-Ralf.

Herling, quartering Mortimer, with Gonvile on a coat of pretence, supported by two unicorns.

The basket and garter for Chamberlain, and Chamberlain's arms.

Holdich's arms. Berney, Heveningham, and Gissing.

Caston quartering Berney.

Berney with an annulet sab.

Caston, gul. a chevron between three eagles displayed arg. The same with a label az. The same with a mullet sab.

In a north window of the chancel were two effigies of the Castons, one a knight kneeling, armed cap-à-pié, with a surcoat of Caston; the other, a woman kneeling, with the same arms on her gown.

Gul. a chevron between three bulls regardant or.

Vert, a chevron between three eagles displayed or.

In 1381, Katherine, widow of Sir John de Caston, Knt. was buried under the north chancel wall in the churchyard, by Sir John Caston, her husband.

There is an ancient inarched monument of the founder (probably one of the Castons) in the north wall of the church.

The temporals of the Prior of Lewes in this town were valued at 5l. 6s. 8d. and were lands given them by the Earl Warren, part of which the Prior assigned to Robert Mortimer, in exchange for lands which he gave the Prior in Hecham.

The present valuation is 479l. 6s. 8d.

There is an old house cross the road at the end of the steeple, said to be an inn for the reception of pilgrims on the Walsingham road, and hard by, stands an old cross.

On Caston common there is a tree grown in a very unusual manner, it was first a large willow, on the head or tod of which, an acorn, the key of an ash, an elder-berry, and a hasle-nut were lodged, (probably carried thither by the birds,) all which took root in the dirt and rotten part on the tod, and so run downwards till they reached the earth, and rooted in it, and continued growing till they split the body of the willow open, and so the first roots which ran from the tod to the earth are become a tree, and the outward rind of the willow being standing, there are five sorts of trees conjoined, viz. an oak, an ash, a willow, an hasle, and an elder.

Caston Hall Manor

The whole town at the time of the Confessor was demean of the Crown, till Harold aliened it, and granted it to divers men, to be held freely of him, four freemen had 104 acres of land, and three acres of meadow, one socman had 10 acres, &c. and another socman had 40 acres in Stow, which belonged to this manor, though it was valued in Stow, to which it was joined by the Conqueror, as the two first parcels were afterwards to this manor, though at first by the Conqueror's own order they were laid to his manor of Saham: The town itself was given by that Prince to William Earl Warren, and was a league long, and half a league broad, and paid xi.d. gelt, it is called Castetun, and Castletun, or the Castle-Town, (because it was dependant on, and belonged to the castle of Lewes,) and now by contraction Caston. The manor was held of the Earl Warren very early in King John's time; Rob de Caston, who was sirnamed from the town, had it; in 1200, Will. de Katestune and Ela his wife; in 1218, Peter de Nerford settled the advowson on Rob. de Katestune, by which it is plain that the manor and advowson continued in the Earl Warren till he separated them, the Castons being infeoffed in the manor, and the Nerfords had the advowson, both which were now joined, and hath continued so till lately. John de Caston, father of this Robert, was lord here, and of a manor in Secheford. In 1274, Sir Rob. de Caston, Knt. was one of the King's justices to enquire concerning the tenures of the manors of this and Grimeshoe hundreds, and had at the same time the assize of bread and beer allowed him in his manor, with weyf and trebuchet, all which had been immemorially enjoyed. In 1280, John, son of Robert de Caston, lived at Norwich; in 1285, William, son of Ralph de Caston, and Cecily his wife, had lands here and in Stox, settled on them by Henry, son of John de Caston; and this year Sir Rob. de Caston, Knt. lord here, gave lands in Norwich to St. Giles's hospital. In 1286, Will. de Caston had free-warren allowed him in his lands here, and in 1292, the manor was settled by Sir Robert de Caston. on Will. de Caston, and Margaret his wife, who were patrons in 1305. In 1328, Sir John de Caston, Knt. held a knight's fee here, and in Rockland-Toft, Tomson, Bykerton, Shipdham, Griston, and Rudham, with the churches of Caston and Grimston, of the Lord Bardolph, as of his manor of Wirmgeye, which belonged to Reginald de Warren, a younger son to the second Earl William; in 1309, John, son of Roger de Caston was lord, which I take to be this Sir John, who was not then knighted; in 1345, Will. de Burgh, and Solomon rector of Caston, held it as trustees; in 1355, Sir John de Caston, Knt. claimed a fee at the inthronization of the Bishop of Norwich, and threatened to bring a power of armed men and take it, upon which the King wrote to Guy de St. Clere, sheriff of Norfolk, and John Mayn, his serjeant at arms, to make proclamation that none should dare to appear armed at that solemnity. Sir John died before 1374, and was buried in the churchyard, by the north chancel wall, leaving Katherine his wife, who held it to her death, and then it descended to her daughters,

Elizabeth, married to Sir Robert Carbonel, son of Sir William Carbonet of Badingham in Suffolk, and

Mary, married to William Fastolf; but upon the failure of issue, the whole came in 1401, to Thomas, son of Robert Carbonel, of Badingham aforesaid, who held it of Sir Thomas Bardolph, and he of the Earl of Arundel, as Earl Warren In 1421, Sir Robert Carbonel, Knt. was lord, and in 1424, Sir John Carbonel, Knt. and Margery his wife, had it for their lives, and after to remain to Tho. Peck, clerk, who in the said year confirmed it to Robert Brewse, Knt. John Fitz-Rafe, Oliver Groose, Will. Paston, John Manning, Henry Pakenham, John Roys, and Robert Rous, in trust for Sir Rich. Carbonel, who settled the manor on Sir Tho. Tudenham for life, and after on Sir Will. Phelip, Sir Henry Inglose, Knts. Oliver Groose, and John Fitz-Rauff, his feoffees, and died in 1431, leaving John Carbonel, his son and heir, two years old, who died without issue, leaving Sir Robert Wingfield his next heir. In 1441, John Berney of Redham, Esq. died seized of the manor and advowson, and gave it to his son Philip, who by will dated in 1453, gave this and Caston's manor in Shipdham to John his brother in fee simple, but Henry Berney, Esq. was patron from 1558 to 1579; in 1506, John Berney of Redham left it to John, his son and heir, who held it with Barries manor in Rockland-Tofts, Caston, and Thompson; and in 1527, left them to John, his son and heir, who died seized in 1558, of Caston Hall, and Barries in Caston, and Thompson; in 1570, Henry Berney of Redham was lord, in which family it continued till Rich. Berney, Esq. who died in 1695, mortgaged it to Mrs. Anne Martell, who presented in 1705; and in 1709, they were sold to pay Mr. Berney's debts, by decree in Chancery, to Colonel Windham of Earsham, who conveyed the advowson to John Cotton, Esq. but kept the manor, Joseph Ash Windham, Esq. being now [1738] lord.

Barries manor

In Caston and Thompson, is now united to Caston Hall, the style of the court running thus: Caston Hall in Caston, Barrie's, and Thompson. This came to the Castons, by Sir Rob. Caston's marriage with Joan, or Jane, daughter of Rich. Barry, and by Margaret their daughter and heiress; it went to her husband, Will. de Redham, whose daughter and heir, Margaret, married Thomas, son of John Berney of Witchingham, who settled at Redham, and his son John became possessed of Caston Hall, as is before observed, to which maner it hath been joined ever since.

In 1570, Rob. Southwell of Woodrising, is said to have a maner here, at this time, Mrs. Dey's of Scoulton; but I take it to be only part of Scoulton Newlands that extends hither, for I find no mention of any other but the aforesaid manors in any evidences, save that in 1662, Caston Tenths, with many other manors hereabouts, were parcel of the possessions of William Crane, Esq. of Woodrising, or of Edward Crane, Gent. and Mary his wife, for they levied a fine thereof to Robert Clayton, Gent. afterwards Sir Robert Clayton, Knt. whose heir possessed them. I imagine this may be part of Carbrook manor extending hither.

The next parish that we meet with, is

ROCKLAND ST. PETER

Of which I have treated under Shropham hundred, vol. i. p. 473, &c. to which I refer you, and shall pass on to Elingham, with which it is in some measure concerned, their constables and surveyors being the same.

ELINGHAM-PARVA, OR LITTLE ELINGHAM

Joins to Rockland and Elingham-Magna, and was the lordship of Aluric, a freeman in the time of the Confessor. It was held at 2 carucates, and had 4 villeins, 2 bordars, 4 servants, and 20 acres of meadow belonging to it, 2 carucates being held in demean, and another might be added, it was very woody at that time, the mast or shack being sufficient to maintain 100 hogs; there were 12 beasts, 24 hogs, 37 sheep, 34 goats, and 5 socmen that had each a cottage, and half an acre of land, and were obliged to look after the stock. The whole was valued at 4l. and was risen to 4l. 3s. at the survey. The town was about 3 miles long, and 3 broad, and paid 10d. Danegelt out of every 20s. taxed on the hundred; the King first let it to Robert Blund, after the forfeiture of Earl Ralph, to whom he had given it, and at the survey Godric farmed it, and the Earl Warren had 6 freemen here, who held 80 acres of land.

The first lord that I meet with since it came from the Crown, was fSir William Wisham, Knt. who had it in 1110; he granted an annuity of 10l. a year out of it to Tho. Lathe and Katherine his wife, of whom it seems as if he had formerly purchased it; in 1218, Will. de Mortimer of Attleburgh held a fee here and in Tofts, of the Earl Warren, which shews us that that Earl had a grant of it from the Crown; in 1227, Giles de Wachesham settled on Alan de Crepinges, the customs and services due for half a knight's fee here, to be held of Giles, at half a fee and xi. d. per annum.

In 1274, Wido or Guy de Butetort was lord and patron, and had assize of bread and beer, and free-warren in 1286; in 1296, the manor was held of Will. de Mortimer of Atleburgh, and Alexander of Elingham, held it of Constantine, son of Will. de Mortimer, at one fee, and Constantine, held it of Robert de Montealt, and he of the King; but Constantine, as capital lord of the fee, returned his answer upon an inquisition, that he held it of the Earl Warren; in 1315, Guy Butetort was lord, and in 1317, Sir John de Botetort, senior, was lord and patron, and in 1322, sold the manor and advowson to Robert de Bures and his heirs for ever; and in 1324, the said Robert purchased of Tho. Carbonel and Olive Berry or Barri his wife, all the rents and services belonging to the manor of Barries in Rockland-Tofts, for lands which laid in this town: in 1327, Sir John de Wisham was lord, and had free-warren allowed him; he died seized in 1335, and in 1339, John de Wisham, his son, granted to Dame Hawise his mother, all his estate in Norfolk, Suffolk, Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Worcestershire, with this advowson, and those of Sheldesey and Chirchull in Worcestershire. In 1340, the manor and advowson were intailed for want of issue of John Wysham, on John, son of Sir Andrew de Bures and his heirs, remainder in fee to John Wysham, who was lord, and presented in 1387, and in 1395: in 1400, Sir Will. Wysham, Knt. and Margaret his wife, granted 10l. per annum out of this manor, to Katherine wife of Sir John Wysham, his mother; in 1408, Tho. Lathe, Esq. was patron, who had married Alice, daughter and heiress of Sir Will. Wysham and Margaret his wife; and in 1411, the said Thomas, Alice, and Margaret, settled it by fine on John Fitz-Ralf, Esq. Const. Mortimer, and his other trustees; and in 1432, John Fitz-Rauf, Esq. was lord and patron, and held it in 1420, of Tho. Beaufort Duke of Exeter, as parcel of the honour of Wormgeye, and it passed to Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Fitz-Ralf, Knt. sister and coheir of Will. Fitz-Rauf her brother, and her husband Sir Rob. Chamberlain of Gedding in Suffolk, Knt. and of Bernham-Broom in Norfolk, who presented in her right, in 1454; he was succeeded by Sir Edw. Chamberlain of Berham-Broome, his elder brother Sir Ralph dying without issue, but Elizabeth his mother held it for life, and presented in 1505; Sir Edward left it at his death to Leonard Chamberlain of LittleElingham, his third son, who was lord in 1554, whose son, John Chamberlain, mortgaged it in 1570 to Rob. Flint, Gent. who presented in 1580, and afterwards it was sold by Chamberlain to Sir Thomas Pettus, who gave it with his daughter, Elizabeth, in marriage to Rowland Okcover, Esq. who mortgaged it to Will. Colgrave of London, Esq. to whom it was afterwards conveyed by decree in Chancery, Sir John Pettus and Horace Pettus confirming the title; at William's death, it descended to Henry Colgrave, his son and heir, who sold the advowson to the Rev. Mr. John Cater; he possessed it about one year only, and was succeeded by his brother, William Colgrave, Esq. who is now [1738] lord.

The Customs of the manor are, that the fine is at the lord's will; the eldest son is heir; and it gives no dower. There is no leet now kept, though it is said to be appendant to the manor, and as such was kept about fifty years since. They cannot fell timber on the copyhold without license, which by custom hath been always compounded for, at a third part of the clear value.

The Church is dedicated to St. Peter, was valued at 10 marks, and paid 12d. Peter-pence. It had two gilds belonging to it, one of St. Peter, and the other of St. John Baptist; in 1663, they had license to sell a bell, and in 1671, another to lessen the chancel.

It is a rectory, valued in the King's Books at 7l. 1s. 10d. ob. but being sworn of the clear yearly value of 41l. 18s. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and hath been augmented by the present rector, who hath procured the bounty, and settled a portion of the impropriate tithes of Great Elingham for that purpose.

This town paid 4l. 12s. 8d. to the old tenths, and is now valued at 391l. 14s. 2d. to the tax.

The monks of Thetford's temporalities were valued at 10s. per annum.

Rectors

• 1317, 4 non. Mar. Hugh Perpunt of Kilverdeston. Sir John de Botetourt, Knt.
• 1349, 9 Sep. Walter Atte Oke of Bredefield-Magna. Hawise de Wysham, Knt.
• 1387, 30 Jul. Rog. de la Hay, priest. Sir John de Wysham, Knt.
• 1395, 11 Oct. William Lenchewyk. Sir Will. Wysham, Knt. He resigned.
• 1395, 11 Oct. Rob. Couclyf, change with West-Acre burgh.
• 1408, 8 Aug. Will. Okele. Tho. Lathe, Esq.
• 1408, 29 Nov. Stephen At Lathe. Ditto. On Okele's resignation.
• 1432, 8 Oct. Roger Robin of East-Bradenham. John Fitz-Rauf, Esq. He was buried in the church.
• 1454, 16 April, Tho. Melton, on Robin's death. Sir Rob. Chamberlain, Knt.
• 1484, 20 Nov. John Folsham, on Melton's resignation. Ditto.
• 1494, 14 June, Ric. Aston. Roger Ormeston, Esq.
• 1505, 15 Jan. Mr. Peter Ashton. Lady Eliz. Chamberlain, widow.
• 1506, 7 Nov. Rich. Billington.
• 1508, 6 Oct. John Hardingham. Lapse. On Ashton's death.
• 1530, 15 March, Arthur Buckley, on Hardyngham's death. Edward Chamberlayn, Esq.
• 1554, 7 July, Richard Hatley, priest, on Buckley's deprivation. Leonard Chamberlayn, Esq.
• 1561, 22 Sept. John Middletone. Lapse.
• John Gildensleeve; he resigned.
• 1580, 21 March, Rob. Evat. Rob. Flynt, Esq.
• 1608, 11 Jan. John Warde. John Hodson, clerk, for this turn.

He held it by union with St. Swithin in Norwich, of which he was patron.

• 1647, 27 July, Philip Cornwaleys, A. M. on Warde's death. Sir Tho. Pettus, Bart.
• 1647, 24 Aug. John Jermy, A. M. on Cornwaleys's resignation. Ditto.
• Rob. Chawner; he died rector.
• 1672, 6 Jan. Tho. Bond, A. B. Lapse.
• 1727, 21 Dec. Humphry Bickley, A. B. on Bond's death. John Cater, clerk, united to the major part of Atleburgh.
• 1728, 15 April, The Rev. Mr. John Cater, the present [1738] rector, on Bickley's resignation, who is also patron, and holds it united to the vicarage of Elingham-Magna.

There is a neat parsonage-house, built by Mr. Cater, adjoining to the north-west part of the churchyard, to which belong about 32 acres of glebe; the town contains about 20 houses, and 150 inhabitants.

The tower is square, and stands on the south side of the church, and serves for a porch; there is only one bell; the church and chancel are tiled, the N. vestry is ruined: it is neat and clean, being new repaired and beautified; in the windows I saw these arms,

Chequy or and gul. a fess erm. Or a saltire ingrailed sab.; and

Gul. three round buckles arg.

There is only this inscription on a brass in the chancel,
Dere Iyerth the Corps of Robert Flant, under this stone. whose Godln Death, did pranse bis thief, be beinge gone, Den toward Branche he hath left, which shall ensue, Borne of a Dertuous Wight, by Birth from Wountagne

GRISTON

Greston, or Griston, as it is called in Domesday, signifies the Grass-Town, and indeed it is a soil that produces abundance of it.

The Church here was dedicated to St. Margaret, and was appropriated to the Prior and Convent of Bukenham; it was valued it 20 marks, and paid 18d. Peter-pence. There were four gilds in this church; St. Mary's, St. Peter's, St. Margaret's, and St. John's, and there was a light called St. Mary's light. In 1446, there were new bells, and in 1477, the steeple was rebuilt as it now stands, with great part of the church, which was then rededicated to St. Peter and Paul, who had a gild erected also to their honour, to which Will Ferror was a benefactor in 1492, as also to the light of St. Mary, in the churchyard. In 1495, Henry Palmer of Griston gave 5 acres and half a rood in King's Grove furlong, for a yereday, to be kept for him and Alice his wife on Whitsun-Monday, as long as the world stands, and tied all his messuage called Gilberd's for it. He also gave to the church and town of Girston, 10 acres in Girston and Watton-Field, 3 roods at King's-Grove, 3 roods at Little-Kirk, 2 roods at Kykynham, 1 acre at Martin-Gate, 1 acre and an half at Shortwyn's-Croft, by the land of the vicar of Girston South.

Rectors And Vicars

• 1213, Master Andrew de Fordham. Rob. de Caston.
• 1299, Ralf de Eboraco, or York. In 1297, Rob. de Caston presented this Ralf, and the Bishop (though Robert brought the King's writ) would not admit him, but answered, he was of a notorious character, for which reason the Bishop was excused.
• 1301, 14 kal. Oct. William Barri. Rob. de Caston.
• 1304, 11 kal. Aug. Richard de Hale. Joan de Caston.
• 1330, 8 kal. Mar. Edmund de Cokefield. Cicely, relict of Sir John de Cokefield, Knt.
• 1349, 22 Aug. William Hulle of Keteringham. Sir Rob. Bishop, rector of the mediety of Hetersete.
• 1349, 8 Oct. William, son of John Walter of New Bukenham, at the nomination of the Bishop of Norwich, and presentation of the Prior, Will. Bateman Bishop of Norwich having this year appropriated the church to the priory, on condition the Bishop should always nominate to the Prior, who should present the vicar at his nomination, and also pay the Bishop a yearly pension of 16s. 8d. In 1550, Bishop Thirlby released to the King the pension due out of this rectory.
• 1357, 17 Dec. Tho. Attehow de Methewold. The Bishop nominated to the Prior.
• 1358, 6 May, Tho. Percy Bishop of Norwich assigned the vicar his vicarage-house, which was to be the south part of the rectoryhouse, and the vicarage was endowed with 18 acres of arable land, a foldage, and many days works in autumn, the whole altarage, tithes of wool, hay, flax, milk, wood, whether silve cedue, aut arborum decimabilium, turf, hemp, mortuaries, and all small tithes.
• 1361, 24 Nov. Rob. Attedam de Wrotham.
• 1395, 23 March, Roger Lenthale.
• 1405, 13 Jan. Tho. Neve of Walton, died in 1420.
• 1420, 18 Jan. Henry Bryce of Wygenhale.
• 1433, 19 June, William Orlyouns of Thuxton.
• 1442, 22 June, Thomas Savage.
• 1449, 12 May, John Estweyth.
• 1469, 16 Dec. Brother John Plattyng, canon of Bukenham.
• 1482, 22 July, John Browne.
• 1521, 11 May, Richard Drake, A. M. on Browne's death.

- - - Draper.

• 1526, 13 Nov. Richard Mylgate, resigned.
• 1529, 15 Febr. Denis Owers, deprived.

The above thirteen were nominated by the Bishop, presented by the Prior.

• 1554, 6 March, Richard Murton. Lapse.
• 1560, 18 June, John Blacklock. Lapse. United to Caston.
• 1578, 16 Oct. Thomas Matthews. The Queen.
• 1585, 13 May, Thomas Bolland, resigned. Ditto.
• 1587, 27 Aug. Launcelot Griffin. Ditto.
• 1633, 25 Febr. Samuel Warren of Christ's college, Cambridge; he resigned, and was after rector of Merton, and had Breccles. The Bishop of Ely, by grant from the Queen, in exchange, who is now patron, and the following vicars were presented by the Bishops of that see.
• 1654, Samuel Leader, minister of God's word at Griston, was admitted vicar there, Febr. 2.
• 1661, 5 Octob. Robert Masters; buried 1st March, 1687.
• 1688, 1 Sept. Robert Harsnet; he resigned.
• 1694, 9 Nov. John Berry; he resigned.
• 1699, 7 Oct. John Ellis.
• 1713, 23 Oct. William Tanner, on Ellis's cession, now rector of Redenhall, &c,
• 1723, 15 Nov. The Rev. Mr. John Borret, the present [1738] vicar, on Tanner's resignation. The King, Ely bishoprick being void.

This vicarage is valued in the King's Books at 7l. 8s. 9d. ob. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 28l. 9s. 6d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths.

It paid 2s. synodals, and 6s. 8d. procurations.

The Prior of Castle-Acre's portion was valued at 20s.

This town paid 6l. 0s. 4d. to the old tenths, and is now valued at 367l. 13s. 4d. to the tax.

The spirituals of the Prior of Bukenham were valued at 20 marks.

The church hath a fine tower, adorned with the following emblems of St. Peter and Paul, cut in stonework at the bottom:

There are four bells; the nave is leaded; there is a north porch tiled, as is the chancel, which is new repaired. In 1679, Doctor Owen Hughes, Commissary to the Bishop, and Official to the Archdeacon of Norwich, directed a commission to be certified of the state of the chancel, and upon its being found in a ruinous condition, he sequestered the impropriate tithes to repair it, and it was repaired accordingly. This is an instance of the Bishop's or Archdeacon's power to sequester impropriate tithes, if the owners or their farmers refuse or neglect to repair the chancels, which we see too often in a ruinous state.

There is a loose brass in the chest, which came off a stone in the chancel, thus inscribed,
Orate pro Anima Magistri Johannis Manning qui obiit rrvii^o; die Mensis Aprilis Anno Domini M^o;ccccc^o;rrii^o; rujus Anime propicietur Deus Amen.

On an old stone in the nave.

Orate pro Anima Willi. Dalmar, qui obiit rv^o die Dobembris, Anno Domini M^o cccc^o lrrriiii^o cuius Anime propicietur Deus Amen.

The family of the Palmers are of great antiquity in this town; in 1295, Peter Le-Paumer had a good estate here.

On another old brass,
Orate pro Ataima Alicit Palmer que obiit if die Decembris Anno Domini M^occcc^olrrrviii^o.

This on a brass that came off a stone by the pulpit,

Orate pro Anima Edmundi Buckenham Generosi.

In 1278, Robert de Bukenham had an estate here.

On the font,

A^o. Dni. 1568, mas this steple Cope newe set up to the greate Coste of landed Men.

On a brass,

O Pater, O Crintas, fili cum flamine Sacro, Uirgineunrque Decus Reparatrir at que Ruine, Cuncta create Nichilo, Manning succurre Johanni, Fac tecum bihat Regno sine Fine beato. Anno Milleno Duingenteno quoque terno, Mensis Septembris obiitque Penultima Luce.

The windows were formerly very fine, but are now imperfect; in a south chancel window was an effigies of one of the Caston family, in his surcoat of arms.

In a north church window was the effigies of Sir Simon Palmer, with this,

Az. a lion rampant gul. in chief three cinquefoils or.

Ormesby, gul. a bend compone or and az. between six croslets arg.

Mortimer, or florette sab. and Caston's arms.

Gul. six ermines.

The altar-stone, with a cross at each corner, lies in the nave, and the other stones that came off the two low altars are placed as stiles in the churchyard, their crosses remaining on them.

In a north window is a priest in a pulpit, preaching to a large congregation, with this in labels,

And this,

Some of his audience have the word from their mouths, some are kneeling, and others prostrate; this is perfect, and is a curious painting.

In another place was the devil with cloven feet and ass's ears, sitting in a throne, as a king, with his crown and robes; a vast press of people crowd to make their address to him; there are kings with their crowns on, pressing forward, the little devils with long ears and tails flying over them, and this broken label,

In 1698, Mr. John Borret died May 25, and was buried May 27; he was an ingenious man, and good antiquary, an exact herald, and laborious collector of historical affairs relating to this county, to whose labour I own myself much indebted for many things which I find in his collections only, the originals being now lost; the Rev. Mr. John Borret, his son, is the present vicar, to whom I am much obliged for supplying me with several materials towards this work.

Borret's arms are, arg. three boars heads erased sab. Crest, a boar's head erased sab.

These arms are born by Mr. Giles Borret of Earsham, only that branch hath born the field or.

Griston Hall Manor

This town was a berewic to Sporle in the Confessor's and Conqueror's time and the chief part of it, which constituted this manor, belonged to a freewoman in the Confessor's time, who held it as part of Sporle manor; it was seized by the Conqueror and let to farm to Godric, and was after held by a family sirnamed from the town.

Another part was held by Roger Bigot, of whom Ralf Fitz-Walter held it, and both these parts made up this manor, which was afterwards held of the Fitz-Walters.

In 1227, Richard de Rupella settled 120 acres and divers rents on Henry de Grestun and his heirs; in 1256, William, son of John Bozun, and Henry, son of Henry de Grestun, paid 6d. a year to the Prior of Alvesbourn, in 1272, Dionisia de Montchensy had some concern in it; in 1274, John de Griston was lord, and had the assize of bread and beer, weyf and trebuchet, and held it of the honour of Clare at half a fee in 1314; in 1315, Robert Fitz-Falter and Richard Copsey were returned as lords here; in 1345, John de Griston held a quarter of a fee of the honour of Clare, which formerly belonged to Roger de Griston; and in 1398, John de Griston was lord, and in 1401, held it of the honour of Clare, which was held by the heirs of the Earl of March; in 1341, it was in the Bishop of Ely's liberty, whose bailiff appointed the constable; it afterwards was in the Cliftons, and passed with Bukenham to the Knevets, and in 1541, Edmund Knevet sold it to Edmund Grey and his heirs; in 1558, John Grey of Methwold, Esq. gave it to Will. Grey, his son, who sold it to Mr. Thomas Dunthorn, who was lord in 1572, and William Dunthorn was his son and heir. It after belonged to Sir Thomas Barney of Parkhall in Redham, and came to Henry Barney, his second son, who died 23d Nov. 1638, possessed of it, and held it of the honour of Clare, with 36 acres held of Saham-Tony manor by fealty, and 34 acres held of Carbrook by fealty, and Henry Barney of Griston was his son and heir. It now [1738] belongs to Leonard Batchelor, Esq. of Norwich.

The leet belongs to the hundred, and is kept with Caston and Thompson leets, and each town hath it kept there every third year.

The Rectory Manor

Always belonged to the rectory, which was never appendant to the other manor, for at the survey, William Earl Warren had the advowson, and 10 acres of land, which Earl Ralf had laid to his manor of Stou, and so it belonged to that manor, and soon after was joined to Caston manor, and the Caston family, as lords of Caston presented.

In 1330, it belonged to the Cokefields, and continued a rectory till 1349, and at the appropriation, the rectory manor came to the Prior of Bukenham, with the chief of the glebes and the great tithes; and at the Dissolution came to the crown, where they continued till Queen Elizabeth settled them in exchange on Ely bishoprick, to which the manor, great tithes, and advowson of the vicarage now belong. It is held by lease of the see, by Mr. Patrick, fellow of Catherine-Hall in Cambridge, grandson to Dr. Patrick, late Bishop of Ely.

The king's manor of Saham extended into this town, and this is part of Saham outsoken.

OVINGTON

Uvytone Church is dedicated to St. John the Evangelist was valued at 9 marks, and paid 17d. Peter-pence; Roger Bigot gave the monks of Thetford a portion of tithes here, which was taxed with their revenues in Watton, here were two gilds, one dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, and the other to St. Margaret. There are 16 acres of glebe.

Rectors

• 1304, 7 id. Dec. Will. Bozun. Peter Bozun.
• 1314, 10 kal. Nov. Robert Bozun. John Bozun of Wissingset.
• 1334, 4 non. Nov. John son of Richard de Lrnyng. Ditto.
• 1349, 2 Aug. John Galt of Breccles; he resigned. Ditto.
• 1357, 3 Sept. Peter Styward; change with East-Tudenham. Ditto.
• 1366, 26 Jan. John de Belton, Super Dam. Will. Bozun.
• 1398, 22 July, William Hervy. John Bozoun of Wissingset.
• 1409, 29 Oct. John Hare; change for Keninghall.
• 1421, 21 Sept. Nicholas Richeman. Rich. Bozoun.
• 1421, 2 Nov. Rob. Syer; changed for Wood-Norton St. Peter, with
• 1424, 28 Sept. Andrew Valentine. Ditto.
• 1445, 20 Apr. William Short; he resigned. Ditto.
• 1448, 16 Apr. John Elom; buried in the chancel. Ditto.
• 1458, 8 Nov. Thomas Petty, clerk. John Pecock of Norwich, and Margaret his wife.
• Richard Chaterys. Ditto.
• 1462, ult. Sept. John Fyer; he resigned. Ditto.
• 1470, 19 Jan. Richard Hayton; he resigned. Ditto.
• 1494, 28 March, John Danby. Eleanor Bozoun.
• 1496, 15 March, Robert Pennell. Ditto.
• 1507, 30 March, Rob. Plume, on Pennell's death. Tho. Cressynere, Esq. in right of Eleanor Bozun, his wife.
• 1531, 21 March, Thomas Martyn. Eleanor Cressener, widow.

- - - - - Thyrkyl, priest.

• 1543, 17 Nov. John Baxter, on Martyn's resignation.
• 1548, 15 April, Ambrose Irby; he resigned. John Bozoun, Esq.
• 1556, 6 Oct. John Winter. Ditto.
• 1558, 28 April, Ambrose Irby, on Winter's death. Ditto.
• 1559, 6 Dec. James Robinson, on Irby's resignation. Ditto.
• 1566, 24 June, Thomas Brittayne, on Robinson's death. Robert Bozoun, Esq.
• 1587, 8 Jan. Thomas Woodward. Tho. Lyngwoode.
• John Trundell.
• 1601, 19 May, Henry Rice. Thomas Lyngwoode and Robert Wightman.
• 1603, 22 Febr. Robert Canham. Ditto.
• 1626, 27 July, Edward Rye, A. M. on Canham's death. Tho. Wright, Gent.
• 1632, 5 Febr. Edmund Eade, S. T. B. on Rye's resignation. Ditto.
• 1655, 21 Jan. Samuel Smith. John Wright. He died rector.
• 1667, 17 July, Robert Myett. Tho. Wright, Esq.
• 1682, 11 Sept. John Burrell, A. M. The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge, who are now patrons.
• 1683, 7 Febr. John Wells, on Burrell's resignation.
• 1702, 11 Aug. Nathaniel Spalding, on Wells's resignation.
• 1706, 20 May, Peter Needham, on Spalding's resignation.
• 1711, 5 Jan. The Rev. Mr. William Ewin, clerk, A. M. on Needham's cession; he is the present [1738] rector.

The church and chancel are thatched; there is a square tower and one bell, but no memorial of any kind; it is valued at 7l. 3s. 6d. ob. and being sworn of the clear value of 37l. 5s. it is discharged of firstfruits and tenths. The temporals of the Prior of Pentney were taxed at 70s. 10d. This village paid 3l. 10s. to the tenths, and is now valued at 403l. 6s. 8d. to the King's tax.

Bozuns Manor

This town at the survey must be included in Saham, for I have found no mention of it in Domesday, but that one carucate which belonged to Saham was given very early to the Bigots, and by them infeoffed in the family sirnamed De Saham, together with the advowson, to be held at one fee. In 1202, Robert de Saham conveyed it to Roger Bozun; and in 1227, the said Robert granted the advowson which belonged to this carucate, to Peter Bozun, son of Roger, and his heirs, who now was lord and patron. In 1256, it was returned that John Bozun was lord, and held a whole Knight's fee, but was not yet knighted; and in 1263, he had a charter for free-warren in Oviton. There was another half fee here, which was granted from the Crown to the Marshalls; the record called Testa de Nevill tells us, that William Talebot held it of Will. Mariscal, junior, and that it was worth 20l.; this belonged to Baldwin de Rosey, in Henry the Third's time and soon after to Peter Bozun, who, in 1306, held one part of the Earl Warren, the other of the Earl Marshall, and was sole lord and patron. In 1460, Will. Bozun, Gent. gave it, after his mother's death, to John his son, with the advowson, and the advowson of Wissingset, after the death of Alice his wife; he divided it again, and kept the great manor, which was in John Bozun in 1345; in 1432, Rich. Bozun held it of John Mowbray Duke of Norfolk, at one fee, as of his manor of Forncet; in 1450, Richard Bozun of Wissingset gave it to Margaret his wife for life, who married John Pecock of Norwich, and it continued a long time in this family, though sometimes in trustees hands; in 1558, Thomas Townsend of Testerton, Esq. reJeased all his right in the manor and advowson, to John Bozun of Studdey, Esq. who, in 1568, conveyed it to Will. Smith, and he, in 1579, to Richard Wightman and Tho. Lingwood; in 1584, Wightman conveyed his moiety to Ambrose Clench, and Michael Beberton, in trust for his own and his wife's life, remainder to Rob. Wightman, his son, and his heirs; Robert conveyed it to his brother, Nicholas Wightman, who purchased the other moiety of Agatha, daughter and heir of Thomas Lingwood, who died seized in 1605, when it was held of Forncet manor by one fee, and 2d. per annum; in 1606, Nicholas Wightman sold it to Robert Wright, who in the year following conveyed it to Thomas Wright. In 1655, John Wright was lord, and in 1667, Thomas Wright of Downham, Esq. sold it to the Chancellor, Master, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge, who are now lords and patrons.

Woodhouse Manor

Passed as is before observed, till Peter Bozun divided it from Bozun's manor; and in 1324, John Butetort and Maud his wife held it for life, and Tho. Butetort was their son and heir; it after came to Robert de Stutvile; and in 1432, Catherine Queen of England was lady; in 1557, John Jenny sold it to John Ives, with the fold-course, from whom it came to the Calibuts, and was given to Mr. Repps; it was late the lady Potts's, who sold it Thomas Wright of Herling, Esq. whose second son, Robert Wright, Esq. is now [1738] lord.

The Knights Templars in 1221 had lands here, as belonging to the Commandry of Kerbrook, and their tenants here were quit of toll throughout all England, as the rest of their tenants always were, by grant of Henry III.; in 1312, William de la More, the last Master of the Templars in England, died in the Tower of London, several of the knights being sent to monasteries to repent, by the Archbishop and Provincial Synod; and in 1314, their lands here were seized, and given to the Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem, and were assigned to their Commandry of Kerbrook aforesaid.

This town (like most of the villages standing on the rivulet) takes its name from it, Uvyton, Eaffington, or Offington, (for it is thus called in old evidences,) being no more than the town of pasture land lying by the water.

MERTON

Meretuna, Merton, or Martin, as it is now called, took its name from some meer, or large standing water within its bounds, for such is the Saxon word [Mere]. During the Confessor's reign it belonged to Ailid, who then held it at three carucates and one virgate, there being wood enough to maintain 240 hogs, and a walk for 150 sheep; there were then 29 tenants or socmen, who held 2 carucates of land among them, and one socman, who held 20 acres of land belonging to the manor, which laid in Grestuna or Griston; the whole manor was worth 5l. afterwards rose to 6l. and in the Conqueror's time was worth 8l. per annum. The town was then two miles long, and a mile broad, and was taxed at 15d. to the geld.

At the Conquest it fell to the Conqueror, who gave it

Ralph Bainard, Baignar, or Baynard, one of his principal Normans, who came over with him, (along with Hatestuna, or Bunwell manor, which always passed as this did, till it was sold by the De Greys to the Buxtons,) he left it to

Juga Baynard, his widow, who was succeeded by

Jeffry Baynard, her son and heir, who was succeeded by

Will. Baynard, who taking part with Helias Earl of Mayne, Philip de Braose, William Malet, and other conspirators, against Henry I. lost his barony of Baynard's Castle, which, upon his forfeiture, was given by the King to

Robert, a younger son of Richard Fitz-Gilbert, progenitor to the ancient Earls of Clare, from which Robert, the noble family of the Fitz-Walters descended, of which family the manors of Merton, and Hadeston or Bunwell were always held, as of Baynard's castle, the head of the barony, by a younger branch of the Baynard family, to which these manors were given before the forfeiture, so that they were never forfeited, but continued in that branch, till Isabell, a coheiress of it, carried them to Sir Thomas de Grey, her husband.

The first of this younger branch that I meet with was

Sir Robert Baynard, Knt. lord of this manor; I am apt to believe he was son of Ralf, brother to Jeffry Baynard, father to William Baynard that forfeited his barony; this Sir Robert was a great favourer of the monks of Lewes, to which house he confirmed 60 acres of his demeans in this town, and divers tenants, with the advowson of the church, and the tithes of the corn of his manor, the advowson of the church of Ristone, and two parts of the tithes of his manor of Hadestonhall, or Bunwell, all which they had enjoyed from the time of the illustrious King Richard, as

Sir Fulk Baynard, son and heir of Sir Robert, says in his deed of confirmation, which is dated in Lewes chapter-house, in the presence of Sir Osbert de Cailly, Sir John de Ingolvesthorp, Sir Robert de Caston, Knts. &c.; this Fulk married Petronilla, daughter of Rob. Mantel of Essex, with whom he had all Robert's land in Semplingham or Shimpling, in Suffolk, after the death of Ralf Mantel, who held it for life; this Fulk had two sons,

Jeffry Baynard, his second son, was a priest, promised to be provided for by the Prior of Lewes, to the value at least of 20 marks per annum, with some ecclesiastical benefice in Norwich diocese, and therefore in the mean time, the Prior gave him to farm all his lands in this town of Merton, paying only the rent of 4s. and two pounds of wax per annum to the chief lord, with all the tithes of the demeans of Fulk Baynard, for which he was sworn to be faithful, and to pay his rent, and not to alien any of it, and that the parson for the time being shall not by his means intrude into the messuage or tithes: Sir Fulk Baynard's seal, and the dean of Kerbrook Comandry's are annexed to it.

Sir Fulk Baynard, eldest son and heir of Sir Fulk, held 8 fees and an half in Merton, Hadeston, &c. of Robert Fitz-Walter, as of his barony of Baynard castle; in the time of Henry III. he held in Merton one fee, of which John de Gurney held one quarter of him; he confirmed all the gifts of his ancestors to Lewes monastery; in 1225, King Henry III. granted Fulk Baynard a license to have a market at Merton; in 1256, he was fined for not being knighted, and was obliged to take that honour; in 1271, he had lands at Hadenham in Cambridgeshire settled on him and Alice his wife, by John and Phillippa de Ditton, whose daughter she seems to be.

In 1274, he had assize of bread and ale in Merton, Weyf, Trebuchet, and free-warren, and paid 28s. rent for this and Hadeston, every 24 weeks, to the guard of Baynard castle. In 1286, he was one of the three or four conservators of the peace for this county, an office then of great trust, succeeded by those now called Justices of the Peace, he died in 1305, and left

Sir Robert, his son and heir, who was lord here in 1315, and at his death left it to

Fulk Baynard, his son and heir, who in 1327 held 8 fees and an half of Rob. Fitz-Walter, in Hadeston, Martin, Bunwell, Carleton, Tibenham, Tompson, Threkeston, and Therston; this Fulk left three daughters his coheirs; Isabell, Emme, and Maud; Isabell married Sir Thomas de Grey, Knt. and had Merton, Bunwelt, &c. for her share, in whose family it hath continued ever since.

There were many younger branches of this Baynard family, that had good estates in other parts of Norfolk; but as they had no relation to this place, I omit mentioning them; nay so late as 1565, Will. Baynard, gent. had lands in Merton.

The family of the Grais, Greys, Graas, or Grays, for by all these names they are spoken of in ancient evidences, are all descended from

Anscitil, or Anschitil de Grey, a Norman, who-came in with the Conqueror, being sirnamed from the place of his residence, and had large possessions of that Prince's gift; the Peerage, p. 148, gives us a higher account of this family, but it being conjecture only, I chose to go no higher than Anschitil, whose son, Richard de Grai, was a benefactor to Eynesham abbey, and was succeeded by John de Grey, his son and heir, whose second brother, John de Gray, was Bishop of Norwich, and his third brother, Henry de Grey, was in great favour with Richard the First, as is evident from the grant that Prince made him of the manor of Turroc in Essex, in the year 1194, and that he was in the good graces of his successour, King John, is evident, not only from the confirmation of his predecessour's grant, but from his publick charter of special privilege, to hunt the hare and fox in any lands belonging to the Crown, excepting the King's own demean parks. Neither did he loose his prince's favour after this King's death, for Henry III. his successour, in the very first year of his reign, gave him Grimstone manor in Nottinghamshire, which was part of the possessions of Robert Bardolph, to support him in his prince's service. After this he married Isolda or Odeyne, sister and coheir of the said Robert, and in 1224, had the third part of all his estate in his wife's right.

John de Grey, his uncle, was also a great favourite of King John's, who, in the first year of his reign, made him Archdeacon of Gloucester; and the very next year, viz. 1200, Sept. 24, Bishop of Norwich, and afterwards Chief Justice of England, in all which posts he behaved so well, that the King would fain have made him Archbishop of Canterbury, but was outwitted by the Pope; in 1211, he was made Lord Justice of Ireland, where he staid two years; he died as he returned in his Embassy from the Pope, at Pictou, Oct. 24, 1214, and was buried in his cathedral at Norwich.

Henry aforesaid left four sons by Isolda his wife, viz.

1. Richard, whose principal seat was at Codnovre in Derbyshire, of whom you may see in Mr. Dugdale's Baronage, vol. i. fol. 709, his descendants being parliamentary barons, their lives and noble actions being there recorded.

2. John, who was sometime Justice of Chester, and progenitor to the noble families of Grey of Wilton, Ruthyn, Groby, Marquis Dorset, and Viscount Lisle, the generations and transactions of which families are recorded in the aforesaid volume fol. 712, &c.

3. Will. de Grey, or Graa, third son of the said Henry, was first of Landford in Notinghamshire, then of Sandy-Acre in Derbyshire, and after of Cavendish in Suffolk; he left

John de Gra of Cavendish, Esq. his son and heir, and Henry Grey, his second son.

4. Robert de Grey of Rotherfield, whose family is largely treated of in the aforesaid author, fol. 723, they also being parliamentary barons.

Sir Tho. de Grey of Conerth in Suffolk, Knt. son and heir of John de Grey, Esq. of Cavendish, afterwards of Greyshall in Cavendish, was married before 1306, to Alice, daughter and sole heiress of Sir Rich. de Cornherd, or Cornerth, Knt. after which match, perc [gap] ternal arms of Grey to be born by so many families, he [gap] tted them, and assumed those of Cornherd, which he and his descendants to this day have born as their paternal arms, viz. az. a fess bween two chevrons or, which arms the Cornherd, or Cornerth family took in imitation of the Bainards, their superiour lord, of whom they held a great part of their estate, whose arms are the same exactly as Cornherd's, only the field and chevrons differ in colour. In 1321, Tho. de Grey, and Alice his wife, held divers lands in Great Cornerth, of Rich. Cornerd, their father, value 5l. 3s. per annum, and of the Abbess of Malling, lands worth 10s. per annum; of the said Richard a messuage and one carncate of land there, worth 4l. 3s. 2d. and also Cavendish manor, worth 10l. 13s. 4d, at one fee, and also of William de Buteveyln, one messuage, one carucate, and 60 acres of land, one acre of meadow, and 10s. rent in Little-Conerd, Bures, Newton, Waldingfield, Illeigh, Preston, Torp, and Lillesey, worth 3l. 11s. per annum, at the 4th part of a fee; and also they held more of the inheritance of the said Alice, a messuage and one carucate of land in Bernardeston, of Arnold de Mounteney, by the service of one halfpenny to the scutage when laid, which house and carucate were worth 6l. 13s. 4d. per annum. Thomas died in 1321, Alice his wife surviving him; in 1322, she settled lands on her sons, Roger and John.

Sir Thomas de Grey, Knt. their son and heir, succeeded, and married Isabell, eldest daughter and coheir of Fulk Baynard of Merton, Esq. and had Merton, Bunwell, &c. for her share; he came and settled at Merton, in the ancient seat of the Baynard's, whose arms he always bore, quartered with his own (or Cornerth's) in her right, and their posterity have always done the same. In 1337, they settled the manor of Merton, lands in Hockwold, the manor and advowson of Bunwell, on themselves in tail, Merton manor being then held by Katherine, widow of Fulk Baynard, in dower. In 1345, he held one fee in Merton, of John Fitz-Walter, who held it of the King, which was lately Fulk Baynard's, one quarter of which Thomas Gernoun held of the said Thomas; this quarter of a fee in Merton was first the inheritance of the Bardolfs, given by Robert Bardolf with Isolda to Henry de Grey, her husband, in whose family it continued till one of them infeoffed it in the Castons; in the time of Henry III. William de Caston held it of Hugh Bardolf, who held it of the King in capite; in 1345, Thomas Gernoun held it; in 1401, Tho. Jermyn held it; in 1453, Robert, son and heir of Henry Pakenham, Esq. deceased, appointed Will. Pakenham of Shropham, his attorney, to deliver to Will. Mounteney, citizen and skinner of London, Rich. Caus, Gent. and others, seizin of all his lands, rents, services, &c. in Merton, Thomson, Watton, and Griston, which Henry Pakenham, his grandfather, and Henry his father, William Mounteney, clerk, John, rector of Cressingham-Parva, now dead, had of the feoffment of Tho. Gernon of Threxton, cousin and next heir of John Gernon of Merton aforesaid. At their deaths they left it to Sir Roger de Grey of Merton, Knt. who, by will proved in 1371, declares that he had infeoffed Sir William Bawde priest, and others, in his manors of Cavendish, Little-Cornerth, and Preston in Suffolk, and Merton in Norfolk; he ordered his father Sir Thomas Grey's debts to be paid, and that Alice his wife should have an annuity of 20 marks per annum, and Mr. Thomas Grey, his brother another of the same sum, the manor of Little-Heneye, worth 10l. per annum, to go to two priests yearly. The profits of his manor of Hadeston or Bunwell, to raise portions for his two daughters, and if Thomas his son die before either of his daughters marriages, then their fortunes to be at the disposition of Sir William Bawde. The will is dated at Dover, and is in French.

Thomas de Grey, his son and heir, died a minor, leaving two sisters.

Margaret, after married to Sir Thomas Shardelowe, and

Joan, to Thomas Pynchbeke, and then this manor was divided into three parts; Tho. Grey, clerk, their uncle, had one third part, which in 1388 he settled on Pynchbeke and his wife, and so they had two thirds, and Sir Tho. Shardelowe and Margaret his wife the other third, the whole being intailed for want of issue of the neices, on Tho. de Grey, their uncle, and his heirs, as it seems they did; for in 1402,

Tho. Grey, clerk, held this manor, and the whole of the estate of the Greys of Norfolk, and died possessed of it before 1404, for in that year,

Fulk de Grey, Esq. son of Fulk de Grey and Margaret his wife, nephew and heir to Tho. de Grey, clerk, had livery of his estate in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, being lord of Vernon's manor in Elm in Cambridgeshire, in right of Eleanor Vernon, his mother, Merton, &c. he married Eleanor Bernardeston, and was succeeded by

William de Grey of Merton, Esq. who married Christian, daughter and coheir of John Manning of Great-Elingham; by his will dated 3d Nov. 1474, ordered his body to be buried in St. Peter's church of Merton, by Christian his wife; his stone now lies in the middle alley, it had four escutcheons, the first with Grey's arms still remain, the second was Grey quartering Baynard, the third was Grey quartering Manning, and the fourth was Grey impaling Manning, and this inscription,

Orate pro Animabus Willi: de Greb Arnugeru et Christianæ uroris eois Fillie Johis: Mannynge nuper de Ellingham Magna Gener: et pro Animabus omnium Benefactorum Suorum, et pro Anima bus pro quibus tenentur. Oui auidem willus: obiit in festo Sci: Martini Epi: Anno Dni: Mcccclrriv Dicta Christiana obiit om festi Sci: Petri ad vincula

William de Grey of Merton, Esq. his son and heir, had two wives, Mary, daughter of Sir Hen. Bedingfield of Oxburgh in Norfolk, and Grace, daughter of Thomas Teye, Esq. widow of Francis Hethe of Worlington, to whose two daughters he was guardian; Agnes, the second, dying young, was buried at Merton, Margaret, the second, married George Bokenham of Snitterton, Esq. after the death of his first wife, Christian, daughter of William de Grey, her guardian. In 1492, Sir Henry Grey of Keteringham, settled that manor by will, for want of heirs of the body of Anne, his daughter-in-law, wife of Tho. Hevenyngham, Esq. on this William and his heirs, but I cannot say positively how near related they were; in 1494, he held the manor of Merton and Hadston, alias Baynard's in Bunwell, of John Ratcliff Lord Fitz-Walter, and Edmund was his son and heir. Against the north wall, there is a monument for this William and his two wives, the brasses are all remaining, save the inscriptions, which are torn of, his effigies, in armour, with die arms of Grey and Baynard quartered, is in a kneeling posture, having his helm lying by him, a scroll, and Grey's arms quartering Baynard over his head, behind him are his five sons in loose gowns, with a disrobed scroll over their heads; opposite to him is Mary Bedingfield, his first wife, kneeling, with her three daughters behind her; over her head is another imperfect scroll, and the arms of Grey quartering Baynard, impaling Bedingfield, quartering Tudenham. Behind them, is Grace Teye, his second wife, behind her, their two daughters with dishevelled hair; over her has been a scroll, besides the arms of Grey quartering Baynard, impaling Teye of Essex, a fess in chief three martlets, in base a chevron.

Edmund Grey, Esq. his son and heir married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Spetman, Knt. and died seized of this and Bunwell manor in 1548, and is buried in the chancel, with this inscription fastened on a brass on the north chancel wall, with De Grey quartering Baynard, impaling Spelman,

Here by underneath ineth edmund be seen Esq; who married elisabeth be Doughter of Sir John Spelman ant. and deceased this present Life the 20th Dan of Auguste 1548.

Thomas de Grey of Merton, Esq. eldest son of William de Grey, by Mary Bedingfield, his first wife, did not inherit his father's estate; he married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Rich. Fitz-Lewes, Knt. but had no children; after her death he was ordained priest, and lived fortyone years in orders, and dying in an advanced age, lies buried with his wife in the south isle, for whom there is this inscription on a brass plate against the wall,

In this He ineth buried under one Stone Thomas de Gren Esquire and Elizabethe his Wife, Doughter of Sir Richarde Fits Lemes knight, and after her desease made himselfs, preast and solided rli neares and departed out of this Lnfe the first of September 1556.

Arms: De Grey quartering Baynard, impaling Fitz-Lewes, chevron between three trefoils.

Thomas de Grey, Esq. son and heir of Edmund, married first Anne, daughter of Henry Everard of Lynsted in Suffolk, Esq. secondly, Temperancé, daughter of Sir Simond Carew of Anthony in Cornwall, by whom he had no issue; she outlived him, held Bunwell in jointure, and remarried to Sir Christopher Heydon of Baconsthorp, Knt.; he died seized of Hadston or Baynard's manor in Bunwell, held of the Earl of Sussex at one fee, Berryhall manor in Ellingham, late Manning's, held of the Earl of Sussex as of his manor of Atleburgh, the advowson of Bunwell, held of Sir Thomas Lovell by fealty, and 13s. 4d. rent; the manor of Merton, held of the Earl of Sussex, as of his manor of Woodham-Walter in Essex, parcel of Fitz-Walter's alias Baynard's barony, 300 acres of land, 100 acres of pasture, 20 acres of wood, 1000 acres of marsh, and 300 acres of bruary, a foldcourse and commonage for 100 cows, in Tompson, Griston, Watton, Totington, and Merton, held of the Queen in capite, by the 20th part of a fee. He was buried under a fair marble at the east end of the south isle, having three shields on it, two at the head, viz. his own arms impaled with his two wives:

Everard, on a fess between three stars, three mullets.

Carewe, three lions passant. And at his feet

Grey and Baynard quartered. The inscription is,

Here under lyeth intombed the Boon od Cho de Brey Esq. Sonne and Heyce of Edmund de Brey Esq. who deceased the 12t of May 1562, and sted in Suffoke Esquier, and to his second Wiffe Cemperance the Daughter of Sir Wymonde Carcwe of anthony in Cornewell Knight, Whose Soul God Pardon.

Thomas de Grey, Esq. his son and heir, was only seven years old at his death, and so became ward to Queen Elizabeth, but died a minor in 1556; his estate went to his uncle,

Rob. Grey, Esq. who had livery of it that very year he married Anne, daughter of Sir Tho. Lovell, Knt. and died Feb. 28, 1600, and is buried in the chancel, on the south side of which, against the wall, is a monument with the effigies of Time at the top, with the mantle, crest, and arms of Grey impaling Lovel, arg. a chevron az. between three squirrels sejant gul. and this inscription, Hic requiescunt Robertus de Grey Armiger qui obijt 28 Die Februarij Anno domini 1600 & Ætatis suæ 70.

Ac Anna Uxor ejus, Filia Thome Lovell de Harlinge Militis. Ex quorum nato unico & Hærede, Gulielmo de Grey milite per Doam: Annam Uxorem ejus, Filiam Jacobi Calthorpe de Cockthorpe milit: Conjugio jam per triginta Annos beatè continuat: prodijt hæc clara Soboles, Filij.

Robertus, eorum Filius primo-genitus Ætate sua sex Mensium, Ex hac vita migravit. Anno Dom. 1606. Robertus, Modo Hæres apparens.

Jocobus, Edmondus, Gulielmus, defunct: Phillipus, defunct: Gulielmus Superstes.

Filiæ.

Elizabetha, Defuncta.

Barbara, nupta Tho.

Guybon Armigero.

Anna, nupt: Cottono Gascoigne Gen: defunct. Ellena, nupta Talmach Castle Armigero.

Dorothea, nupt: Jacobo Reynold Armigero.

Maria.

Penellope.

Elizabetha defuncta.

Catherina defuncta.

Jana.

Antecessorum Memoria, Honore magis et longiùs viget, Quando eorum Pietas & Providentia, in Posteris suis relucent.

Anno Dni: 1652.

Sir William de Grey, Knt. only son and heir of Robert, was as eminent for his probity as descent; he married Anne, daughter of Sir James Calthorp of Cockthorp, Knt. and died Oct. 19, 1632, seized of Merton, Bunwell, Berry Hall in Ellingham, a manor in Bichamwell and Cawston's manor in Conard-Parva, with the lands commonages, and faldage aforesaid, and lies buried in the chancel by his father, leaving

Sir Robert de Grey his son and heir, 20 years old at his father's death, who was knighted, with Christopher Athoe of Bichamwell, Esq. by King Charles the First, June 23, 1641; he married Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of William Bridon of Ipswich, Gent. and died in 1644, and was buried in the chancel under a large grave-stone, having a brass shield at each corner,

1. Grey or Cornerthe impaling Calthorp.

2. Grey, viz. barry of six with an annulet for difference, impaling Bridon a bend ingrailed.

3. Grey with the annulet single.

4. Bridon single. In the middle is a brass escutcheon with mantle and crest, viz.

First Grey with an annulet; second Grey, alias Cornerth; third Bainard; fourth Manning; and this inscription,

Here under lyeth the body of Sir Robert de Grey Knt. (Sonne and Heyre of Sir Robert de Grey, Knight, late of Merton deceased) who married Elizabeth one of the Daughters and Coheyres of William Bridon late of Ipswich Gent. and had issue by her, William late deceased, Barbara and Anne now living, and departed this Life the 20th Day of October Anno Dni: 1644.

At his death

James de Grey, Esq. his next brother, succeeded; he married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Martin Stutevile of Datham in Suffolk, Knt.; they are buried under a black marble in the chancel, with the following inscriptions. De Grey's crest.

1. Grey, viz. barry of six with an annulet.

2. Grey, alias Cornerthe.

3. Bainard,

4. A bend.

5. A fess indented erm. between six croslets.

6. Manning; all impaling.

Stutevile, a saltier ingrailed ermine.

Exuviæ Viri Honorabilis Jacobi de Grey Armigeri, Filij Secundi Gulielmi de Grey militis, et dominæ Annæ Uxoris suæ, qui ex Elizabetha, Filia Martini Stutfield de Dalham in Agro Suffolciensi militis, charissimâ Sponsa prolem Reliquit, Gulielmum de Grey Armigerum, Filium Unicum, Elizabetham, Susannam et Annam, Filias; et tertio Die mensis Junij Anno Dni: Mdclxv, Spiritum Deo reddidit, et in Pace hic requiescit, Carnis resurrectionem Expectans Gloriosam, in Adventu Salvatoris Domini nostri Jesu Christi. In memoriam Conjugis clarissimi Et merentissimi Marmor hoc Reponendum curavit.

Also under this stone lieth the Body of Elizabeth de Grey Daughter of Sir Martin Stutevile of Dalham in the county of Suffolk Knt. She Departed this Life upon the 15th Day of September 1696 in the 80th Year of her Age, her wholl Life having bene a continued Example of great Vertu & Prudence.

William de Grey, Esq. their only son succeeded, who was burgess in Parliament for Thetford in 1685, and married Elizabeth, sister and coheir of Tho. Bedingfield of Darsham in Suffolk, Esq.

Thomas de Grey, Esq. his son and heir, succeeded, he was chosen for Thetford in 1705, and again in 1708, and since that time hath worthily served in parliament for the county, and is now justice of the peace, as many of his predecessors have generally been. Wednesday 7th June, 1721, an Act of Parliament passed for discharging several estates in the county of Norfolk and Suffolk from the uses contained in the marriage settlement of Tho. de Grey, Esq. and for settling other estates in the said counties to the same uses. The said Thomas is now [1738] lord and patron, and hath issue by Elizabeth, daughter of Will. Windham of Felbrigge in Norfolk, Esq. Thomas de Grey of Christ's college, Cambridge, who is clerk in the secretary's office, Will. de Gray of Trinity Hall in Cambridge, Elizabeth married to the Rev. Mr. Edward Chamberlain, rector of Cressingham-Magna in Norfolk, and Catherine, now single.

As to the arms, in all MSS. visitations, &c. per Hawley, claren, temp. Edward VI. per Harvey, claren. temp. Elizabeth, per Bishe, claren. anno 1664, they have constantly used the arms of Cornerd; and in Bishe's visitation, the quarterings are thus entered:

1. Grey, alias Cornerd, az. a fess between two chevrons or.

2. Baynard, arg. a fess between two chevrons az.

3. Barnston or Bernardeston, az. a fess dancette er. between six croslets arg.

4. Manning, quarterly az. and gul. over all a cross patonce between three trefoils slipped or.

Crest, on a torce of his colours, a dragon's erased or.

Monuments in the church of St. Peter at Merton, besides those already taken notice of, are

A grave-stone in the church, which a MS. tells me, was for

"Mary Wife of William de Gray son and heir of William de Grey, and Sister to Edmund Bedingfield Esq; she died Apr. 5. 1480."

Arms were Grey or Cornerth impaling Baniard. Grey quartering Baniard, impaling Bedingfield, quartering Tudenham.

It appears by the same MS. that formerly in the north and south windows opposite to one another, in the entering into the chancel, stood the coat of De Gray or Cornerth quartered with Baniard, erected in 1403. And in a south window, at the upper end of the church, was the effigies of St. Edmund, in his princely robes, holding in his left hand an arrow; and lower in the same window was depicted the portraiture of Sir Robert Clifton, Knt. kneeling. with his hands held up, in armour, with his mantle and coat of arms thereon, quartered with Caily's, with a book before him, and in a scroll from his mouth,
Sancte Edmunde ora pro nobis.

In the same window was an effigies of a De Grey kneeling, on his mantle his coat armour impaled with Baniard, and this,
Orate pro Animabus Roberti Clifton militis as [Will.] de Brey Armigeri et pro bono Statu Alicie nuyer Croris corundem et pro quorum....

By which it appears, that she put it up after the death of both her husbands, their souls being prayed for in it. This is now gone.

On a stone in the south isle, plated with brass, there are two hands holding a heart, upon which the word Trebo, and from the heart two scrolls; on the first, Trebo quod fiedemptor meus bibit; on the second, Et in nobissimo Die Surect......Salbatorem meum.

Dic Jacet Alicia quondam Aror Johnis: ffyncham filli senioris Johis: fyncham Due quidem Alicia fuit fillia thome Bedyngfeld Armigeri et Soror Marie Brey, et que quid: alicia ob. rrii die Maii A^o Dui: Mcccclriiii cuius aie: ppiciet: deus.

The arms were Fincham, three bars and a bend erm. impaling Bedingfield, but are now lost.

There is a stone in the nave disrobed of its brasses, but had this inscription,

Orate pro Anima Christianæ Buckenham nuper uroris Georgil Buckenham filiæ Willi: de Grey Armigeri, que obiit riii^o die Junii Anno dni: Mcccclrrrrii et pro Anima Agnetis Keth quondam Fillie Francisci Keth Armigeri que diem clausit ertremum, viz. rriiiii Mail Mcccclrrrriiii.

On a stone in the chancel, having De Grey's arms in a lozenge,

Here lyeth the Body of Anne the Daughter of James de Grey Esq; late of this Parish, She died Febr. 4. 1702 in the 50th Year of her Age.

On a stone near the former, having the same arms,

Here lyeth the Body of Susan de Grey Second Daughter of James de Grey Late of this Place Esq. By Elizabeth de Stutvillee Daughter of Sir Martin de Stutvillee Of Dalham in the County Of Suffolk Knt.

She departed this Life the 30th Day of Dec. 1697 in the 47th Year Of her Age In Affection to whose Memory her Brother in Law Sir William Rant Of Thorp Market in this County Knt. hath at his own Charge Caused this Marble To be laid.

On a white stone.

Here lyes the Body of Mrs. Mary Warren Who exchanged this Life for a better Dec. 8. 1661. To whom God grant a joyful Resurrection.

In the windows of the church there were formerly the arms of Grey impaling Baynard, and the following arms.

Bernardeston, az. a fess dancette erm. between six croslets arg.

Banyard. Manning. Bedingfield. Spelman. Everard. Carew. Lovell. And

Teye of Essex, arg. a fess between three martlets, and a chevron az.

Clifton and Caily quartered, quartering Albany.

Burnell, arg. a lion rampant - - - - in a bordure ingrailed

Grey, impaling a chevron between three trefoils slipped.

The chancel is tiled, and the south porch, the nave, south isle, and north porch, are leaded, the steeple is round, having in it three bells; its roof is flat, but formerly was pyramidal.

The seat of Thomas de Grey Esq. who is lord and patron, stands a little distance from the church, on the south-west part.

The Church is dedicated to St. Peter, was given by Jeffry Baniard, and confirmed by Roger Baniard, his son, and Fulk Baniard, his grandson, to the monks of St. Pancrace at Lewes in Sussex; namely, the church and parson of Merton, with his land, and also the tithes of the demean lands of the Hall, and 80 acres of his gift. The rectory, in Edward the First's time, was valued at 13 marks, the Prior of Lewes's portion at 10 marks, Peter-pence 19d. It is in the archdeaconry of Norwich, and deanery of Breccles; the temporals of the Prior of Lewes were taxed at 41s. 3d. William, son of John Bacon of Griston, gave to William Prior of Lewes his right in a messuage and 46 acres of land, 2s. 6d. rent in Merton, all which revenues continued in that monastery till its dissolution, and then came to Thomas Duke of Norfolk, and were after sold to the Greys. It stands in the King's Books by the name of Marton alias Merton, and is valued at 6l. 5d. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 40l. 5s. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and so is capable of augmentation.

This town paid 3l. 10s. 6d. to the tenths, and is valued at 241l. to the land tax.

Rectors

• 1266, Roger de Skerning, the Bishop's nephew. The Prior of Lewes.
• 1295, Will. de Berdewell. Fulk Baynard promised the monks, that if they would present
• Walter de Berdewell, his chaplain, their rectory should receive no damage by it; and therefore, in 1302, the Prior presented him.
• 1310, 2 non. June, Thomas de Bautre, by the Pope's provision, by John de Abbatsbury, canon of the church of Sarum.
• William Packet; he resigned.
• 1324, prid. non. Maij, Edmund de Vienna, in exchange for Faringho in Lincoln diocese.
• Robert Vause; he resigned.
• 1350, 5 Feb. John Jay, priest. In 1374, there was a composition made between the Prior and Rector, by which the rector was for ever to have all their portion of tithes in Merton, with a toft called LewesYard, and 50 acres called Lewes-Lond.
• William Bulcock, LL. licentiat.
• 1388, 3 Dec. Tho. Large, change with a prebend in Astely in Werwickshire.
• 1409, 5 Sept. Sir William Large, priest, on Sir Thomas Large's resignation.
• 1448, 28 Apr. Sir Peter Lock, priest, Master of Thompson Coll. on Large's death.
• 1505, 6 Aug. Sir Richard Crofts.
• 1507, 10 Sept. Sir John Pory, chaplain.
• John Harrison was the last presented by the Prior.
• 1557, 14 Apr. Bernard Hall, on Harrison's death. Thomas Duke of Norfolk.
• 1560, 12 Oct. Mr. Edward Marsh, on Hall's resignation; he had Threxton. Tho. de Grey.
• Ambrose Simpson; he resigned.
• 1580, 6 May, Henry Ryce. Lapse. He was deprived.
• 1590, 21 Dec. John Cross, A. B. buried May 31, 1620, the same day with Margaret, wife of Tho. Cross, rector of Threxton. Tho. Hopkins, LL. B. patron for his turn only.
• 1620, 30 Aug. Tho. Cross, united to Threxton, buried here 1640. Will. de Grey.
• 1640, 21 Sept. Tho. Reynolds, on Crosse's death. Rob. de Grey, Esq.
• 1676, Mr. Samuel Warren, rector, buried, anno æt. 77.
• 1676, 18 Oct. Joshua Chadwick, A. M. buried in 1695.
• 1731, Alexander Croshold, rector, buried Dec. 14, 1731.
• 1731, 12 Feb. The Rev. Mr. John Borret, clerk, is the present [1738] rector, and holds it united to Griston. Thomas de Grey, Esq. is the present patron.
• Marriages from the Parish Register.
• 1593, Christopher Craigge, A. M. to Anne Dover. 1600, Will. Graye, Esq. to Anne Calthorp, Gent. 1617, Tho. Gibbon, Esq. to Mrs. Barbara de Grey. 1623, Cotton Gaskin, (Gascoign,) Esq. to Mrs. Anne de Grey. 1630, Tolmach Castle, Esq. to Hellen, daughter of Sir William de Grey, Knt.
• 1631, James Rannols, Esq. to Dorothy, daughter of Sir William de Grey, Knt. 1633, Edward Bullock, Esq. to Mary, daughter of Anne de Grey. 1634, John Palgrave, Esq. to Anne Pastoyne, widow, (Paston.) 1639, Christopher Attoo, Esq. to Penelope, daughter of Sir William de Grey. 1686, Sir John Rouse of Henham in Suffolk, Bart. and Mrs. Anne Wood. 1734, the Rev. Mr. Edward Chamberlain (rector of Cressingham-Magna) and Mrs. Eliz. de Grey.
• Burials in this church.
• 1600, Anne, wife of Rob. Gray, Esq. 7 March. 1600, Rob. de Grey, Esq. 10 Sept.
• 1616, William; 1618, Elizabeth; 1621, another Elizabeth; 1628, Philip; 1631, Catherine, all children of Sir William de Grey, Knt. who was buried himself in 1632.
• 1631, Mary, daughter of Talmach Castle, Esq. 1636, William, son of Robert de Grey, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife. 1644, Sir Robert de Grey, Knt. 1656, Barbara, daughter of James de Grey, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife. 1662, the worthy Lady Anne de Grey, widow, formerly espoused to Sir William de Grey, Knt. 1665, James de Grey, Esq.
• 1686, Major William de Grey, Esq. Flebilis omnibus, nulli flebilior quam mihi. I. C.
• 1687, Elizabeth de Grey, his widow. Ingens dolor stupet.
• 1687, William, their son. 1689, Major Edmund de Grey. 1696, Madam Elizabeth, relict of James de Grey, Esq. 1697, Mrs. Susan de Grey. 1702, Mrs. Anne de Grey.
• 1717, Mrs. Elizabeth de Grey. 1717, William, son of Thomas de Grey, Esq. 1727, Charlott, daughter of Thomas de Grey, Esq.

WATTON

Watton, or Wadeton, as it is anciently spelled, may signify the town by the ford: [wadan] in the Saxon language signifies to wade over a river, and [wade] the ford or place that people go over at; and accordingly there are divers fords over the river, that runs between this town and Saham.

At the time of the Confessor it was in two manors, Aldred, a freewoman, held the head manor at five carucates, which Ralf FitzWalter held of the Conqueror's gift, there being four carucates in demean, wood sufficient for its mast to maintain 400 swine, and a church with 20 acres of land belonging to it, worth 1d. an acre: the manors were each worth 4l. per annum, the town was a league long and half a league broad, and paid 13d. ob. out of every twenty shillings that the hundred raised to the gelt or tax, but at the survey the whole was joined, and reduced to 7l. per annum.

The whole continued in the Fitz-Walters till Ralf Fitz-Walter, with the consent of Maud his wife, gave the advowson of the church, and near a third part of the town, to the Prior of the monks of Thetford, in which house it continued to its dissolution, when it was conveyed with the impropriate rectory and the advowson of the vicarage, to the Duke of Norfolk, by the name of Monks-Wick Manor in Watton, and was after purchased by John Wright, and Thomas Holmes, who sold it to William de Grey, Knt. who sold it to the lord of Watton Hall manor, to which it hath been joined ever since.

Watton Hall

Or the head manor, came from the Fitz-Walters very early to the D'engaines, and went with Ada Dengaine to Robert de Vallibus, or Vaux, her husband, who had livery of it in 1139, as of his wife's inheritance, but did not descend to his son with the rest of his estate, being granted (as we must suppose) by him to Robert de Vaux, his uncle, upon his seating himself in Norfolk; at his death, William, his eldest son, succeeded, and left it to John de Vaux, his third son, who obtained a charter for a weekly market to be held in this manor every Friday; but in 1204, there was a writ brought to enquire whether it was not prejudicial to the market of Saham, and it being found so, the charter was recalled; but before the expiration of this year, Oliver de Vaux having the manor conveyed to him by his brother, by his great interest with the King, obtained a new charter, in which the market was granted to be held every Wednesday, as it is at this day; afterwards finding the liberties of the people much injured, he became one of those barons that met together at Stanford in an hostile manner, and sent the King word to Oxford, that if he did not restore the people their ancient liberties, they designed to possess themselves of all his castles and lands, for which this and his other lordships in Norfolk were seized on; but after, upon his submission, they were restored; in 1237, he granted to Richard de Rupella, or Rokele, the half of his manor, to be held of him by knight's service, which is at this day called Rokele's manor; in 1249, William, his son, had the court here; he died issueless, and John his brother succeeded him, who granted a messuage to Richard de Wadeton, or Watton, this was the rise of Watton's free tenement, which was afterwards joined to the manor of Curson's; he was one of those barons that stood against King Henry III. in defence of their liberties, but he soon left them, and ever afterwards adhered firmly to the King, who having proved his fidelity, immediately after his victory at Evesham, made him Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, and in 1266, Governour of Norwich castle: in 1276, Edward I. granted him a Saturday market at his manor of Repham, and a fair there, on the eve, day, and morrow, of the Feast of St. Peter and Paul; in 1280, he had a pillory, trebuchet, assize of bread and beer, and a weekly market in this town, with liberty of free-warren allowed him in Eire; and in 1282, upon the marriage of his daughter Maud with William de Ros, he settled the manor on them and their heirs; and in 1286, the said William and Maud were found to be seized of the manor and the aforesaid privileges; and at the death of this John de Vaux, A°. 16th Edward I. his whole estate was divided between his two coheirs, Petronill, married to William de Nerford, who had Thurston, Shotesham, Apleton, Holt, &c. in Norfolk, Wisete in Suffolk, Abyton in Cambridgeshire, and others, to the number of 25 fees, and Maud, married to William de Ros as aforesaid, had Refham, Hackford, Watton, half Holt, Cleye, &c. in all about 19 fees. William de Ros, son of William and Maud, inherited this manor, and gave it to John, his youngest brother, for life, who died seized of it about 1337, and having no issue, William, his brother, now called William de Ros of Hamlake, was repossessed of it, and at his death in 1342, left it to Margery his wife for life, who was found to hold it of the Earl Marshal at one fee; in 1358, she was married to Thomas Arundell, who was lord here in her right: she went a pilgrimage to Rome, returned safe to England, and died in 1372, so that it never came to William, her son and heir, who was an active warriour in France, 20th Edward III. and was in that great expedition for raising the siege of Aguyllon, which the Duke of Normandy had laid with 100,000 men, after that, in the battle of Cressy, and after that, the same year, in the battle of Newcastle-uponTyne, where the King of Scots and his nobles were taken prisoners; next year he went into France with the Black Prince, and was at the winning of Calais; but in 1351, going a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, he died without issue, leaving Thomas, his brother, 14 years old, his heir, who at his mother's death inherited this manor; he was also a brave man, being in the Black Prince's service at the battle of Poicters, where John King of France was taken prisoner; in 1383, he and Beatrix his wife, widow of Maurice Fitz-Morris Earl of Desmond, and daughter of Ralf Earl of Stafford, were seized of this manor, and John was their son and heir, but did not inherit till after his mother's death, for his father, who died this year, left it to her for life, and afterwards she married Sir Richard Burley, Knt. who was lord here, whom she also survived, and at her death in 1414, it went to this John, then Lord Roos of Hamlak, her son and heir, who was also a great warriour, and as Mr. Dugdale tells us, no less eminent for his piety, as is manifest from his pilgrimage that he made to Jerusalem, in which he died, at Paphos, in the isle of Cyprus, by the bad air of the country, Aug. 6th, 17th Richard II. without issue, leaving Sir William de Ros, Knt. his brother, his heir, who was some time Lord Treasurer of England, and died in 1414, leaving it to John Lord Roos, his son and heir, who in 1419, was seized of this manor and a fishery belonging to it; but being unhappily slain about this time in the French wars, with William his brother, Thomas Lord Ros, his brother, inherited: he following the example of his gallant ancestors, had the fate of a short life, dying in 1430, leaving Thomas his son, then an infant, his heir, who had livery of his inheritance in 1445, though he was not of age; he always faithfully adhered to the Lancastrian interest, for which, 1st Edward IV. he was attainted in Parliament, and his lands seized into the King's hands, and soon after he died at Newcastle, leaving Edmund, his eldest son, his heir, who was forced to flee beyond sea in his youth, but was restored by Act of Parliament 1st Henry VII. but this manor, after the attainder in 1462, was given to Richard Rosse and Robert Wessingham, who restored it when it was reversed. This Edmund died in 1508, and the manor went to Sir Thomas Lovell, Knight of the Garter, who married Isabell, one of the sisters and coheirs of the said Edmund deceased, and Sir Robert Manors, who married Eleanor, the eldest sister; and in 1534, Thomas Lord Roos, son of Sir Robert, was lord of this, Holt, Cley, Sniterly, Hackford-cum-Whitwell, Houghton, &c. or a moiety of them; after this, it was sold seemingly to the Gynneys, for in 1570, Thomas Gynney was lord, and then it came to the Palmers, and Thomas Palmer was impropriator, lord of Monk's-Wic and patron: in 1609, Edward Palmer, Gent. of Testerton presented: it seems they were joined in Sir Edward Barkham, Knt. for in 1608, he had purchased Curson's manor, in 1632, was lord of Watton-Hall, Monk's-Wick, patron, and impropriator, and so continued till after 1660, when it was sold to Mr. William Samwell, of Deans-Yard, Westminster, who died 1676, leaving it to Anne his wife, daughter of Sir Denner Strut of LittleWarley in Essex, Bart. who after his decease, remarried to John, third son of Sir Philip Woodhouse of Kimberley, who died in 1718, and she in 1720, and it went to Anne, daughter and heir of William Samwell, Esq. who married William Henry Fleming, Esq. the present [1738] impropriator, lord, and patron, the said Anne dying in 1728.

Curson's Manor

Was made up of divers parcels of the manors of Watton Hall and Rokele's, sold off at different times; William Curson of Watton held a tenement and about 20 acres of land, which became the site of this manor in Henry the Third's time; William Curson purchased half a fee of Richard de la Rokele in Watton, which was ever after held of Rokele's manor; Richard de Watton had a free tenement here, of the grant of John de Vaux, which, in 1272, he sold to Alexander de Boterwick, and after it was joined to this manor; in 1345, Alexander Cursoun held it at a quarter of a fee, of Peter and Mary de Stremby, as of their manor of Rokele's; it after went to Peter Cursoun, and in 1401, Rob. Curson had it, and held it of John Copledick's manor of Rokele's; in 1453, Henry, son of Henry Pakenham, Esq. had it, and after divers purchases, it was sold by Thomas Sharp to Sir Edward Barkham, as is already observed, who joined it to his other manors.

Rokele's Manor

Now called Rockell's, received its name and rise from Richard de Rupella, (that is, of the Little Rock,) or Rokele, who obtained the first grant of it from Oliver de Vaux, lord of the town in 1237, and in 1287 it was in one of that name, but whether the first purchaser or his son, I cannot say, most likely it was his son, for he was lord in 1315; in 1345, Peter de Stremby and Mary his wife held it at half a fee, of the capital manor; in 1385, Leonard Kerdeston had it, and the same year John Copledike, Knt. who was in possession of it in 1401; in 1432, Will. Heton owned it; in 1504, Sir Hen. Colet and Christian his wife had it settled on them by fine, having purchased it of Hugh Denys, Tho. Hobbys, Roger Lupton, and Jeffry Topps; in 1563, Dionise Topps forfeited it to the Crown, and the Queen granted it in exchange to Roger Carew; and in 1613, Anthony Carew sold it to William Heighoe; and the same year William Heighoe conveyed it to James Jurden in trust for Robert Heighoe; in 1672, Thomas Scott the elder of Watton, by will left it to Tho. Scott, his grandson, he having purchased it of Tho. Heighoe. It now belongs to Peter Barker, Gent. who resides in the manor-house, which stands about half a mile north-east of the town, against the common called Watton-Green.

This is a small market town situate just into the wood land, but near the filand or open part of the country; it is a good thoroughfare, and its market is no despicable one, great quantity of butter being sent through this place to Downham-Bridge, from whence the factors return it to London by water. There are several annual fairs here, one on Michaelmas day, another on St. Simon and Jude's day, &c. but I do not meet with any account of them, in any evidences that I have seen.

The town's name is oddly expressed by a rebus or device carved on the market-cross, viz. a W a Hare and a Tun, now a hare being often called by the country people Wat, that joined with the Tun, cannot fail of making Wattun, though for further direction the W is prefixed.

The Church was placed by the old manor-house, (which is now quite demolished,) and stands between the present town and WattonGreen, no doubt but fixed so at first for the joint convenience of the tenants of the several lordships, which induced the capital lord to fix his house near it; it was built in all appearance about Henry the First's time by Fitz-Walter, and dedicated to St. Giles, though it seems about Henry the Sixth's time to have been re-dedicated to St. Mary; there were three gilds held in it, one of St. Giles, one of St. Mary, and one of St. John Baptist. It was given, as before observed, by Ralf Fitz-Walter, to the Prior of Thetford, who got it appropriated to his house, the impropriation being valued at 20 marks and the vicarage at five marks; the said Ralf gave the farm, lands, and house that Ernal the priest, who was then rector, held of him, with all the tithes, and also 60 acres of his demeans, called EilewardesHage-Wood, and divers rents, &c. which constituted that manor called Monks-wick, they being taxed for their temporal rents belonging to it at 15s.

The vicar at the impropriation had all the small tithes settled on him, and an annual portion out of the great tithes, of 26s. and 8d. which is now paid by the impropriator, out of the Wic farm every Lamnas day; he is also to repair the chancel, but the vicar was to pay the Peter-pence, which was 13d. a year, 1s. 8d. synodals, and was to have the tithe wood of the parish, and all mortuaries, which are still paid according to the statute; he hath also a vicarage-house and 10 acres of glebe. It is valued in the King's Books at 7l. 5d. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 49l. 6s. 9d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and is in the deanery of Breccles, and archdeaconry of Norwich. The town paid 6l. 3s. 4d. to the tenths, and is valued at 677l. 6s. 8d. to the land tax. The Prior of Pentney had temporals in this town valued at 4s. per annum, given by Robert de Vaus, the founder, viz. 15 acres called Crundale, and 13 acres held by Richard the Weaver. The church is very small, which shews that the town is increased since its foundation; it is only 20 yards long, and including the two isles, 11 yards broad; the steeple is round at bottom and octangular at top, having three large bells in it, on the first is this inscription,

O. VIR[G]O. VIR[G]INU[M] ORA. PRO. NOBIS. AD. DO[M]INU[M].

The north porch, two isles and nave are leaded, the chancel being tiled; the remains of a curious crucifix carved in stone on the front of the north porch may still be seen.

In a window in the south isle are the arms of Thetford priory, as at p. 115. There are three or four stones disrobed of brasses, under which probably some persons of distinction were formerly buried; one had four shields of arms on it; near this stone John Berry the late vicar is interred.

In the south isle lies a stone for Mary wife of Richard Hamond, who died March 26 1710. Aged 28 years 5 months.

In the middle isle is a stone for Deborah wife of Thomas Scott, Gent. who died 22d Aug. 1713, and Tho. Scott, Gent. who died June 7th. 1729, aged 76.

On a mural monument against the north chancel wall,

Samwell, arg. two squirrels sejant endorsed gul. impaling Woodhouse, and his crest of the hand and club. On a coat of pretence.

Strutt, sab. a chevron arg. between three croslets fitchee or.

Sacred to the Memory of Ann Wodehouse Daughter of Sir Denner Strut of the County of Essex Baronet, Widow of William Samwell, Esq. Lord of this Mannour and Patron of this Living, and also of John Woodhouse Esqr. of this county. Obijt 19 Aug. 1720. Æta. 72, and lyeth interred underneath.

Against the same wall, on another monument, are the arms of Fleming, gul. a frette arg. impaling Samwell, crest, a snake wreathed, holding a chaplet gul.

Hic sitæ sunt Reliquiæ Annæ Fleming, Filiæ Gulielmi Samwell Armigeri, de Comitatu Northampt: et Willmi: Henrici Fleming, de hac Parochia Armigeri, Uxoris, Exemplar Virtutis et Religionis pientissimum relinquentis, Animam Deo reddidit, Aprilis vicesimo octavo 1728, Anno Ætatis Quinquagessimo quarto; Hic quoque jacet Blanch Allen, supra-memorati Willi: Henrici Fleming Mater, obijt xvii° Augusti Mdccxxix, Anno Ætatis Lxii°.

A stone in the north isle is laid over, Henry Jarvis of Watton, Gent. who died the 10th of March 1660 Aged 59 Years.

There is a hatchment of the arms of Tooly, arg. on a chevron ingrailed sab. three escalops of the field, for Henry Tooly, late vicar, who was buried here.

There are three half acres of land belonging to this parish, two of which lie in the field, and the third in the Lammas meadows.

There are also alemes-houses with half an acre of land, founded by Edward Goffe of Threxton, who died in 1612, and is buried at Saham; the following clause concerning these alms-houses is taken from his will: "I will that four of the poorest aged couples dwelling in Watton, shall have their dwelling in the alms-houses during the term of their natural life, and also an annuity of 5l. per annum [for ever] granted out of my houses and lands lying and being in Griston, to be equally divided amongst them yearly, during the time of nine years, at four several payments, [viz.] at the feasts of the Annunciation, St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel, and the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour, and in the tenth year, only the sum of 50s. and the other 50s. to be laid out in repairing the alms-houses, if need require at the discretion of the feoffees."

In 1673, on Saturday the 25th of April, there happened a most dreadful fire in this town, which burnt down above 60 houses, besides barns, stables, and outhouses, the butchers' shambles, &c. to the value of 7450l. and goods to the value of 2660l. for which there was a brief granted to gather all England over till the 20th of Sep. 1675.

Between this town and Merton, on the left hand, lies Wayland Wood, commonly called Wailing Wood from a tradition of two infants murdered by their uncle in this place, of which the ballad or old song of The Two Children in the Wood is said to be made; the original of which tradition I do not find; the name is a plain corruption of Weyland, and is the very demean of and gives name to the hundred, as is plain from the Sheriff's turn which was always kept at a certain place in this wood, which is now [1738] owned by Tho. de Grey, Esq.

Vicars

• 1302, 13 kal. June, Ralf de Frezinfield. Prior of Thefford.
• 1306, 4 kal. May, William de Foderinghey,
• 1335, 3 id. Jan. John Dounyng of Westhorp. By the Pope's provision.
• 1349, 15 Oct. Rich. Seyne of Hockham. Mary Countess of Norfolk, by the King's grant, who had seized the advowson, as belonging to an alien priory.
• 1361, 12 March, John, son of Robert Stalworth of Methwold, deceased. Lapse.
• 1366, 22 March, Will. Warner, on Stalworth's resignation. The Prior of Thetford.
• 1372, 10 Oct. John Swyket, on Warner's resignation. The King, on account of the alien priories.
• 1373, 31 Jan. Rich. Markaunt, on Swyket's resignation. Ditto.
• 1378, 9 March, Richard Bully of Reydon. Prior of Thefford.
• 1387, 7 July, William Cranbum, on Bully's resignation. Ditto.
• 1394, 6 Oct. Nicholas Taverner of Wymundle. Ditto.
• 1395, 26 Nov. William Manton of Wortham, on Taverner's resignation. Ditto.
• 1400, 16 April, John Drury of Croxton. Ditto.
• 1401, 29 Aug. William Stene on Drury's resignation. Ditto.
• 1415, 14 Sept. Sir Clement Rollesby.
• 1418, 3 March, Sir Nicholas Talpe, priest, of Tilneye.
• 1427, 6 March, Jeffry Isaac of Beccles, priest, on Talpe's resignation.
• 1448, 15 Nov. Thomas Becyr, resigned.
• 1454, 30 July, Sir Robert Thornton, priest, resigned.
• 1457, 24 April, Sir John Cappe, chaplain.
• 1462, 8 April, Sir John Godwyn, chaplain.
• 1481, 12 Feb. Sir William Smyth, priest, alias Perysson, resigned.
• 1490, 2 Jan. Sir John Daunby, priest, died in 1528.
• 1528, 2 June, Sir Thomas Palmer, chaplain. Prior of Thefford.
• 1557, 25 June, Maurice Hughes on Palmer's resignation. Thomas Duke of Norfolk.
• 1560, 30 Oct. John Rede, priest, on Hughes's death. Thomas Palmer.
• 1571, 10 Jan. Hugh Turner. Henry Turner. United to Threxton.
• 1609, 3 Aug. Robert Canham, A. M. on Turner's death. Edward Palmer, Gent. of Testerton.
• 1626, 7 July, Robert Taylor, A. B. on Canham's death. Ditto.
• 1632, 9 Aug. William Forster, on Taylor's death. Edward Barkham, Knt.
• 1660, 20 Oct. Henry Tooley, on Forster's cession. Sir Edward Barkham, Knt. and Bart.
• 1681, 17 May, Andrew Hatley, A. M. on Tooley's death. Anne, wife of John Woodhouse, Esq. of St. Margaret's Westminster, in Middlesex.
• 1691, 26 Aug. John Berry, A. M. on Hatley's death. John Woodhouse, Esq.
• 1730, 30 Sept. The Rev. Mr. Thomas Pigg, the present [1738] vicar, on Berry's death, who holds it united to S. Pickenham rectory, to whom we are much obliged for his excellent sermon preached at the assizes at Thetford, March 19, 1735, when he was chaplain to William Henry Fleming, Esq. the present patron, who was then highsheriff of the county.

SAHAM-TONY

Church is dedicated to St. George, who had a large gild held in his honour here, and a chapel, with his sepulchre in it; there were three other gilds, viz. of the Holy Trinity, our Lady, and St. Peter. The rectory was valued at 40 marks, and had a vicarage in the rector's gift, valued at 6 marks, the portion of the Abbot of St. Katherine's, de Monte Rothomagensi, or Roan, in Normandy, who was patron of the rectory, was valued at 40s.; it paid 7s. 7d. ob. procurations, and 3s. 4d. synodals, and 2s. Peter-pence. In 1286 the vicar proved before the Justices Itinerant, that he was intitled to a mortuary at the death of any parishioner, and recovered a horse for the mortuary then in dispute; in 1375, the Bishop certified the rights of the vicar, but upon the statute to endow the vicarages, the rector withdrew presenting to the vicarage, and so it came to be an absolute rectory, as it now continues. There is a very good house, to which belongs a rectory manor and 23 acres of glebe. The temporals of the Prior of Norwich were taxed at 9s. 6d. and the rector of Shipdam paid a pension of 4s. to this rectory.

The chantry was taxed at 5l. 14s. 9d. ob. and was founded by William de Saham, in 1281, for his own and ancestors' souls, and for that purpose he settled divers lands and tenements in Wendling, on the Abbot and Canons at Wendling, on condition they paid five marks yearly to his chantry chaplain, serving in his chapel, which was dedicated to St. Andrew, and is still called Little St. Andrew's, and lies on Shipdham road in Saham, and this always paid tenths to the Dissolution. Tho. Southwood was chaplain of the chantry in 1443, and it is called in some evidences, the Church of St. Andrew in Saham.

I find the name of one vicar only of Saham, viz.

• 1315, 3 id. Apr. Ric. Scot, vicar of Saham. Theobald de Trecis, rector, patron.

Rectors

• 1313, kal. April, Theobald de Trecis, accolite, the Queen's physician, presented by the Prior of Hermondesworth, proctor to the abbey of St. Katherine de Monte near Roan in Normandy.
• 1317, id. May, Peter de Briggemencourt, sub-deacon. Brother Humphry le Conte-Poyntour, proctor to Roan abbey.
• 1320, 6 non. March, A sequestration was granted to Theobald de Trecis, accolite, the Queen's physician.
• 1321, kal. May, John de Trecis. Brother John de Fraunkevyle, proctor, &c.
• 1329, 4 kal. August, John Rotarius parous de Trecis, sub-deacon. On the resignation of John Rotarius de Trecis. Brother Will. de Pestlamore, proctor, &c.
• 1343, 31 Oct. Rob. Poumart. The King, the temporalities of Roan abbey being in his hands, as belonging to an alien.
• 1356, 17 Nov. He resigned, and Benjamin or Benedict de Hockham had it in exchange for Offington, in Lincoln diocese. The King.

The rectory with the united vicarage was valued at 46 marks.

• 1361, 20 Sept. Tho. de Welford. The Proctor of Roan abbey.
• 1368, 20 Dec. John de Corby changed with Welford, and had this for Hurstmonceaux in Chicester diocese. The Prior of Hermondesworth patron. By grant from Roan abbey.
• 1377, 19 Nov. Henry de Wakerle, changed Hargrace in Lincolnshire for this, with Corby. The King, on account of the priory alien of Hermondesworth.
• 1386, 23 Dec. Wakerly changed this for Stow in Lincolnshire, with Philip Wen.
• 1389, 2 March, Wen, changed it for Crondale in Canterbury diocese, with John Graunger.

Master John Corf, rector, buried in the chancel in 1449.

John Morton resigned.

• 1450, 7 Nov. John Bryan. The President, Custos, and Fellows of St. Mary Winchester college in Oxford, commonly called New-College, founded by William of Wickham, who procured this advowson of King Richard II. it having devolved to the Crown, as part of the possessions of a priory allen. This society are now patrons and presented the following rectors.
• 1462, 20 May, John North, LL. B. change with Mitshitling, Winchester diocese.
• 1462, 18 Aug. Elias Holcote.
• 1464, 26 Jan. Laur. Cokkys, decret. Dr.
• Rich. Rewys, resigned.
• 1467, 27 Nov. Will. Shaw.
• 1582, 27 July, Will. Porter; died.
• 1524, 23 Nov. Will. Cuffould, decret. Dr. resigned.
• 1546, 16 Sept. Ric. Dominick; resigned.
• 1557, 13 May, Edw. Osbern; died.
• 1557, 13 Jan. Sixtus Quaterman; died.
• Rob. Payne; resigned.
• 1563, 23 Oct. Fran. Dorington. S. T. P. resigned.
• 1589, 12 Aug. John Estmond, LL. D.
• 1604, 23 Jan. Rich. Terry, he founded the free school here, and was a benefactor to the rectory.
• 1626, 15 Dec. Tho. Crane; died.
• 1662, 11 Jan. Will. Waldron; died rector.
• 1679, 25 April, John Harsent; he resigned.
• 1686, 10 Aug. Humphry Prideaux, D. D. the learned Dean of Norwich, author of that incomparable work intitled, The Connexion of the Old and New Testament, besides other things of great use; he resigned.
• 1694, 15 Nov. William Christmass, died rector.
• 1702, 23 Feb. Ric. Lydiat, LL. B.
• 1715, 7 Nov. Will. Curl, LL. B. on Lydiat's cession; he died June 1734; buried here.
• 1734, 10 Dec. The Rev. Mr. Daniel Rushworth, LL. B. The present [1738] rector.

The Rectory Manor

The Rectory stands among the livings undischarged, being valued at 21l. 14s. 9d. ob. and pays first fruits, and 2l. 3s. 5d. ob. q. yearly tenths, and 2s. synodals; it belonged to the manor till Roger de Tony gave it in King John's time, with a large part of the demeans and many rents and services, with the leet of the town, to the rectory, the advowson of which he gave to the abbey of St. Catherine on the Hill by Roan in Normandy, who presented by their proctors or deputies, but could never get it appropriated, though they attempted it; the court was usually held in the church, as appears by the ancient rolls of the manor, a great number of which now remain in the rector's custody, from which it appears that the Prior of Norwich's portion was allotted to the sacrist of the cathedral, and that the Prior of West-Acre had of the gift of Roger de Tony, in the 5th year of King John, 20 acres of wood called North-Tweyt, and liberty of commonage on Saham commons, and also the tithes of all the wood sold out of his woods in Saham and Neketon, for his own, his father's, and mother's souls, which was confirmed by the Bishop of Norwich. There is a good glebe with a large convenient rectory-house joining to the west side of the churchyard; Mr. Ric. Terry, rector here, at his death left the house furnished, and ordered it to go from successour to successour for ever; at first there were all manner of implements of husbandry as well as furniture to above 200l. value, at that time, but they are now reduced to only some pieces of plate and a few household goods, for which the rector lays in security to leave them to his successour; he also gave a house and piece of land to the parish-clerk to ring the 8 o'clock bell from Michaelmas to Lady-day. The house is now down, the land let at 3l. per annum, (as I am informed,) but the bell is forgot to be rung. His picture is still in the house, drawn Anno Ætatis 62, Domini 1625, his arms are sab. a fess or between three swans arg.; motto, uni viros una beans. He gave four acres of land for glebe to the rectory, and augmented the free school here, (which was first founded in 1611, by Edw. Goffe of Threxton, Gent. who settled a house and land to the value of 10l. per annum on the master,) with ten pounds per annum more, which is the endowment of the present free school; the house stands a little distant from the east part of the churchyard, and the master lives in it and teaches school.

The town is valued to the tax at 1074l. 6s. 8d. and paid 9l. 6s. 4d. to the old tenths; and Thompson college had lands here at its dissolution.

The Church is a good building, consisting of a nave, two isles, chancel and south porch, which are all leaded; the tower is square, built about 1480, on it is St. George and the dragon carved in stone; it hath five bells, and formerly had a clock, which is now decayed.

On marbles in the chancel,

Guil. Waldron hujus Parochiæ Rector, eruditus simul et pins, et Virtutum omnium quæ vel Christianum, vel Christi Ministrum decent, Cultor sedulus, verumque exemplar. Obijt Decemb. 8°. Anno Dom. 1678.

Sub hoc Marmore jacet Corpus, Gulielmi Christmas, hujus olim Ecclesiæ Rectoris obijt xi°. Die Januarij Anno Salutis 1703.

Crane, or, on a chevron between three cranes rising az. three cinquefoils of the field, impaling

Leman, az. a fess between three dolphins embowed arg.

Crest, a crane's head erased az.

Hic jacent Reliquiæ S. S. Thomæ Crane, de Civitate Nordovici Mercatoris, Qui cum Septem supra Sexaginta Annos vixisset, certâ demum revivendi Spe occubuit, Anno Salutis 1700.

Seriùs aut citiùs Sedem properamus ad unam, Nec poterit Pietas, nec vultus sacra, nec Aurum, Rugis, instantique Moras adferre Senectæ.

Memoriæ piæ, lectissimæ Fæminæ et Conjugis suæ, Mariæ Crane, Thomas Thomæ Filius, posuit et dicavit. denatæ xi° Augusti, Anno Dni: 1671. Ætatis 34.

Here lieth the Body of Mrs. Anne Bride, Wife to Mr. Bartholomew Bride Merchant, and Daughter to Mr. Thomas Crane Minister of Saham, who died the 28 of June, Anno Dom: 1668, Watch and Pray.

Hic jacet sepultus hujus, olim Ecclesiæ Servus, Thomas Cranus, Sacræ Theologiæ Baccalaureus, qui obijt 2do Februarij A. D. 1662.

Tu tamen, Mortem ut numquam timeas, semper cogita.

Hic jacet Corpus Thomæ Goaffe Generosi, qui obijt 28vo. die Martij Anno 1688.

Frances Wife of Thomas Goaffe Gent. died in 1638.

Mrs. Eliz. Goaffe, eldest daughter of Mr. Tho. Goaffe, died Aug. 3. 1647, aged 20 Years, and 6 Months.

Mr. Edward Goaffe Gent. died 1659.

Hic jacet - - - - - Goaffe, Filius Magistri Thomæ Goaffe, natu maximus - - - - - 29° Anno Dni. 16 - - - - Suæ vigesimo et - - - - -

Shuckforth, a fess erm. between three eagles displayed. Crest, an eagle's head erased proper.

Here lyeth the Body of Thomas Shuckforth of London Merchant, who dyed the 29th of Sept. 1665 in the 26th year of his age.

Mr. Richard Shuckforth of Saham, died 12th Febr. 1671, aged 70 Years.

He was grandson of John Shuckforth of Diss, Gent. who lived there in 1546. Son of Richard Shuckforth (who purchased and settled at Saham) by a daughter of the Dayneses of Roydon, from whom the present Mr. Shuckforth of Saham is lineally descended.

On a handsome silver salver belonging to the altar,

Ex Dono Thomæ Shuckforth, Generosi, in Usum Ecclesiæ Saham-Toniensis, Gulielmo Curll LL. B. Rectore, Anno 1721.

There is also a silver cup, with our Saviour's head engraved thereon, and these words, Saham. Thonye. Anno. 1568.

In the nave, on a brass plate,

Anna Sandell hic vixit 26 Annos, et obijt 17 Die September: 1596 Æt: Suæ 48. Et ne putes, candide Lector, mortuam esse, quæ in Cælo vivit,

Disce mori Mundo, vivere disce Deo.

The Sandells had anciently a good estate here, which in 1545 was augmented by Rich. Sandell, who purchased of Edmund Southouse, Gent. and Jane his wife, a messuage, 80 acres of ground, liberty of faldage, and 30s. rent, in this and the adjoining towns.

On an old brass,

here lieth the Bodpe of Edwarde Goaffe late of Threrton,tol)o Departed This Lieff the20 of Mape 1612, and before bis Death to the Glorpe of Goo and adbancemente of Learninge, erected a ffre; Schole and 4 Almesse Mouses in the Tomnc of Saham Tonepe, and also 4 Almesse Rouses in the Town of Matton, and gabe unto cberpe of the same for eber, a reasonable and conbenient mepnte. nance.

Praised be God.

The font hath an eagle on the top, and on the wood work this,

Lavacrum Regenerationis.

Johannes Ives nuper de Saham, Insigne hoc Pietatis ana Testimonium, Deo et Ecclesiæ suæ moriens legavit. Anno Domini 1632.

By it is an old broken stone with this,

Spiro ... eth buried ... Forbie ... peaceable, Godlie, ... belovid ... lamented ... glorified ... filias ... cua Sperno.

In the north isle windows are the arms of

Beauchamp Earl of Warwick.

Ely bishoprick, and

Or, on a bend arg. cotised gul. three cinquefoils of the last.

In the south isle east window, arg. a chief gironne of four gul. and or, quartered with the bend cotised, impaling sab, a chevron or between three - - - -; and also the arms of Tony are in the windows, viz. arg. a maunch gul.

There are two altar tombs on the south side of the churchyard, the first for

Frances Wife of Luke Sheare and Daughter of William Shuckforth, who died Sept. 1 1701, aged 32. She left two Sons and two daughters. The second, for

Henry Forbey who died Jan. 6, 1724, aged 57 years. Anns Forbey died Febr. 14 1712 aged 7 Years. Simondes Forbey died April 4, 1708, aged 6 months. Margaret Forbey died 1704, aged 1 Year.

Burials in this church.

• 1382, William Woodham. 1429, William Rokell. 1528, Thomas Bolton of this town, Gent. he was lord of Haywood Hall in Diss, and afterwards of Boyland Hall in Brisingham, where he lived. Alice his wife, and Thomas Jermyn his brother are mentioned. 1557, Richard Sandell, Esq.

Saham-Tony's, or the Capital Manor

At the time of the Confessor, contained not only this whole town, but great part of the adjacent villages, and the whole of Ovington: the Confessor himself held it, and the hundred belonged to it; it extended then into Griston, Caston, Breccles, and Elingham; there were three carucates of land in the town, one of which was in the King's hands as demean, besides 40 acres of meadow, wood sufficient to maintain 730 swine, and there were then kept 60 sheep and 40 goats, there being 46 socmen, who did their annual suit and service to the manor, for the lands they held of it; it continued long in the Crown, and the Conqueror kept the chief of it in his own hands, for he had two carucates in demean; of the 46 socmen that belonged to it when he first had it; he gave 15 to Ralf, son of Ivo, and two to Berner the Archer, and another part, which after was called Pages manor, he gave Roger Bigot. In the Confessor's time, the whole was worth 12l. and at the survey 20l. it was about three miles long and two miles broad, and paid 2s. 6d. out of every 20s. taxed on the hundred. And from this time it belonged to the Crown, and was farmed at the old rent by divers persons, during the Conqueror's and the succeeding Kings reigns, to Richard I. who raised it, for Ebrad de la Denver paid that King 27l. 8s. 4d. a year for it, and soon after he left it to Ralf de Tony, whose descendant, Roger de Tony, obtained a grant of it to him and his heirs, with the hundreds of Weyland, Grimshoe, &c. of King John, in the first year of his reign, viz. 1199.

Roger de Toeny, Todeni, Thony, or Tony, was the first of the family who had the town in fee, and from him it is still called Saham-Tony, to distinguish it from several towns of the same name, Sæham, Seham, Saham, or as sometimes pronounced Soham, (for they are all thus variously spelt in ancient records,) signifies no more than the dwelling at the great water, or Sæ, and accordingly here is a very large lake called Saham [Mere], which abounds with exceeding good fish of several kinds, but is most remarkable for its fine eels, though among them there is a particular species with exceeding large heads, as much to be noted for their bad, as the others are for their excellent fine, taste and colour. Thus also Seham or Soham in Cambridgeshire hath the largest mere that I know of, and from these both the places received their names.

This Roger was descended in a direct line from Roger de Tony, Standard-Bearer of Normandy, and founder of the abbey of Conchis in that dukedom, whose son Ralf came in with the Conqueror, and for his services in the battle against King Harold, had many lordships given him, and as Mr. Dugdale tells us, no less than 19 in this county; he gave to the abbey of Conchis, as the same author says, his lordship of Wrotham, to the monks of West-Acre, all the lands that Oliver the priest held of him there, and died in 1102, and was buried at Conchis, leaving Ralf, his son and heir, who married Judith, daughter to Waltheof Earl of Huntingdon and Northumberland, with whom he had Kertling (commonly called Carthlage) manor in Cambridgeshire; he was succeeded by Roger de Tony, his son, who confirmed Weretham lordship to the monks of Conchis; he had a grant of a hundred shillings land in Holkham in Norfolk, and dying in 1162, left this Roger de Tony, who obtained the grant of this manor, his son and heir. It was then valued at 28l. 8s. 8d. a year, for at the time of the grant's being passed, Robert Fitz-Roger, and Richard de Gosfield, who served sheriff of Norfolk for Robert, had so much allowed out of his accounts, as rents sunk by the grant. And it appears that the King gave it among other things in exchange for 140l. per annum, lands in Anjou, and in recompense for the service he did him when Earl of Moreton. He was succeeded by

Ralf, his son and heir, who joined the Barons, but was after that in the King's favour, in 1239, being signed with the cross, as divers other nobles then were, he took a journey to the Holy Land, and about Michaelmas time died on the sea, and

Petronill, his widow, had this manor and Neketon for life; she remarried to William, son and heir of Tho. de St. Omer, who was lord in her right, and in 1275 was justice itinerant with Simon de Grey in Cambridgeshire; in 1285, the hundred and manor were valued at 60l. per annum, and paid 50s. per annum blanch farm to Norwich Castle. Her son, Roger de Tony, died in 1276, so that he was never lord. Petronill his mother survived her second husband, and at her death it went to

Ralph de Tony, her grandson, son of Roger aforesaid, deceased, who died in 1293, and

Robert his son succeeded; in an inquisition taken in his time, it was found (as it was in another taken in 1280) that all persons belonging to Saham used to be free from toll in Watton market, till Sir Oliver de Vaux, lord there, compelled them to pay it, upon which account, in 1298, this Robert obtained a charter (or rather renewed and got the former altered) for a weekly market on Mondays at his manor of Saham, and two fairs yearly, one on the day and morrow of the Feast of St. Martin the Bishop, and five days following, and another on the eve and morrow after the Feast of St. George the Martyr, and five days following; he was one of those barons that subscribed the letter sent to Pope Boniface, the 12th of Feb. 1300, 29th Edward I. in the parliament held at Lincoln, concerning the subjection of the kingdom of Scotland to that of England, which the Pope then pretended to intermeddle with, subscribing himself, Robert Toney Lord of Walingford, bearing for his arms, arg. a maunch gul.; he died seized in 1309, and by the inquisition taken after his death it was found that this manor was worth above 110l. per annum, and that

Alice, widow of Thomas Lord Leibourne, deceased, was sister and next heir, aged 25 years, and that Maud his wife had the manors and advowsons of Neketun, Little Cressingham, and Little Fraunsham, in free marriage, and that they were jointly seized till Robert died, they being held of Will. de Wigenhall, as of Richmond honour, at half a fee; his right of fishery in Saham mere was valued at 13s. 4d. the park 10l. &c.

Alice Leibourne had issue by her first husband, Juliana, first married to John de Hastyngs Lord Abergavenny, secondly to Thomas Blount, Steward of the Household to Edward II. and thirdly, to Will. de Clinton; but Saham did not go to her, but was settled on

Guy de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, second husband of the said Alice, and their heirs; he was son and heir of Will. Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, and died seized in 1315, leaving it to

Thomas Earl of Warwick, his son and heir; Alice his wife survived him, and the following year married to William la Zouch of Ashby in Leicestershire, and died in 1324.

Thomas Earl of Warwick was not two years old at his father's death, and so became the King's ward, who knighted him at the age of 13 years, and gave him livery of all his lands, and among others of the whole estate of the Tonys, for which he paid 100 marks relief, Saham, Flamsted, Kirtling, &c. being held by barony. He died of the pestilence in France, Nov. 13th 1369.

Guy de Beauchamp, son and heir, died in his father's life time; but upon his marriage with Phillipa, daughter of Henry Lord Ferrers of Groby, they had Saham, Wayland, Grimshoe, Cressingham-Parva, Fraunsham-Parva, and Neketon, manors and advowsons, with the advowsons of the priories of West-Acre and Shouldham, settled on them and their male heirs, for want of which, at his wife Phillipa's death in 1384, they descended to his brother,

Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, who married Margaret, daughter to William Lord Ferrers of Groby; he was a man of much renown in warlike affairs, from his youth, so much noted for virtue and prudence, that he was chosen in parliament Governour of King Richard II. who was then young, being also one of those nobles who went with that King's letter to Pope Boniface the Ninth, complaining of the provisions of benefices, and other exactions of the see of Rome in England. Towards the latter part of King Richard's reign, this noble Earl was attainted, and the manor and hundreds were given by the King to John Montacute Earl of Salisbury, and his heirs male, along with Panworth Hall manor in Ashill, and Saham, and the other possessions of the Earl of Warwick; but the attainder being reversed in the 1st of Henry IV. he died seized of all his ancient estate, April 8, 1401, and his wife, Jan. 22, 1406, leaving

Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, their son and heir, a man no less famous than his noble progenitors; he was made Knight of the Bath at the coronation of Henry IV. and the next year, at the coronation of Jane, wife to that Prince, he kept justs on the Queen's part, against all comers; in 1402, he took the banner of that great rebel, Owen Glendowr, and put him to flight, and soon after was made Knight of the Garter.

In 1407, he went to the Holy Land, and visited his cousin the Duke of Barr; and in his way thither, performing many gallant feats of arms, and being respectfully received and treated by many princes, he arrived at the Holy Sepulchre, and set up his arms on the north side of the Temple; Baltredan, the Souldan's Lieutenant at Jerusalem, hearing that he was descended from the famous Guy Earl of Warwick, (whose story they had in books of their own language,) feasted him royally, and gave him large presents; from Jerusalem he came to Venice, and having travelled into Rusia, Poland, &c. shewing much valour in many tourneaments, he returned into England, and was immediately retained by Henry Prince of Wales, (afterwards Henry V.) to serve him in peace and war for 250 marks a year, and at that King's coronation was made High Steward of England, and behaved so bravely during his whole life, that the Emperour Sigismund told King Henry, that no Christian Prince had such another Knight, for wisdom, nurture, and manhood; adding, that if all courtesic were lost, yet it might be found again in him; insomuch that ever after, by the Emperour's authority, he was called, the Father of Courtesy; he died at Roan in Normandy, 1439, leaving

Henry, his son by his second wife, his heir, who was first made Premier Earl of all England, and after that, Duke of Warwick, and was to take place in Parliament next the Duke of Norfolk, and before the Duke of Buckingham, which that Duke would not bear, and therefore it was agreed, that one should take place one year, and the other the next, and he who survived, to take place of the other's heir male as long as he lived. He died June 11, 1445, being 22 years old; in his father's lifetime, when he was scarce 10 years old, being then called the Lord Dispencer, he married Cecily, daughter of Richard Nevill Earl of Salisbury, (who after his death married John Lord Tiptoft,) by whom he left one daughter,

Anne, who died in 1449, in her infancy, and this manor, with the whole inheritance of the Beauchamps, went to

Anne, her aunt, as only sister of the whole blood, to her deceased father, who was then married to

Richard Nevill Earl of Salisbury, who for his special services about the King's person, had the title of Earl of Warwick, confirmed to him and his wife, and their heirs, with all pre-eminences that any of their ancestors had, before the creation of Henry Duke of Warwick. This was that great Earl who was so powerful, as to be nick-named Richard make King, so famous for his courage and popularity in Edward the Fourth's and Henry the Sixth's days, that every man wore his badge, the ragged staff, on his hat, and painted the white cross on his door; yea, so exceedingly hospitable was he, that at his house in London, six oxen were usually eaten at a breakfast, and every tavern was full of his meat, for every one that had any acquiantance in his family might take as much boiled and roast meat as he could carry away upon a long dagger, as the Atlas has it, page 343. He was slain at Barnet-Field, 11th Edward IV. his Countess Anne surviving him, who had all her inheritance taken from her, and was forced to shift from place to place in great straits; but however, the Parliament were so kind, as to settle the whole on

Isabell and Anne, her two daughters; the first married George Duke of Clarence, and the second to Richard Duke of Glocester, afterwards King Richard the Third, who enjoyed Saham, Neketon, Panworth Holl, Cressingham-Parva, and the rest of the Norfolk estate, with the whole inheritance, till his death in Bosworth-Field; and then King Henry VII. restored the whole inheritance to the Countess

Anne, but not with purpose that she should enjoy it, for it appears that after the power given by the act, she conveyed the whole inheritance to the

King, who immediately constituted Sir John Ratcliff de FitzWalter, Knt. Steward of Saham, Little Cressingham, Panworth, Neketon, Wayland, and Grimshoe hundreds, and these were after called Warwick Lands, and amounted in all to 113 manors and hundreds, all which were enjoyed by the Crown, till they were granted off by degrees; in 1506 Sir Rob. Lovell, Knt. was steward; in 1527 the Viscount Rochford had this manor for a term, and after that it remained in the Crown, till

King Henry VIII. in the year 1544, granted the manor and park of Saham, and the hundreds of Grimshoe and Wayland to

Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. and his heirs, and the same year the said Richard had license to alien 60 acres of land, called Parkers Average, at the end of Saham park, to Nic. Mynne, and his heirs. In 1570,

Robt. Southwell, a minor, was lord. And afterwards, in 1580, the

Lord Paget had it. In 1616,

Sir John Steward, Knt. Lord Kintcleven in Scotland, aliened it to

Clement Corbet, during the life of Elizabeth his wife. It afterwards came to the Berneys in 1634, when

Sir Ric. Berney kept his first court; and in 1688,

Ric. Berney of Redham, Esq. was lord, and it being mortgaged to Mrs. Anne Martell; in 1709, it was purchased by

John Cotton, Esq. who is lately dead, and the manor (as is reported) is to be sold by decree in chancery.

Saham's or Page's Manor

At the time of the Conquest, was given to Roger Bigot, of whom Robert held it for life; it was then worth 30s. per annum.

In 1139, Hugh Bigot gave the King a fine to have his manor of Saham again, which Hubert de Munchensi held; it after came to the Warrens, and Ralf de Warren, lord here, granted the monks of CastleAcre two messuages and the lands belonging to them, with the services of two men, and liberty to fish with two boats at all times of the year in Saham mere; in 1194, Robert, son of Simon of Saham, paid King Richard I. 20 marks for his relief to have all his lands in peace, which his father held in capite, at half a fee; in 1228, he held it at a whole fee of Ralf de Tony; in 1274, and 1282, Will. de Saham, clerk, son of this Robert, was Justice of the King's Bench; and in 1276, Justice Itinerant in Worcestershire, and Richard de Saham, his brother, was one of the Barons of the Exchequer in 1285. In 1276, Robert de Saham (perhaps) another brother, was lord; in 1287, William, son of Ralf de Saham, had it conveyed to him, and was lord in 1299. In 1315, John de Saham owned it; from whom it came to the Pages, a family that had been ancient owners in the town, for in 1249 Robt. Page settled a messuage and land here on Adam Page; and in 1316, Tho. Page, parson of St. Andrew's in Snitterton, settled a messuage and lands on Walter Page; and in 1334, Edmund de la Sale of Norwich, and John Watts of Stanford, chaplain, settled the manor and all the Page's estate, on Adam Page of Saham, and Eliz. his wife, and being after purchased by the Coes, it became joined to Howard's Manor.

Botiler's, Howard's, Hervey's, and Page's

Was part of the capital manor granted by Roger de Tony in the time of Henry III. to John Boteler, who held it of him at the fifth part of a fee; it after was held by Ralf de Beeston: and in 1345, John Nottingham, Robert Curson, and William his son, held it as trustees for Thomas Howard, to whom they soon after released in. In 1315, William le Butler was lord; in 1401, Edward Howard and John Notingham had it, who sold it John Coe, Esq. who died possessed in 1483. In 1507, it was settled on Hugh Coe and Anne his wife; and in 1525 Christopher Coe settled his manor of Howard's, Hervey's, and Page's, on Sir Christopher Jenny, Knt. and Elizabeth his wife, with 20 messuages, six faldages in Saham, Ashill, Threxton, Carbrook, Ovington, &c.

In 1577, Bartholomex Skerne was lord; in 1581, Frances, Mary, and Jane, were his daughters and coheirs, and one Gifford married Frances; it seems they sold it, for in 1590 Robt. Houghton, Esq. conveyed it to Charles Howard, Knight of the Garter, Lord Effingham, and High Admiral of England, and Miles Corbet, Esq. and it was after purchased by Sir Ric. Berney, and joined to the great manor.

As to Harveys when single, I do not meet with any thing of it.

In 1638, Page's Place, or the manor house and 60 acres demeans, belonged to Thomas Goffe, Gent. as son and heir of Edward Goffe.

Part of one of these manors was sold off, and held as a separate manor, by Tho. Ives, in 1585, after it was sold to Bayly, then came to Greenleef, who sold it to Mr. Cotton.

Woodhouse Manor

In Saham was part also of Saham manor given by Roger de Tony, to Ralf de Bosco or Bois, (that is of the wood,) to be held at half a fee; in 1345, Simon de Bois had it; and in 1315, Ralf at Wood was lord, who took his name from the wood he lived by, as the manor did from the house he lived in; part of this manor was soon after joined to the capital manor that it first belonged to, and another part to Woodhouse manor in Ovington, that manor-house being the ancient site of this manor, is called in evidences sometimes Woodhouse in Saham, and sometimes in Ovington. The Atlas, p. 344, tells, that King Henry VIII. anno reg. 37, gave two closes in this parish, late Sir Richard Southwell's, to his new college, called Christ Church, in Oxford, with many other estates, when he made it the cathedral of his new-erected see.

LITTLE CARBROOK

Carbrook-Parva was an exempt belonging to the Commandry of St. John at Great Carbrook, to which house it was appropriated, along with Carbrook-Magna, and the church was valued with it, but the vicarage was always separate, and valued at six marks, but not taxed; it paid neither synodals nor procurations, neither was it visited by the Archdeacon, though he had the same jurisdiction over the parishioners, and power of indiction, as in Great Carbrook.

The temporals of the Prior of Shouldham were taxed at 16s. 8d.

Vicars

• 1302, 14 kal. Aug. Geffery de Aldeby. The Prior St. John's of Jerusalem, at Great Carbrook.
• 1333, 13 kal. Jan. Hugh Herbert, resigned.
• 1351, 12 Oct. John Ode.
• 1354, 30 May, Thomas Beneyt of Shefford.
• 1361, 16 Nov. Symon Nyd, resigned.
• 1372, 5 Febr. Richard Drury.
• 1388, 8 Oct. Will. Roucock.
• 1390, 22 Nov. Ric. Mason; change for Narford.
• 1394, 22 March, Tho. Eye of Saham Tony.
• 1401, 27 Dec. Ric. Harry, change for Brendlegate in St. David's diocese.
• 1402, 7 May, Will. Harry.
• 1403, 7 May, John Trymnell, change with Joddcton, Hereford diocese.
• 1412, 3 Febr. John North.
• 1414, 14 Dec. Tho. Peyntour.
• 1421, 1 Aug. Tho. Smyth, resigned; and in
• 1424, 2 Dec. John Bishop of Norwich consolidated the vicarages of Kerbrook-Magna and Parva. And the church of KarbrookParva was then pulled down and levelled; William Hulles Prior of the hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, was patron of both, and the Commandry was to receive an annual pension of 13s. 4d. for ever, from the vicar of Great Carbrook, for this consolidation.

In 1737, in digging in the churchyard, which hath been long desecrated, there was found a cross of this form laid over the coffin of some religious person buried here, most likely one of the Knights; there were two chains, on which hung two jewels, that on the one side being lost; it is supposed by the make of the brass bosses on the cross, that there were formerly relicks under them, and that it was buried with him on that account, and possibly might be fetched by the Knight himself, or whoever he was, from the Holy Sepulchre. The stem of it is of oaken wood:

The Manor of Little Carbrook, or Westhall

When the Confessor took his survey, this belonged to one Alfere, a freeman, and was called West Carbrook; and after the Conquest, John, nephew of Waleram, who had Great Carbrook, had this also; it was then of 10s. per annum value; it had a church with 20 acres of glebe, worth 12d. a year, and paid gelt, and was included in the mensuration of Great Carbrook, to which it was always joined.

Part of this town belonged to the honour of Clare, namely half a fee, which was held by the Muntchensies, Veres, and Valences, in the same manner as Winfarthing, but another part, which laid here and in Great Carbrook, was held of the Bigots and their successours, for in 1235, Will. de Muntchensy held it at one fee of the Earl Marshal; and in 1252, Warine de Muntchensy had free-warren here and in Holkham; and in 1274, the Earl of Gloucester warranted the assize of bread and beer.

In 1285, the village was presented for not coming twice a year to the sheriff's turn, to the King's damage of 2s. a year, but upon the death of Aymer de Valence in 1323, without issue male, this manor was assigned to

Mary, daughter to Guy de Chastilian Earl of St. Paul, his widow, in dower, who founded Denny abbey, the reversion after her death to go to

David de Strabolgy Earl of Athol, it being allotted to him among the manors assigned to Joan his wife, one of the heirs of Aymer de Valence Earl of Pembrook.

David de Strabolgi, his son and heir, succeeded, who left it to David, his son and heir, who died 10th Oct. 49th Edward III. leaving issue, two daughters minors, Elizabeth and Phillipa, who were committed to the wardship of Henry Lord Percy.

Elizabeth first married Sir Thomas Percy, Knt. a younger son of the said Lord, and

Phillipa married Sir Ralf Percy, Knt. his brother,

And afterwards remarried to Sir John Halsham of Kent, Knt. as her sister did to Sir John Scroop, Knt. and they and their husbands held this manor jointly.

In 1414, John Halsham, Esq. had it; in 1434, Sir Hugh Halsham, Knt. his son, had it, with the manors of Filby, Possewyck, Stukey, and West-Beckham, which had passed with it a great while; he died in 1441, and left them to

Joan, wife of John Lewknore of Goring in Essex, daughter of his brother, Richard Halsham, who sold it afterwards to

Jeffery Bulleyn of London, Knt. who was lord in 1460, and died in 1462, leaving them to Thomas, his son and heir, then 18 years old; and in King Henry the Eighth's time Sir James Bulleyn sold it to

Alleyn Peirce, and others, who sold it to

Tho. Scot, and John Gadron, and they to

William Brown, Robt. Downing of Scoulton,----Palmer, Will. Tyndall, Tho. Thycket,---- Turner, and others, and so it became divided into many parts; Downing had the biggest part, Dey of Scoulton another part, and there were many other subdivisions, which reduced it to almost nothing; the biggest part was purchased by the Southwells, and joined to the other manor.

The manor of Scoulton Burdeloss, or Oldlands, extends hither, and so largely formerly, that in 1315, Jeffery de Burdeloss was returned as one of the lords here.

Another part of this town was held by the Carbrook family, who would have had it esteemed a free tenement or manor; but when Sir Richard, son of Sir Richard de Kerbrook, had it, it was seized by Sir Hugh de Vere, who was then lord, and he was forced to acknowledge it held of him by villeinage.

By a deed without date, John, son and heir of Roger, who was son of Henry of Little Carbrook, granted to Richard, son of Sir Richard de Kerbroc, his kinsman, a messuage, lands, tenements, woods, customary and freerents, foldcourse, &c. which he had of the gift of his father Roger, in Little and Great Kerbroc. Sir Robert de Bosco of Saham, John de Saham, Hubert de Bosco, and others, being witnesses.

In 1239, John de Kerbroc and Alice his wife had a messuage and carucate of land here, and in Watton, Ovington, Griston, Letton, Cranworth and Shipdam, which belonged to Roger son of Henry de Kerbrook in 1249, and was then called Kerbrook's tenement, and sometimes Kerbroc's manor. Walter de Kerebroc the Preacher, and Emma his wife, are as old as any of this family that I meet with.

GREAT CARBROOK

This town is properly enough named from its situation by a brook or rivulet, and its carry soil, and was at first, without doubt, no more than the carr by the brook's side.

The Church is a regular pile, rebuilt about the beginning of Henry the Sixth's reign; it consists of a nave, two isles, two porches, and chancel, which are all covered with lead; there is a lofty square tower at the west-end, and in it are five good bells.

At the upper end of the north isle is a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist, whose altar and image were in it; this belonged to the gild of St. John the Baptist in this town, and that society found a chaplain constantly to sing for the welfare of the brothers and sisters of the gild living, and the souls of the brothers departed; right before the altar of this chapel, in 1462, Elizabeth Astle, gentlewoman, was interred.

Directly opposite to the south isle is another chapel of the Holy Virgin, whose altar and image were also in it; this belonged to the Virgin's gild, and had a priest maintained by them, to sing there.

The church itself is dedicated to St. Peter and Paul, and so was the high altar, at which the gild, in honour of those Apostles was always held, and was the biggest of the three gilds.

Directly in the midst of the chancel lie two exceeding ancient coffin-stones, with a cross patee on each, to show they belonged to the Templars; there are two imperfect circumscriptions on them, in capitals, which seem to be added long since they were first laid, and most probably when they were replaced, after the rebuilding of the church; I take that most north to be the sepulchre of Maud Countess of Clare, their foundress, and the other on her right hand, or that most south, to be one of her younger sons, that might probably be the first Commander of this house; but to say positively it is so, I do not pretend; they lie exactly in the place where the founders of religious places were generally buried, as Herbert founder of Norwich cathedral was; by the crosses, they were of the order; by their place of interment, persons of distinction; by the remains of the inscriptions, mother and son, and also of the Clare family; now, though I do not meet with their names, Vincent on Brook, fol. 120, says that she had by Roger de Clare, her husband, Richard Earl of Clare and Hertford, and others; and Mr. Dugdale telling us where that Earl was buried, shows plainly it was not his sepulchre, else I should have been induced to have thought so, by reason of his confirmation of his father and mother's benefactions to this house, to which he was also a benefactor. It is plain from this inscription, that he was Knight of the order, and had been at Jerusalem, and so qualified to be Commander of the house, and must be of great note, his name being not mentioned, all which confirms my former conjecture.

On the first,

Mater. Clarensis. Generoso. Milite. Clara.

Ma. - - - - - - - - - - -Hic. Tvm. - -ve. - - - -

On the second

A. Dextris Natvs. Reqviescit. Matris. Hvmatvs.

Hvnc. Petiit. Portvm. Proprivm. Revolvtvs. In. Ortvm.

There are sixteen stalls in the chancel, which tells us the number of knights resident here, when this church was built; great numbers of persons of figure were certainly buried here, as the stones reaved of their arms and inscriptions plainly show us.

In 1530, Robert Wallot, Gent. of this town, was buried in the church.

The screens between the church and chancel are very fine, there is the beginning of an old inscription on them, viz. Drate pro Benefac coribus. the rest being lost.

In 1650, the following arms were in this church, some of which still remain.

And these, Barry of ten, arg. and az. a lion rampant or.

Ermine, a saltier ingrailed gul. and the same two coats impaled.

Three lions rampant in a bordure, impaling a fess between two chevrons.

England. France.

Arg. on a fess gul. three de-lises or.

Gul. six cross croslets or, a label of three az.

Az. two luces indorsed, between crusuly of cross croslets or.

In the middle isle is a grave-stone, for Sara wife of John Pennyng, Gent. who died Dec. 4, 1638.

In the south isle is a grave-stone stripped of all its brasses, save one shield, on which are the arms of Grey of Merton, impaled with Bainard, which shows me that it was laid over Fulk de Grey, Gent. one of the five sons of William de Grey of Merton, Esq. who was buried here in 1560, as the parish register informs me, in the grave of Eliz. Drury, his wife, who was buried Nov. 8, 1555.

In 1570, George, son of Anthony Grey, Gent. was buried here, and the same year, the said Anth. Greye, Gent. son and heir of Fulk de Grey aforesaid, was buried also, whose son, Anthony de Grey of Carbrook, was living in 1616, and had one brother, Thomas, and nine sisters.

There are several priests buried under grave-stones here, as is plain from the badge or emblem of the priesthood, still remaining on several of them, the other brasses being gone, viz. the three chalices, thereon the wafers or sacramental bread, as in this shield.

The King's honour of Clare still extends hither, there being many lands, &c. held of it at this day.

The roof was adorned with the images of our Saviour and his Apostles, all which were demolished in the time of the Usurpation.

There is a parcel of town lands belonging to the parish, which tradition says, was given by two maids, who danced themselves to death, and are buried on the south side of the church.

The following notes I transcribed from the old register, which begins in 1538.

• 1625, Interog. Nata mori cur es, simul orta et mortua? Cur heù! Natalis Funus Venter et Urna fuit?

Mary Daughter of Edward Catheral Minister of Carbrook, and Faith his Wife died the 9th of August.

Respons. Mortua nascor, Ego perijssem, ni perijssem; Mî Funus, Fœnus, Tumulus Alvus erit.

Tho' in this Book of death thou bees't recorded, Thy Part i'th' Book of Life, thou art awarded.

• 1625, Oct. 23. Mary Wife of Tho. Gaudron, a Woman rich in good Works and Alms-Deeds died.
• Apoc. 20. 12. The Book of Life agrees with thy Lives Story. And by theise Bookes thou judged art to Glory.

Mœrens composuit Edwardus Catherall Minister, utillam Memoriæ consecraret, et Amoris sui superstitem Tessaram relinquat.

• 1630, Will. Sadlington, Gent. buried.
• 1637, March 19. Henry Sidney an antient Man, descended of the Right Honourable House of the Sidneys Earl of Leicester, but more Honourable by his new birth, was buried here.

On the last Leaf.

Funell. Si quid nosti verius istis, dedito: Si non, Candidus, ut soleas, miseresce Infantie Annis.

This Funell, I suppose, was one of Catheral's scholars, and transcribed the register for him.

The Rectory was appropriated to the Prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, and is an exempt, not visited by the archdeacon, and pays neither synodals nor procurations, neither is it taxed, though the church was valued at 55 marks, with the church of Little Carbrook included, and the vicarage at 40s. but yet the parochial and spiritual jurisdiction over the parishioners, belongs to the Archdeacon, who always inducts the vicar.

The Vicarage was valued at 7l. 12s. 6d. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 10l. 11s. 11d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths; it pays 3s. 4d. synodals, and is in the archdeaconry of Norwich, and deanery of Breccles.

It hath been augmented; the Queen's bounty being procured by the Rev. Mr. John Cater, rector of Elingham-Parva, who hath settled part of the great tithes of Elingham-Magna upon it for ever, to 20l. per annum value. This town paid 6l. 6s. to the tenths, and is now valued at 919l. 6s. 8d. to the land tax.

Vicars

• 1332, 6 id. Jan. Peter Drury, brother. Leonard de Tybert, Prior of the hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.
• 1349, 28 June, Roger Druene. The Prior, &c. resigned.
• 1357, 7 March, Adam Pope of Haleholm, resigned.
• 1360, 2 Dec. Robert, son of Geffery Robyn of Toftrys.
• 1361, 24 Nov. Robert de Bolton, resigned.
• 1366, 30 June, John Finch.
• 1382, 10 Nov. John Poyntour, exchange with Breccles.
• 1393, 1 May, William Taliour, change for Patesle rectory.
• 1396, 13 April, Richard Nicol.
• 1404, 12 March, Tho. Belton, who on Smith's resignation in 2d Dec. 1424, had a consolidation of the two vicarages, and so became vicar of both the Carbrooks.
• 1453, 26 April, Robert Goreham, died vicar.
• 1479, 13 Dec. Robert George.
• 1522, 27 June, John Emyson. Lapse.
• 1540, 26 Feb. John Winter, the last presented by the Prior.
• 1564, 26 Sept. Sir James Robinson, rector of Ovington. Thomas Southwell, Esq. Buried here Feb. 19, 1565.
• 1566, 11 July, Ambrose Sympson. Ditto. Resigned.
• 1573, 30 Dec. James Sympson. Thomas Lord Paget of Bodandesert. Died.
• 1583, 25 Sept. William Butterwood, buried here in 1592. Robert Southwell, Esq.
• 1592, 19 Jul. Ric. Cooper. Jeff. Gate, Esq. for this turn. Deprived.
• 1595, 21 Aug. Rob. Dixon. Rob. Southwell, Knt. Resigned.
• 1598, 1 April, Stephen Bowgeon. Lady Anne Southwell, patroness after Sir Robert's death.
• 1614, 30 June, Henry Porter, presented by the King, as guardian to Tho. Southwell. He was suspended in 1618, but held it till 1636, and was the last that was ever presented to the vicarage,it having been held ever since by sequestration.
• 1636, Edward Catherall was sequestrator and curate.
• 1662, Edward Bulver.

The Rev. Mr. Thomas Godwin is now [l738] curate.

Great Carbrook Manor

Alfere, a Saxon freeman in the Confessor's time, held the chief of this, and the other Cherebroc, there being in this, at that time, four carucates and an half, three of which were his own demeans; the wood maintained 400 swine, and he had a mill, and half the fishery of the river; part of the manor laid in Griston, and Osbert held it of him; the whole was worth 7l. There was a church and 24 acres of glebe worth 2s. and this and Little Cherebroc, were above two miles long, and as much broad, and paid 15d. to the gelt.

At the Conqueror's survey, John, nephew of Waleram, held it, and it passed to the Earls of Clare, of which honour it was always held, it contained better than half the town, and almost a third part of Little Carbrook, and the advowsons of both the churches belonged to it, and were given with it to the Preceptory or Commandry in this town, by Maud Countess of Clare.

The Commandry or Preceptory

Of Knights Templars, and knights Hospitalers, of St. John of Jerusalem, was the only commandry in this county, and was first a preceptory of the Knights Templars, founded by Roger Earl of Clare, who died in 1173, and was a great benefactor to the order; at their foundation he built their house for them. .

These Preceptors were so termed, as Minsheu and others observe, because they were possessed by the more eminent sort of the Templars, whom the chief master by his authority created, by the name of Preceptores Templi, or Masters, for so were the governours of this house often called. This order had its first original about 1118, when some religious knights vowed chastity to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, professing to live after the manner of the regular canons, and settling by the consent of Baldwin King of Jerusalem, near our Lord's temple there, they thence took the name of Knight's Templars, and professed to guard the pilgrims that went in pilgrimage to the holy temple, as much as they could possibly; and about nine years after, their order was established, and a white habit assigned them by Pope Honorius, with a cross pattee of red cloth on their right shoulder, and from that time they began to have numerous gifts conferred upon them, so that in a short time there was scarce any nation but had them settled among them, and in England, their chief house was the Temple in London, on which the smaller preceptories were all dependant; in 1182, Maud, daughter of James de St. Hillary Countess of Clare, and widow of Roger Earl of Clare, their founder, gave this preceptory (which was not finished nor fully endowed by her husband) to the Knights Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem, with the churches of Great and Little Carbrook, and the moiety of the town, on condition they paid 13s. 4d. yearly to the nuns of Buckland, all which was confirmed by Richard de Clare Earl of Hertford, her son, and King John in 1199, from which time she was declared foundress of this house. It is certain the Templars were concerned, and had some of their order here, upon the foundation of Earl Roger, for at the dissolution of their order, their part of the possessions of this preceptory was seized, but in 1314, was conveyed to the house again, and settled on the Prior or Master of the Commandry of St. John Baptist of Jerusalem, and the Knights Hospitalers residing here; they were called Hospitalers, because they built an hospital at Jerusalem for the entertainment of all that came from any part of the world to visit the holy places, and did guard and protect such pilgrims in their journey; they had also the care of their hospitals in all countries, where pilgrims were received; to these, Pope Clement V. transferred the Templars, which, by order of the council held at Vienna, he had got suppressed. The Hospitalers are now the Knights of St. John of Malta, where their chief abode is, the island of Melita or Malta being given them by the Emperour Charles V.

The constitution of this council was obeyed here in England in Edward the Second's time, when an Act passed to dissolve that order, and after that, their whole possessions were conferred upon the Knights Hospitalers. The Atlas, p. 406, gives us an erroneous account of its being dedicated to St. John the Apostle, and that its founder was unknown; but as to the rest, it is right, in telling us that it was enriched with many farms and vassals, and that all that enjoyed the privileges of this order were allowed to set a cross upon their doors, in all places where they dwelt, that they might be known by all others, and he might have added, upon the lands of all such also, for upon this account great numbers of small annual payments were given to this house, out of houses, lands, and tenements, all over the county, in order to have the cross of the hospital set upon them in token of exemption; thus I find divers lands in Weston-Market in Suffolk, and seven acres of land in Fersfield, &c. paid small rents to the house, by which they enjoyed the extensive privileges of the order, not to pay any tithes, nor other dues whatever; but great numbers of people presuming to do this as a protection, a statute was made in Edward the First's time, that all that set those crosses falsely, should forfeit either the house or land to the lord of the fee.

These Hospitalers at first were like all other orders, in a mean state, and raised themselves by rebelling against their patriarch of Jerusalem, who had first encouraged them, and then appealing to Rome, which see being desirous to have that patriarch subject to it, engaged with the Hospitalers, against their patriarch, and gave them whatever privileges they desired; by virtue of which, whenever the bishops excommunicated any one, the Hospitalers would receive them, administer the sacraments to them, and bury them in their churchyards; thus, was any kingdom, province, city, or town interdicted, if the Hospitalers had a church, that was still open, and the interdict did not reach it, so that then their offerings and mortuaries were wonderfully increased; thus also in all parishes that were given them they took the church wholly to themselves, served it by a chaplain removeable at their pleasure, and did every thing that way, without taking notice of any bishop, till the statute of the endowment of vicarages took place, and then the bishops obliged them all to endow, it having been in some measure levelled against them. In like manner, all houses and lands which they purchased, or which were given them, were exempt of all tithes and other dues, not only in one, but in all places where they were concerned: their privileges being so great, that they cared neither for the spirituality nor laity. In the statute of Magna-Charta, chap. 37, their privileges are reserved to them, and you may see the right of the King's subjects vindicated, from the usurpation of their jurisdiction, by the statute of Westminster 2, 13th Edward I. and by the statute of 32d Henry VIII. cap. 24, their lands and goods here in England were vested in the King.

Their house here was sometimes called the Priory of St. John of Jerusalem, but most commonly the Commandry of Kerbrook, which word is derived from con and mando, because the brethren always were obliged to eat together in publick, or be in commons, as we now express it, there being vast numbers of devotees who had the privilege of boarding in the house, though they did not lodge there: every one that took this order was obliged to vow to go in pilgrimage to Jerusalem, either as a religious devotee or as a knight of the order, to fight against the infidels; and every commandry was governed by some brother of the same house, who had been actually knighted in the holy wars, who was always named by the Grand Prior of the order in England, unless (as sometimes he did) he gave license to the Commandry to choose their own commander or prior, upon which choice he had the government and direction of the house, and all the revenues belonging to it, but could dispose of nothing but to the use of the grand priory, only was allowed every year, in his accounts to the grand prior, a sustenance for himself, according to his degree; they are sometimes called cross-bearing brethren, because by the rules of their order, they were always obliged to wear a cross on their breasts, and another on their shoulders; at their reception into the order, every one promised to defend it to the utmost of their ability, and to pay on St. John Baptist their patron's day, something annually to the fraternity.

In 1256, Elias, Prior of St. John of Jerusalem in England, had 20 acres and a messuage here, given to this commandry by Robert le Syrreys and Aveline his wife, settled on him and his successours.

It was valued at the Dissolution at 65l. 2s. 9d. ob.; and in 1543, was granted to

Sir Richard Gresham, Knt. and Sir Richard Southwell and their heirs; by the name of the Site of the Preceptory of Carbrook, with the manor and rectory impropriate, and the advowson of the vicarage thereto belonging, and also Herberd's Grove, St. John's Wood, RysingWood, and a wood in Ketysall Field, &c. Sir Richard Southwell changed his manor of East-Walton with Sir Richard Gresham, and having this solely his own, he settled it with Woodrising, and the main of his estate, on Thomas Southwell, Esq. son to Sir Robert Southwell of Mereworth in Kent, his younger brother, and it hath been ever since joined to the manor of Woodhall or Wood-gate in Carbrook, with which it now [1708] continues.

I find but few names of the masters of this house.

• 1256, Elias, prior.
• 1285, Robert de Hengham, master.

From 1307 to 1315, Alexander de Micham, master, which shows it was for life.

• 1424, John Hallegate, preceptor of the commandry.

There are no ruins of note remaining of the commandry, its site joins to the south side of the churchyard, and there was a chapel of St. John Baptist, either close by, or joining to the house, which the fraternity used as their private chapel.

Woodhall or Wood-Gate, alias Latymer's Manor

From Domesday we learn, that Herold in the Confessor's time, held this moiety or half of the town, as a berewic to Neketon, with which it was valued; that there were three carucates of land, of which one was always demean, or in the lord's own hands; there was one villein, 18 socmen, one servant who had 16 acres of meadow allowed him, and two men to plough the land, a wood that would keep 300 swine, one cart-horse, three cows and nine hogs, the whole of which was given by the Conqueror to,

Ralf de Tony; it afterwards belonged to Roger le Biged, who gave it to William de Muntchensi, and he infeoffed William de Manerijs, who was to hold it at one fee, in the time of Richard I.

In 1253, Guy de Butetort had a charter for free-warren here, but he had it only for life, or term of years, for in 1256 Walter de Manier or Manners was lord, and the same year William de Manerijs was found to be of age; and to hold a whole knight's fee here, and was not yet knighted.

It belonged some time to Baldwin de Maniers who in 1290 had free-warren, &c. allowed, both by the Earl Marshal, as lord of the fee, and the King also.

In 1311, this Baldwyn sold it, with the manor of Fulbourne in Cambridgeshire, to Robert de Bulelort, who settled them on the said Baldwyn for life, remainder to John Butetort and Maud his wife, and their heirs; the said John died seized of it, and Mendlesham in Suffolk, 17th Edward II. and of Butetort's manors in Cranworth and Kimberle, and John, son of Thomas Butetort, was his heir; it was then held of Maners, who held it of the Earl of Arundel.

In 1327 Will. Latymer had it, and

In 1328 Sir Robert de Morley, Knt. conveyed his manor of Carbrook to Walter de Hales, Knt. during his life.

In 1345 Elizabeth Latymer, widow of William Latymer, held it of Hockham manor, and Will. de Latimer was their son and heir, at whose death,

John de Nevill Lord Raby, who married Elizabeth, daughter of the said Elizabeth, and sister and heiress of Will. de Latimer, had it, and was found seized in 1388, Ralf, his son and heir, being then 24 years old.

In 1443, it belonged to George Nevile Lord Latimer, and Elizabeth his wife, who died seized in 1469, leaving

Richard Nevile, his cousin and heir, who in 1493 was jointly seized of it with his feoffees, for then they leased it to John Nevile, Esq. with Woodhall wood, out of which the lessee was to have Hokewood; and in 1530, the said

John Nevile, then Lord Latimer, had livery of it, and he, in 1544, sold it to

Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. at which time there were 20 messuages, 10 cottages, 400 acres of land, 40 acres of meadow, 100 acres of wood, 200 of furze, and 40s. rent of assize, in Carbrook, Scoulton, and Cranworth; and in 1558,

Sir Richard settled them with his estate, on himself for life, and then on

Thomas Southwell, eldest son to Sir Robert Southwell, his younger brother, and he enjoyed them, who was lord of this and the other manors, impropriator and patron, the whole being now joined, as it still continues.

He was a minor in 1570, and in

• 1616, the manors of Carbrook, Woodhall, which was Latymers, and the preceptory, were aliened by Sir John Steward, Knt. Lord Kincleven in Scotland, to Clement Corbet and others, during the life of Elizabeth, that Lord's wife. It afterwards came to the Cranes, and

Richard Crane, Esq. only brother and heir of Sir Francis Crane, Knt. Chancellour of the Garter, &c. succeeded in this estate; on the 10th March, 1642, he was created baronet, and married Mary, daughter of William first Lord Widdrington; he lived at Rising, and died about 1645, his will bearing date in that year, by which he appointed his manor of Carbrook in Norfolk, should for ever stand bound for the payment of 200l. per annum to the chapel of St. George of Windsor, to maintain five poor knights there, and by virtue of a commission [upon the statute of the 43d Elizabeth] for charitable uses, the manors of Woodrising and Westfield, were found charged too; but in the time of William Crane, Esq. to whom Sir Richard's estate fell, 27th Jan. 1659, it was decreed in chancery that the manor of Carbrook only should for ever stand charged with 230l. per annum, payable half yearly, 200l. of which is for the maintenance of five poor knights, and the 30l. a year for the repair of their houses, the Chancellour of Windsor for the time being, to receive the money, the 30l. per annum being added (as I suppose) at that time, because the manors of Woodrising and Westfield were found liable to satisfy for building and finishing the five houses for them.

About 1662, William Crane, Esq. and Mary his wife, settled the manors of Carbrook, the preceptory or commandry there, the impropriate rectory and and advowson of the vicarage, &c. on

Robert Clayton, Gent. and others, in whose family it still [1738] continues,

Sir William Clayton being lord, impropriator, and patron, and hath a leet.

In 1561, William Brampton, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife, sold to Robert Crane, Esq. and others, a capital messuage and 20 acres of land in this and the adjoining towns, called Warners.

Sir John Parrot, Knt. had a grant of the lands in this town, which were in the tenure of Thomas Walsingham, and were forfeited by Dionise Topps, and did belong to his manor of Rokele's in Watton, which he was to hold at the 20th part of a fee, as of his manor of East Greenwich.

SCOULTON

Church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, (though I have met with it called All-Saints,) was taxed at 12 marks, and paid 14d. Peterpence; it is now valued in the King's Books at 10l. 4s. 2d. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 48l. 18s. 10d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation; the town now [1738] contains about 50 families, paid 2l. 10s. to the tenths, and is now laid at 606l. to the tax. It is in the archdeaconry of Norfolk, and deanery of Breccles.

Rectors

• 1295, Rob. de Bauns. (See vol. i. p. 509.)
• 1298, Ralf de Bauns, or Bancis.
• 1305, 6 kal. July, Alexander de Refham, accolite. Sir John de Thorp, Knt. and Alice his wife, for this turn.
• 1333, 12 kal. Jan. William de Mortimer. Sir Constantine de Mortimer, senior, Knt.; he had license for non-residence.
• 1337, 20 Dec. Master Adam de Blofeld, priest. Ditto.
• 1349, 16 July, Thomas Rake of Henyngham. Ditto.
• 1363, 23 April, John atte Wend of Elingham. Sir Rob. de Mortimer, Knt. He had Ridlington.
• 1377, William atte Wende, rector.
• 1381, 26 Dec. John Howesson. Ditto.
• 1387, Simon rector here. (See vol. i. p. 538.)
• 1414, 10 Sept. Stephen Noble, priest. Sir John Fitz-Ralf, Knt. Sir Constantine Fitz-Ralf, rector.
• 1418, 4 Feb. Sir Roger Philpot of Penteneye, priest, on Fitz-Rauf's resignation, in exchange for the vicarage of Wigenhall St. Mary the Virgin. John Fitz-Rauf, Esq.
• 1424, 10 May, Will. Elyngton, priest, on Philpot's resignation in exchange for Coggeshall vicarage in London diocese. Ditto.
• 1433, 20 June, Thomas Welde, priest. Ditto.
• 1449, 2 Nov. Sir Robert Wasseleyn, priest. Sir Robert Coniers, Knt.
• 1452, 30 Sept. Sir John Hert, priest, on Wasselyn's resignation. Sir Rob. Coniers, Knt. and Maud his wife.

Sir Robert Selot, rector.

• 1464, 30 April, Sir James Berry, priest. John Conyers, Esq.
• Peter Newman, resigned.
• 1522, 14 Sept. Sir Cuthbert Howys, chaplain. Ela Lovell, widow.
• 1530, 20 May, Andrew Browne, resigned. Rob. Horner and Will. Hert, who recovered this turn, by quare impedit, against Anthony Gurney, Esq. and Will. Bolleyn, clerk, Ela Lovell, widow, being true patroness, having made a grant of it.
• 1560, 3 Aug. Thomas Bishop, priest. Sir Rich. Southwell, Knt.
• 1579, 24 Feb. John Kirby, or Kirkeby, A. M. The Queen. Lapse.
• 1612, 13 Jan. Thomas Lammas, A. M. John Mathew, clerk, this turn.
• 1624, 17 Nov. Matthew Brownrigge. Nich. Easton, this turn.
• 1632, 11 May, Edw. Bulwer, A. M. on Brownrigge's resignation.
• 1678, 16 Oct. Charles Seppens, A. M. Edw. Bedell, Esq.
• 1691, 18 Nov. John Watson, on Seppens's death. Isabel, relict of Edw. Bedell, Esq. United to Hingham.
• 1730, 2 Oct. the Rev. Mr. Edward Chamberlayn, clerk, on Watson's death. Patrick St. Clair, clerk, this turn. He is the present [1738] rector, and holds it united to Cressingham-Magna, the patronage being in the heirs of George Bedell, Esq.

The Church is a small building, its nave being thatched, the two isles and south porch are leaded, there is a low steeple, square at bottom and octangular at top, in which are three bells; at the upper end of each of the isles there was a chapel and an altar in each; in the south chapel windows are the arms of Calthorp and Mortimer; in the north, arg. three inescutcheons or, on each a lion rampant, and the arms of Mortimer of Atleburgh are in many places of the nave and chancel. Against the west end of the church wall there is a monument, on the north part of it thus inscribed,

Near this Place lieth the Body of Elizabeth the belov'd Wife of John Daye of Scoulton, Gent. who departed this Life Sept. 20^th Anno Dom: 1734, Ætatis suæ 44. She was of a most meek Temper, and candid Disposition, endued with the most endearing Qualitys, being pious towards God, charitable towards her Neighbours, an affectionate Wife, a loving and tender Mother.

Disce ab Exemplo.

Et memento te breviter secuturum.

5 of her Children lie by her 2 Sons, 3 Daughters.

And over her grave-stone, under the monument, is a black marble, with this,

Sub hoc Saxo Mortales Exuviæ Elizabethæ Conjugis Charissimæ Johannis Daye de Scoulton Genr. depositæ sunt, obijt Vicesimo die Septembris, Anno Dom: 1734. Æt: Suæ 44.

Ubi est tuus, O mors, Stimulus?

Ubi tua, O Orce, Victoria?

Daye, or on a chief indented az. two mullets of the field. Crest, on a torce or and az. a pair of wings proper.

On the screens are these arms,

Bendy of eight gul. and ar. Arg. three croslets fitchee sab. Arg. three crescents sub. Arg. four chevrons gul.

The instruments of the passion in different shields, as the hammer, scourge, crown of thorns, the spear and sponge, the heart pierced, the nails, the five wounds, and the cross, and the name of Jesus.

Sab. three screscents arg. Erm. a bend sab. Arg. a croslet floree gul. quarterly gul. and arg. Arg. three annulets gul. Arg. an eagle displayed vert. Arg. a de-lis gul. Arg. three croslets patée gul. Gul. three cinquefoils arg. Arg. three cinquefoils gul.

In a north chancel window, quarterly or and gul. a bendlet sab.

There is a fine disrobed marble, which hath lost its inscription, arms, and effigies; it is the grave-stone of John Fitz Rauf, Esq. who was lord and patron, and was buried here in July, 1440. Lady Alice, his daughter, was then a nun at Thetford, his sister Maud was a nun at Brusyerd, Sir Tho. Fitz Rauff, his brother, Sir Tho. Tudenham, Knight, Rob. Mortimer, Esq. Will. Warner of Tomson, Esq. and John Holderness, were his feoffees and executors; Julian his wife was buried by him in 1446; Rob. Hotot, her son, and Maud Coniers, her daughter, are mentioned in her will.

Scoulton, Mortimers, old-Lands, or Ollands

The advowson at first belonged to Burdeloss's manor, till 1257, and then Robert de Mortimer purchased it of Jeffry de Burdeleys, and ever since, it hath belonged to Roger Fitz-Renard, and came to the Mortimers and passed in that family along with Atleburgh, as you may see in vol. i. p. 506.

In the 6th of King John, there was a writ to the sheriff to deliver seizin of this manor to Rob. de Mortimer, whom King Richard his father had disseized against his will, and given it to Will. Mortimer. It was held at half a fee of the Earl Warren; and in 1223, John Earl Warren totally released the manor to Will. de Mortimer; in 1259, Rob. de Mortimer was impleaded for two carucates of land here, which were Will. de Mortimer's, who was of the King of France's side, when Normandy was lost; but the jury found he was not then seized. This manor had free-warren, assize of bread and beer, a manor-house, windmill and fishery, and was worth 11l. 7s. per annum in 1282.

In 1315, John de Thorp was lord, in right of Alice Mortimer, his wife, who was mother of Constantine de Mortimer, which Constantine had license to embattle his manor-house here in 1319.

In 1402, on the division of the Mortimers estate, as you may see in vol. i. p. 511, this manor fell to the share of Sir John Fitz Ralf, Knt. in right of his wife, and from that time it went with Elingham Hall manor, as you may see in vol. i. p. 483, till 1540, and then it was sold by Anthony Gurnay, Esq. to Sir Richard Southwell and Thomasine his wife, and their heirs, with the advowson of Trinity church here, and Sir Edward Chamberlain released his right in it. It extended then into Rising, Cranworth, Hingham, Carbrook, and Little Elingham; it went from the Southwells with Carbrook, to the Cranes, and was sold by that family to the Bedells, and Edward Bedell, Esq. was lord; and in 1691, Isabell his relict presented; it now [1738] belongs to the heirs of George Bedell, Esq.

The fines are at the lord's will, and the eldest son is heir.

Burdeloss And Newlands

This manor belonged to Harold in the Confessor's time, of whom a freeman held it; it had then three carucates, two of which were demean, there was wood for the shackage of 300 swine, the whole manor was worth 50s. and the whole town was about three miles long and two broad, and raised 15d. towards the gelt. It was given to Earl Ralf by the Conqueror, and on his forfeiture, to Berner (the Archer.)

It belonged to the Picots, and at the death of Eustace Picot, fell to the share of his daughter, Lauretta, who carried it to Hugh de Burdeleys, her husband, who died about 30th Henry II. and she survived him some time, and at her death it went to William de Burdeleys, her son and heir; he bare for his arms, erm. on a chief gul. a lion passant or, and held this manor by grand serjeantry, namely, of being the King's chief lardiner, larderer, or larder; William de Burdeleys, his son, succeeded, and after him Hugh de Burdeleys, in 1245, when it contained a whole carucate in demean: he had it of his brother William's gift in 1232; by a record in 1236, it appears that Jeffery de Burdeleys, an elder brother of the first William, had it some time, but he died without issue, and so it came to William. In 1251, Jeffry brother of Hugh, paid his relief; and the year following had livery of this and a manor in Madingle in Cambridgeshire, &c. and had free-warren allowed him in all his lands. In 1256, it was found upon a quo warranto, that he held it by the serjeantry of keeping the King's larder, on the day of his coronation, and another record says, when he would (ubi voluerit); he died in 1263, and it was found that King Henry had granted him a charter of free-warren in his manors of Scoulton in Norfolk, Sachesden and Bereford in Bedfordshire, Cumberton and Madingle in Cambridgeshire, and that it had been allowed in Eire, and that Sir John de Burdeloys, Knt. was his heir, and had assize of bread and beer, weyf and trebuchet: he married Margaret, daughter of John de Creke, who survived him, and at her death it went to Jeffery de Burdeleys, their son and heir, whose son, John Burdeleys, and Maud his wife, held the manor: in 1333, it it was found that Margaret, widow of John de Burdeleys, held it by the service of coming to the King's larder on the coronation day, with a knife in her hand, to serve the larderer's office. John, son and heir of this John de Burdeleys, died a minor in the King's custody, Aug. 9, 1346; and in 1347 his estate was divided between Thomas Marshall, who married Elizabeth, and Gilbert de Camera or de la Chamber of Epping in Essex, who married Joan, the sisters and heiresses of the said John, and upon the extent then made, the quitrents appear to be 35s. per annum; this was allotted to Joan, and upon her sister Elizabeth's death without issue, it appears she also inherited her part, except what she had aliened since the partition, and that she was at that time married to John Fitz John, otherwise called John de Middleton, her first husband being dead; she died about 1374, for in that year Edmund de la Chambre, her eldest son by her first husband, inherited: all the preceding lords constantly served the office of lardiner: there was 20s. rent, part of this manor lying in Thompson. Edmund de la Chambre, lord here, served the office at the coronation of Henry IV. without contradiction, no one having ever claimed it, besides the lords of this manor. He died in 1410, and John was his son and heir, who died in 1447, his feoffees being obliged to release this manor to George Chambers, his son and heir, when he came of age, who joined with Mary his wife, and sold it to Hugh Fenne, who died seized in 1476; it after came to George Nevile Lord Abergavenny, who died 14th of June, 37th Henry VIII, and left it with Sutton insoken, outsoken, and burgh, to Henry Nevile Lord Abergavenny, his son and heir, and it continued in the family, for in 1696 the Lord Abergavenny had it, and it had been farmed by the D'eyes of Soulton a long time: at the coronation of James II. George Nevile Lord Bergavenny laid claim to the office of larderer, in which the Lord Maynard claimed a turn: but the Lord Abergavenny served it; the Lord Maynard served at the coronation of Charles II. and of King William and Queen Mary, and the Lord Abergavenny claimed it at Queen Anne's.

The D'eyes or Days of Scoulton are an ancient family; Thomas D'eye of Scoulton married Maud, daughter and heir of Rob. Dowming of Scoulton, and had Robert, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Rob. Futter of Thompson, and died Jan. 1626, leaving Thomas Deye, their second son, but heir, who married Bridget, daughter of James Methwold of Langford, Gent. and died in 1608, leaving Thomas Deye, his second son, but heir, who married Barbara, daughter of Philip Calthorp of Gressenhall, Esq.; he died 1671, leaving Rob. Day, counsellor at law, and justice of the peace, his son and heir, who married Sarah, sole daughter and heir of William Melsop of WestDereham, Gent. who is now his widow, and lives at Scoulton, being lady of the manor of Newlands as it is now called, which name does not so much as occur before 1540; the custom of which manor is, that the eldest son is heir, the fine being certain at 2s. per acre.

ASHILL

Aysele, Asschelee, the Ashy Leas, or the Hill of Ashes, in Latin Fraxinorum Collis.

The Church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and at the time of Norwich Domesday, here was both rector and vicar, the latter at the presentation of the former, whose rectory was then a sinecure; but before 1300, the rector ceased presenting, and took the whole cure, and so made it an absolute rectory, and as such it continues to this day, though the old valuations always valued them separately long after the union, viz. the rectory at 20 marks, and the vicarage at 7 marks, the portion of the Prior of Thetford, 20s. Peter-pence 22d. There is a house and 40 acres of glebe, it is valued in the King's Books at 19l, 13s. 6d. ob. and pays first fruits, and 1l. 19s. 4d. q. tenths.

In 1458, 17 May, Jeffry Coo was buried before the altar of St. John Baptist, and ordered his executor to make a new window by that altar; in 1507, Richard Coo was buried by him, and had a black marble laid over him. He gave legacies to all the gilds here, viz. St. John Baptist's, St. Nicholas's and Trinity gilds, to the torches and common light, 6s. 8d. and 5lbs. wax to our Lady of Pite's light, 20d. to the young men's light, to the blessed rood 3lbs. wax, to St. Nicholas's light 2lbs. wax, and made his master, Sir Robert Lovell, Knt. supervisor.

Rectors

7 Rich. I. Thomas de Watton.

• 1301, 11 kal. Aug. Thomas de Haverhill, clerk. Sir John Beauchamp, Knt.
• 1317, 4 non. March, Alan de Rochale. Sir John de Hastyngs, Knt. Lord of Bergaveni.
• 1335, 1 Sept. William de Horbury. The King, as guardian to the heir of John de Hastyngs Earl of Pembrook.
• 1386, 10 July, Roger de Cestrefeld. Ditto. Exchange for Ipelpen, Exeter diocese.
• 1391, 30 April, Simon Gaunstede. Ditto.
• 1391, 4 Feb. Nicholas Lod. Sir Reginald de Grey of Ruthyn, Knt. lord of Weysford.
• 1394, 26 May, Roger Grey. Ditto.
• 1394, 23 Dec. John de Thornburgh. Ditto.
• 1398, 20 March, Robert Parys. Ditto.
• 1401, 24 Oct. Thomas Gosten, resigned. Ditto.
• 1439, 28 Oct. Gabriel Lang ford, died. Ditto.
• 1447, 15 Feb. Brother Tho. Joys, a friar minor. Sir Edmund de Grey, lord of Hastyngs, Weysford, and Ruthyn.
• 1463, 20 May, Brother John Evesby, abbot of Woburn, of the Cistercian order in Lincoln diocese, who held it in commendam; he resigned.
• 1481, 3 Oct. Mr. Thomas Shenkwyn, licenc. in legib. Edmund Grey Earl of Kent. He resigned.
• 1494, 18 April, Mr. Robert Beckensaw. George Earl of Kent.
• 1495, 14 May, Mr. Whitamore, LL. B. resigned. Ditto.
• 1496, 30 Nov. Walter Prior. Ditto.

Mr. Humfry Gascoyne. Ditto.

• 1501, 4 Feb. Richard Ward. Ditto.
• 1524, 22 June, Roger Weld. Henry Wyat, Knt. on account of the manor of Uphall in Ashill, by recovery against the Earl of Kent.
• 1530, 8 Jan. Will. Coven. Ditto.
• Ralf Cook. Ditto.
• 1534, 28 March, Robert Jeckler. Ditto. He died rector.
• 1560, 18 Sep. John Underwood. John James, this turn.
• 1583, 5 May, William Stone, S.T. B. The Crown, by lapse. George Gardiner. He was Dean of Norwich.
• 1586, 13 Oct. Edmund Suckling. Robert Suckling.
• 1587, 10 June, Robert Frances. Thomas Frances.
• 1602, 13 Sept. Richard Betts. The King, on account of the minority of Henry Bedingfield, Esq.
• 1621, 6 Sept. Mr. Richard Huxley, A. M. Sir Henry Bedingfield, Knt.
• 1676, Hillary Baily.
• 1687, 26 July, John Kidd, A. M. on Baily's death. John Kidd, Esq. this turn.
• 1729, 26 Sept. Hugh Parnell, on Kidd's death. Hyde Parnell, Gent. his father.
• 1737, 2 July, The Rev. Mr. Robert Cremer, A.M. on Parnell's resignation. Hide Parnell, Gent. the present [1738] patron. United to Wymondham vicarage.

In 1513, Thomas Inglis was buried in this church, which consists of a nave and south isle, both leaded, a south porch which is thatched, as is the chancel; it hath a square tower and six bells. In 1668, Elizabeth Cotton, widow, was buried in the church, and in 1652, Martha, daughter of Anthony Cotton, Esq.

• 1688, 12 Aug. Two acres of freehold land, called the Remnant, were purchased by the town, and settled on trustees for the use of the poor.
• 1644, 31 March, Eighty-nine of the principal inhabitants of this town, according to the order of the lords and commons, dated 2d Feb. 1643, all subscribed the league and covenant, under the rector, who subscribed in these words:
• Juravit Richardus Huxley, rector, quatenus concordat cum verbo Dei. Anthony Cotton, junior, Anthony Cotton, senior, &c.

On a black marble at the altar,

Spe beatæ Resurrectionis, hic depositæ sunt Mortalitatis Reliquiæ, Reverendi JOHANNIS KIDD, (Johannis Kidd nuper de Lyn-Regis in hoc Comitatu Armigeri, Filij unici, et) hujus Parochiæ per Annos 40^ta Pastoris vigilantissimi, tandem post longum adversæ Valetudinis Examen, invictæque Patientiæ Probationem, placide in Christo obdormivit 16° die Junij An: Dom: 1729, Ætatisq; Suæ 75°. Apud Dextram jacet MARTHA, propter singulas tum Animi, tum Corporis Dotes, quibus prædita fuit Uxor ejus dilecta, amatuq; dignissima, quæ varijs Morbis cruciata, hanc Vitam pro meliore mutavit 30° die Augusti 1719, Ætatisq; suæ 66°. Apud Sinistram, THOMAS, prædictorum Filius natú minimus, qui Febre percussus, expiravit 12° die Augusti 1727, Ætatisq; suæ 34°. In Parentum charissimorum Memoriam, hoc Saxum moesti posuerunt Liberi.

The arms are, a fess between three lozenges, impaling four inescutcheons.

On a white marble monument against the north chancel wall,

Cotton, az. an eagle displayed arg. quartering, 1st, arg. three martlets gul. 2d, B. two fesses arg. 3d, arg. a fess gul. a label of three az. impaling Wright.

Near this place lies interr'd the Body of JOHN COTTON, Esq; (Son and Heir of ANTHONY, only Son of THOMAS Cotton, late of Panfield-Hall in Com: Essex, Esq; the Heir male in lineal Descent of the Cotton's of Hamstall-Ridware, originally of Cotton under Nedwood in Staffordshire) who married Anne Daughter of JERMYN WRIGHT, (late of Kilverston in this County, Esq;) by whom he had Issue, Robert, John, Anthony, Thomas, George, (which two last died Infants) Jermyn, Charles, Anne, and Alice; he died 21st Dec. 1696, Ætat: 55°. ROBERT the eldest Son died un-married, 25 Aug. 1599, Ætat. 30, and lies also interr'd near this Place, at whose Desire this Monument is erected, in Memory of his Father.

On a beam of the roof, Gul. Cotton, R. Wiborow, 1618, it being then roofed.

Arg. a cross in a bordure sab. on the font.

Beauchamp's arms in a south isle window.

A brass shield of a bend on a disrobed stone in the church.

In the churchyard, on an altar tomb by the porch, much defaced,

Here lieth the Body of Mrs. Margaret Jackler 39 Yeares the Wife of Thomas Jackler Clarke, by whom she had 6 Sons and 4 Daughters, she dyed 28 of Jan: 1626, in the 67^th Yeare of her Age, and third of her Widowhood, unto whose Memory, her youngest Child John Jackler, erected and dedicated this Stone, the Monument of his Love and Duty, the 17th Day of April A°. Dni. 1632.

Ashill or Uphall Manor

In Ashill, was the capital manor, to which the advowson always belonged, till it was sold by Mr. Eyre, to Hyde Parnell, Gent. the present [1738] patron.

In the time of the Confessor, Aluric, a thiain of Harold's, was owner of it, when it contained two carucates, one of which was in his own hands, and the other in his tenants; there was wood with mast for 120 swine, and the whole was worth 50s.; he had also six freemen that held half a carucate worth 10s. and at the Conquest the whole came into the Conqueror's hands, who gave it in exchange to Ralf Earl of Norfolk, upon whose forfeiture it was given to Berner the Archer, who had it at the survey.

William de Hastyngs was Steward to King Henry I. by virtue of the serjeantry of his manor of Ashele, the service being to take charge of the nappery, viz. the table-cloths and linen, at the King's coronation. Of this William and his descent, you may see at p. 169, vol. i. it passing along with the manor of Gissing, called Hastyng's, till that went to a younger son of William de Hastyn's, and this to Henry, his eldest son, who married Ada, daughter of David Earl of Huntington, which Henry died in 1249.

In Henry the Second's time, it is said that Henry de Hastyngs held this manor by serjeantry, namely, of being the King's Steward, and that it was worth 5l. per annum; and in 1194, he being dead without issue, William de Hastyngs gave 100 marks to King Richard I. to have his deceased brother's serjeantry.

In the account of the coronation of Eleanor, wife of King Hen. III. who was crowned at Westminster on Sunday before the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, in the 20th Year of his reign, it is said that Henry de Hastyngs, whose office it was to serve the linen, from ancient time, served in the nappery that day, but Thurstan the Steward challenged that office from him, affirming he had it of old; but the King adjudged it for Henry, who after dinner took the table-cloths, napkins, and other linen, as his fee, belonging to his office.

In 1249, Henry, son and heir of Henry, held it, as the King's paneter or pantler, and it was worth 10l. per annum, he married Joan, daughter and heir of William de Cantilupe, in whose right he became Lord Abergavenny, and was one of the competitors for the crown of Scotland, in Edward the Second's time.

Sir John de Hastyngs, Knt. his son and heir, was born at this town in 1262, and executed his office at the coronation of Edward II.; he married first, Isabell daughter of William, sister and coheir of Aymer de Valence Earl of Pembrook, by whom he had issue; secondly, Isabell, daughter of Hugh le Dispencer Earl of Winchester, by whom he had Sir Hugh Hastyngs, Knt. from whom the Hastyngs of Elsing are descended.

In 1286, this John prosecuted Will. de Blundevill, the Subescheator of Norfolk, for seizing this manor at his father's death, into the King's hands, and cutting down 100 ashes then worth 3l. and for taking fish out of his pond to half a mark value, and he was forced to answer the damage; and this year he prosecuted John le Waleys for 4 messuages, and 40 acres of land, &c. in Tibenham and Carleton, and recovered them to this manor, by proving that his father had only leased them for a term, which was now expired. Thomas de Hastyngs, rector of Quidenham, and Henry de Hastyngs, rector of Oxburgh, seem to be brothers to this John, who died in 1313, leaving

John de Hastyngs, his son and heir, of full age, then married to Julian, daughter and heiress of Thomas de Leibourn, who held it after her husband's death in 1315, to her death in 1366, she being remarried to William de Clinton Earl of Huntingdon, Laurence Hastyngs Earl of Pembrook, her son, being dead it descended to

John Hastyngs Earl of Pembrook, her grandson, and from that time passed with the manor of Winfarthing, as you may see at fol. 186, 7, 8, vol. i.

In 1399 Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthyn exercised the office of the nappery, and had all the table-cloths allowed him for his fees, as well in the hall as elsewhere. In the great cause in Henry the Fourth's time, between Grey and Hastyngs, in the court of chivalry, it appeared that John Hastyngs Earl of Pembrook, son of Laurence, settled most of his manors and lands on feoffees, but excepted this and Totenham in Middlesex, and by his will inrolled in chancery, gave them to William de Beauchamp; his cousin, for want of issue of his body, being angry with his heir at law, Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthyn, for hunting in his chase of Yertly in Northamptonshire. In 8th Henry V. Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthyn served the nappery at the coronation of Catherine Queen of England, wife to Henry V.

In 1512, Richard Earl of Kent sold this manor to

Sir Henry Wyat of Kent, who died seized in 1536, and

Thomas, his son and heir, had livery of it; he left it to

Thomas Wyat of Boxley-Abbey, his son, who forfeited it to the Crown,

And in the second and third of Philip and Mary it was granted to

Henry Bedingfield, Esq. with the united manors of Gaynes, Collards, and Monnock's, in exchange for the manors of Wold-Newton, and Baynton in Yorkshire, from which time it continued in that family, (of which I shall treat at large under Oxburgh,) till

Sir Henry Bedingfield, Bart. sold the manor and advowson to

John Eyre of Holme Hale, Esq. who sold the manor to

Sir Francis Andrews, the present [1738] lord, having separated the advowson from it, as is aforesaid.

At the coronation of King James II. Sir Henry Bedingfield, Knt. as lord here, claimed to perform the office of the nappery, and to have all the table linen when taken away; but it was not allowed, this manor having no pretence now to this claim, because when it was granted by the Crown to his ancestors, the tenure was altered, it being held from that time by Knight's Service, and so the grand serjeantry extinguished in the Crown.

Collards's, Gaynes, and Monock's

In 1282, William de Saham bought of Nicholas, son of Nicholas de Stradsete, lands, rents, &c. in Ashill. In 1393, John Braytoft and Margery his wife sold to John Paynter and others, Collardy's manor in Ashill. In 1526, William Coe and Etheldred his wife sold it to Thomas Jermain. In 1547, the Queen granted the united manors of Uphall, Collard's, Gaynes, and Monox, which were forfeited by Sir Henry Wyat, Knt. to Henry Bedingfield, Esq. to be held by knight's service, by the third part of a fee, and they have been esteemed as one manor ever since.

Panworth Hall Manor

Pennewrde, or Panworth, was a town in the Confessor's time, owned by Harold, afterwards King of England; it contained a carucate and half, and was worth 40s. had wood for a 100 swine, &c.; another part of the manor laid in Ashill, and was in the soke of the King's manor of Saham, and that had wood also for 100 swine, and was worth 30s. per annum,; the whole was better than a mile long, and as much broad, and paid 15d. gelt; it was given by the Conqueror to Rainald FitzIvo, who owned it at the survey.

In Richard the First's time, Jeffery Fitz Jeffery held Panworth by the service of 7d. per annum to the ward of Norwich castle. In 1218, Peter de Nerford and John his brother held it at one carucate, of the honour of Clare, the lords of which were always capital lords of the fee; it was held by Petronill de Nerford in 1315: in 1343, Tho. de Nerford and Alice his wife held it at two fees, and John was their son and heir; this Alice, after her husband's death, had it; and in her will, dated at London March 21, 1393, by the name of Dame de Nevile of Essex, she being widow of Sir John de Nevile of Essex, she gives to Margery de Nerford all her goods in this manor, with the furniture of her chapel here; in 1398, Peter de Nerford had it, and soon after it belonged to

Thomas Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, whose wife Margaret held it in 1406, and from this time it passed in that family.

In 1543, Robert Hogan of Bodney, Esq. held the manor of Panworth Hall, lately Sir James Boleyn's; and in 1546, gave it by will to Francis and John, his younger sons, who in 1552, conveyed it to Tho. Hogan; in 1563, Robert Hogan conveyed it to Francis Hogan and his heirs, and in 1566, Tho. Hogan and Susanna his wife had it settled on them, when it contained 1000 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, 100 acres of pasture, &c. and a fold-course in Ashill, Holton, Pickenham, and Hale, and was held of the Queen in capite.

About 1571, Thomas Bradbury, Esq. had a manor here, and soon after

Henry Jarnegan, Esq. which I take to be this.

It after came to the Cokes, and still continues in that family, Lord Lovell being the present owner.

The religious concerned here were,

The Abbot of West-Derham, with the Prior of St. Wynwaloy, whose temporals were taxed at 17s. 11d. ob.

The Prior of Norwich's temporals at 3s.

The Prior of the monks at Thetford was taxed for his spirituals at 20s. namely for the tithes of the lands of Harlewin de Panewurda or Panworth, which he gave to this house, as you may see p. 111, and also 12d. for temporals, which was only a rent of that value paid them, from lands here, which was given with the tithes.

The Prior of Castle-Acre also had temporals taxed at 5s.; of this I find, that Richard, son of Drogo of St. Edmund's, gave the monks of Castle-Acre a yearly rent of 10s. to be paid out of the estate of Robert de Horse-Croft, his villein, &c. and Humphry, son of the said Richard, confirmed it; after this, Henry Prior of Castle-Acre, and the convent, granted to Simon de Saham all their land here, with Godiva and her children, with their lands, homages, &c. paying the yearly rent of 5s. Witness, Henry, the dean of Fakenham, Richard, the priest of Snetesham, &c.

The family of the Cottons have been of good repute in this place, where they have had an estate, &c. for about two centuries.

This town paid 5l. 12s. to the old tenths, and is now assessed at 768l. 3s. 4d. to the land tax.

TOTTINGTON

Church, with the consent of Robert de Mortimer, was given by John le Strange to the priory of St. Mary and the nuns at Campesse in Suffolk, in 1196, and was appropriated to that house in 1302; it was valued at 30 marks, and the vicarage at 6 marks; the Prior of Thetford had a pension of 40s. per annum, the procurations were 7s. 6d. ob. synodals 4s. 4d. and Peter-pence 2s. There were two gilds, one dedicated to the nativity of our lady, kept at her altar in the church, before whose image there was a light continually burning in service time. The church itself was dedicated to St. Andrew, who had also his gild kept in it, and a light before his image in the choir or chancel; there was also a light kept before the holy cross on the rood-loft. There is a house and half an acre of meadow only, belonging to the minister: In 1404, there was great complaint made that the profits of the vicarage were much impaired by the number of rabbits on the warren of John Fitz Rauf, so that it was not able to pay the whole tenth of 40s. The vicarage is valued at 6l. 14s. 9d. ob. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 10l. 4s. 8d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation.

The town paid 5l. 7s. 6d. to the tenths, and is now assessed at 366l. 13s. 4d.

Vicars

• 1306, 6 non. May, Roger de Helmingham. The Prioress and Convent of Campesse, who presented always to their dissolution.
• 1354, 12 June, Richard Markant.
• 1361, 6 Oct. John Brust of Hokwold.
• 1361, 16 Jan. John de Hillington.
• 1404, 21 June, Tho. Buschel, resigned.
• 1416, 17 Nov. John Verjaunt, resigned.
• 1419, 12 June, Tho Wolde of Skulton.
• 1433, 6 Oct. Roger Full-of-Love of Quydenham, resigned.
• 1451, 19 Oct. John Goodwin.
• 1459, 9 Aug. John Boston, resigned.
• 1466, 13 Aug. John Knyght.
• 1469, 30 Dec. John Agges.
• 1473, 27 Jan. Rob. Bewafiz, died vicar.
• 1502, 8 Sept. John Hey, died vicar, and was buried in the chancel before the image of St. Andrew, and gave legacies to the lights of St. Peter, All-Saints, and Holy Cross, and to the repair of the new sepulchre and St. Peter's tabernacle.
• 1521, 6 Oct. Tho. Palmer, lapse, resigned.
• 1533, 19 March, Tho. Bele, was the last presented by the Prioress. John Watson, died vicar.
• 1548, 14 Oct. Alex. Lee, he was deprived. Richard Southwell, Knt.
• 1554, 21 March, George Prance, lapse.
• 1568, 11 Febr. Henry Goldeston, lapse, resigned.
• 1585, 22 July, Tho. Ireland, resigned. Sir Robert Southwell, Knt.
• 1587, 6 May, Rob. Gittinges. Ditto.
• 1611, 3 Feb. Tho. Lammas, A. M. The King, as guardian to Tho. Southwell.
• 1613, 13 Oct. Henry Bury, resigned. Ditto.
• 1616, 10 Dec. Clement Nurse. Ditto.
• 1623, 8 July, Peter Cockerell, A. M. Tho. Southwell, Knt.
• 1638, 22 Febr. Chericus Spackman. Samuel Uty. S.T.P. vicar of Chigwell in Essex.
• 1639, 14 Febr. Tho. Mould. The King, by lapse.
• 1648, Ric. Tuck, vicar; he was the last that ever was instituted.
• 1662, the vicarage was void.
• 1665, 20 Febr. John Blome, clerk, sequestrator, from which time it hath been held by sequestration only, as it now [1738] is, by

The Rev. Mr. John Verdon, the present sequestrator.

There were many religious concerned here.

The Prioress of Carrowe's temporals were taxed at 2s.

The Prior of Bromhill's at 3s. 4d.

The Prioress of Campesse's temporals, viz. their manor and rents, at 5l. 13s. 4d. and the spirituals of the said prioress, viz. the impropriation, at 20l.

In 1480, Gonvile-Hall in Cambridge was taxed for their tenement here.

The prior of the monks of Thetford's temporals, viz. their lands and rents of assize, were valued at 50s. 10d. and their spirituals, viz. the tithes of the lands of Warner de Totintona, and of their own demeans, at 40s. 4d.

In 1342, John Brond held land in soccage of the Abbot of Bury, by the rent of 13d. per annum.

Mr. Le Neve in his Collections says, that this impropriate rectory was sold by Sir Tho. Southwell, Knt. to Tho. Hall, and that Francis Windham, Esq. was late farmer of it, at 1l. 13s. 4d. per annum, and that it was given by King James I. to the divinity professor in Cambridge, it being settled on Trinity College in Cambridge, in trust for him; it is said to be in trustees hands for the use of Chigwell school in Essex.

The Church here is large, and a good pile, having a nave and two isles, well leaded, and is well seated throughout alike, and the heads are all carved; on the back of one of the seats at the upper end of the south isle is this,
Drate pro Animabus,Walter Salter, et Alicie uroris cius et pro quibus tenentur.

This Walter Salter lived in Richard the Third's time, and William Salter in Henry the Sixth's time; the family had a good estate, and resided here for above 200 years, and were lords of a small manor here called Bokenham's or Macham's

On seats in the north isle,

Sumptu Edmundi Salter, et BrigittÆ nuper Uxoris ejus A° D. 1631.

• 1636, Thomas Salter and his wife Jane.

There is a black marble, for Robert Knopwood, who died 27 May 1723, aged 65.

At the east end of the north isle lies a loose brass; under the effigies of a woman and her daughter, is this inscribed,

Here lyeth interred the Corpes of Margaret Porey, whose Soul the Father of Spirites received into eternal rest the 5th. of April A° Dom: 1598, in the 54th. Yere of her Age. This monument was erected by Luke Unger her second Husband in token of a thankful and loyal Mind.

On the daughter's coat is E. U. for Elizabeth Unger.

The tower is square, and hath a spire and four bells; the chancel and south porch are leaded, and the north vestry is down; great part of the churchyard wall is topped with large coffin-stones, with crosses of various forms on them; they were formerly laid over the vicars or other religious persons, who were buried here, and have been since taken from their graves and applied to the present use.

Tottington, or Mortimer's Manor

Alwi, a Saxon, was lord in the Confessor's time, and the Conqueror gave it to Roger Bigot, of whom Ralf, son of Herlewin, held it at the survey; it contained four carucates, three of which were demean; there was wood for 30 swine, a walk for 137 sheep, 24 goats, and at the Confessor's survey 63 mares, but now only 15; the manor was worth 80s. afterwards it fell to 60s. The whole town was better than four miles in length and two in breadth, and paid 15d. to the geld.

It continued in the Bigots, and in King Stephen's time, Hugh Bigot owned it, who divided it, and gave part to the Prior of Thetford, which constituted their manor here, and the other part to John le Strange, who gave 20s. rent to the same convent, out of his part, in Richard the First's time, in exchange for lands in Bernham in Suffolk. But in a pleading in Richard the First's time, it is said that Bygot was only the superiour lord of the fee, and that Herlewyne, who had it at the survey, left it to Ralf his son, who married Helwyse, daughter of Hugh de Plais, and left Reginald, sirnamed Le Brun, who was uncle to John le Strange, son of John le Strange, nephew and heir of the said Reginald le Brun; and it appears that part of it was conveyed to Warner or Warin de Tottington, who gave the tithes of his estate, which contained half a knight's fee, to Thetford priory; this Warin had it of Roger de Reymes, who had it of Bigot. In 1195, there was a dispute between Robert Mortimer of Atilburgh, and John le Strange of Hunstanton, concerning five fees in Hunstanton, Totington, Ringstede, Snitterton, &c. and at the last, Robert released the whole to John, and John gave back this manor to Robert and his heirs, to be held of John by one knight's fee, save a 20th part, excepting also the church of Totington, and the rents and services that he had given to the nuns at Campesse in Suffolk; I have seen the deeds by which he gave the church to the nuns, with a messuage late Simon le Brun's, with all the lands belonging to it, with Katherine, daughter of the said Simon, and her family, Sir Roger Mustrell, William, son of Richard de Hunstanton, and others, being witnesses; excepting also divers rent and services, which constituted the manor called

Strange's

Which continued in that family till John le Strange of Hunstanton, Esq. son and heir of Sir John le Strange, Knt. by deed dated 5th Henry V. confirmed to Alice Corbet, Prioress of Campsey, and her successours, his manor in Totington called Strange's, with all thereto belonging, which John le Strange, his father, had given to Mary Felton, late Prioress there; this manor remained in the convent to the Dissolution, and was granted with the advowson, &c. to Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. and so united to the capital manor.

In 1244, William de Mortimer, lord of Mortimer's manor, had the assize of bread and beer, weyf, trebuchet, and free-warren here, and in Scoulton; and in 1286, it was returned upon a quo warranto, that the said William, Petronil de Tony, (who was lady of the hundred,) Margaret de Ware, and Sarah de Bray, held in common among them the leet of this town, as partners with the said William, and that they had a tumbrell here.

Constantine de Mortimer of Sculton held this manor of Robert le Strange, he of Robert de Montealt, he of the Earl of Albermarle, and he of the King.

In 1339, he settled it on himself and Sibil his wife, with Scoulton and Stanford; in 1345, it was said that John de Thorp had this manor for some time; in 1378, Mathew de Bolton, vicar of St. Nicholas at Newcastle, held five fees in Hunstanton, Tottington, Ringstead and Holm, as trustees, I suppose, to Le Strange; in 1390, Sir John le Strange of Hunstanton, Knt. gave his estate here to Sir Robert Ufford, Knt. in trust only, for in 1401, John le Strange is said to hold it; this occasioned the account we have in the Atlas, page 344, which erroneously tells us, that Constantine purchased it not long before, of the Uffords, when the Mortimers were the real lords, and Ufford only lord of the fee, as trustee to Le Strange; it went with Atleburgh, and on the division of the Mortimers estate, passed with Scoulton to the Fitz Ralfs, and in 1402, Sir John Fitz Ralf, Knt. held the manor of Tottington, of John Strange, who held it of Isabell late Queen of England, wife of King Richard II. and he of the Earl of Albemarle, who held of the King; and at the same time the said John le Strange held here the 20th part of a fee; and from this time it passed with Scoulton; and in 1538, Sir Edward Chamberlain, Knt. had a moiety of it conveyed to him by Sir William Hussey, Knt. and Ursula his wife; and in 1544, Ralf Chamberlain and Elizabeth his wife sold it to

Richard Southwell, by the name of Mortimer's manor in Tottington, Stanford, Little Cressingham, Tomson, Sturston, and Threxton.

In 1558 the manors were all joined, for Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. suffered a recovery of the manors of Tottington, Stanford's, and Mortimer's, with the impropriation and advowson of the vicarage, to the use of himself for life, remainder to Elizabeth, wife of George Heneage, daughter of Sir Richard, for life, remainder to her heirs; and for want of such, to Thomas, son of Sir Robert Southwell, brother of Sir Richard, and his heirs male, remainder to Francis, brother of the said Thomas, and his heirs, remainder to Robert and Henry, other brothers of the said Thomas, &c.; and in 1572, George Heneage and Elizabeth his wife had them; it after came to Sir Robert Southwell, who sold it to

Edward Coke, Esq. and his heirs.

In 1635, the Lady Jane Harte, paid 20l. per annum out of these manors to John Harte, according to the will of Sir Eustace Harte, Knt. deceased; it after belonged to

Thomas Garrard, Esq. and after to Sir Nicholas Garrard of Langford, Bart. who died in 1727, leaving it to his widow, the present Lady Garrard, who holds all the manors at this time.

Stanford's Manor

Alwin, a Saxon, owned this part at the Confessor's survey, and Roger de Ramis had it allotted him by the Conqueror; he gave it to Waregius, who held it at the Conqueror's survey, when it was worth 20s. per annum, it being fallen half its value since Alwin's time; it contained three carucates, one of them being demean.

In 1275, Maud de Ebroicis granted to Thomas de Solarijs, for life, with remainder to herself and heirs, this manor, which then contained two carucates.

About 1290, Thomas de Ware held it at half a fee of Petronil de Vaus, and the said Thomas divided it, by granting one quarter of the fee to Hugh de Bokenham, who was to hold it of the said Petronil, who held it of the Earl Marshal, and the Earl of the King. This Thomas de Ware had it in 1285, of Margaret, widow of Stephen de Ware. In 1328, it was settled on Stephen de Ware and Alice his wife, by John Bardolf of Spixworth and Ricard de Holdich, feoffees of the Ware family.

In 1344, Osbert de Boyton died seized of this and Langford manor; and in 1345, John, his son and heir, held it of John de Narford, at a quarter of a fee, as of Richmond honour, and so it continued in 1401.

In 1466, it was settled in marriage by John Wyndham, Esq. the father, on John Wyndham, Esq. the son, and Margaret his wife, daughter of Sir John Howard, Knt. after Duke of Norfolk, and their heirs, remainder to Isabell and Ela, daughters of John Wyndham the father. In 1475, John Wyndham, senior, devised it to John Wyndham of Felbrigge, his son, and his heirs, and afterwards it was purchased by

Sir Richard Southwell, and joined to Mortimer's manor, with which it now [1738] continues.

Campesse Manor

At the dissolution of that house, devolved to the Crown, with the impropriation and patronage, and was given by King Henry VIII. in 1530, with all the house, lands, &c. belonging to that monastery to

Richard Southwell, and his heirs, who was to hold it of the Crown by the annual fee farm rent of 3l. which is now paid to Horatio Walpole, Esq. and was lately the Earl of Tankervile's, it being granted from the Crown, with many other fee farm rents in the county.

Thetford Monks' Manor

At the Dissolution, was granted by Henry VIII. in the 32d year of his reign, to Thomas Duke of Norfolk, to be held in capite, who sold it to the Southwells, and so it united to the other manor.

Bokenham's, Martham's, or Macham's Manor

Had its rise out of Stanford's manor as aforesaid, when Thomas de Ware settled half of it on

Hugh de Bokenham, in 1345; and in 1401, Hugh de Bokenham and Alice his mother held a quarter of a fee of the Nerford family; it seems to have been divided soon after, for in 1402, Tho. de Tottington held a part of it of the honour of Richmond; he had also a sort of free tenement or manor, which had been in his family ever since Warine de Tottington's time, which now united to this, and was a part of the land granted to Warine, as you may see under Mortimer's manor. Mr. Neve says, that it came to the Salters, and that Edmund Salter was lord in 1629, and that about 1714 it was sold by Edmund, son of Robert, along with their estate, to Mr. Evesdon.

The site of the rectory joined to the east part of the churchyard, where now is the rectory barn.

There is also another barn about two furlongs north-west of the church, which is moated in, and had a good fishery belonging to it; by this place are several ruins of buildings, which I take to have been the old manor-house.

THREXTON

The church was valued at nine marks, besides the portion, and paid 5s. procurations, 20d. synodals, and 9d. Peter-pence. The Prior of the monks of Norwich had a pension of 10s. per annum out of this church, being a perpetual composition made by William de Ralegh Bishop of Norwich, in lieu of two parts of the great tithes of the demeans formerly of Wiganus Brito, (Wigan Briton,) in this town, which pension was after settled on the celerer of that monastery; but the Prior and monks of Castle-Acre held the advowson of the church of the gift of Hugh de Wauci, son of Ralf, and had a pension of a mark a year paid them by the rectors. It continued in that Prior's gift till about 1321, and was then sold to John Salmon Bishop of Norwich, who settled it on his successours, and it not being part of the barony of the see, did not pass with it to the Crown at the exchange, but remains in the Bishop's gift at this time, who had a pension of 13s. 4d. paid by the rector, which was settled when the patronage came to the see, in lieu of the pension due to Castle-Acre, which he had purchased with the advowson; there was a gild dedicated to All-Saints here. The rectory is valued at 7l. 4s. 9d. ob. and being sworn of the clear value of 34l. 14s. 4d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation.

Rectors

• 1205, Mr. Ralf de Harpele. The Prior of Castle-Acre.
• 1242, Mr. Paul, rector.
• 1283, Simon, rector.
• 1302, non Oct. Oliver de Wysete, Prior of Castle-Acre.
• 1303, 11 kal. May, Adam de Dynieton, deacon. Ditto.
• 1308, 4 id. Sept. Robert, son of John Medmere of Frettenham, a poor clerk, had a bull of provision from the Pope, directed to the Bishop, to provide for him, who assigned him this rectory.
• 1330, 4 id. June, Ivo de Glynton, priest. The first presented by the Bishop.
• 1332, 4 id. Oct. John de Swathfield of Yarmouth, priest. Change with East Bilney.
• 1344, 11 March, Robert Markaunt, priest. Ditto.
• 1354, 16 May, Roger de Helmingham, priest, on Merkaunt's resignation. Change with Bek Hospital in Billingford.
• 1360, 23 Nov. John de Ixworth, accolite.
• 1385, 22 May, John de Barton. The King, the see being void.
• 1396, 17 March, Richard Turner of Tanton.
• 1399, 22 Jan. Mr. Thomas Bradmore of Hegham.
• 1400, 6 July, the Right Rev. John, by God's permission, Archbishop of Smyina, Suffragan to the Bishop of Norwich.
• 1404, 26 March, Roger Turner of Tanton.
• 1452, 26 April, Sir John Dunston, priest.
• 1503, 18 Dec. Sir John Sonkey, chaplain: united to CressinghamParva. The Bishop reserved the annual pension paid to the see, on this institution.

Sir Thomas Bek, rector.

• 1546, 16 Feb. Sir John Serle, on Bek's death. Edmund and John Crofts, by grant of the turn from the Bishop.
• 1561, 13 Aug. Thomas Palmer, priest.
• 1561, 22 Nov. Edward Marshe, priest, united to Merton.
• 1571, 9 Jan. Hugh Turner, clerk, united to Watton.
• 1608, 28 Febr. Thomas Crosse, A. M. united to Merton in 1620, ob. 1640.
• 1666, 3 April, Henry Tooley, A. M. united to Watton.
• 1681, 10 May, Andrew Atley, A. M. on Tooley's death, united to Watton.
• 1698, 4 Aug. John Berry, clerk, A. M. on the last incumbent's death. The Bishop. United to Watton.
• 1730, 22 Mar. Will. Petwin, clerk, collated by the Bishop.
• 1735, James Reynolds, collated at Bury by Petwin's cession, the same day united to Lackford in Suffolk.

The Rev. Mr. John Soley, junior, on Reynolds's resignation; he is the present [1738] rector, and holds it united to Little-Cressingham. Collated by the Bishop.

The Church consists of one isle only, which is tiled; the chancel is thatched, the steeple is low and round, and in the south window are the arms of Clare Earl of Gloucester, Tony, and Beauchamp.

On a brass in the middle isle,
Orate Pro anima Roberti More cuius anime propicietur Deus.

The temporals of the Prior of Thetford were valued at 4s.

Simon Senz Aveyr gave to the church of the Holy Trinity of Norwich a third part of his tithes of Trekestone, namely of all his land there, which gift he confirmed upon the altar of the Holy Trinity at Norwich, before the monks of the place, for the soul of his brother Warine, whom the monks had taken into the bedroll of their brethren, when he died; the witnesses were Ingulf the Prior, and his monks, Wickman the priest, &c. and he gave seizin by delivery of a branch of broom; he gave them also two parts of his tithes of Rannestune, and John de Grey and Thomas de Blunvyle, Bishops of Norwich, confirmed it.

This town paid 1l. 13s. 4d. to the tenths, and is now assessed at 156l. to the land tax, the whole being joined, and reduced to one house only, in which Mr. Knopwood now dwells, and occupies the whole town, which he is said to have lately purchased.

In the Confessor's and Conqueror's time, this manor had one carucate and half in demean, and was held by Hugh, of William de Warren, who had it of the Conqueror's gift, and granted it to be held of his castle of Lewes; it was worth 30s. and the town was then a mile and half long and a mile broad, and paid 15d. geld.

The manor and advowson was in Philip le Vealtre, who married Esmond, sister of Ralf de Wauci of N. Barsham, and had with her in marriage this manor and advowson, which, at her death, she gave with all her goods to the monks of Castle-Acre; but Hugh, son of Ralf de Waucy, entered after her death on the lands, &c. and the monks coming to a composition with him, he confirmed his aunt's will, and William le Wealtre or Wewter, Esmond's grandson, confirmed the lands and church to them, on condition that Jeffry Fitz-Peter of Threkestone, and his heirs, should hold the manor and lands of the monks, paying 20s. per annum as the rent of it, to the Prior, who was always taxed for this rent at 20s.; and the said Peter and his heirs held it at the third part of a fee: after this, Henry Prior of Acre surrendered to William le Vealtre their land in Trikeston, called Morehall, to be held of the monks, but he put them in possession of the advowson, by the texts of the Evangelist laid on the altar; and they had it till 1321, when they conveyed it to the Bishop.

Of the other part of Threxton we read thus in Domsday, fo. 223.
Terre Rainaldi filij Ivonis. n. Wanelund. In Trectuna viii, libi: homines iii. car. terre [et] xxviii. acc. C.G.E.modo tenet Ranulfus [et] ii. bur. xx. acr. prati. tunc vi. car. post iii. m^o ii. t dim. t iii. rar. possent esse. hoc liberatum est pro una carucata terre. tune nal.iii. l. t x. sol.m^o bal. lx. sol.

This came to Wiganus Brito, (Wigan Briton,) who settled two parts of his tithes on Threxton church, and one third on the Prior of Norwich; but in about 1246, there was a perpetual composition made between the Prior of Norwich and the rector, by which it was agreed that the rector should for ever receive all the tithes, paying the Prior a pension of 10s. a year; this part was always held of the honour of Clare, and was after divided into many small parcels, all which were small manors, as Hemenhale's, Farthing's, Pencethorp, Curlewe's, Mounteney's, &c. which took their names from their several owners, but have been all reunited, as they still [1738] continue.

Bartholomew de Stiveky held the third part of a fee in Henry the Second's time.

John de Boteler, Jeffry Bosoun, Edmund Southouse, Isabell de Mora, or Moor, and Peter Ferthyng, held another third part of a fee.

In Richard the First's time, Emma de Mora paid 4d. per annum for ward money to Norwich castle.

Robert Curlew held another third part of a fee in Henry the Third's time, of Richard Fitz-Simon, and he of the Earl of Gloucester. In 1256, Richard Curlay of Triketon held a whole fee, and was not a knight, but was summoned to be made one; this was Castle-Acre, or Fitz-Peter's manor.

In 1288, Walter de Winfarthing sold his estate to William de Saham.

In 1308, John de Cove of Suffolk, and Eve his wife, had a grant of free-warren here, in Cove and Northales.

In 1314, Simon Fitz Richard held of the honour of Clare 12 fees here and in Cley Pensthorp, &c.

In 1315, Alice Stormer, William Mounteyn or Mounteneye, Edward de Southouse, and Simon Fitz Richard, were lords of this town.

In 1321, Alice, widow of Richard Curlew, Richard Storm, Thomas Curlew, and Agnes his wife, sold their manor to Nicholas Fastolf and William Jordan of Letheringset, in trust.

In 1327, These manors, which were held of Clare honour, were then held of Robert-Fitz-Walter.

In 1335, Robert son of Ralf de Hemenhale, Knt. and Agnes his wife, sold this capital manor, which extended into Little Cressingham, Merton, Stanford, Watton and Saham, and the moiety of a manor in West-Derham, to John de Limpenhowe, and John, parson of the fourth part of Dicleburgh, and his heirs.

In 1345, Rich. Fitz-Simons, Rob. Curson, William his son, Tho. Howard, John Bosoun, John Southouse, John atte Water, Rob. de Hemenhale, Lucy Farthyng, and Joan Welundaye, held a third part of a fee of the honour of Clare, which was formerly Rich. Fitz-Simons's, and Rich. Stormer held another third part of Rich. Fitz-Simons, he of the Countess of Clare, and she of the King, which was formerly Rich. Curlew's; which shews into what small parcels it was divided.

In 1398, Simon Fitz-Richard held 12 fees here, and in Cley, Pensthorp, &c. of Clare honour.

In 1401, Henry Pakenham held the third part of a fee of Richard Fitz-Simon.

In 1453, Tho. Gernon of Threxton, cousin and heir of John Gernon of Merton, infeoffed Henry Pakenham, &c. in lands in Merton, Threxton, &c.

In 1546, Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. was possessed of an estate here, but it was only part of Saham manor.

In 1550, Christ. Mounteney of Threxton, Gent. was buried in this church, leaving Ursula, Margaret, Elizabeth, and Anne; he died seized of Hemenhale's manor here, which was formerly Rich. Curlew's, and was held in 1562, by Rich. Mounteney, his son and heir, of Sir Christ. Heydon, Knt. to whom it was sold before 1570; for in 1572, he was lord; after him, Sir William Heydon, Knt. had the united manors of Threxton, Hemenhale's, Curle's, Ferthings, and Pensthorp, all which were held of the honour of Clare, and afterwards came to the Houghton's.

Sir Robert Houghton, Knt. had them, Francis Houghton, Esq. his son and heir, died April 13, 1629, leaving Robert, his son and heir, then three years old only; it continued in this family till it was mortgaged to Sir John Prettyman, and his lady, and was after assigned, as Mr. Neve says, to Sir John Holland of Quidenham, and after that to Sir Edmund Bacon of Garboldisham, who purchased the Houghtons estate, and sold this again to Mr. Rob. Knopwood, the present [1738] owner.

THOWMPSON

This church is dedicated to St. Martin, and when Norwich Domesday was made, was valued at 20 marks, and the portion of the Prior of Castle-Acre, at 20s. it paid 7s. 7d. procurations, 6s. 6d. synodals, and 11d. ob. Peter-pence.

At this time there was a college of secular canons or chaplains, that eat together, and lived in a collegiate manner.

Simon de Wanton, or Walton, Bishop of Norwich, confirmed to the monks of Castle-Acre two parts of the tithes of all the demeans of the monks of Norwich lying in Tompson, and Toftes, in 1265; and in 1316, there was a perpetual composition made between the prior of Castle-Acre and the rector of Thompson, for the said tithes, which were given them by William de Raleigh Bishop of Norwich, out of nine score and 10 acres of the monks lands lying in Thompson, late Will. atte Churche's of Thompson, for two marks a year.

There was a gild dedicated to the Trinity, and a light kept burning before the image of St. Mary, where her gild was held, and there was another gild dedicated to St. Martin.

Rectors

• 1303, Brian de Saham.
• 1308, 17 kal. Sept. Master Ralf Buttetourt. Sir Guy de Butetourt, Knt. and Ada his wife.
• 1318, prid. kal. Aug. Rob. de Harbling. Rob. de Aula or (Hall) of Thomeston.
• 1349, 5 Dec. Will. de la Chambre. Sir Thomas de la Shardelowe, and John his brother.
• 1349, 11 Feb. John Spore of Berton. The Master and Brethren of the chantry at Berton by Mildenhale.

So that it appears, that the college of Thompson had its first rise in Edward the First's time, from the Boutetourts, lords of Thompson, and were supported by them without any endowment; afterwards some of the chaplains were sent to Berton chantry, and soon after were removed hither, for in

• 1349, 10 March, Will. de la Chambre of Ereswell was presented to this rectory by the Master and Chaplains of Thompson college, which advowson their founder had given them.
• 1350, 7 April, William Bateman Bishop of Norwich, and Simon Bozoun Prior there, at the request of Sir Thomas de Shardelowe, Knt. and John his brother, who had founded a perpetual chantry of six chaplains in the church of Tompson, at the altar of St. Martin, in honour of St. Martin, the Holy Virgin, and all the Saints, for the souls of Sir John de Shardelowe, his father, and Agnes his wife, mother of the said Sir Thomas, and for their own souls, and those of all the faithful deceased, appropriated the church to the said college or chantry, to the use of the master or custos, and his brethren, there being no vicarage reserved, but the church was to be served by one of the chaplains, and the master was to pay an annual pension of four marks, and due obedience to the Bishop, who, if the chaplains did not choose a master in a set time, was to collate to the mastership by lapse, and if they elected him, he was still to be confirmed by the Bishop, who reserved to himself and successours all episcopal jurisdiction in the said church.

In 1369, April 28, Joan widow of Sir John de Shardelowe, Knt. one of the founders, took upon her the vow of chastity, and became a religious votary in this college of Thompson, where she died; the manner of this solemn vow was thus, she appeared before Thomas Percy Bishop of Norwich, in the private chapel of his manor-house at Thornage, where he then resided, and at mass she kneeled down before the Bishop, (Master Will. Blithe Archdeacon of Norfolk, Sir Simon de Babingle, and Will. le Swineflete, and others, being present as the Bishop's witnesses,) and joining her hands, he took them into his hands, and then she vowed in these words:

"Jeo Johanne qui fuy la femme Johan de Shardelowe, avowe et promette a Dieux et a nostre Dame Seinte Marie, et a Seint Martin, et as toutz seintz, de vivere en perpetuele chastete a terme de ma vie, a vous reverent pere en Dieux Sire Thomas par la grace de Dieux Evesque de Norwiz, et en vostre presence, et en la presence, de Sire Thomas de Shardelowe chevaler, Sire Johan Grene mestre de la chauntrie de Thomestone, John Clovylle et autrez."

Masters of the College

• 1353, 17 May, John Grene of Thompson, elected unanimously by the Brethren, and confirmed by the Bishop.
• 1378, Alex. de Horsted; he resigned.
• 1356, 15 Oct. Sir Stephen Feltham.
• 1368, John Grene was rechosen master.
• 1419, 14 Sept. Master Thomas Bushell; he resigned.
• 1425, 6 Jan. John Mayster, resigned; he died chaplain here in 1451, and was buried in the churchyard.
• Rob. Swetenham, died master.
• 1432, 17 March, Roger Philpot, collated by the Bishop; in
• 1435, 11 June, He was rechosen by the Fellows, and died master.
• 1439, 18 March, Will. Bettys. Lapse. Resigned.
• 1464, 27 Oct. Peter Lock. Lapse; he was rector of Merton.
• 1487, 22 Sept. Mr. John Whittert, in Dec. Bac. Resigned.
• 1490, 28 Aug. Mr. Ambrose Ede, Decret. Dr. Died master; he was chancellor rector of Oxburgh, Caston, &c.
• 1503, 16 July, John Wyatt; he was rector of Feltwell. Lapse. Resigned.
• 1518, 21 May, Mr. Rich. Alay, alias Hoke, died master, and rector of Northwold.
• 1519, 19 March, Mr. Rob. Dikar. Lapse. Resigned.
• 1524, 12 July, Master Roger Rawlins.
• 1534, Master Robert Audeley, Archdeacon of Berkshire, who resigned his college, with all its revenues to the King, it being then valued at 52l. 15s. 7d. ob.; Nicholas Marwell and others were fellows, and signed the supremacy.

The impropriator is to find a curate to serve the church, he being in the place of the college, who were obliged to serve it by the terms of the impropriation deed, and did so to the Dissolution, and it hath been served by curates ever since.

• 1738, The Rev. Mr. James Smith, curate, named by the impropriator.

BENEFACTORS TO THIS COLLEGE AND TOWN.

• 1391, John Methelwold, and others, settled lands in Langford, West-Tofts, and Shropham, on this college, viz. a messuage and 13 acres in Shropham, with that church and St. Andrew's chapel annexed.
• John Jesse, clerk, gave three roods in Tomson, held of HockhamMagna manor at 18d. per annum.

The church-wardens, in 1541, held an alms-house by the church, abutting south on Church-lane, by the free rent of 2d. per annum to great Hockham manor.

• 1383, Sir Roger de Wylacham, Knt. was buried in the church, under an arch between the church and chapel of St. James, Katherine his wife executrix.
• 1435, John, son of Simon Chapman, gave to St. Martin's chantry here, two manors called Warner's and Redham's, with their courts, rents, fald-course, and services, which they had of the feoffment of John Grene, clerk, Ric. Crowe, John Bokenham, jun. John Berton, clerk, Rob. More, and Will. Herberd.
• 1467, William Warner of Thompson, Esq. buried in the church here, was a benefactor to all the gilds, and gave the college 20l. to keep his obijt.
• 1541, John Flowerdew of Hetherset, Gent. had Bradker Hall in Shropham, which belonged to this College, and was held of GreatHockham manor, by one fee and suit of court, and 8s. 1d. per annum, and Roger Fytpot Master of the college, did homage to Edward Lord Bergavenny for it, Nov. 15, 1436.
• 1599, William Furmage of Barnham in Suffolk, gave 10l. to the poor, and Sir John Crofts settled an acre of land in Ratlesden in Suffolk, on Rob. Futter of Islington, Rob. Futter of Thompson, Gent. Tho. Dey of Scoulton, &c. to the town's use.

I saw Sir Thomas Shardelowe's will in the Commons, by which it appears that he himself, father and mother, wife, and all his ancestors, were buried in this church, though there are no memorials remaining over any of them, save his own stone, which lies in the south chapel of St. James, before the altar of St. Martin, which chapel he founded for his college, but the inscription is imperfect; he seems to be in a habit much like a priest; only these words are legible,
Drate Salbetur quit fuit cuius anime propicietur Dens. Amen

This Sir Thomas de Shardelowe was second son to John de Shardelowe, Justice of the Common Pleas in 1333, and he and Sir John, his elder brother, to whom he was heir, granted the advowson of Couling in Suffolk to the custos and scholars of Trinity Hall in Cambridge, to be appropriated to their use.

The rules of the college were, that the fellows or chaplains should be all obedient to their master, should live and lie in one house, and eat and drink in commons together, and none of them to victual or lodge out of the college; all to meet every morning in the church at matins, and every evening at vespers, and one to say daily mass according to their foundation.

They were endowed with the manors of Thompson, Bradker in Shropham, Citty or Shudy-Campes in Cambridgeshire, the impropriations of Thompson and Shropham, and the advowson of that vicarage and lands in Saham and Bradenham; all which at the Dissolution were given to Sir Edmund Knevet, Knt. in the 34th Hen. VIII. in as ample a manner as Rob. Awdelye, last master, there resigned it on July 3d last past; and two years after, Sir Edmund and Anne his wife sold it to John Maynard, mercer of London, who two years after sold it to Anne Paine, widow; and A 2d Elizabeth, Walter Paine and Elizabeth his wife aliened it to Alexander Raye, Gent. Thomas Payne, Gent. and Anthony Gamage, citizen of London, who in 1561, conveyed it to Rob. Futter, who, A^o 31st Elizabeth, conveyed the college manor and rectory to Henry his brother; and in 1622, Rob. Futter, junior, recovered it against Fran. Beding field, Esq. and Edw. Bedingfield, Gent.; and in 1653, the said Robert had the manor of Thompson, the site of the college, four messuages, one dove-house, &c. 40s. rent of assize, and a fald-course, and the impropriate rectory of Thompson.

Robert Futter sold the rectory to Colman, which the Rev. Mr. Roger Colman at his death left deeply mortgaged, Barber Colman, his son and heir, having the equity of redemption, but the mortgagee is in possession. (See vol. i. p. 223.)

And the site of the college, and the college manor, to Mr. Rich. Cater, father of the Rev. Mr. John Cater, rector of Elingham, the present [1738] owner, to whom I acknowledge myself obliged, as well for his encouragement of this work, as also for the sight of his evidences, which he favoured me with.

The Church is leaded, the tower square, the chancel tiled; there is a south chapel and south porch, the vestry is down, the old stalls in which the master and fellows used to sit are still remaining with the arms of Shardelowe on them, with the differences of mullets, cinquefoils, &c.

In the windows,

Az. a crown or.

Or, three chevrons, gul. on each three delises arg,

Futter, sab. a swan arg. between two flaunches or.

On marbles,

Hic jacet Corpus Richardi Cater Generosi qui obijt Anno Domini Mdccxxvii. et Ætatis suæ septuagessimo quarto.

Robert Futter of Thompson College Gent. died May 12, 1652, Jane his Wife died March 25, 1643; Henry their son died 18 March 1648, in the 18 year of his Age. Ex dono Edmundi Bedingfield, Esq.

Rob. Futter died 21 Nov. 1603. Mary his wife, May 22, 1588.

Rowland Thompson of Thorpmarket in Norfolk, son of Matthew Thompson of the ancient family of Thompson of Tinmouth Castle in Northumberland, descended from the Thompsons sirnamed of this town, had this coat confirmed by Cambden, Claren. 12th Jan. 1602,

Az. a lion passant gardant or, in a bordure arg. Crest, an armed arm az. holding a broken spear in the gauntlet.

Smith of Thompson bears, arg. a chevron or between three cross croslets sab.

The Prior of Castle-Acre's temporals were taxed at 18s.

The Prior of Thetford's at 2s. 7d.

The town paid 2l. 6s. 8d. to the tenths, and is now assessed at 432l. 13s. 4d. to the land tax.

The church is exempt from the Archdeacon's jurisdiction, but subject to that of the Bishop and Archbishop, being in Breccles deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry, but it is not mentioned in the King's Books, it having been discharged ever since its appropriation.

This town now is, and always was, in several parts, there being no less than five parcels or lordships at the Conqueror's survey.

1. William Earl Warren had one carucate, six freemen, 12 acres of meadow, &c. the whole was worth 49s. and had it in exchange.

2. Roger Bigot had 40 acres of land, &c. worth 3s.

3. Isaac had a carucate of land worth 20s. of the fee of Earl Ralf, as part of his manor of Stow.

4. Berner the Archer had another carucate, worth 16s. which belonged also to Earl Ralf.

5. Roger Bigot had one freeman and 15 acres, &c. and the King and the Earl had the soc of the whole town, which lying in so many parcels, was valued in Stow, and the other manors of the separate owners, so that we meet not with the measure, nor geld paid for the town.

The confusion of the manors are so great, that I cannot pretend to trace their divisions and subdivisions exactly.

The record called Testa de Nevile tells us, that Maud de Rochford held half a fee here, of the fees belonging to the Byduns, so that this was that part that was Isaac's.

In 1218, Martin de Bodekesham and Agatha his wife, Roger de Rude and Margaret his wife, and Rob. de Caston, had 10s. rent of assize here.

This was afterwards Barrie's manor.

In 1247, Will. de Monasterijs conveyed a part of this town to Jeffry Crowe.

In 1274, John Methelwold, lord of Lang ford, claimed free-warren here, but could produce no evidence, and therefore John Buck and Theobald his son, whom he had prosecuted for hunting, were discharged.

In 1275, Peter de Breccles and Agnes his wife conveyed a part to Roger Crowe and Margaret his wife.

In 1281, Tho. Fitz-Roberts held a fee in this town, Kirby, Stowe and Shipden, of Baldwin Wake.

In 1282, Robt. de Thomeston was lord of the capital manor, and patron of the church, and left three daughters his heiresses; Katerine, married to De la Sale, and had issue, Philip de la Sale; Margaret, to Roger Crowe; and Agnes, to Peter Copsey, and they all held the manor and advowson in common, there being no partition made; Philip de la Sale conveyed to Henry de Barsham two acres of land here, and the advowson, for 15 years, but the other heirs brought their action against him, and pleaded that the advowson belonged to Stow-Bydun manor, which was let to the said Robert for term of years, and the said Robert presented last, as to an advowson that he held by lease; but Philip and Henry said that Robert presented to it, as belonging to his manor of Thompson, and in his own right, and it being proved to be so, and no division made of the manor or advowson, the heirs recovered, and it was adjudged that they had all an equal right, and so could not present single.

In 1286, the jury for the hundred found that William de Thomeston, lord here, who was father of Robert, used to come twice a year, with his steward and four men to the sheriffs turn, till within 30 years last past, and that Warine de Muntchensi withdrew one man from coming, to the King's damage of 2s. per annum, and that Dionise de Molekan now is in possession of the withdrawn man, and is in court, and says that she holds the manor in dower of the inheritance of William Mouncekan, her son, who says that Warine de Muntchensy, Moncekan, or Molekan, his father, died seized of the man so withdrawn, and upon proving it, he was discharged.

In 1304, John Crowe of Thompson purchased much here of John de Geyton.

In 1308, part of the town was held by Fulk Baynard of Rob. Fitz–Walter, and Sculton manor extended into this town, and had 20s. rent here; this after was called Burdeloss's manor.

In 1325, Stephen le Briton of Shropham sold lands here to John Herring of Tempson and Lettice his wife.

In 1307, Guy de Butetort and Ada his wife had purchased the Crows part, and so became owners of the capital manor and advowson, in which Tho. de Reppes pretended some claim; and after that, it came into the hands of Sir John Shardelowe, Knt. Justice of the Common Pleas, and he settled it on Sir John, his eldest son, and Thomas his brother, who founded the college, and gave the advowson and part of the manor to it, though part of it continued a manor which was not settled, and was called

Buttort or Butter's Hall in Thompson

Which, in 1429, William Phelip, Knt. John Edmund of Cranworth, Esq. and Margaret his wife, conveyed to Richard - - - - in trust; and in 1468, John Edmundys died seized; in 1523, Tho. Spring was lord; in 1547, Sir John Spring died lord, and William, his son, succeeded; in 1571, Ambrose Jermyn sold it to Lionel Talmach; in 1586, Tho. Bright, senior, settled it on Robert and Henry his sons, after his death, and Will. le Hunt, Esq. was lord in 1660; in 1673, John Gage of Camberwell in Surrey conveyed it to Tho. Grundy of Westminster, who left it to John his brother, and it now belongs to Mr. Underwood of London.

The part conveyed to the college was called Thompson manor.

In Henry the Fifth's time, John Herring of Thompson, clerk, died seized of lands, &c.

In 1315, Aymer de Valence, Maud de Tony, John de Thorp, Jeffry Burdeleys, Agnes de Caston, Rob. Hall, Guy Butetort, Master Roger Buttetorle, and Ralf Camoys, were lords and owners of manors that extended hither.

In 1353, John and Tho. Shardelowe his brother, settled a messuage and 40 acres of land in Thompson, on the college there, which was held of the Prior of Hautenprisse.

In 1401, Ric. de Aula or Hall, and his parceners, held six parts of half a fee of Thomas Camois.

In 1512, Tho. Blakeney, Gent. died seized of Waterhouse manor here. In 1535, Rob. Griggs of Sparham, Gent. died seized of it, and Mr. Futter of Shelton, descended from the ancient family of that name in this town, is the present [1735] lord.

In 1570, the Queen, John Spelman, Rob. Grey, Philip Audeley, and Rob. Futter, had manors here.

In 1605, Burdelos manor, which was the part that formerly belonged to Scoulton manor, Baynard's, Warner's, and Redham's, which were all in the college, and included in their manor of Thompson, belonged now to John Futter, and passed in that family as aforesaid.

Barrie's manor in Thompson hath been many ages united to Caston Hall in Caston, and so continues at this day, as you may see at p. 286.

I am lately informed, that Mr. Futter, at his death, left the college, college manor, and impropriate rectory, to Mr. Ware, his sister's son, who sold the rectory to Mr. Colman, the college and manor to Mr. Cater, father of the Rev. Mr. Cater, the present [1738] lord, and part of the college lands to Mr. Tho. Barker, whose sons now enjoy them: the Barkeres or Barkers are an ancient family here.

And thus having gone through this hundred, which is chiefly inclosed, the greatest part of it being a strong soil, and pretty well wooded, I shall proceed in the next place to the hundred of Fourhou, or Forehoe.