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former times this town was most wood, though now it doth not more abound with it than its neighbours; for it appears from a fine sued in 1383, that there was then great plenty; for in that year the Countess of Norfolk settled 60 acres of wood, and the pannage and keeping one boar, and 24 swine in her park here, with liberty of gathering acorns for three days, with 25 men, on herself for life, remainder to the Countess of Pembrook for life, after to Sir John Hastyngs, Knt. Earl of Pembrook, her son, and the heirs of his body, remainder to the heirs of the Countess.
The honour of Clare extended into this town, there being divers lands here, formerly held of that honour.
Rectors of Lopham
- 1332. Robert de Cantuaria, or Canterbury, resigned, and William Vygerous was instituted on the nones of Sept. presented by Thomas de Brotherton, son of the King, Earl of Norfolk, and Earl-Marshal of England; in 1335, on the kal. of Maroh he had a dispensation for non-residence, as domestick chaplain to Stephen de Gravesend Bishop of London. This William, the 13th of the kal. of April, 1327, was presented by the Bishop of London, to Thorley rectory, being then an accolite only: In 1329, he changed with Stephen de Scaldeford for Finchley rectory in Middlesex, to which he was instituted the 6th of the id. of May, and was then priest; in 1332, on the nones of Sept. he resigned Finchley, and took Lopham, for which he gave his archdeaconry of Essex in exchange, to Robert de Cantuaria, to which he was collated by the Bishop of London, on the 4th of the nones of Dec. Ao 1331; in 1336, he was collated to the rectory of Fulham in Middlesex, which he held with Lopham to his death, Ao 1341. This Robert de Cantuaria was chaplain to King Edward II. rector of Lopham, archdeacon of Essex, prebend of Cumb in the church of Wells, and of Mapesbury in St. Paul's church, London, 1331, and died about 1333.
- 1342, 29 March, Tko. de Thurleston, priest. Sir John de Segrave, Knt.
- 1342, 7 June, John de Loughton, accolite. Ditto.
- 1346, 17 July, He changed with Will. de Dunstaple, rector of Chestreford, London diocese. Ditto.
- 1349, 4 July, Will. de Atterton, priest. Ditto.
- 1351, 4 March, Giles de Wyngrewortk, a shaveling. King Edward, on account of the lands late Sir John Segrave's, having recovered this turn in his own court, against John de Segrave, those lands being lately in the King's hands.
- 1352, 27 Aug. Giles resigned, and Richard de Penreth, priest, was instituted. King Edward, on account of Sir John Segrave's lands now in his hands, at Sir John's death.
- 1361, 27 July, Nicholas de Horton, priest. Walter Lord Manney. This Nicholas was a monk of Thetford, and founder of South Lopham chancel; he had a long suit with Walter Pek, rector of Garboldisham St. John, about two pieces of the demean lands of the rectory of Lopham, which laid in Garboldisham, the tithe of which the rector of Garboldisham St. John claimed; but there passed a decree against him, that neither the rectors of Lopham, nor their farmers, should pay any tithe to Garboldisham, though the lands laid in that parish.
- 1380, 22 August, Sir Giles de Wenlock, priest. Margaret Mareschal Countess of Norfolk, and Lady Segrave; he was her chaplain, and steward of her household.
- 1394, 3 Sept. Sir Jeffry Symond of Dersham, priest. The Countess of Norfolk; (sc. Margaret;) John Grym, rector of Garboldisham St. John, renewed the action against this Jeffery for tithe of his demeans, but was immediately cast.
- 1404, 25 Febr. Jeffry resigned, and Adam Cokelot, priest, succeeded. Elizabeth Dutchess of Norfolk, in right of her dower.
- 1423, 22 Dec. this Adam being grown old and blind, so that he could not serve the cure, resigned in favour of Edmund Coupere, priest, who was obliged by the Bishop, at his institution, to pay him a pension of 10
