Elizabeth Furneaux, sole heiress, married first to Thomas Crabbe, whose widow she was in 1401, in which year she settled this manor and advowson, with the reversion of Kymberlee manor, after the death of Margaret, late wife of Tho. Fastolf, Knt. on Sir Thomas Erpyngham, Knt. Tho. Halis of Crongethorp, John Poit, rector of East Herling, and William Garlond, chaplain there, to her use for life, and her heirs in tail; after which she married William Sandham of Kimberlee, who sold Kimberlee without her consent, though she give him Herling for life. Her will is dated in 1415. By her first husband she had two sons, John and William, who, in 1424, sued William Berdewell, Esq. for the manor, but Sir Tho. Erpingham proving that he and other feoffees had seizin of it, to the use of Eliz. Crabbe, his mother, for life, and then to John Crabbe, her son, and his heirs, it was confirmed to William Berdewell and his heirs.
John Crabbe, the eldest son, died long before his mother, leaving only one daughter,
Eleanor, who married William Berdewell, Esq. of West-Herling, in whose right he had the manor and advowson, all the feoffees releasing their rights in 1433, when they settled it on him and his wife and William their son and his heirs; from which time it hath continued joined to West-Herling, as it now remains.
The Church was dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle, being always appendant to the manor; it was a rectory valued at 5 marks at the Norwich taxation. It is in Rockland deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry, and still pays 1s. synodals, and 2s. 4d. archdeacon's procurations; it paid 35s. 4d. tenths, and is valued now [1736] with WestHerling to the land tax, there being 4 houses and about 30 inhabitants. The churchyard is now glebe; the church remained in use till 1543, and then it was entirely taken down, so that the foundations only are now visible, it stood by the lane's side, in the close going to West-Herling church. Here was a Gild dedicated to St. Andrew, to which, in 1504, Tho. Lulpek was a benefactor.
Rectors
- 1308, 12 kal. Oct. Simon de Foxton, priest, to Little-Herling. Rob. de Furneus, Knt.
- 1324, 11 kal. Sept. Bartholomew de Banham, priest, on Foxton's resignation. John de Farneaus, Knt.
- 1337, 18 June, he changed this for Winfarthing, with John le Nelde, priest. Ditto.
- 1358, 28 Dec. Richard Galyon, priest. Ditto.
- 1377, 30 Nov. Will. atte Tounsende, priest. John de Herling.
- 1414, 2 June, Rob. Fytchet, priest, at Townsend's death. Will. Sandam of Kimberlee, in right of Eliz. Furneaux his wife, as belonging to Furneaux manor.
- 1435, 18 Dec. Rob. Polle of Medyl-Herling, priest, on Fytchet's death. William, son of Rob. Berdewelle, patron.
