of the several lords, for that moiety divided into parts with the great manor, and went from the Cromwells to the Fitz-Williams, and from them to the Knevets; it laid in Bukenham, Attleburgh, Besthorp, and Wymondham, and was held by part of the borelry; in 1353, Robert Drury settled part of the moiety on Tho. Knevet; the other moiety came wholly to the Knevets at the dissolution, along with Bukenham priory, and from them to the Lovells; for in 1566, Thomas, son and heir of Tho. Lovell, Knt. held the Close manor, and all that pasture for 160 sheep called the Lathes, &c. of the Queen. In 1578, Tho. Lovell was lord; but by 1612 it belonged again to the Knevets, for then Philip Knevet, Bart. delivered seizin of the site of it to Gabriel Pope, doctor of physick, and Tho. Talbot, Gent. at which time, I suppose, the rents and services of the manor were either joined to the other manors, or all manumised; how the site passed afterwards I cannot say, but am informed that it now [1737] belongs to the Windhams.
The Lays, Lees, Lathes, or
Grange Manor
Had its rise out of the great manor, at the same time with the Close manor; and in 1383, the Prior had a moiety of it along with that manor; in 1400, the other moiety was divided; it had a leet belonging to it, and a fair to be kept on St. Martins Day, at New-Bukenham, the mere called Semere, or Old-Bukenham mere, belonged to it; the site and demeans called the Lathes, or Lays, contained 140 acres of pasture, 330 acres of wood, &c. and was held of the Queen in 1564, by Thomas, son and heir of Sir Tho. Lovell, Knt.; but the whole manor was united to the rest by the Knevets, Sir Tho. Knevet, being lord of the united manors of Lathes, the Close, the Priory, and burgage of New-Bukenham, in 1594.
The Priory Manor
Was part of the great manor given to the priory at its foundation, and continued in it to its dissolution, when it passed with that house to Sir Tho. Knevet of Bukenham, in whose family it continued till Sir Philip Knevet sold it to John Eldred of London, Esq. and John Verdon, Gent.; and after many conveyances, it was settled on the minister of New-Bukenham for the time being, who is always lord of it.
The Castle was first situated by the abbey, on the east part; the site of it contains about 3 acres; it is a large entrenchment, surrounded with a deep mote, the hills being still entire; (see the plate) on the north side is an old arch, which served for a sewer when it was standing; this was in some decay, when Will. de. Albany pulled it down, and built the priory with its ruins, (which is the reason that
