there are none remaining,) and gave the site of it to that house, as his foundation deed declares, and then removed to a far better situation, in St. Andrew's parish, the eastern part of which belonged to the Bishop of Norwich, and was part of his manor of Eccles, kept in his own hands to serve his palace there; notwithstanding which, the Earl procured the land which was part of the Hagh, of will. Turbus Bishop of Norwich, (who greatly favoured his foundation,) to be held as freely as the old castle was before the priory's foundation; the tithes only excepted; and on this part he built the castle, and founded his burgh called New-Bukenham, close by it, having obtained license so to do. It is pleasantly situate upon a hill, fortified with a deep mote, which remains entire, and full of water; the building itself is quitedemolished, and ploughed over, except part of the gatehouse, and a dungeon or keep, which all those places had; (see the Prospect in the plate;) it is 63 yards round, and the walls about 10 feet thick; and though it is not higher now than the entrenchment, I suppose it was formerly, the upper part of those keeps generally being watch-towers; it is divided in the midst by a cross wall. The Knevtts dwelt in this castle till it was demolished by Sir Philip, who sold it.
The.Priory, now called the Abbey, was founded by Williamde Albany, Earl of Chichester, sirnamed the Strong, who died in 1156, and by him dedicated to the honour of God, St. Mary, St. James the Apostle, and all the Saints, in which he placed black canons of the order of St. Augustine, who were governed by a prior elected by the major part of them, and confirmed by the Bishop of Norwich. after which he was installed; they were daily to pray for the soul of their founder, and of Queen Adeliza, or Alice, his wife, for the souls of Stephen King of England, and Maud his Queen, and their progeny, and for the souls of all his ancestors, successours, parents, friends, and benefactors; they were governed by statutes, allowed by William Turbus Bishop of Norwich, by whose advice it was founded, but they were in all things to follow the institution or rules of the church of St. Mary at Mertune; he endowed it with the rectories of the churches of All-Saints, and St. Andrews, belonging to his manor of Bukenham, which were immediately appropriated to it, and they took their whole revenues, the canons serving them; and also the site of the castle, which was to be pulled down, and 20 acres of land, and the wood called Little Hage, and Midcrofts, with the adjoining meadow, and New Croft before the castle-gate, (on which the abbey was built,) and Alured the Smith, with the land that he held, and 5 acres which was Spar-hauc's. The witnesses to his foundation were, Hugh Bigot, Ralf de Bucham, or Bukenham, Hubert and Warin Montchensi, Rob.
