which time he was lord of that whole part, which was now divided, and held by the said William, Sarah, Alexander, and Godfride. This portion was taxed at one mark, and so was the portion of the Prior of St. Alban's.
The rectory was valued at 4l. 12s. 6d. in the King's Books, but being sworn of the clear yearly value of 40l. 6s. 8d. a year, it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and consequently is capable of augmentation. It is a small parish of near 100 inhabitants; in 1603, it had 48 communicants; it paid 55s. to the tenths, and is now assessed at 119l. to the King's tax.
At this town there have been divers Roman coins ploughed up; I have seen a very fair one of Vespasian, thus circumscribed, IMP. caes. vespatian. aug. cos. viii. pp.; the reverse was a Mercury holding an urn, and S.C.; there are also urns found here; I have seen a small one of red earth, that held about half a pint, all which make me apt to think, that this town, and not Bretenham in Suffolk, might be the Combretonium of Antoninus, and the Conventronum et ad Convecin. in the Peutegerian Tables; and the rather, because I never heard of any Roman antiquities found at the other Bretenham; but whether the name in English implies a town on the Breton, or, in Welsh, a great valley or low place upon the Breton, I confess I know not; but the situation is in a great valley, or low place, upon that river which runs from Quidenham-Mere to Thetford, the name of which I have not met with.
The Church and parsonage-house were burnt down in 1693: the nave was rebuilt, but the chancel was not; there is a square tower and one bell; the nave and south porch are tiled. This is written on the north wall,
By this Place lyeth the Body of Roger Beales, who died June 29, 1711, and was Church-Warden alone for the Town of Bretenham, and built this Church after the Fire, being the 18th Day of May, in the Year 1693, and laid out all the money, before he made his Rate, to gather in any Money, and whose Names, and what every Man paid.
Charles Wright [lord] 29l. 6s. 6d.; Mr. John Newcomb [rector] 21l. 1s.; Roger Beales 12l. 12s.; John Sele 6l.; Roger Howes 3l. 18s. Tho. Townsend 1l. 13s.; Richard Lovick 1l. 19s. &c.
Rectors of Bretenham St. Andrew
- 1303, 5 id. May, a sequestration was granted to Alfred de Brok.
- 1303, 6 id. Aug. Roger de Orford.
- 1309, 6 id. Aug. Richard de Denesford, accolite.
- 1309, 17 kal. Jan. Tho. de Haytone, priest.
- 1328, 5 kal. Feb. John de Derby, priest.
- 1335, prid. id. Feb. He had license, as chaplain to the Bishop of Ely, to let his rectory, and not reside upon it. The above were presented by the Bishop of Ely.
- 1345,
