The town-house formerly belonging to St. John's Gild, standing over against the north west end of the churchyard, is copyhold on the rectory manor, pays 4d. quitrent, and is used for the dwelling of two poor families. [1736.]
One rood of land in Peter's Grove, and another rood in Garbroad, lying on the west side thereof, are freehold; and in 1600 were dooled out, and let at 7s. per annum to Mr. Futter: the row next South or Church-field, stands on the rood in Garbroad; these are in the estate late Mr. Salter's, now Mr. Robert Martin's of Thetford, and are settled on the poor. [1736.]
- 1632, Henry Russels gave 10l. to the benefit of the poor.
Mr. Tirrel gave 10l. and the parish had 6l. 13s. 4d. out at use, of divers gifts; the town gave 4l. out of their stock, and sold a piece of town land which laid in Baldryes, with another piece in Winosalls, for 20l. to Mrs. Frere; these two pieces were freehold of Gissinghall manor, held at 9d. per annum, and were given in Edward the Fourth's time, by Robert Kyrkebi, and John Gooch. This they expended about paving, seating, and adorning the roof of the church, and carving the stools, what remained being kept for town stock.
A new pulpit and desk were made, and the altar railed in.
In 1638, the inhabitants petitioned the Bishop, that, Whereas the village of Brisingham grew very populous, and the parish church was large and neat on the outside, but much unbeautified within, the pavement and seats being decayed, and others wanting addition, the parishioners sitting in no order, the font standing in an obscure place behind one of the pillars, &c. that they might have license to do all things convenient, for the beauty of the church, and decent placing the inhabitants therein; upon which there was a commission to four neighbouring clergymen, who viewed it, and certified, that at the east end of the south isle, there was a sort of chapel parted from the church, in which the family from Boyland Hall used to sit, which they thought ought to be removed, and another place assigned to that family, which was done accordingly. After this, it was certified that Edmund Salter, A.M. had been a great instrument towards this work, and had laid out above 40l. in building the 14 upper pews of wainscot, for which they allotted the highest seat in the church, on the north side, to be annexed to his house for ever, which was confirmed by the Bishop's Faculty; in which seat this is cut on the wainscot: Quatuordecem hœ supremœ Sedes, extructœ fuerunt impensis Edmundi Salter Clerici, Anno Domini, 1674.
In 1644, Apr. 7, Capt. Gilley was paid 6s. by the town for viewing the church, to abolish superstitious pictures, and immediately after, John Nun was paid for two days work for taking down glass and pictures about the church, and filing the letters off the bells; and it is plain that here were many effigies and arms, for the glasing of the windows after this reformation came to 2
