Norwich; 2, a daughter of Martin Skypp of North-Tudenham; 3, a daughter of Tho. Woode of Brakene, Esq. but had no issue; his mother Mary held this manor for life; and afterwards remarried to John Ladd, surgeon of Norwich; and it after belonged to Benjamin Andrewes, who sold it to Edmund Knipe of Tacolneston, Esq. the present lord, who hath a good house here, about two furlongs west of the church, anciently the seat of the Brownes, called Sparkes; William Knipe, Esq. is his son and heir.
William's Manor
Was granted to William sirnamed of Tacolneston, the place of his birth and habitation, from whose christian name the manor took its name; he was succeeded by Eustace, and he by Hugh his son, who owned it in 1196; and in 1249, it was found, that he held it at a whole knight's fee, but was not yet knighted. In 1256, Adam de Tacolneston had it; and in 1284, William de Tacolneston was returned of full age, and fit to be knighted; and in 1285, by the name of Sir William de Tacolneston (though he is often called Sir William Fitz-Eustace) he had view of frankpledge of all his tenants, and assise of bread and ale; the King's bailiff of the hundred attending at the lete, and receiving 18d. per annum; he was lord in 1297. In 1305, Richard de Tacolneston had it; in 1308, R. de Tacolneston settled on Anastaia, daughter of Robert de la More of Brakene, divers lands, &c. here and in Forncet, for life, remainder to himself; and in 1316, the said Richard was lord. In 1381, John de Tacolneston was lord; the famous John Tacesphalus (I believe) who was born here, and was elected prior of the Carmelites or White-friars in Norwich in 1404, of whom Pitsspeaks, p. 607. He was D. D. a man of great learning, remarkable piety, and a good orator; a great preacher against the disciples of Wickliff, Hus, and the Lollards; he published two books by way of comment on the Revelations; a collection of sermons for the Saints days, and many others; and to make them of the greater authority and esteem, he went to Pope Martin V. to Rome, to obtain his approbation and publick recommendation, which he had just obtained when he died, and was buried there; and it is probable, the manor fell by escheat, to the lord of Forncet manor, of which it was held, and continued with it till about 1570, when the Earl of Arundel was returned lord of William's manor in Tacolneston, and chief lord of the commons there, in right of the Earl's manor, which belonged to Forncet manor; but it was sold by the Earl to the Cleres, and by them to the Brownes; and in 1623, Edm. and Rob. Browne, son and heir apparent of Edm. articled with Tho. Knevet, Esq. and for 1900l. sold him Tacolneston manor, and the manor of William's, with the advowson and the rents of assise there above 11l. per annum, 6 capons, 2 hens, and 5 eggs; but it did not take place, for William's manor descended to John Browne, who joined and sold Tacolneston manor as aforesaid, to James Brockden, but kept this to himself; in 1657, the said John Browne the elder, Gent. was lord, and in 1664, John Browne, his eldest son and heir, kept his first court, in which it was found, that the custom of the manor is to the eldest son: and it hath continued ever since in the Brownes, and at the death of Richard
