called Piper-mill on Rucham river in Hemenhale, and was given by Roger de Bukenham, and Will. de Rucham confirmed it.
The Manor of Hemenhale
Belonged to Torn, a Dane at the Confessor's survey, had then three freemen, 41 bordars, (or copyholders,) and 54 villeins; it had one priest (or rector) and two churches, endowed with a carucate of land, and four villeins and four bordars that held two carucates more of them, valued at 15s.; there was a wood called Schieteshagh, which maintained 200 swine, and the Abbot of St. Bennet at Holm claimed part of it; the manor was then worth 15l.
At the Conqueror's survey it belonged wholly with its soc, sac, and jurisdiction, to Ralf Bainard, when it had four carucates of land in demean, 58 bordars, 34 villeins, two mills, five working-horses 100 swine, and 186 sheep, it being worth 24l. 5s. a year, besides six cows, 20 swine, and two rams; it was four miles long and three broad, and paid 18d. to the geld or tax. It had 10 acres held by a freeman, which laid in Freton and Hardwick, and Forncet manor extended hither. A freeman of Alwius, or Alwine, of Thetford, had 30 acres, &c. worth ten shillings at the first survey, all which was held by Turold at the last.
This Ralph Lord Bainard was a powerful baron, one of those that came in with the Conqueror, Lord of Castle-Bainard in London, and of the barony of that castle; all which William Bainard, his descendant, forfeited by his rebellion to Henry I.; and he gave the whole to Robert Fitz-Richard-Fitz-Gilbert, the first Earl of Clare, and his heirs; and he gave it to Robert de Tonebridge, his 5th son, and he to Sir Walter Fitz-Robert, his son, who was to hold it of the barony of Bainard's castle; this Robert was lord of the manor of Diss, with which this passed to the Fitz-Walters and Ratcliffs Earls of Sussex, as may be seen in volume i. from p. 5 to p. 11, being always held of the Fitz-Walter's barony.
In 1545, Henry Earl of Sussex, on his son's match with Elizabeth