the King had two freemen here, named Gouta and Osketel, who had the inheritance that Ascius their father held of the abbey of Holm, to which the advowson belonged.
Both the parishes were three miles long and a mile broad, and paid 13d. ob. geld.
In William Rufus's time, the Earl of Norfolk infeoffed William de Verdon in it, along with Brisingham, as appears in vol. i. p. 49; and it attended that manor for many ages, being held by the Verdons; one half fee of it of the Norfolk family, and one 5th part of a fee of the honour of Bainard's castle, which was purchased of Ralf de Camois, and added to the manor. It after went with Brisingham, till Isabell, daughter and heiress of Sir John Verdon, by Isabell his second wife, married
Sir Imbert Noon of Shelfhanger, and carried it into that family, as in vol. i. p 119, and it passed with it till 1512, and then Henry Noon of Shelfhanger, Esq. sold it to
Thomas Spring of Lanham, clothman, and Thomas Jermyn his feoffee, together with the advowson; at which time it extended into Waketon and Forncet; by him it was soon after conveyed to
Leonard Spencer of Blofield. It after belonged to
Sir Thomas Jermyn, Knt. then to
Sir William Drury, Knt. after to
Robert Wetherby and Eliz. his wife; and in 1562, to
Andrew, John, and Anthony Rivet, and in 1570, to
John Rivet of Brandeston, Esq. in which year it was found, that the superiour lordship over the commons, &c. belonged to the manor of Forncet. It continued in this family (as appears by the institutions) till after 1689; and in 1717,
Mrs. Eliz. widow of Tho. Chute, Esq. had it, and now it belongs to
Mrs. Anne Elwin of Norwich, widow, and Tho. Lobb Chute, Esq. in joint tenancy, and a third turn of the sinecure rectory of Wacton-Parva is appendant to it, as also this patronage.
Rectors of Moulton-Magna
- 1303, Jeffry de Halcote. Sir Thomas le Verdon, Knt.
- 1317, William de Brisingham. Sir John Verdon, Knt.
- 1349, John Malyer, resigned. Ditto.
- 1350, John le Smith. Ditto.
- 1391, Nic. de Rockyngham. Ditto.
- 1392, Ralf. Swathyng, ob. Sir Edm. Noon, Knt.
- 1438, John Goorle. Hen. Noon, Esq.
- 1445, Roger Hese, deprived. Ditto.
- 1453, John Domlyn. Ditto.
- 1460, Will. Smith, resigned. Ditto.
- 1488, John Stanton, resigned. Eleanor Noon.
- 1495, John Rudham.
