RELIGIOUS HOUSES preceptory, temp. Henry VIII, probably of the year of its suppression, gives the value of the rectory of Carbrooke at los. lod. ; the rents of assize,;^! 5 31. ^^d. ; the manor farm,;ri5 4$. 8rf. ; the foldcourse for 200 sheep, 30J. ; and the court perquisites 20s} The site of the house, the manor and the rectory were granted in 1543 to Sir Richard Gresham and Sir Richard Southwell. Sisters Hospitallers of Little Carbrooke Maud, countess of Clare, at the same time that she established the preceptory of Knights Hospitallers at Great Carbrooke, placed some sisters of their Order in a hospital near the church of Little Carbrooke. But very soon after their foundation, namely, in 1 180, Henry II gave the order the monastery of Buckland, Somerset, on the condition that they should there place all the English Sisters Hospitallers, who had previously lived in several preceptories. Henceforth Buckland was the only English house for these sisters, those of Little Carbrooke being at once transferred there. From Little Carbrooke 13J. ^d. was paid as an annual pension to the Somerset nunnery ; that sum appears in the Valor of 1535.* FRIARIES 46. THE CARMELITE FRIARS OF BLAKENEY At Blakeney alias Sniterley, a house of White Friars, dedicated to the honour of the Blessed Virgin, was established in 1296, when John and Michael Storm and John and Thomas Thobury, copyhold tenants of Sir William Roos, lord of the town, gave 13^ acres of land to the Car- melities, with the consent of the king and the lord. The friars were to build a chapel and necessary buildings on the site, and to pray for Sir William Roos and Lady Maud his wife, as their principal founders. Sir William gave them 100 marks towards building their church and houses, and promised to build their hall and kitchen, as well as proper chambers suitable for him and his heirs whenever they should think proper to stay there. ^ The church and all the offices were not completed until 1 32 1.' Pardon was granted to the Carmelites of Blakeney, in 131 6, for acquiring in mortmain without licence, li acres of land from Michael Bret, with leave to extend their dwellings and build thereon.* These friars were evidently prospering, for there were several other enlargements of their site. Thus in 1 33 1 licence was granted to the prior and convent to receive in mortmain from John Tolour the younger and Richard Storm 4 acres adjoining their house.' In 1337 John Storm granted to the prior and Carmelite Friars of Sniterley 4 acres of land for the enlargement of their house,* and fifteen years later there was yet another extension.' This house was suppressed towards the close ' Rentals and Surv. (P.R.O.), Portf. ||. ' Tanner, Notitia, Norf. viii ; Blomefield, Hist, of Korf. ix, 365. ' Steven, Continuation ofMon. vol. ii, App. 454.
- Pat. 9 Edw. II, pt. ii, m. 25.
' Ibid. 5 Edw. Ill, pt. ii, m. 23.
- Ibid. I I Edw. Ill, pt. i, m. 23.
' Ibid. 26 Edw. Ill, pt. ii, m. 6. of 1538.' In February, 1542, the king granted the house and site to William Rede, mercer of London, and Anne his wife ; but in the following month Rede transferred it to Sir Richard Gresham.'" Among the spoils of church plate from the suppressed Norfolk houses were ' 100 oz. gilt and 54 oz. white, with two paxes of ivory' from the White Friars of Blakeney." 47. THE CARMELITE FRIARS OF BURNHAM NORTON A house of Carmelite or White Friars was founded in 124 1 by Sir William Calthorp and Sir Ralph Hemenhale in the parish of Burnham Norton.'^ In 1298 the prior and convent of Carmelite Friars of Burnham had licence for the alienation to them by Walter de Calthorp (son of one of the founders) of a rood of meadow for the enlargement of their house." In 1353, they obtained another licence for further en- largement.'* Thomas Gigges, of Burnham St. Clement, by will of 1 1 March, 1467, left a small bequest in money to the Carmelite priory of Burnham,'* and other members of his family followed his ex- ample, another Thomas Gigges in 1505 leaving to the friars of Burnham 6j. Ba'., ' that is to say, to the prior 1 2d., and to every friar being a priest 4^., and to every novice 2(/., and to their pittance d.y they to keep a solemn dirige and a mass for my soul and all my friends' souls at my burying.^ The will of Olive Gigges, widow, made in 151Q mentions a bequest of 6 combs of barley to ' the whight friers of
- Taylor, InJe.x Monasticus, 34.
' L. and P. Hen. nil, xiii (2), 508. '» Ibid, xvii, 104 (69). " Ibid. 139. '" Brit, jintiq. at Forw. v, 406. " Pat. 26 Edw. I, m. 13. '* Ibid. 27 Edw. HI, pt. ii, m. 2. " Anct. D. (P.R.O.), A. 5971. 'Mbid. 12778. 425 54
