Francis Blomefield

“ Agnes, the second, dying young, was buried at Merton, Margaret, the second, married George Bokenham of Snitterton, Esq. after the death of his first wife, Christian, daughter of William de Grey, her guardian. In 1492, Sir Henry Grey of Keteringham, settled that manor by will, for want of heirs of the body of Anne, his daughter-in-law, wife of Tho. Hevenyngham, Esq. on this William and his heirs, but I cannot say positively how near related they were; in 1494, he held the manor of Merton and Hadston, alias Baynard's in Bunwell, of John Ratcliff Lord Fitz-Walter, and Edmund was his son and heir. ”

“ Towards the latter part of King Richard's reign, this noble Earl was attainted, and the manor and hundreds were given by the King to John Montacute Earl of Salisbury, and his heirs male, along with Panworth Hall manor in Ashill, and Saham, and the other possessions of the Earl of Warwick; but the attainder being reversed in the 1st of Henry IV. he died seized of all his ancient estate, April 8, 1401, and his wife, Jan. 22, 1406, leaving
Richard Beauchamp Earl of Warwick, their son and heir, a man no less famous than his noble progenitors ”

“ At the time of the Confessor it was in two manors, Aldred, a freewoman, held the head manor at five carucates, which Ralf FitzWalter held of the Conqueror's gift, there being four carucates in demean, wood sufficient for its mast to maintain 400 swine, and a church with 20 acres of land belonging to it, worth 1d. an acre: the manors were each worth 4l. per annum, the town was a league long and half a league broad, and paid 13d. ob. out of every twenty shillings that the hundred raised to the gelt or tax, but at the survey the whole was joined, and reduced to 7l. per annum. ”

“ The Commandry or Preceptory Of Knights Templars, and knights Hospitalers, of St. John of Jerusalem, was the only commandry in this county, and was first a preceptory of the Knights Templars, founded by Roger Earl of Clare, who died in 1173, and was a great benefactor to the order; at their foundation he built their house for them. ”

“ Henry, his son by his second wife, his heir, who was first made Premier Earl of all England, and after that, Duke of Warwick, and was to take place in Parliament next the Duke of Norfolk, and before the Duke of Buckingham, which that Duke would not bear, and therefore it was agreed, that one should take place one year, and the other the next, and he who survived, to take place of the other's heir male as long as he lived. ”

“ The Rectory Manor Always belonged to the rectory, which was never appendant to the other manor, for at the survey, William Earl Warren had the advowson, and 10 acres of land, which Earl Ralf had laid to his manor of Stou, and so it belonged to that manor, and soon after was joined to Caston manor, and the Caston family, as lords of Caston presented. ”

“ Gernon of Threxton, cousin and next heir of John Gernon of Merton aforesaid. At their deaths they left it to Sir Roger de Grey of Merton, Knt. who, by will proved in 1371, declares that he had infeoffed Sir William Bawde priest, and others, in his manors of Cavendish, Little-Cornerth, and Preston in Suffolk, and Merton in Norfolk; he ordered his father Sir Thomas Grey's debts to be paid, and that Alice his wife should have an annuity of 20 marks per annum, and Mr. Thomas Grey, his brother another of the same sum, the manor of Little-Heneye, worth 10l. per annum, to go to two priests yearly. ”

“ Panworth Hall Manor Pennewrde, or Panworth, was a town in the Confessor's time, owned by Harold, afterwards King of England; it contained a carucate and half, and was worth 40s. had wood for a 100 swine, &c.; another part of the manor laid in Ashill, and was in the soke of the King's manor of Saham, and that had wood also for 100 swine, and was worth 30s. per annum,; the whole was better than a mile long, and as much broad, and paid 15d. gelt; it was given by the Conqueror to Rainald FitzIvo, who owned it at the survey. ”

“ There are also alemes-houses with half an acre of land, founded by Edward Goffe of Threxton, who died in 1612, and is buried at Saham; the following clause concerning these alms-houses is taken from his will: "I will that four of the poorest aged couples dwelling in Watton, shall have their dwelling in the alms-houses during the term of their natural life, and also an annuity of 5l. per annum [for ever] granted out of my houses and lands lying and being in Griston, to be equally divided amongst them yearly, during the time of nine years, at four several payments, [viz.] ”

“ Petronill, his widow, had this manor and Neketon for life; she remarried to William, son and heir of Tho. de St. Omer, who was lord in her right, and in 1275 was justice itinerant with Simon de Grey in Cambridgeshire; in 1285, the hundred and manor were valued at 60l. per annum, and paid 50s. per annum blanch farm to Norwich Castle. Her son, Roger de Tony, died in 1276, so that he was never lord. ”

“ Thomas de Grey, Esq. son and heir of Edmund, married first Anne, daughter of Henry Everard of Lynsted in Suffolk, Esq. secondly, Temperancé, daughter of Sir Simond Carew of Anthony in Cornwall, by whom he had no issue; she outlived him, held Bunwell in jointure, and remarried to Sir Christopher Heydon of Baconsthorp, Knt.; he died seized of Hadston or Baynard's manor in Bunwell, held of the Earl of Sussex at one fee, Berryhall manor in Ellingham, late Manning's, held of the Earl of Sussex as of his manor of Atleburgh, the advowson of Bunwell, held of Sir Thomas Lovell by fealty, and 13s. ”

“ Thomas Dunthorn, who was lord in 1572, and William Dunthorn was his son and heir. It after belonged to Sir Thomas Barney of Parkhall in Redham, and came to Henry Barney, his second son, who died 23d Nov. 1638, possessed of it, and held it of the honour of Clare, with 36 acres held of Saham-Tony manor by fealty, and 34 acres held of Carbrook by fealty, and Henry Barney of Griston was his son and heir. ”

“ The Customs of the manor are, that the fine is at the lord's will; the eldest son is heir; and it gives no dower. There is no leet now kept, though it is said to be appendant to the manor, and as such was kept about fifty years since. They cannot fell timber on the copyhold without license, which by custom hath been always compounded for, at a third part of the clear value.
The Church is dedicated to St. Peter, was valued at 10 marks, and paid 12d. Peter-pence. It had two gilds belonging to it, one of St. Peter, and the other of St. John Baptist ”

“ The Prior of Castle-Acre also had temporals taxed at 5s.; of this I find, that Richard, son of Drogo of St. Edmund's, gave the monks of Castle-Acre a yearly rent of 10s. to be paid out of the estate of Robert de Horse-Croft, his villein, &c. and Humphry, son of the said Richard, confirmed it; after this, Henry Prior of Castle-Acre, and the convent, granted to Simon de Saham all their land here, with Godiva and her children, with their lands, homages, &c. paying the yearly rent of 5s. Witness, Henry, the dean of Fakenham, Richard, the priest of Snetesham, &c. ”

“ STOW Joins to the east side of Breccles, and is commonly called StowBreccles, to distinguish it from other towns of the same name; it was formerly called Stow-Bydon, from its ancient lords; [stou] signifies a house, or place of habitation, and often, by way of eminence, a church, that being esteemed by the ancients the most eminent of all habitations. In the Confessor's days the whole village belonged to Alfere, a Saxon, who had 5 carucates in demean, and it was worth 10l. per annum. ”

“ Barrie's manor in Thompson hath been many ages united to Caston Hall in Caston, and so continues at this day, as you may see at p. 286.
I am lately informed, that Mr. Futter, at his death, left the college, college manor, and impropriate rectory, to Mr. Ware, his sister's son, who sold the rectory to Mr. Colman, the college and manor to Mr. Cater, father of the Rev. Mr. Cater, the present [1738] lord, and part of the college lands to Mr. Tho. Barker, whose sons now enjoy them: the Barkeres or Barkers are an ancient family here. ”

“ In 1407, he went to the Holy Land, and visited his cousin the Duke of Barr; and in his way thither, performing many gallant feats of arms, and being respectfully received and treated by many princes, he arrived at the Holy Sepulchre, and set up his arms on the north side of the Temple; Baltredan, the Souldan's Lieutenant at Jerusalem, hearing that he was descended from the famous Guy Earl of Warwick, (whose story they had in books of their own language,) feasted him royally, and gave him large presents; from Jerusalem he came to Venice, and having travelled into Rusia, Poland, &c. ”

“ SAHAM-TONY Church is dedicated to St. George, who had a large gild held in his honour here, and a chapel, with his sepulchre in it; there were three other gilds, viz. of the Holy Trinity, our Lady, and St. Peter. The rectory was valued at 40 marks, and had a vicarage in the rector's gift, valued at 6 marks, the portion of the Abbot of St. Katherine's, de Monte Rothomagensi, or Roan, in Normandy, who was patron of the rectory, was valued at 40s.; it paid 7s. 7d. ob. procurations, and 3s. 4d. synodals, and 2s. ”

“ Peter-pence. In 1286 the vicar proved before the Justices Itinerant, that he was intitled to a mortuary at the death of any parishioner, and recovered a horse for the mortuary then in dispute; in 1375, the Bishop certified the rights of the vicar, but upon the statute to endow the vicarages, the rector withdrew presenting to the vicarage, and so it came to be an absolute rectory, as it now continues. There is a very good house, to which belongs a rectory manor and 23 acres of glebe. The temporals of the Prior of Norwich were taxed at 9s. ”

“ John Bosom. In 1504, Robert Perry was buried in the church, and gave 4 acres and an half of land in Breccles-Field, to find two wax tapers of a pound weight burning before the sacrament at the high-altar, and a messuage and 4 acres of land for a certeyn for ever, viz. the vicar to have a penny every Sunday in the year, to say De Profundis for the souls of James, Thomas, and Robert Perry, and if he neglects it, the poor to have it in alms for ever. He was a benefactor to the two gilds in Breccles, and the three in Hockham. ”

“ There is a fine disrobed marble, which hath lost its inscription, arms, and effigies; it is the grave-stone of John Fitz Rauf, Esq. who was lord and patron, and was buried here in July, 1440. Lady Alice, his daughter, was then a nun at Thetford, his sister Maud was a nun at Brusyerd, Sir Tho. Fitz Rauff, his brother, Sir Tho. Tudenham, Knight, Rob. Mortimer, Esq. Will. Warner of Tomson, Esq. and John Holderness, were his feoffees and executors; Julian his wife was buried by him in 1446; Rob. Hotot, her son, and Maud Coniers, her daughter, are mentioned in her will. ”

“ Mr. John Cater, the present [1738] rector, on Bickley's resignation, who is also patron, and holds it united to the vicarage of Elingham-Magna. There is a neat parsonage-house, built by Mr. Cater, adjoining to the north-west part of the churchyard, to which belong about 32 acres of glebe; the town contains about 20 houses, and 150 inhabitants.
The tower is square, and stands on the south side of the church, and serves for a porch; there is only one bell; the church and chancel are tiled, the N. vestry is ruined: it is neat and clean, being new repaired and beautified ”

“ Henry Delves was brother and heir of John, but the inheritance was in the Earl of Kent, for Edmund of Woodstock, third son to King Edward I. married Margaret, sister and heiress to Thomas Lord Wake, and left issue two sons, Edmund and John, who dying without issue, Joan their sister inherited, who married Sir Tho. Holland, Knt. created in her right Earl of Kent, and Lord Wake of Lydell, which Earl became possessed of this manor ”

“ William de Hastyngs was Steward to King Henry I. by virtue of the serjeantry of his manor of Ashele, the service being to take charge of the nappery, viz. the table-cloths and linen, at the King's coronation. ”

“ Sarah, married to James Barker of Shropham, son of John Barker of Thorndon; Elizabeth, to Edw. Owen of Coventry; and Mary to Joseph Randol, alias Baylis, of London, who purchased in all the parts, and left it to Mary his widow for life, who now enjoys it; remainder to Mr. Rich. Baylis, her only son, who married Philadelphia, granddaughter to Sir Philip Ryley, by whom he hath one son Robert an infant.
There is a separate fishery belonging to the manor, called Breccles Mere, and a good old seat, or manor-house, in which the present owner resides ”

“ Day, counsellor at law, and justice of the peace, his son and heir, who married Sarah, sole daughter and heir of William Melsop of WestDereham, Gent. who is now his widow, and lives at Scoulton, being lady of the manor of Newlands as it is now called, which name does not so much as occur before 1540; the custom of which manor is, that the eldest son is heir, the fine being certain at 2s. ”

“ Mr. Le Neve in his Collections says, that this impropriate rectory was sold by Sir Tho. Southwell, Knt. to Tho. Hall, and that Francis Windham, Esq. was late farmer of it, at 1l. 13s. 4d. per annum, and that it was given by King James I. to the divinity professor in Cambridge, it being settled on Trinity College in Cambridge, in trust for him; it is said to be in trustees hands for the use of Chigwell school in Essex.
The Church here is large, and a good pile, having a nave and two isles, well leaded, and is well seated throughout alike, and the heads are all carved ”