Hundred of Giltcross: Snarehill-House

SNAREHILL-HOUSE,

Which is deemed extraparochial, and (with the lodge now called Thetford Lodge, (fn. 1) ) is all that remain of two villages, Great and Little Snareshill; Great Snureshill belonged to Thurstin of Thetford, a freeman in the Confessor's time, when he had two carucates in demean. (fn. 2) Little Snareshill belonged to Ailvin, or Elgar, of Thetford, who had one carucate, and to Alestan an Englishman, in the Conqueror's time, when it had 300 sheep belonging to it, five hives of bees, and was of 20s. value. (fn. 3)

The extent of both, was a league long, and half a league broad, and paid 11d. ob. geld.

Thurstin of Thetford had four freemen, that had 35 acres, which he held under Roger Bigot, (fn. 4) who held the whole towns of the Conqueror's gift, (except Bury abbey's part,) all which the said Roger settled on his priory at Thetford, at its foundation, and Herbert Bishop of Norwich, and William Bigot, his son, (fn. 5) confirmed it; by this means the church and all its revenues came wholly to that house, who got it appropriated to them very early, for it was in ruins in King Edward the Third's time, being then valued at 30s. (fn. 6) there are scarce any remains of its foundation, though its site is well known. (fn. 7)

It continued in that house to its dissolution, and then went with it to the Duke of Norfolk, by whose family it was after sold, or forfeited, and hath since passed through several hands, as the Cleres, Sir Edward Clere being lord in 1571, &c. till it came to the Buxtons, and Robert Buxton, Esq. of St. Margaret's in South Elmham, dying seized, Elizabeth his wife had it, who is now dead, and Elizabeth, their daughter, now [1736] a minor, is owner of it.

The part which Fulcher held of Bury abbey was held in Henry the Third's time, by the fifteenth part of a fee, of Wordwell manor, which was held of the abbey, by Will. Fyshe, and John Byntliton, and in 1345, Will. Fyshe, and Peter Beneynton had it, and paid 2s. 4d. relief, they being heirs of Will. Fyshe and Peter Beneynton. (fn. 8)

In 1410, Tho. Welde, clerk, gave to Thetford monks all his lands and tenements which he had of Mary his mother, lying in this place.

1411, Edmund Heyford of Bernham gave them two tofts and 60 acres of ground, and liberty of a free fold in Snareshill, to increase their revenues, and maintain them the better; the Bury part was included in this.

There was a family sirnamed of this town, of which Benedict, son of Hugh de Snareshill, lived in 1256.

The Leet always belonged to the hundred, but there being no suiters to it in the place, it hath been omitted many years. The whole was in Kenninghall soken, which may be the reason of the tradition, of its belonging to Kenninghall; at this time, it is valued with Rushworth to the King's tax, and paid 26s. 8d. to the tenths.

The next town that we meet with upon this river (except the hamlet of Shadwell, of which we have spoken under Rushworth) is

In Snareshella iii. liberi homines commend. et soca falde, tota alia soca in Keninchala et habent xx. acr. semp. dim. car. val. xxd. hoc tenet Turstinus. (sc. sub. Rogero Bigot.)