Hundred of Forehoe: Bowthorp

BOWTHORP.

This church was dedicated to St. Michael, and was first valued at five, afterwards at six marks; the procurations were 6s. 8d. synodals 1s. 11d. Peter-pence 4d. carvage 6s. ob.; the rector had a house and 40 acres of land, and Rob. de Leyham was patron; it was afterwards annexed by Richard Bishop of Norwich to the college of St. Mary in the fields in Norwich.

Rectors.

1304, Gilbert de Wendene. Sir Richard de Brampton, Knt.

1335, John Boteler of Bulmere. R. Lady Hawise de Wysham.

1338, John de Taleworth. Ditto.

1349, Hugh Skoner. Ditto. Change with the vicarage of Neketon. R

1352, John Douchirch. Ditto.

1354, Thomas de Penreth. Ditto.

1364, John Mey. Rob. de Bumpstede, of Norwich. Change with Brynton.

1365, Richard, son of John de Kimburle. Ditto. Change with Colton.

1366, Stephen Gilbert of Holt. Ditto. Change with Howe.

1376, Hugh Thede of Wortham. John de Corpesty, citizen of Norwich.

1578, Rob. Notykyn of Stodey. O. 1388.

1388, John Elys of Tivetshall. Sir William Elmham, Knt.

1408, John Maymond of Hepworth. Sir John de Ingoldesthorp, Knt.

1408, Will. Browne. Elizabeth, relict of Sir Will. Elmham, Knt.

1413, Will. Novt. Change with Leyston, London diocese. William Sedman, citizen of Norwich.

1420, John Bennes of Ipswich. The Dean, and Canons of St. Mary in the Fields at Norwich, patrons, to their dissolution.

1427, Nicholas Wolmer, deprived.

1431, Rob. Downe. R.

1436, John atte Herne. R.

1437, Nicholas Heylet. O.

1460, John Smith. O.

1462, John Wilton. O. United for life to a chantry in St. Mary's college.

1464, Nicholas Riley, buried in the middle of the church, in 1470, before St. Michael's image, and founded a lamp to burn six years before that image, and was a benefactor to St. Andrew's gild at Colney.

1471, John Neel.

Henry Gawell. R.

1505, Henry Shelton. R.

1508, Will. Richers, vicar also of Bawburgh, where he is buried.

1520, Sir Anthony Hogeson, the last presented by the convent; Nicholas Carr, LL. D. being dean.

1588, Tho. Igmethorp. The Queen, by lapse.

1597, John Sadlow, licensed preacher. The Queen.

1605, Andrew Clark. The King, by lapse.

1612, Will. Rawley. The Chancellor, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge, by Act of Parliament, (Yaxley, the patron, I suppose, being a papist.) He was S. T. P, and rector in 1636.

The Rev. Mr. Lynne Smear is now [1739] curate, at the nomination of the Yallops, who had it of the Yaxleys.

This church is not mentioned in the King's Books; it was a rectory in the dean and canons of the college of St. Mary in the Fields in Norwich, who presented to it till 1522, and then the college petitioned Richard Bishop of Norwich, (fn. 1) setting forth, that the church was of their patronage, and that it was destitute of parishioners, and therefore might more properly be made a chapel rather than remain a rectory with cure of souls, there being no inhabitants in the town, but the college servants, who tilled their lands, and the profits being so small, that they would not maintain a rector, they hoped that the Bishop would consolidate it to the college, the revenues of which were so much decreased, that they would scarce maintain the dean and canons there; upon which the Bishop considering the college was of his patronage, did consolidate to the said college for ever, the rectory, with all its profits, &c. on condition they kept up the church, and performed service there on Sundays and saints days, by a chaplain, to be paid by them for so doing; and that henceforth it should be reputed a church or chapel, and should be kept in decent repair at their expense: the Bishop reserved all episcopal jurisdiction over it, and peculiar power to sequester all the profits, if they should neglect to repair the church at any time, or find a serving chaplain there; and also at the removal of every dean of the college, the succeeding dean was to pay 4l. to the Bishop for the time being, in lieu of the tenths and first fruits of this church; (which is the reason it is not in the King's Books;) the consolidation bears date at the Bishop's manor of Hoxne, Jan. 8, 1522, but the college never enjoyed it, for Sir Anth. Hogeson, who was rector at the consolidation, survived the college's dissolution, and therefore the Crown presented to it as a lapsed rectory, and the university as a rectory in the hands of a Papist; but after the death of Rawley, Henry Yaxley, lord here, made it appear it was consolidated as aforesaid to the college, and came with that, at the Dissolution, to the King, who granted the manor and rectory, as an impropriation, to Miles Spencer, last dean of the college, and chancellour of the diocese; (fn. 2) he died single, and it came to the Yaxleys; in 1605, it was returned to be a free chapel, that paid no synodals nor procurations, and therefore is exempt from archidiaconal jurisdiction, but the King lately presented to it as a rectory, valued at 6 marks, in the archdeaconry of Norfolk and deanery of Hingham; during this time the church was neglected and laid in decay, without any service, it being esteemed as a sinecure, till Matthew Bishop of Norwich obtained a decree in Chancery, dated 23d Feb. 1635, against Henry Yaxley, Esq. lord here, by virtue of which the church was purged of all things in it; (it having been used as a sort of store-house;) the churchyard was fenced in, (being 28 rods round,) four windows were put into the church, and one into the steeple, a porch built, new doors made, the church paved, ceiled, whited, and reeded a font erected, and the pulpit and desk finished, at about 140l. charge; the profits of the whole living were sequestered to repair the church, and it was finished at Michaelmas, 1639; the priest's or chaplain's salary to be paid by the said Yaxley, and all others after him, that shall possess the tithes and glebes; all which was performed accordingly, and ever since it hath been served by a chaplain or parish-priest, as it is at this day, it being a donative in the lord of the manor.

The Church is very small, being only 15 yards long and 7 broad; it hath no isles nor steeple, save a small turret, in which hangs one bell: the altar is railed in, and in the east window are the arms of Yallop, Giles, and Spelman.

On a black marble in the chancel,

Yallop, gid. an orle between eight billets or, quartering.

Giles, per fess gul. and az. on a bend arg. between two lions heads erased, and as many croslets fitchee or, three roses gul. impaling Spelman.

Yallop's crest is a pheon or between two wings arg.

Here lyeth the Bodyes of Robert, Henry, and Dorothy Yallop, Children of Sir Robert Yallop of Bowthorp Knight, and Dorothy his Wife, which Children were born, and died in their Infancy, between the Years of our Lord 1660, and 1670.

On another stone, Yallop impales Spelman in a lozenge,

Here lyeth the Body of Dame Dorothy, the Widow of Sir Robert Yallop of Bowthorp in the County of Norfolk Knt. to whom she bore 4 Sons and one Daughter, she was the eldest Daughter of Clement Spelman of the County of Middlesex Esq; and one of the Barons of the Exchequer, a Lady no less adorned with the Endowments of Nature than of Virtue, and as the Former gave her the esteem of Men, so the latter qualified her for Heaven, for if the Mercifull shall obtain Mercy, she in whom Compassion, and Charity to the distressed, shined so bright, may justly be presumed to have met with a like Return from the Father of Mercies, in Hopes whereof she departed this Life the 15^th Day of January, in the Year of our Lord 1719, 20, and of her Age 84.

On another stone, Yallop, and Giles per fess, impaling a fess between nine roundels.

Edward Yallop, Gent. of the Society and Company of Merchant-Tailors in the City of London, and next Brother to Sir Robert Yallop of Bowthorp, Knt. died at Bowthorpe aforesaid, the 29^th Day of July 1676, leaving two Daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, and was here buried.

On an altar tomb in the churchyard,

Reliquiæ Roberti Yallop Militis, Loco, Jussu dum viveret suo, coram effosso, depositæ; Obijt VII° Die Mensis Maij A^o Domini. M. dccv. Ætat lxviii. Requiescat in Pace.

This town paid 36s. 8d. to the tenths, the temporals of the Abbot of Langele were taxed at 33s. 4d. ob. those of the Prior of St. Faith's at 3s.

In 1310, Thomas de Cokesfield gave six acres of land in Bowthorp, to the Abbot of Langley, in exchange for six acres in Erlam.

In 1324, William Bateman of Norwich, and Margaret his wife, settled on Will. Bateman, their son, a messuage and lands here.

The learned Sir Henry Spelman, in his Icenia, (fo. 157,) would have it take its name from Bout, i. e. Ambitus, and Thorp, Villula, but it seems rather to be Beau-Thorp, that is, the fine or pleasant village, its situation no ways answering the Knight's description.

It belonged to Hakeyne, a Saxon, in the Confessor's time, and was worth 40s.; and at the Conqueror's survey it belonged to that monarch, who committed it to the custody of Godric, who paid 6l. per annum, for it; it was only three furlongs long, and as much broad, and paid 6d. ob. gelt. (fn. 3)

This town was granted to the Peverells, (who enfeoffed the Leyhams,) except the superiority of the town, and all that part which belonged to the manor of Cossey, and was held of the honour of Richmond, which having always passed with the manor of Cossey, and still continuing with it, I need only refer you thither, the lord of Cossey manor being superiour lord, great part being held of him; for in the year 1480, (fn. 4) this town was found to be ancient demean, and being part of Cossey, the tenants and inhabitants were to enjoy the like privileges, and were not to be impanelled upon juries, &c.

In 1206, Sir Peter de Leyham was lord and patron; this family resided at Leyham in Suffolk, and had very considerable estates in both counties; he gave many lands here to the Abbot of Langele, who, jointly with Ric. Keyser, Laurence de Brakene, and others, paid 12s. 5d. as their part for two fees, towards the aid for marrying King Henry the Third's daughter.

Robert de Leyham succeded Peter, and was followed by

Reginald, his son and heir, who died in 1244, seized of the manor and patronage, as did Lettice his wife, in 1266, leaving

John de Leyham, his son and heir a minor, and in 1289, this John was found to hold Overbury Hall manor in Leyham in Suffolk, of the Earl-Marshal at one fee, and this manor of the honour of Hatfield Peverel, at two fees; he died seized in 1289, leaving these manors to

John, his son, then two years old; and in 1298, it was found that Sir Richard de Brampton, Knt. was his cousin and heir; he died the next year without issue, and

Brampton inherited; and in 1300, the said Richard and his under tenants, viz, the Abbot of Langele, Maud de Caston, Emma Kercille, John de Bawbergh, Ric. Keyser, and Joceline Goodhale, were possessed of the said fees; and in 1304, Sir Richard presented here; in 1305, he settled it on,

Thomas de Brampton, his son, and his heirs.

In 1310, Robert de Reydon of Reydon in Suffolk had a chartex for free-warren here, for a market, fair, and free-warren in Reydon, for free-warren in Wenham-Combusta, Hadley, Holeton, Stratford, Leyham, Hintlesham, Whersted, Threston, Wolfreston, Badingham, and Framlingham in Suffolk, Ramsey, and Wrabnese in Essex, and Fighelden and Aleton in Wiltshire. This Robert purchased it of Thomas de Brampton, who conveyed it to him, with the reversion of the third part, which Alice, widow of Sir Richard de Brampton, held in dower; and in 1314, the said Robert had the King's license to settle it on

John, his son, and Hawise his wife, who presented by the name of Hawise de Wysham in 1335; and in 1338, Richard, son of Thomas de Brampton, cousin and one of the heirs of John de Leyham, released his right to the said Hawise, Sir Andrew de Bures, and Alice his wife, and the heirs of Alice; and in 1359, Hawise, then widow of John de Wysham, held it of the inheritance of the said Alice.

In 1360, Sir Andrew de Bures died, Alice his wife survived, and Robert, their heir, was then 26 years old, but he dying without issue, the said Alice, jointly with her second husband, John, son of Sir John de Sutton, Knt. conveyed their manor and advowson in 1362, to

Robert de Bumpsted, citizen of Norwich, and Thomas his son, and their heirs, which Robert presented in 1364.

In 1376, John de Corpesty, citizen of Norwich, was lord and patron; and

In 1388, Sir William de Elmham, Knt. and Bartholomew de Ellys, his trustee; this Sir William was one of the Captains sent to the aid of the Duke of Britain, in 1379; he was lord of Ingaldesthorp and Frenge, in Norfolk, and Westhorp, &c. in Suffolk, which last manor he left with this solely to his wife, whom he had made executrix, with Sir John Ingoldesthorp, Knt. Sir William Burgate, Knt. &c. and having bought the marriage and custody of Sir John Boun, his kinsman, of the Earl of Arundel, he ordered 35 marks to be expended for the soul of Sir John Cursoun, Knt. who was prisoner with the Earl of Pembrook in Spain; Sir William died in 1403, and was buried in a chapel in the abbey of Bury; in 1419, Elizabeth his widow died at Westhorp in Suffolk, and was buried in the abbey by her husband. Sir John Ingoldesthorp presented in 1403, and she herself in 1408; she left a legacy to Dame Margaret Kerdystone, her mother, and the relations of Thomas Catterton, her first husband, and being possessed of this manor and advowson in fee by her husband's will, in the year 1409, she sold it to

William Sedman, citizen of Norwich, who presented in 1413, and soon after settled the manor, lands, and advowson, on

The Dean and Canons of the chapel of St. Mary in the Fields in the city of Norwich, commonly called, the Chapel in the Fields, in which house in continued to its dissolution,

And was then granted by King Henry VIII. in 1546, along with the site of that religious place, to

Miles Spencer, last Dean there, and his heirs, to be held by knight's service in capite, the said Dean having purchased most of the revenues of this college of the King; at his decease it came to the

Yaxleys, but how I cannot find; for in 1570, Margaret, daughter and heir of Robert Stokes of Yorkshire, widow of Richard Yaxley of Melles in Suffolk, (fn. 5) held the manor and impropriate rectory, and at her death left them to

William Yaxley, Esq. her son, who had them in 1572.

In 1600, Henry Yaxley, Esq. settled it in trust on Charles Waldegrave; in 1635, this Henry was lord, and lived here; it continued in the family till they made it over to the

Browns of Colney; and about 1660,

Sir Robert Yallop, Knt. for his good service in recovering Mr. Yaxley's estate in Yorkshire, from his kinsman Brown of Colney, had this manor conveyed to him; he settled at Bowthorp Hall; this Sir Robert was grandson of Rowland Yallop of Rockland in Norfolk, whose son Robert married Joan, daughter of Edward Giles of Thorp by Norwich, by whom he had one daughter, Anne, married to Thomas Barret of Horstead, Gent. where she was buried, and several sons; Edward, his second, is buried here; Giles, another son, buried at Potter-Heigham, and Sir Robert, who married Dorothy, daughter of Clement Spelman of Gray's Inn, Baron of the Exchequer; Sir Robert died in 1705, and was buried here.

Charles Yallop, Esq. his only son, married Ellen, daughter and heiress of Sir Edw. Barkham of West-Acre Bart. whose son,

Edward Yallop, alias Spelman, Esq. is said to be lord, but one Mr. Nash a mortgagee is said to be in possession of the estate.