Eynford Hundred: Geystweyt or Geystwick

GEYSTWEYT OR GEYSTWICK.

Walter Giffard's manor, as mentioned in Geyst, extended into this town, and besides the lordship held of that fee, as mentioned there, which were after held of the honour of Clere, as descending from the Giffards, John de Norton had a lordship in the 34th of Henry III. and conveyed then to Agnes de Ratlesden, 60 acres of land here; and John, son of John Wodenorton, was living in the 14th of Edward I. Philip de Norton was lord in the 9th of Edward II. and found to hold here, and in Norton, half a fee of Richard Fitz-Symon, who held of the Earl of Clare; and in the 13th of Richard II. William de Norton appears from the escheat rolls to die possessed of one messuage, 160 acres of land, 12 of wood, 18 of meadow, 20 of pasture, and the rent of 50s. in Geyste, Geystweyte, Hildolveston, &c. of the honour of Clare.

John Barnard, Esq. by will, in 1474, gives his manor of Norton Hall, to Ann, his wife, with all his wheat and barley in Geystweyt, to maintain her house-keeping there; (fn. 1) he was buried in the church of St. Michael of Coslany, in Norwich.

In the 11th of Henry VIII. John Murdock, and Joan his wife, convey by fine, to Robert Poppy, 3 messuages, 214 acres of land in Gestwayt, Geyst, Hilderston, &c.

The Stewards had soon after an interest here; and Rose Steward, widow, presented to this vicarage in 1555: she was a daughter of Robert Brown, of Shelton in Norfolk, late wife Jeffrey Steward, of Geystweyt, son of Richard Steward of Upwell, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of— Cosyn of Upwell; and Richard was son of Nicholas Steward of the said town. Jeffrey had by Rose his wife, a son, Arthur Steward, Esq. of Geystweyt, and married Alice, daughter of William Worsley, of Norwich; of this family was William Stewart, Esq. who lived here in 1655, and was a justice of the peace, but their interest in this lordship and advowson, was in 1609, in Roger Bulwer, who presented then to the vicarage, as did Edward Bulwer, junior, Gent. in 1705, and Edward Bulwer in 1724, in which family the patronage and lordship now continues; William Wigget Bulwer, Esq. in 1764, lord, who changed his name, on his uncle Bulwer's grant to him of this manor, &c. with the patronage of the church.

William Beaufoe Bishop of Thetford had at the survey a socman, with 24 acres of land, and 2 borderers, with half a carucate belonging to his capital manor of Hilderston. (fn. 2)

Robert, son of John le Gross of Geystweyt, had an interest herein, as had Adam le Gross, who held it of Edmund de Gelham, and he of the Bishop of Norwich.

Robert le Gross held in the 20th of Edward III. 3 parts of a quarter of a fee, of Thomas de Gelham, he of the Bishop, late Adam de Groos's.

The temporalities of the priory of Norwich here, in 1428, were 20s. —Of Walsingham, 14s. 10d.

The tenths were 4l. 5s. 0d. Deducted 1l. 6s. 8d.

Robert Angel and John Walter had a grant of a tenement and 5 acres and half of land here, late Thomas Softley's, attainted, July 22, ao. 7 James I.

The Church is dedicated to St. Peter, and was a rectory, but being granted to the abbey of Waltham, by Eborard de Geiste, was appropriated thereto, and a vicarage appointed; they were valued together at 21 marks, and paid Peter-pence, 7d. ob. The present valor of the vicarage is 5l. and 10d. and pays no first fruits or tenths.

The vicar, by an agreement, with the abbot and convent, was to have all the altarages, and 12 pieces of free land, and one mark rent per ann. the abbot all corn tithe, hay, pulse, &c. the vicar to pay all episcopal and archidiaconal dues, and to keep residence.

The church has a nave, with a north and south isle, covered with lead; the chancel and south isle is tiled; the north door has no porch, but an entire holy water-pot is in the wall on the west side.

The site of the steeple may seem particular, as it now stands at the east end of the north isle, joining to the chancel, built of Hunstantonrock stone; but it is to be observed, that this belonged to the old church, built in a cathedral or conventual manner, and so was in the midst between the nave and choir, with arches to pass through; in this square tower hangs one bell; there were 2 more, sold in 1733.

In a window of the south isle is the portraiture of a physician administering physick to a person sick in bed, and this, In sicknes I pyne —Trost in God, and here is medecine.—Also a person naked, and, For colde I quake; Also a woman bringing things, Have here clothes and warm to make;

The seven works of mercy were here represented.

The portraiture of St. John, S'cs Johannes, and these arms; ermin, a chief indented, gules, Brome; and argent on a bend, gules, three mullets, or, impaling Brome, probably the builders of this isle.—A gravestone with

Orate p. a'i'a. Johis. At hylle cujus a'i'e, &c.

In the window of the north isle is represented the martyrdom of St. Edmund the King, by the Danes shooting him, &c. and their own King or leader, falling down dead before him; also a representation of the circumcision. A boat by the sea shore; a man lying dead on the shore, a king and several persons viewing the body, with a woman in a red habit, and underneath,

Hic jacet corpus Jacobi, (fn. 3) Sup. Collem; a benefactor to, or a builder of this isle, as I take it.

In the chancel is a black marble stone with this epitaph,

Edward Bulwer of this parish, Esq. descended from a family of good antiquity and repute in this county; he left behind him 5 children, viz Edward, John, William, Elizabeth and Mary, by Anne his only wife, who also lieth here interred; he died April 23, 1697, aged 74, she December 8, 1700, ætat. 74.—His son William hath thus endeavoured to perpetuate his name to posterity; and the arms of Bulwer, gules, on a chevron, between three eaglets, respectant, or, as many cinquefoils, sable;—impaling, or, on a bend, sable, in a bordure ingrailed, azure, bezanty, three griffins heads erased, of the first, Young; crest, a goat's head erazed, or.

A stone,

In memory of Ann, wife of Edward Bulwer, gent, died 27th Jan. 1604.

One,

In memory of Edward Bulwer, gent. heir apparent of Roger Bulwer, gent. he was patron of this church, died April 6, 1626, aged 64, with the crest of Bulwer, and Bulwer quarterly, in the first and fourth, and in the 2d and 3d, Gage, quarterly, azure and argent, on a saltier gules, an annulet, or, impaling Beck, gules, a cross moline, argent, between four foxes heads erased, or.

Another,

In memory of William Bulwer. gent. late of Wood-Dalling, 3d son of Edward Bulwer, Esq. late of this parish, died Feb. 10, 1735, aged 76.

On a brass plate,

Here lyeth Jefery Styward, gentleman. patron of this cherche, on whose sowle Jesu have mercy, A. D. m. v. xl iiii.

In the chancel, on a gravestone,

Hic jacet Rogerus Bulwer, generosus, hujus ecclesie patronus, octoginta annos natus, ob. 16 Julij, 1616.

Adjoining, another:

Christiana suo jacet hic vicina marilo, Nunc consors tumuli, quæ fuit ante Tori. Sexaginta et octodecem annos nata, obijt vicesimo Octavo die Junij An. Dni. 1615.

- - - - - - - - - - -Joanna uxor Willi. Younge de Ketleston clerici, obt. Dec. 14, aged 78.—Elizabeth, wife of Richard Baldwyn, gent. died May 28, 1653.

Also one,

In memory of Anne Money, daughter of Roger Bulwere, Esq. deceased, and the most dearly beloved wife of John Money, min. a late preacher of the gospel at Wimondham. In the time of her life, she fought a good fight on earth; she conquered, and is now triumphing in heaven, where no man shall take her crown: she died September 15. 1671, aged 51.

On the font are three escallops, St. James's arms; the emblem of the Trinity, arms of St. Paul, St. Andrew, St. George, St. Peter, and the instruments of the passion of our Saviour; near to this, on a gravestone, a cup and chalice, and

Orate p.a'i', Dni. Johs. Robertson, et Roberti patris ejus, qui quidem Johs. obt. iido die Sept. m. v. c. viii. quor. a'i'ab; &c.

One,

In memory of Ann, wife of John Wall of Trouse, daughter of John Dey, late of this parish, gent. died March 16, 1731, aged 26.

On another,

Orate, &c. Agnetis Howis cujus, &c.

Also near this,

Orate, &c. Caterine Everard, &c.

In the said isle,

Hic jacet Alicia que fuit uxor Alixandri Brusyard, quondam uxor Stephi. Sturmer, que obijt. xi die mens. Decemb. - - - - - cujus a'i'e, &c.

Orate p. &c. - - Johs. Ive cujus, &c.—Also—Orate p. &c. - - - - Ive que obijt xxiiii die - - - - - xcviii cuj. &c.

On a gravestone an effigy of a man in brass, and

Orate p. a'i'a. Ricardi Athills, qui obijt. xvii Sept. A. D. m. vc. v. cujus, &c.

A stone,

In memory of Arthur Stewart, gent. who died June 28, in 1606, and William his son, in 1641.

A marble gravestone with these arms in a lozengy, a ferdemolin, —Mills; crest, a demi lion holding a ferdemolin: in a lozenge, azure, a cross moline, or, Ward; crest, an eagle's head erased.

Here lye entomb'd the breathless remains of Mrs. Sarah Mills, and Mrs. Rebecka Ward, two sisters in law, the only daughters of Mr. George and Mary Mills, of Geystwick, the former of which died June 10, 1696. aged 18, and the latter, May 20, 1702, aged 26.

Under this stone in easie slumber lies Two dusty bodies that at last shall rise, Their parted atoms shall again rejoin, Be cast into new moulds by hands divine.

A gravestone,

In memory of the truly religious and vertuous Mrs. Anne Bendish, who died March 9, 1699, aged 29; with her arms; argent, a chevron, sable, between three rams heads, erased, azure, attired, or, impaling, a cross flory, - - in a bordure, ermine.

The chief manor, and impropriated rectory, belongs to Mr. Bulwer. Quere, if not a small manor called Callis, owned lately by Mr. William Newman of Baconsthorp? the demean of it was one close, now divided into 4 closes, and about 120l. per ann.

Vicars.

1316, Walter de Keteleston, presented to the vicarage by the abbot and convent of Waltham.

1320, Robert le Teyntour.

1361, John Alby.

1386, Henry Ansty.

1405, John Lavenham.

1421, Thomas Champneys, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1429, James Ivys, by the abbot, &c.

1460, William Skot.

1463, John Robertson.

1504, John Person.

John Piers, vicar.

1555, Peter Langton, by Rose Stiward, widow.

Peter Alington, vicar.

1572, Simon Thompson, by William Sanderson, merchant.

1609, Thomas Hood, by Roger Bulwer.

1622, Francis Catelyn. Ditto.

1625, John Tong, by Edward Bulwer, Esq.

1627, John Christmass, by Roger Bulwer, Esq.

1639, Thomas Sappe.

1661, John Bonde, by Edward Bulwer, Esq.

1664, Samuel Smith. Ditto.

1668, William Jacomb. Ditto.

1679, James Martyn, by Edward Bulwer, junior, Gent.

1703, James Martyn. Ditto.

1705, Thomas Plumstede. Ditto.

1714, Edward Bulwer, by Edward Bulwer, Esq. of Wood Dalling.

1724, William Allen. Ditto.

Here was the guild of St. Peter, and the lights of St. Peter, St. Mary, and St. Nicholas.